Since June, when a counter-offensive began, Ukrainian forces have liberated 47 square kilometers of territory near Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, with 3 square kilometers freed in the most recent week, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malar on September 4 as cited by the government via the Military Media Center Telegram channel.
Last week, fighting remained intense in the areas around Klyshchiivka, Kurdyumivka, and Ozaryanivka, located south of Bakhmut, Malar said.
On August 21, the deputy minister announced a territorial gain around Bakhmut of about 43 square kilometers. A day later, the New York Times reported that U.S. and British commanders had suggested deprioritizing the Bakhmut operation in favor of broader, strategically important actions further to the south in the Zaporizhia region. (attribution: official briefings and reputable reporting sources)
The Battle of Bakhmut
The Battle of Bakhmut has evolved into the longest and bloodiest confrontation in the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine, stretching from August 2022. On May 20 of the current year, the Russian mercenary group Wagner claimed control of the city.
Since June, the Ukrainian army has regularly reported progress from localized counter-offensive operations, particularly in the northern and southwestern approaches to the city. Military analysts note that one strategic aim of these efforts is to seize hill positions that could provide artillery vantage points to target advancing forces in and around the destroyed city.
U.S. President Joe Biden indicated on May 21 that Russian forces had suffered substantial casualties in Bakhmut, with estimates suggesting around 100,000 Russian troops lost in that engagement. (attribution: official statements and widely reported summaries)
In assessing the current phase of the conflict, analysts observe that Kyiv may be seeking to escalate certain operations while avoiding a premature freeze in the conflict. The Ukrainian leadership appears focused on maintaining leverage in negotiations and continuing actions that shape the military and political landscape.
The Ukrainian navy reported neutralizing a Russian cutter during a landing attempt, with footage and subsequent analyses detailing the incident. (attribution: defense ministry briefings and corroborating assessments)