In the eastern border city of Bakhmut, Russian forces have achieved some victory, Ukrainian military officials reported Wednesday evening, adding that their fighters are still holding out in a several-month-long war.
In southern Ukraine, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog claimed that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia power station could no longer be defended due to a significant rise in the number of troops in the area.
Over most of Russia's 13-month invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, the mining city of Bakhmut and nearby villages in Donetsk's eastern industrial zone have been the focal point of assault. Neither side is in complete command and has sustained enormous losses.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces stated in a nightly report that "Enemy forces had a degree of success in their actions aimed at storming the city of Bakhmut"
Our defenders are holding the city and fending off many enemy assaults.
From the beginning of March, the average number of daily Russian attacks on the front line reported by Ukraine's general staff has decreased for four consecutive weeks, from 124 in the week of March 1-7 to 69 in the latest week. Wednesday, only 57 attacks were reported.
This week, journalists from Reuters near the front west of Bakhmut and further north observed a significant decrease in the intensity of Russian bombardment.
According to Russian sources, their forces continue gaining momentum in street-by-street combat throughout Bakhmut.
Reuters was unable to confirm reports from the battlefield.
'Can't Be Protected'
The Zaporizhzhia power station was captured by Russian troops in the early weeks of the war a year ago. Despite worries of a nuclear calamity, attempts to minimize fighting and shelling surrounding it have failed.
On a return visit to the plant on Wednesday, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told Russian reporters that there had been a "significant increase" in the number of troops in the region.
He stated, "It is obvious that military activity is increasing in this whole region. So the plant can't be protected,"
Grossi stated that he was abandoning plans for a security zone surrounding the plant to provide protective measures acceptable to Russia and Ukraine.
Before the invasion, the facility was a treasured component of Ukraine's energy network and was responsible for around 20% of the nation's electricity production. Since the final of its six reactors were shut down, it has not produced any power since September.
According to the Ukrainian general staff, Russian soldiers shelled cities in the central Zaporizhzhia area, including the contested town of Hulyaipole.
'Shifted Focus'
When the offensive on Bakhmut remained vigorous, Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov, who has served in the military, stated, "the conclusion is that Russian troops are beginning to rush about from place to place."
According to Zhdanov and the general staff, Ukrainian forces occupy Bakhmut.
Zhdanov stated in a YouTube video that the opposition had moved its focus to the city proper, where the most brutal fighting is currently occurring.
This week, the British defence ministry classified the advance of Russian forces as "marginal", and on Wednesday, U.S. senior general Mark Milley told Congress that Russia's troops had made no progress in and around Bakhmut for the preceding 20 to 21 days.
The Ukrainian military reportedly reported resumed shelling of the southern city of Kherson and other cities on the west bank of the country dividing the Dnipro River.
According to the Ukrainian air force, a Russian Su-24M aircraft was destroyed. In the last twenty-four hours, rocket and artillery fire targeted two concentrations of Russian troops, a munitions storage and two fuel depots, according to the report.
Russia's "special military operation" to eliminate a threat to its security has resulted in the deaths of thousands of servicemen on both sides, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, and the displacement of millions. Also, the invasion impacted the world economy and international ties.
Britain, the United States, and Ukraine's European allies have backed Ukraine with arms and funds, portraying Russia's invasion as an imperialistic territorial grab.
