The use of Western-supplied heavy weaponry in the bitter battle on the outskirts of the city of Bahmut is causing a significant number of casualties on enemy lines, Ukrainian commanders told Reuters.
Ukrainian soldier in a Polish AHS Krab self-propelled gunPhoto: LIBKOS / AP / Profimedia
Buoyed by last week’s capture of the key village of Klishchiivka, Ukrainian soldiers touted the 155-millimeter howitzers as vital equipment provided by the United States and its NATO allies.
The unit’s commander, Oleksandr, said the Ukrainian armed forces “rely heavily” on heavy artillery, including the Polish-made Krab gun and the US-made M109 self-propelled howitzer.
“Even a single cannon can completely change the situation. An attack can be stopped with such a cannon,” he explained.
“We hear they’re hell for them and they keep wondering how much ammo we have left”
“The main thing is to hit where it’s needed. They (Russians) hate our equipment. This is what we gathered from our intercepts. We hear they’re hell for them and they keep wondering how much ammo we have left,” continued the commander
Oleksandr, 30, described Klishchiivka – a village on the heights south of the destroyed city of Bahmut – as “one of the places they (Russians) were hanging on to”.
“We will see what happens next. We will build on this success,” he said.
Ukrainian commanders described the capture of Klischiivka and neighboring Andriivka as stepping stones on the way to recapturing Bahmut, which fell to the Russians after months of some of the fiercest fighting of the war.
The two successes are among the most significant so far in the Ukrainian counteroffensive that began in June, which has been moving slowly as it struggles to break through heavily fortified Russian defense lines.
On Friday, Ukrainian forces advanced south of Bahmut, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) notes in its latest assessment. Geolocated images released on Friday indicate that Ukrainian forces have advanced southeast of Klishchiivka (7 km southwest of Bahmut).
