New defense minister makes first visit to Bakhmut in Donetsk region to discuss frontline situation

On October 8, for the first time since his appointment, the Minister of Defense Rustem Umierov visited the Bakhmut region and met with the Ukrainian defenders there.

The head of the defense department reported that on Facebook.

As the head of the ministry said, he visited the main command post of the Defense Forces on the Bakhmut front. Umierov listened to the commander's report and also familiarized himself with the composition of the units and the situation on the front line.

^{Photo: Facebook / Rustem Umierov}

"I talked with the soldiers. I awarded the best soldiers with state awards and awards from the Ministry of Defense," the minister added.

As the head of the defense department clarified, Bakhmut and Klishchiivka remain the hottest frontlines.

^{Photo: Facebook / Rustem Umierov}

It should be noted that British intelligence believes that during the last month in the area of the village of Velyka Novosilka of the Donetsk region, which is located near Vuhledar, the situation at the front has generally stabilized.

^{Photo: Facebook / Rustem Umierov}

^{Photo: Facebook / Rustem Umierov}

In addition, as ISW writes, the Russian troops resumed offensive operations in the Kupiansk district of the Kharkiv region, but "degraded elements" of Russian forces operating on this front probably remain incapacitated.

As Rubryka wrote, yesterday, October 7, the Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated almost 600 Russian invaders; since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the invaders lost nearly 282,300 soldiers.

For reference:

On September 5, the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine's parliament – ed.] dismissed Oleksii Reznikov from the post of Minister of Defense. After that, he was replaced by the former head of the State Property Fund, Rustem Umierov.

On September 6, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the decision to appoint Rustem Umierov as head of the Ministry of Defense.

Later, on September 18, the government dismissed almost all the deputy defense ministers, including Hanna Maliar. She was responsible for information policy, in particular, and often reported on events at the front.

As you know, the Cabinet of Ministers [Ukraine's government – ed.] has already appointed six new deputy defense ministers.