Around Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces repel up to 20 enemy attacks every day – AFU General Staff

KYIV. Dec 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Around Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces every day repel up to 20 enemy attacks, which, in order to concentrate artillery fire in Bakhmut direction, reduced the number of shelling of positions of Ukrainian troops in Kherson and Zaporizhia directions, Brigadier General Oleksiy Hromov said.

"The most difficult situation remains in the east of our country, where the enemy is trying to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk region. Since December 23, some 259 combat clashes with the enemy have taken place in the course of the Forces and Defense operation. The aggressor carried out over 4,000 shelling of our troops," he said at a briefing at the Military Media Center on Thursday.

The main efforts of the enemy are still focused on Bakhmut direction, the General Staff said.

"Around Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces every day hold back up to 20 enemy attacks, which, under cover of artillery fire, stubbornly attack the positions of our troops," Hromov said.

According to him, in order to concentrate artillery fire in Bakhmut direction, the enemy deliberately reduced the number of attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops in Kherson and Zaporizhia directions.

"At the same time, ammunition was delivered to Bakhmut and Lyman directions," he said.

According to the General Staff, more than 40% of enemy artillery shelling along the line of confrontation from Kupuansk to Maryinka falls precisely on Bakhmut direction.