Ukraine claims it has driven out the Russian brigade
Ukraine says a Russian brigade has been driven out near Bachmut. The unity claim appears to confirm comments by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner army chief, who said on Tuesday that the Russian brigade has abandoned its positions at Bachmut, Moscow’s main target in its winter offensive and the scene of the bloodiest ground combat in Europe since WWII.
Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, head of Ukraine’s ground forces, said Russian units had retreated up to two kilometers into parts of Bachmut due to counterattacks. He didn’t provide details.
The Kremlin defines the operation in Ukraine as “difficult”.
Russia’s military operation against Ukraine is “very difficult” but will continue, the Tass news agency said, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Russia has managed to seriously damage the Ukrainian military machine and this work will continue, he added in a long interview. “The special military operation continues. This is a very difficult operation and, of course, some goals have been achieved in one year,” Tass said quoting Peskov.