A senior US military official spoke about the field conditions in Ukraine, describing the battles in the vicinity of Bakhmut as brutal, and explaining that each of the two sides bombards the other with thousands of shells daily.
The US military added that there is no change in the Kherson region, speaking of a dispute over limited areas between the Russian and Ukrainian sides. He stressed that the United States will continue to send air defenses to Ukraine.
This is where fierce battles take place between Russian and Ukrainian forces Along the seam lines in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. In the face of the intense Russian attacks, the Ukrainian forces are trying to withstand and maintain their defensive line in Solidar and Bakhmut.
As the battles continue north of Donetsk, the Russian army continues to bomb Ukrainian military supplies heading from the city of Bakhmut to the town of Solidar.
In a preliminary outcome, dozens of Ukrainian soldiers were killed during the continuous shelling on the highway between Bakhmut and Solidar, while the Russian army bombed the highway with artillery and rocket launchers.
Reporter #Arabic Raed Al-Aghbar in Donetsk: Heavy shelling by the Russian forces…and fierce battles in Bakhmut between Wagner’s elements and the Ukrainian army pic.twitter.com/0QdVLMP2in
– Arabic (@AlArabiya) January 9, 2023
Bakhmut, a ruined city that has been exhausted by Russian strikes for six continuous months, is a valuable prey for the pro-Russian forces. Bakhmut converted the salt and gypsum mines, the capture of which undoubtedly brings great financial gain.
Strategically, Bakhmut is the semi-only southeastern gateway to Russia’s advance deep into Donetsk, especially towards the main cities under Ukrainian control.
Developments are accelerating in eastern Ukraine in light of the continuous Russian advance there, which prompted Ukrainian forces to strengthen their ranks in the eastern Donbass region in general, in an effort to counter the ongoing Russian attacks.
In addition to these reinforcements, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Colonel Oleksandr Sersky, personally went to Bakhmut in order to raise the morale of the army and follow up on the latest developments.
On the other hand, the Russian forces launched a strike targeting US-made artillery systems and anti-battery radars in Donbass, according to the Ministry of Defense.
Meanwhile, British intelligence reports warned of Russia using modern weapons to enhance its firepower in the war against Ukraine, most notably the use of Su-57 aircraft.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that his forces are standing up to “new and even more severe attacks” on Solidar, near the city of Bakhmut in the east of the country, which Moscow has been trying to control for months.
“I thank all our soldiers who protect Bakhmut… (and) all the fighters in Solidar who withstand the invaders’ new and more severe attacks!” Zelensky declared in his daily address.