Two-pronged attack on Russian-held Bakhmut looms as Ukraine recaptures another village
Ukraine said it recaptured Klishchiivka village, in a potential tactical loss for Russian forces in BakhmutAdvances came as two senior Western figures cautioned against hopes of a swift end to the conflictUkraine warAgenciesPublished: 1:24pm, 18 Sep, 2023Why you can trust SCMP
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said his forces had recaptured an eastern village on the southern flank of Bakhmut, in what would be Ukraine’s second significant gain in three days in its gruelling counteroffensive against the Russian army.
“Today I would like to particularly commend the soldiers who, step by step, are returning to Ukraine what belongs to it, namely in the area of Bakhmut,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address to the nation on Sunday.
The heavy fight for the Klishchiivka village, spread on higher grounds about 9km (6 miles) south of Bakhmut, has taken weeks and comes after Kyiv said on Friday it had gained control of a tiny nearby village of Andriivka.
The gains have been among the most significant in Ukraine’s counteroffensive, which began in June and has struggled to break through entrenched Russian lines.
Klishchiivka, which was home to several hundred people before Moscow launched its offensive in February 2022, was captured by Russian troops in January.