AFU recapture important area near Bakhmut – military expert Zgurets on successful counterattack

Despite the enemy's attempt to capture Bakhmut by the Victory Day, the Russian army and Wagner PMC failed again, as they did ten months before. However, there is positive news from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is gaining new details about a counterattack on the southern flank, where the enemy previously tried to advance towards the route between Kostiantynivka and Bakhmut, causing complications for Ukrainian troops near the settlement of Ivanivske.

The counterattack occurred on this flank, in the retreat zone towards Klishchiivka. An infographic indicates the location of this area and the counterattacks, with the Wagner and the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian Army stationed at these positions. The blue zone shows the territory that was liberated from the occupying Russian forces, which is 3 km wide and up to 2.5 km deep. This is a substantial area, considering Bakhmut itself occupies an area of 6 by 6 km. During this counterattack, a large number of armored vehicles were destroyed, prisoners were captured, and 2 companies of the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the aggressor were destroyed, comprising about 150 soldiers. The Wagner PMC also suffered significant losses, with Prigozhin announcing the loss of approximately 500 of his mercenaries and complaining that the 72nd Brigade fled in panic.

However, Major Maksym Zhorin, the former Azov regiment commander, provided interesting details. He said that the Wagner fighters were actually the first to flee from their positions at the beginning of the assault, and most of them died while attempting to escape. The AFU used armored vehicles and artillery to knock out and destroy the 72nd Brigade, and their positions were taken under control. Thanks to this operation, an essential part of the front was recaptured, allowing successful offensive actions and "cutting off" the southern enemy claw flank that surrounds Bakhmut. This minimizes risks for the route through Ivanivske, and it is possible to grind out the enemy in Bakhmut, where tough actions are currently underway in the high-rise building zone. The commander of the Land Forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, confirmed this good news today, stating that the Armed Forces of Ukraine advanced 2 km, and the battle for Bakhmut continues.