Information regarding Bahamut is conflicting. Russian forces continue their repeated attacks to take over the cities of Bahamut and Abdiivka, in eastern Ukraine, but they are not making progress, the general staff of the Ukrainian army announced today Wednesday, while on the contrary a pro-Russian official said that an advance was being made.

Those two towns, like other communities along the front line in Donetsk region, have become the focus of hostilities in recent times, according to the Ukrainian general staff.

“The enemy continues its assault on the city of Bahamut. But our defenders bravely hold the city, repulse numerous attacks of the enemy,’ assured the staff, speaking of 57 attacks.

Britain’s Ministry of Defense gave a slightly different picture, announcing that Russian forces had made only “marginal progress” in their attempt to encircle Abdiivka and had lost several armored fighting vehicles and tanks.

In contrast, Denis Pushilin, a pro-Russian leader in Donetsk, reported that most Ukrainian forces retired from metallurgy in the western part of Bahamut and that Russian forces are advancing.

As Western-made heavy tanks begin arriving in Ukraine and the scenario of a Ukrainian spring counter-offensive intensifies, Russia’s RIA news agency reported that Moscow has sent hundreds of new and “refurbished” tanks.

In his evening speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited two cities in the north and trenches near the border with Russia, judged that the Western reaction to the invasion of the Russian army into his country that began more than a year ago may lead to ” to ending the Russian offensive much sooner than is being said.”

Meanwhile, Russia — which announced over the weekend that it would deploy “regular” nuclear weapons to its neighbor and ally Belarus, something US President Joe Biden called Tuesday “dangerous” and “disturbing”—, began training exercises with the participation of thousands of its army men, in which the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile will be tested. In the West, the high schools are seen as a show of power and Moscow’s nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is expected today at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe (six reactors). Mr. Grossi told Reuters news agency that his efforts to reach an agreement to guarantee the safety of the plant were continuing.
Kiev and Moscow have blamed each other for bombing the factory.

In addition, Russian media reported, citing an official stationed by Moscow in the Zaporizhia region, that Ukrainian forces bombarded Melitopol, southeast of the factory, hitting a railway warehouse, without reporting any casualties.