Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine able to 'stabilize' situation in Bakhmut, says Ukrainian military chief

The leader of the Ukrainian military said its forces are still able to “stabilize” the situation on the ground in the key city of Bakhmut. The update comes amidst the ongoing battle to capture the eastern Ukrainian city.

The Ukrainian armed forces commander-in-chief General Valery Zaluzhny said the situation in the frontline is “the toughest” in Bakhmut, following a phone call with the British chief of the defense staff Tony Radakin over the weekend. The battle for Bakhmut has made up most of the war as well as one of the bloodiest, with the city virtually emptied as both sides are fighting for control over the territory.

“Due to the tremendous efforts of the Defense Forces, we are managing to stabilize the situation,” said Zaluzhny in a post on Facebook on Friday last week.

Russian forces have been making incremental gains in Bakhmut, with the territory posing more symbolic importance than any military significance as the battle for control over the city continues. The British defense ministry said in its intelligence bulletin that Russian efforts to carry out assaults in Bakhmut have been “largely stalled,” which is possibly due to the “extreme attrition of the Russian forces,” and that Ukrainian forces have also suffered significant casualties.

Senior Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said a Ukrainian counterattack could be launched soon against the “exhausted” Russian forces in Bakhmut.

“The aggressor has not given up hope of taking Bakhmut at all costs despite losses in manpower and equipment,” said Syrskyi. “Sparing nothing, they are losing significant strength and becoming exhausted,” and that “very soon, we will take advantage of this opportunity like we did near Kyiv, Kharkiv, Balakliya, and Kupiansk.”

Also, on Friday last week, the air force commanders of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland signed a letter of intent to create a unified Nordic air defense that aims to counter the increasing threat from Russia. The initiative aims to operate jointly, based on the existing ways of operating under the NATO alliance, according to statements by the four armed forces.

Danish air force commander, Major General Jan Dam, told Reuters that the move to integrate the four armed forces was due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Our combined fleet can be compared to a large European country,” said Dam.