Russian forces continued ground attacks in and around

Bakhmut

, Donetsk Oblast, but did not make any confirmed advances into the city on March 11.

This is stated in the summary of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

On March 11, Russian troops continued ground attacks along the Avdiivka-Donetsk front line. 

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian troops repelled Russian attacks on Bakhmut itself;

to the northeast of Bakhmut near the town of Paraskoviivka;

to the northwest of Bakhmut near the towns of Zaliznianske, Dubovo-Vasylivka and Bohdanivka;

and to the west of Bakhmut near Ivanovskoye.

The official spokesman of the Eastern Group, Colonel Serhiy Cherevaty, said on March 11 that the fighting in Bakhmut this week was more intense than the previous one, and that 23 combat clashes took place in Bakhmut last day alone.

However, according to the Institute, Russian forces have not carried out any confirmed ground attacks in the west of Donetsk region.

"As of March 11, Russian forces have not made any confirmed offensives inside Bakhmut. Ukrainian and Russian sources continue to report heavy fighting in the city, but Wagner Group fighters are likely to be increasingly trapped in the city's industrial areas, making it difficult for them to achieve significant success," the report says.

What is happening in Bakhmut now?

The Ukrainian military in Bakhmut repels numerous attacks by the Russians, who are suffering heavy losses.

The battles near Bakhmut are so intense that they cannot withstand the weapons:

the shooting sometimes starts jamming the machine guns.

Our defenders in Bakhmut have free time only for some minimal sleep, bringing weapons and equipment into combat condition - and into battle again.

On March 9, the commander of the Ground Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky, stated that the Russian troops were throwing the most combat-capable units into the battle near Bakhmut, in particular, the mercenary assault squads of the "Wagner" PPC.

The relevance of the city's defense is only growing every day.

On March 10, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that

Russian troops are trying to break through Ukrainian defenses in Bakhmut,

but Ukrainian soldiers continue to defend the city from Russian invaders.

According to the spokesman of the Eastern Group, Serhii Cherevaty,

the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed most of the "Wagner" air defense complex in Bakhmut, Donetsk region

.

That is why the moral and psychological state of the occupiers is very low.

British intelligence reported on March 11 that during the last four days, the forces of the "Wagner" group captured most of the eastern half of the city of Bakhmut.

In particular,

in the center of the city, the Bakhmutka River now runs along the front line. 

 At the same time, Ukrainian forces hold the western part of the city and have destroyed key bridges across the river.

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said that 

fighting continues both on the outskirts of Bakhmut and on the streets of the city itself,

but the Ukrainian military continues to defend itself.

He added that the surrounding territories are strewn with the bodies of dead Russian occupiers, including mercenaries of the "Wagner" PMC.

No one takes them away, "because no one needs them there."

Yuriy Syrotyuk, a Ukrainian soldier and grenade launcher of the 5th separate assault regiment, who is currently defending Bakhmut from Russian invaders, also told why the city cannot be surrendered to the enemy.

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  • Ukraine news

  • War in Ukraine

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