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The town of Bakhmut in Eastern Ukraine came under Russian artillery fire on Monday as Ukrainian forces there managed to launch a ground attack, Ukrainian military officials said.
The position in Bakhmut has been fortified and only people with a military role are allowed to enter, the battalion’s deputy commander said. Any civilians who still wanted to leave the city had to brave the incoming fire, he said.
Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, is a key target for Russian President Vladimir Putin and months of Russian offensives have left much of it damaged.
With the first anniversary of the Russian invasion approaching and a major new Kremlin attack anticipated, the situation there is becoming increasingly acute.
‘Crazy, chaotic shelling’
“The city, the suburbs, the entire perimeter, and essentially the entire direction of Bakhmut and Kostyantynivka are under crazy, chaotic shelling,” said Volodymyr Nazarenko, deputy commander of the Ukrainian Soboda battalion.
“Every road was surrounded by artillery in a chaotic manner.”
Nazarenko said that although there is no fighting in the center of the city now, the defenders are ready to face any attack.
“This city is a fortress; every position and every road there, almost every building, is a fortress,” he said.
Bakhmut’s capture would give Putin a new foothold in the Donetsk region and a rare victory after months of setbacks. The Russian offensive has been led by mercenaries from the Wagner group, who have made small but steady gains.
Donetsk and Luhansk regions form the Donbas, the industrial heart of Ukraine. Russia is partially occupied and wants to win full control.
Russia reported progress on the front line
Earlier on Monday, Russia’s defense ministry said its forces had advanced several kilometers along the front line, without specifying exactly in the war zone that covers several areas in the south and east.
The Ukrainian military reported a Russian attack on its front line and said 16 settlements had been bombed near Bakhmut. He said that in the past days, his forces have repelled several attacks near Bakhmut as well as attacks in Kharkiv, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces had attacked Bilogorivka from all sides before dawn on Monday.
“But our troops are fighting there again,” he told Ukrainian television. “It’s the same situation in the direction of Kreminna – a lot [Russians] appear there. But he retreated after a battle with our troops.
Repeating the comments he made last week that Russian attacks had been stepped up before the new attack, he said: “Preparations for this attack have been made, the number of shots, airstrikes and attacks by small groups has increased. waiting for them to start large-scale attacks every hour.”
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
Do not travel to Russia: US Embassy
The US Embassy in Moscow issued another warning to US citizens not to travel to Russia for fear of harassment or detention, and urged them to leave immediately if they must travel there.
The warning cited “potential harassment and singling out of US citizens for detention by Russian government security officials, arbitrary local law enforcement, limited flights to and from Russia, limited embassies’ ability to assist US citizens in Russia, and possible terrorism.”
The embassy also noted that the Russian authorities may sweep US citizens who also have Russian citizenship in the mobilization of the reserve.
“Russia may refuse to recognize dual U.S. citizenship, deny access to U.S. consular assistance, subject to mobilization, prevent departure from Russia, and/or conscription,” the warning said.
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February, the embassy has regularly issued advisories for US citizens not to travel to Russia and to leave if they have.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied on Monday that a second round of mobilization would take place.
Sporadic deliveries of food and water
Although many people have fled Donetsk province where most of the fighting is concentrated, those who choose to remain are dependent on sporadic aid deliveries of food and water.
In the city of Sviatohirsk, north of Donetsk, some residents have remained dependent on volunteers with the World Central Kitchen organization for food and supplies to cope with freezing temperatures. Sviatohirsk was liberated by Ukrainian forces in September.
On Sunday, the area was covered in snow, hiding the extensive damage from repeated bombings and heavy fighting.
Standing in the ruins of the city council building, resident Valeriy Andrievskiy said the building was “beautiful”.
“God forbade our troops to retreat and we stayed [behind enemy lines]. God does not sleep. I won’t live this once again,” he said.
Walking near the ruins of her home, 80-year-old Tamara Yevdokimova said she was “tortured” by Russian forces.
“I haven’t heard from you for five months…. Same [Russians] had knocked out his teeth. What can I do?” he said. In his yard were the burnt remains of a Russian tank.
‘I’ll get back to you, trust me’
Those who left the front lines in search of safety are still struggling to adapt to their new lives elsewhere. In Kyiv, dozens of people from the Donbas, Kherson and Kharkiv regions were helped by the Center of Hope and Recovery, an organization that provides temporary housing and meals.
“These are people who have abandoned what they have achieved over the years, and this is a very traumatic experience,” said the head of the center Anna Harkun. They received psychological and medical help, while volunteers helped them find jobs and permanent accommodation, he added.
A Russian rocket destroyed the home of 80-year-old Anatoly Zakharenko in the village of Terny in Donetsk. His wife, daughter, and disabled grandson were all evacuated from the area and rescued in the city.
Missing his hometown, he wrote poetry to ease the pain of moving. “I will come back to you, believe me,” he said as he read aloud.
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