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<\/a><\/p>\nKYIV (Reuters) – A senior Ukrainian commander said on Monday that Russian troops were using “scorched earth” tactics in the embattled city of Bakhmut and destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery. <\/p>\n
Ukrainian forces have hung on for months in Bakhmut, a small city in eastern Donetsk region, where the fiercest fighting of Moscow’s full-scale Feb. 2022 invasion has killed thousands of soldiers and been dubbed the “meat-grinder”. <\/p>\n
“The enemy switched to so-called scorched earth tactics from Syria. It is destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery fire,” said Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces. <\/p>\n
But the defence of the city of Bakhmut continued, he said. <\/p>\n
Syrskyi, who is overseeing the operation in the east, on Sunday visited front line areas with the fiercest fighting around Bakhmut, Ukraine’s Military Media Centre said.<\/p>\n
“The situation is difficult but controllable,” he said.<\/p>\n
Ukraine also accused Russia of using “scorched earth” tactics last summer in its assault on Sievierodonetsk, a city in the eastern Luhansk region. Kyiv’s forces were forced to withdraw from there in July after a Russian onslaught. <\/p>\n
Ukraine has said its defence of Bakhmut is buying time for it to build up and reconstitute forces for a much-vaunted spring offensive and that it is inflicting huge losses on Russian forces trying to seize control. <\/p>\n
But Russian forces have gained ground on the flanks of Bakhmut in recent weeks, threatening key supply lines for Kyiv’s defenders and have also made advances inside the city.<\/p>\n
The capture of Bakhmut would be Moscow’s first major gain since it took the similarly-sized cities of Sievierodonetsk and neighbouring settlement Lysychansk. <\/p>\n
Syrskyi said Russia was bringing in special forces and airborne assault units to help their attack on the city as members of Russia’s private Wagner military group had become “exhausted”.<\/p>\n
Wagner militia fighters have been spearheading the assault on Bakhmut.<\/p>\n
Reuters could not verify the battlefield accounts.<\/p>\n
\n(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; editing by Angus MacSwan and Gareth Jones)<\/p>\n
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