Russian forces have been trying for 10 months to fight their way through the rubble towards what was once a city of 70,000 people.
Kiev has pledged to defend Bakhmut, which Russia sees as a springboard for attacking other cities.
“For several weeks now, the Russians have been talking about taking over the ‘Road of Life’, as well as continuing to control fire on it,” said Serhiy Sherevaty, spokesman for Ukrainian forces in the east, in a press releaseview with a local news site.
“Yes, it is really difficult there, because their attempts to control the road continue, as well as the attempts to control the fire. But … the (Ukrainian) defense forces did not allow the Russians to “cut” our logistics,” he added.
The “Road of Life” is a vital route between the ruins of Bakhmut and the nearby town of Chasiv Yar to the west, a distance of just over 17 kilometers.
Military analysts note that if Bakhmut fell, Chasev Yar would likely be the next stage of a Russian attack, although it is on higher ground and Ukrainian forces would have built defensive fortifications nearby.
The counterattack awaits the F-16.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he was ready to launch a counterattack without waiting for the supply of F-16 fighters.
“There is no more time to wait, so we will start before we have Western fighters,” he said on the Ukrainian President’s office channel on Telegram.
At the same time, the Ukrainian President admitted that difficult conditions await Kiev forces without air support, saying: “Kiev will lose more soldiers”.
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