President Zelensky Praises Ukrainian Army's Success In Taking Strategic Villages Near Bakhmut

Ukrainian ground forces commander Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi (center). (Twitter/@armyinformcomua)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday his troops had reclaimed a strategic village on the east side of Bakhmut, the city that fell to Russia in May after months of fierce fighting.

"Today I would specifically like to commend the soldiers who, step by step, return to Ukraine what is their right, namely in the Bakhmut region," President Zelensky said in his evening video address.

"Ukraine has always had support," wrote Ukraine chief of staff Andriy Yermak on Telegram.

President Zelensky thanked the units who succeeded in carrying out the attack, citing the 80th air traffic attack brigade, 5th attack brigade, noble 95th attack brigade and national police attack brigade.

"Klischiivka. Very good," said President Zelensky.

Meanwhile, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malar shared videos of Ukrainian troops waving flags including blue and yellow national flags, with ruins of buildings and ongoing fighting sounds in the background.

Russia is still trying to regain a lost position even though the village has been released, he wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

"Today we have to fight enemy attacks throughout the day," he said.

Separately, Ukrainian Army Commander Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi also confirmed the seizure back of the village, which Russia claims controls in January, has a population of about 400 people before the war, and is about six miles (nine km) south of Bakhmut.

lia Yevlash, spokeswoman for Ukrainian forces in the east, said the fighting caused "severe damage" to Russian airborne units, the "Akhmat" battalion of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Storm-Z consisting of Russian criminals, and military intelligence of the Russian General Staff and motor gun units.

"So, now we have gained a basis that allows us to continue to develop offensive measures and free our land from colonialists," he wrote in the Telegram messaging application.

It is known that Klishchiivka is located several miles (kilometers) north of Andriivka, which was reclaimed earlier this week. The two settlements were substantially destroyed in months of fighting for Bakhmut.

Bakhmut fell into Russian hands in May after months of fierce fighting. For several months, Ukrainian forces have carried out attacks in the north and south of the city to expel Russian units from there.

Ukrainian military analysts said this week that settlement acquisition near Bakhmut would allow the military to advance from the south side of the Bakhmut region and control altitude.