Battle in Bakhmut intensifies as Russian troops try to breach Ukraine's defence lines: UK

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, with the conflict entering its second year, it has come to light that Kremlin troops have intensified their attacks in the Bakhmut region. This development was confirmed by Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hana Malyar who confirmed that the fighting in Bakhmut has escalated as Russian forces are attempting to break through Ukrainian defence lines that have largely held firm for the last six months.

The Russian shelling and missile strikes on the city of Kostiantynivka, near the Bakhmut region, damaged a dozen homes and left eight people injured, according to the regional prosecutor's office.

Fight in Bakhmut ‘escalates’ as Russian troops try to break through Ukrainian defences: UK MoD

The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing.

The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 11 March 2023.

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"The interval between waves of strikes is probably growing because Russia now needs to stockpile a critical mass of newly produced missiles directly from industry," the UK Ministry of Defence said in an assessment on Friday.

Six people dead, hundreds left without water or heat after Russian shelling

Russian troops used 300 missiles and cluster munitions to attack Ukraine. Notably, this attack is believed to be the largest such attack in the last 20 days, with more than 80 Russian missiles and exploding drones. The attack that damaged residential buildings killed at least six people and left hundreds of thousands without water or heat.

The UK Defence Ministry in its statement further said that Russia's Wagner group is still trying to continue its frontal assault in the western region. "With Ukrainian units able to fire from fortified buildings to the west, this area has become a killing zone, likely making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westwards. However, the Ukrainian force and their supply lines to the west remain vulnerable to the continued Russian attempts to outflank the defenders from the north and south," said the UK Defence Ministry.

Image: AP