Ukraine’s MoD names Bakhmut defense commanders

Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar informed about this on Telegram.

According to her, Brigadier General Andriy Hnatov is the chief defense officer of Bakhmut.

Colonel Pavlo Palisa, the brigade commander of the 93rd Brigade, and Colonel Oleksandr Pivnenko, the brigade commander of the 3rd National Guard Brigade, are defending directly in Bakhmut.

Malyar reports that the commander of the Khortytsia 23rd separate battalion, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, is managing the Eastern front defense, including Bakhmut. 

Also, part of the eastern front is managed by the commander of the Tavria brigade, Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi.

“This week marks the second month since the intensification of fighting in Bakhmut. No one believed that it would be possible to hold the city for more than a week or two under such intense enemy attacks. However, the courage and heroism of thousands of soldiers, as well as the skillful leadership of our generals and officers, have allowed us to hold the defense of Bakhmut, and the possibilities have not yet been exhausted," noted Hanna Malyar.

• Experts point out that the skillful leadership and selfless work of each soldier have limited the Russian invaders' ability to carry out assault operations near Bakhmut to only small locations.