Ukrainian army stops Russian offensive in Bakhmut area, Russia suffers losses - Colonel Sidorin

The commander of the battalion tactical group of the 4th operational brigade of Ukraine's National Guard, Colonel Serhiy Sidorin, reported this live on the air of Espreso TV channel.

"The situation remains difficult in the Bakhmut direction. The enemy has focused its main efforts on the localities: Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka. Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled eight attempts of the enemy to launch assault operations over the last day. Several enemy build-up areas were also discovered. The Russian troops tried to launch an offensive, but they were detected and shelled by artillery units using UAVs. They suffered losses and abandoned their offensive," said Sidorin.

According to him, the 4th Rubizh Operational Brigade successfully destroys the Russian enemy on the approach or in places of their accumulation. 

"We combined the use of reconnaissance drones, FPV drones and artillery units. Last week, several enemy artillery systems were destroyed, which significantly reduced the fire damage to our units," he added.

Today, the tendency to use armored vehicles of the Russian Federation is increasing. This is due to the deteriorating weather conditions and the lack of its success, noted Sidorin.

"The elections in Russia are close, the enemy has no successes and no large-scale seized territories. Therefore, to capture a few hundred meters, to lay down several hundred lives of servicemen along with equipment is the norm for the occupiers," he noted.

In the Bakhmut direction, the Russian Federation is using units of the Russian Volunteer Corps, airborne, motorized infantry and formed of citizens of the occupied Luhansk region, said Sidorin.

"There are also citizens of foreign origin among the Russian units, these are emigrants or migrant workers. They are offered Russian citizenship and after receiving a passport they are sent to the front," he said.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces colonel also spoke about the resumption of offensive operations in 2024.

"We would like to liberate our territory as soon as possible, but it all depends on the supply of ammunition we receive. The more ammunition and means to conduct combat operations, the fewer losses we will suffer. The question is whether we are ready to conduct offensive actions now, with limited supplies, and whether we are ready for such losses," Sidorin said.

"Today we need to stabilize weapons production. When there is support, a sufficient number of weapons, a mobilization resource and favorable conditions, then we need to actively conduct combat and offensive actions,” he said.

"We must prepare reserves after the mobilization, we must have the resources to conduct offensive actions. Then, of course, there will be instructions, a team, support from citizens, and we will start liberating our territory. At the moment, we are in active defense in our area and do not allow the enemy to advance. We are destroying the reserves the enemy has accumulated, this is the best way to conduct combat operations," he summarized.

• On January 26, the spokesman for the 26th Artillery Brigade named after Lieutenant General Roman Dashkevych, Oleh Kalashnikov, noted that the Russian army is trying to push the Ukrainian defense in the Bakhmut direction.