Russian forces intensify their offensive in Bakhmut direction

The Russian forces constantly attack Bakhmut with heavy artillery, tanks and mortars. When it calms down for at least a few minutes, the Ukrainian military tries to check if any civilians were injured during the previous shelling. 

Several thousands civilians, including almost 300 children, still remain in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, the police report. They live in cold basements and due to constant shelling, pupils do not have the opportunity to study, but they can't leave, because their parents refuse to evacuate. 

There is no electricity, heating or water supply in Bakhmut. Residents survive thanks to the help of the Ukrainian military and volunteers. 

“There is a shortage of food and medicines. Locals often get wounded, because there is nowhere to hide from the shelling. Bodies cannot be taken out. The situation reminds me of Mariupol at the beginning of the full-scale war. The only thing is that volunteers can come to Bakhmut, and locals have the opportunity to leave, but do not want to. Although it is impossible to live there, Russians try to capture the city with huge forces. This is some barbaric scale of World War II, when the occupiers walk on mountains of their corpses, but do not stop,” volunteer Artem Popov said. 

Bakhmut is now the Russian troops' main target on the battlefield. They are trying to surround the city, which is currently an impregnable fortress for the invaders. But for both Russians and Ukrainians, battles for Bakhmut are very fierce and bloody. 

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