The Ukrainian counteroffensive takes strategic positions around Bakhmut and makes advances on the southern front towards Berdiansk

INTERNATIONAL / By Luis Moreno

The Ukrainian counteroffensive has made advances in the last hours on the southern front, in the direction of the port of Berdiansk, and in the surroundings of Bakhmut, where it has forced the Russian army to withdraw from several nearby towns in what could be a first step to the reconquest of the city.

Zelensky's troops have penetrated several kilometers along the southern flank of the city and have caused the Russian withdrawal around the settlements of Klishchiivka and Andriivka, two small municipalities southwest of Bakhmut that are now under Kiev control.

The spokesman for the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Andri Kovalov, already confirmed on Tuesday the capture of Andriivka and the latest reports from the combat zone indicate that the Russian forces have also withdrawn from Klishchiivka, just 10 kilometers from Bakhmut.

Likewise, Zelensky's army has positioned itself to the northwest of the city after advancing along the M03 highway until it is less than 20 kilometers away, in the surroundings of the town of Orekhovo-vasylivka.

These encircling movements from the west by the Ukrainian army, with advances to the north and south in the vicinity of Bakhmut, could be the prelude to a large-scale offensive to try to retake the city, which fell into the hands of the Russian army on last May after months of intense fighting that has caused the virtual destruction of the city.

But while few buildings remain standing, Bakhmut remains one of the main battlegrounds because it is a major logistics center just 50 miles from the regional capital, Donetsk, a metropolis that fell to pro-Russian separatists in the war. of Donbas, in 2014, and which remains under the control of the Kremlin.

The Russian army, with the support of Wagner's mercenaries, took months to take Bakhmut and its forces are not willing to easily abandon the positions they had won.. Indeed, despite the Ukrainian advances, Moscow troops have responded by artillery shelling the Kiev-controlled city of Toretsk, located 50 kilometers southwest of Bakhmut.

But beyond the intense fighting around this disputed city, the Ukrainian counteroffensive has also made progress on the southern front, regaining ground around Staromayorske, west of the Donetsk region; and in Robotine, in Zaporizhia.

Although on this southern front the counteroffensive is advancing more slowly than Kiev wanted, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces maintains that the advances are solid and that part of the efforts are also focused on consolidating the areas of land won from the enemy.

The ultimate goal of the counteroffensive on this southern front is to reach the port of Berdyansk and the Black Sea coast in order to cut Russia's land communications with Crimea, which would be limited to the vulnerable bridge over the Kerch Strait.

Russian diplomacy visits North Korea

Far from the front line, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu expressed on Wednesday Russia's desire to strengthen military ties with North Korea.. During an official visit to Pyongyang, Shoigu has described the Asian country as an “important partner of Russia” and has advocated expanding that collaboration.

“I am convinced that our talks will help strengthen cooperation between our defense ministries,” said the Russian minister, who held a meeting with his counterpart, Kang Sun-nam.

Shoigu attends as a guest the celebrations on the occasion of the anniversary of the end of the Korean War (1950-1953) and has considered North Korea as a “friendly country”. The West, for its part, has repeatedly accused Pyongyang of supplying Moscow with weapons and ammunition in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.