Russian forces are continuing their efforts to conduct an offensive in the Bakhmut direction while trying to improve their tactical position in the Lyman and Avdiivka directions in Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported in its daily update on Dec. 9.
Once home to 70,000 people, the salt-mining city of Bakhmut has become the center of a key battle in the east of Ukraine in August.
It is located on the main road to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk – key cities in Donetsk Oblast that Moscow aims to capture despite its stalled progress.
According to Eastern Military Command spokesman Serhiy Cherevaty, Russia is losing from 50 to 100 soldiers each day in the battle of Bakhmut, while about as many Russian soldiers get wounded in action near the city daily.
During the day, Russia launched four missiles and nine air strikes and carried out 25 multiple rocket launcher attacks, according to the General Staff.
