The situation is "
extremely tense
" around Bakhmout, a city in eastern Ukraine which the Russians have been trying to seize since the summer and where they have advanced in recent weeks, the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces.
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"
The situation around Bakhmout is extremely tense
," said Oleksandre Syrsky, quoted by the army's official press center.
" The enemy has sent the best prepared units (of the paramilitary group)
Wagner
to attack,
trying to break through the defense of our troops and encircle the city
," he added.
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Surrounding strategy
Bakhmout, whose strategic importance is disputed, has become a symbol of the struggle for control of the Donbass region (East).
In recent weeks, the Russians have slowly progressed towards this industrial city which had some 70,000 inhabitants before the invasion of Ukraine launched a year ago by Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged on Monday evening that the situation around Bakhmout was becoming "
more and more complicated
" for Ukrainian soldiers.
The Russians succeeded in cutting off several important routes for the supply of Ukrainian troops.
The boss of the Wagner group, Evguéni Prigojine, claimed on Saturday that his men had conquered the village of Yaguidné, located on the northern outskirts of Bakhmout.