Ukraine Reverses Claim of Retaking Village Near Bakhmut – The Moscow Times

Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar has retracted her earlier announcement on Thursday that Kyiv had regained control of an eastern village near Bakhmut, as troops on the ground reported ongoing fighting.

Kyiv has been pushing back against Moscow’s forces in the southern and eastern parts of the country since June, thanks to increased Western weaponry and the recruitment of assault battalions.

Malyar had declared that the village of Andriivka was now under their control, stating that Kyiv’s forces were “advancing in the Bakhmut sector.”

However, the soldiers on the ground disputed this announcement.

The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, fighting in the Donetsk region, said on social media that “the statement about the capture of Andriivka is premature” and that “there are serious and important battles in the areas of Klishchivka and Andriivka,” calling the initial statement “unfair.”

Malyar subsequently clarified the situation, attributing the announcement to a “communication breakdown.”

She added, “There is some success in Andriivka and heavy fighting is currently underway.”

Bakhmut, a town that used to be home to around 70,000 people, was seized by Russian forces in May after one of the longest and bloodiest battles of Russia’s invasion.

However, Ukrainian forces quickly started pushing back around the northern and southern flanks of the city, making incremental gains.

Andriivka is located approximately 14 kilometers (nine miles) south of Bakhmut and had a population of less than 100 before the war.