War against Ukraine: fierce fighting in Donbass

The Donbass region in eastern Ukraine is once again the scene of heavy fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops. The government in Moscow reports land gains – and continues the attacks on the Ukrainian energy network.

Ukraine and Russia report fierce fighting from the Donbass region in the east of the country. “Donbass is the main front in the struggle for Ukraine’s independence,” said spokesman for Army Group East of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Serhiy Cherevatyy. The Russian army is adopting a new tactic: Instead of a large-scale offensive, smaller units are now being used. The Ukrainian armed forces repelled attacks in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Russia had previously reported gaining ground in the Donbass: “In the Donetsk area, the Russian units continued their attacks and drove the enemy out of their fortified positions,” said army spokesman Igor Konashenkov. Positions were also seized in the north between the small towns of Kreminna and Lyman.

Zelenskyj: Bakhmut completely destroyed

The Russian attacks are apparently concentrated particularly heavily on the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk Oblast. More than 20 housing estates have come under fire there, Ukraine reported. The invading troops have gathered troops and war equipment around Bakhmut and are therefore trying to encircle the city. She has been fired at with rockets for six months.

After the withdrawal of Russian troops from Cherson in the south, the fighting around Bakhmut intensified because Russia is looking for visible success again after the defeats in the autumn. A capture of Bakhmut would cut off Ukrainian supply lines and allow the Russians to advance towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

In his nightly message to his compatriots, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy complained that Bakhmut had been completely destroyed in the recent fighting: “The occupiers have actually destroyed Bakhmut, another city in the Donbass that the Russian army has turned into burnt ruins.” “Bakhmut, Soledar, Marjinka, Kremmina – for a long time there will be no living space in these areas.”

New Russian attacks on energy infrastructure

Meanwhile, Russia continued its airstrikes on the Ukrainian energy grid: the Cherson, Donetsk and Kharkiv regions were said to be particularly affected by power outages. Attacks on the infrastructure were also reported from the Odessa region in the night from Friday to Saturday.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said citizens would have to expect power cuts throughout the winter. Although the situation is currently under control, there are still shortcomings in the power supply due to the damage. “All thermal and hydroelectric power plants in the country were damaged.” In addition, about 40 percent of the high-voltage network systems were destroyed to varying degrees.

“Therefore, the restrictions in the power supply are still significant in most regions,” he summed up. “Let’s face it, this winter we will constantly live in the conditions of limited electricity consumption,” he said, according to the state agency Unian.

Critical infrastructure has priority

Priorities have to be set, Schmyhal explains. Priority is given to critical infrastructure such as hospitals and water and heat supply, followed by the military-industrial complex. Only in third place are critical supply objects such as bakeries or dairies. Supplying the civilian population with electricity is only in fourth place.