“Such statements are harmful”
Ukrainian Brigade criticizes Kiev’s information policy
September 14, 2023, 7:13 p.m
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Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Maljar announced online that the town of Andriivka near Bakhmut had been liberated. A little later she deletes her entry. A unit active in the area denies Maljar’s statement and criticizes its information policy.
In its counteroffensive, the Ukrainian army says it is putting further pressure on Russian troops near the city of Bakhmut in Donbass. The 3rd separate assault brigade deployed there said there was hard fighting for three villages south of the city.
In a rare case of dissent against its own leadership, the unit denied Kiev claims that the village of Andriyivka south of Bakhmut had already been captured. This was announced by Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maljar. “Andriivka is ours. We are consolidating our positions,” she wrote on Telegram. She later deleted the entry and called it a “communication breakdown”.
“Such statements are harmful, endanger the lives of the troops and affect the conduct of combat operations,” criticized the local military unit. “The statement about the capture of Andriivka is false and premature.” Maljar later posted: “There were successes in Andriivka and there are current heavy fighting.”
The Russian army and the Wagner mercenary force brought Bakhmut under control in May after months of fighting with heavy losses. The Ukrainian troops held out the defense of the completely destroyed city so that the Russian army could wear itself out. In their counteroffensive, the Ukrainians are now trying to advance on the flanks of Bakhmut.
The contested villages of Klishchiyivka, Andriyivka and Kurdjumivka are located on a railway line that, according to Ukrainian representation, currently forms the front. Russian military bloggers recently reported on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Andriivka and Klishchiivka. The information cannot be independently verified.
The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade was formed last fall. The foundation of the volunteer unit was formed by veterans of the then Azov Regiment. According to its own information, the association has been active in the Bakhmut area since the beginning of the year.