The US think tank made the assessment in its latest report on the war in Ukraine, published on Wednesday night.
“Ukrainian forces marginally advanced near Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhia Oblast on September 27,” the ISW said.
According to geolocated footage released on Tuesday, Ukrainian troops advanced near Orikhovo-Vasylivka (10km northwest of Bakhmut), the US think tank reported .
Moreover, additional geolocated footage published on Tuesday suggests Russian forces no longer control a roughly one-kilometre-long trench line west of Verbove (16km southeast of Orikhiv) in Zaporizhzhia, the ISW added.
The US experts noted that “the absence of Russian forces in this trench line could facilitate further Ukrainian advances in this area, as this trench line is no longer a significant obstacle for Ukrainian forces.”
Ukrainian Tavriisk Group of Forces Commander Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi on Wednesday stated that “there will be good news” in the Zaporizhia operational direction and noted that Ukrainian forces were steadily advancing, without providing further information, the ISW reported.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff said on Wednesday night: “The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue the offensive operation in the Melitopol direction, offensive (assault) actions in the Bakhmut direction, inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line,” Ukraine’s state news agency Ukrinform reported.
14 combat clashes, Ukraine strikes Russia's S-300 anti-aircraft missile system
In all, there were 14 combat clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces on Wednesday, according to Ukraine’s military command.
The Ukrainian air force conducted seven strikes on concentrations of Russian personnel, weapons and military equipment, Ukrinform reported.
Moreover, the Ukrainian air force also brought down two reconnaissance drones of operational and tactical level, according to officials.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s missile forces struck Russia’s S-300 anti-aircraft missile system and six artillery units, the General Staff in Kyiv said.
Russia’s invading army on Wednesday carried out 44 airstrikes and 27 attacks with multiple-launch rocket systems, targeting the positions of Ukrainian troops as well as populated areas, Ukrinform reported,
Following these Russian attacks, there were casualties and injuries among Ukraine’s civilian population, the military command in Kyiv said.
Damage was also caused to private residential buildings, a hospital and other civilian infrastructure facilities, according to Ukrinform.
In its ongoing counteroffensive against Russia, Ukraine is seeking to encircle and recapture Bakhmut in the east, while also pushing through Zaporizhzhia in the southeast, in a bid to reach the port of Melitopol on the Sea of Azov, splitting Russian forces, according to news outlets.
Thursday is day 582 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
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Source: PAP, Ukrinform, ISW, RBC-Ukraine