Russia has claimed the capture of the village of Novobakhmutivka, on Ukraine’s eastern front. Since the fall of Avdiivka last February, Ukrainian forces have been facing a Russian push. The situation could worsen in the coming weeks, according to the head of Ukrainian military intelligence.
Russia claimed Sunday the capture of a new village on the eastern front, Novobakhmutivka, in a sector where Moscow’s forces have advanced rapidly over the past week against a defensive Ukrainian army. “Through active operations, units of the Central Group of Forces liberated the village of Novobakhmutivka,” located northwest of the town of Avdiivka captured by Moscow in February, the Russian Defense Ministry said in its report daily.
This village is located near that of Ocherytne, quickly invaded this week by Russian forces who currently control most of it according to observers, which has sparked criticism from Ukrainian military bloggers. The Telegram channel DeepState, close to the Ukrainian army and followed by more than 700,000 people, blamed the command of a unit deployed there, the 115th motorized brigade, for “the collapse of defenses throughout the region, causing considerable losses.
Situation could get worse, Ukrainian military intelligence says
Ukrainian forces have been facing a Russian push on the front since the fall of Avdiivka, with Moscow’s forces eating away at an opponent lacking men and ammunition. The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, admitted in mid-April that the situation on the Eastern Front had “significantly deteriorated”. He said he had seen a “significant intensification” of the Russian offensive since March, resulting in “tactical successes”.
In this context, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov predicted on Monday that the situation will worsen around mid-May and early June, which will be a “difficult period” for Ukraine.