
Hundreds of Russian soldiers killed as battles intensify: Zelensky. The Donetsk region recently became a tricky battleground due to spring temperatures that have thawed previously-frozen land into muddy puddles, making it difficult for both sides to make advances on the ground. Our soldiers defending the area around Bakhmut are true heroes." On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, "The enemy is constantly destroying everything that can be used to protect our positions for fortification and defense. Earlier this year, Russia took over the town of Soledar, located five miles northeast of Bakhmut.
If successful, the conquering of Bakhmut would hand Russia its first major win in months and bring Moscow closer to controlling all of Donetsk. The Ukrainian defense ministry shared a video of what it said was a Russian tank being destroyed in Donetsk.
Inset: A Russian T-72 tank destroyed in Ukraine is placed in front of Russia's embassy in Berlin on February 24, 2023. Black smoke rises after shelling in Bakhmut on February 3, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.