Ukrainian forces break through Russian defense near Bakhmut, fighting continues

This is reported by Military Media Center.

"Fierce fighting continues in the area of Bakhmut. After losing Andriivka and Klishchiivka last week, the enemy has been conducting numerous counterattacks from different directions, unsuccessfully trying to regain the lost ground. After all, these seemingly small settlements were important elements of the enemy's defense line, which stretched from Bakhmut to Horlivka. As a result of the successful actions of our troops, the enemy's defense line was broken, which he tried to close, throwing all available reserves into the battle," the statement says. 

The Commander of the Land Forces noted that the overall situation in the eastern sector remains difficult, the enemy does not abandon its intention to resume the offensive in the Kupyansk and Lyman directions and is actively preparing for it.

In addition, Syrskyi said that in the fighting in the Bakhmut sector, some of Russia’s best-trained and best-performing enemy units - the 72nd Detached Motorized Rifle Brigade, 31st and 83rd Detached Air Assault Brigades - were defeated and completely lost their combat capability.

The recent battles near Bakhmut

On September 14, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that the Ukrainian military had liberated the village of Andriivka near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. However, the 3rd Detached Mechanized Brigade denied the statement and called it false.

On September 14, the Defense Forces successfully advanced in the area of Klishchiivka, Donetsk region. According to the General Staff, as of the morning of September 15, it became known that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had liberated Andriivka.

On September 16, the American Institute for the Study of War reported that after the Ukrainian military liberated Andriivka, they continued offensive operations near Bakhmut and in the western Zaporizhzhia region. At the same time, the tactical situation south of Bakhmut worsened for the Russian army.

On September 17, the Ukrainian Defense Forces completely liberated Klishchiivka, south of Bakhmut, but the enemy continued to try to capture the town.