JAKARTA - Russian troops stepped up their attacks on eastern Ukraine while trying to surround the small mining town of Bakhmut, where the toughest fighting between the two countries is currently centered.
Russia is trying to cut off supply lines of Ukrainian troops to the city and force them to surrender or withdraw. It will give Russia its first big prize in more than half a year, paving the way for the last remaining city center in the Donetsk region.
"The enemy continues to destroy everything that can be used to protect our position as a bulwark and defense. Our army that defends the area around Bakhmut is a true hero," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday.
The Ukrainian military said Russia had strengthened its troops in the Bakhmut area and opened fire on settlements around the city.
"Over the past few days, our army has pushed back more than 60 enemy attacks," the military said on Tuesday morning, referring to Bakhmut and the nearest eastern region, adding Ukrainian troops also fended off Russian attacks in the villages of Yadhidne and Berkhivka, on a north approach to Bakhmut.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military analyst Zhdanov said Russian forces had created gaps among the villages, as they tried to cut the road to the west towards Chasiv Yar.
"The southern part of Bakhmut is the only area that can be described as under Ukrainian control. In all other districts, the situation is unpredictable," he said in a video comment.
"It is impossible to say where the front line is," he continued.
Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk region fought in a muddy ditch, after warmer weather disbursed the ground frozen.
"Both sides remain in position, because as you can see, spring means mud. So, it is impossible to move forward," said Mykola, commander of Ukraine's frontline rocket launch battery, while looking at the tablet screen for firing coordinates.
The spring disbursement, known as rasputitsa, has a history of destroying the army's plans to attack across Ukraine and western Russia, turning roads into rivers and fields into swamps.
Russia, which deployed hundreds of thousands of military service to replace its killed troops, intensified its attacks along the east front, but had to be paid dearly.
"Multaneous fighting is taking place there. Commands are doing everything they can to stop the enemy from advancing through our territory," Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesman for Ukraine's eastern military command, told Ukrainian television.
Russia said its forces had destroyed Ukrainian ammunition depots near Bakhmut, as well as shot down US rockets and Ukrainian drones.
Separately, Russia's Defense Ministry said the United States was planning provocations in Ukraine using toxic chemicals. There was no immediate response from the US.
Ukrainian troops have mostly focused on maintaining a defensive position in recent weeks, but are expected to try to counterattack at the end of the year with new weapons from the West.
It is known that Ukrainian troops who lost the number managed to fend off Russian attacks aimed at seizing the capital at the start of the war, then retaking large enough territory.
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