Local pro-Russian rebels claimed to have taken control of a nearby town as Russian forces in eastern Ukraine launched a heavy artillery bombardment aimed at seizing the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut.

The Ukrainian army continues to put up a thorough resistance, and it is expected that the offense and defense will become even more intense.

The Russian army repeated heavy artillery fire over Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, and attempted to break through by deploying fighters from a private military company in the town of Soledar, about 10 kilometers to the north. On the 11th, he claimed to the Russian media that he had taken control of the entire town.

There has been no reaction from the Ukrainian side so far, but Deputy Defense Minister Marial posted on social media on the 10th, "In Soledar, the enemy continues its thorough assault, regardless of its own casualties." was doing.



On the other hand, Ukraine is emphasizing its stance of continuing an all-out resistance to defend Bakhmut, and the offense and defense with the Russian side is expected to become even more intense.



"Russian forces have struggled for months to gain tactical gains in Soledar, taking Russian claims of control of the town at face value," the US think-tank War Research Institute said on Thursday. However, it does not lead to an immediate siege of Bakhmut."

Military critic Berezovets: Tough battle around Soledar

Taras Berezovets, a military commentator and currently serving in a unit of the Ukrainian Army, responded to NHK's online interview about the fighting in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.



In it, Mr. Berezovets commented on the offensive near Bakhmut, the Ukrainian stronghold in Donetsk Oblast, saying, "Russia had previously attacked Bakhmut head-on, losing thousands of soldiers. For this reason, this time the strategy has been changed to encircle the Ukrainian army from the periphery.As a result, the Russian side is trying to seize Soledar near Bakhmut," he analyzed the Russian side's strategy. .



On top of that, ``The Russian side attacks in small units of about 4 to 15 people, making it difficult to defeat them. They are starting to attack. In some places, attacks are being carried out every 15 minutes,” he said, pointing out that the Russian side is developing a fierce urban battle.



"For the Ukrainian side, the next few days will be a tough battle around Soledar," he said.



Meanwhile, Berezovets said: "While the Russian army is concentrating on the fighting around Bakhmut and Soledar, the Ukrainian army is preparing another operation. An operation like the liberation of Kherson could happen." Citing Ukraine's recapture of Kherson, a strategic location in the south last November, he expressed his desire to achieve steady results based on strategy.