Ukrainian Troops Expel Russian Military From Positions In Bakhmut: 20 Thousand Soldiers Reported Killed, Half Of Wagner Group

JAKARTA - Ukrainian troops have expelled Russian troops from several positions in Bakhmut as the city was hit by heavy fighting, a Ukrainian general said, while the White House believes that more than 20,000 Russian troops have been paralyzed in Ukraine since December.

"The situation (in Bakhmut) is quite difficult," Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ukrainian army, said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

"At the same time, in some parts of the city, the enemy was attacked back by our unit and left several positions in recent days."

The 10-month fighting to seize the city in eastern Ukraine has become an important symbol, both for Moscow and for Kyiv.

The city has become a warbed spot that has seen a slight shift on the front lines since late 2022, leaving the two warring sides trying to find a breakthrough.

On Monday, Russia opened fire on a new missile into Ukraine overnight that killed two people in the east, sparking a major fire and damaging dozens of houses and other buildings.

Separately, the White House said on Monday Russia had spent its military supplies and armed forces with about 100,000 Russian soldiers killed or injured in Ukraine in the past five months. Of the 20,000 people killed, half came from the Wagner Group's group of mercenaries.

Wagner Group Head Yevgeny Prigozhin said on the Telegram channel its fighters needed about 300 tons of artillery shells per day to attack Bakhmut. However, so far they have received only a third of that number.

"Three hundred tonnes per day equals 10 cargo containers - not much," said Prigozhin, who frequently clashed with the Russian Ministry of Defense over the implementation of the war in Ukraine.

In a separate post on Monday night, Prigozhin said his troops had advanced about 120 meters (400 feet) into Bakhmut with 86 fighters missing.

General Syrskyi said Russia's new units were "continuely deployed into the battle to seize Bakhmut" despite heavy losses, adding: "But enemies cannot control the city."

Russian troops are known to continue to gain additional profits in Bakhmut. However, Ukraine said on Sunday it could still supply fighters with food, ammunition and medicine.

Kyiv is widely expected to launch a retaliatory offensive to retake parts of the region in the east and south occupied by Russian forces, following the Moscow invasion 15 months ago.