Ukraine eliminates 360 troops in Bakhmut as russian army claims it encircled Bakhmut

The russian military shelled the positions of the Ukrainian military 151 times near the Donetsk fortress city of Bakhmut.

Suspilne reports, citing Serhii Cherevatyi, the Ukrainian army's Eastern Grouping spokesperson.

"These are Yampolivka, Spirne, Rozdolivka, Blahodatne, Krasna Hora, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Paraskoviivka (places where shelling took place – ed.). There were 56 rounds of shelling and 13 fights in the Soledar area. The enemy has suffered heavy losses," Cherevatyi said.

The speaker of the Eastern group also said that 360 russian soldiers were killed and 290 were wounded.

The information comes amid russia's claiming that it has encircled the war-torn city of Bakmut, as it has become the stronghold of Ukraine and the largest flashpoint of fierce fighting with vast losses on both sides.

As the Telegraph reports, russia claims to have encircled Bakhmut and says it is trying to take control of the highway connecting the city to the nearby town of Chasiv Yar.

On January 31, Cherevatyi reported that 42 combat clashes between Ukrainian troops and russian occupiers took place in the vicinity of Bakhmut in one day.

The spokesman of the Eastern group added that the russians are trying to intercept the initiative near Lyman in the Donetsk region.

As Rubryka reported, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Chief, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, believes that russia will probably focus on occupying a larger area in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions this year.

On January 29, ISW analysts reported that russian service members are likely to replace the exhausted mercenary force from the Wagner PMC to intensify the offensive on Bakhmut.

Since the beginning of the russian aggression, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have already eliminated a total of more than 127,500 soldiers, about 850 invaders in the past day alone.