Russia has 'destroyed' Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Zelensky says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that invading Russian forces had "destroyed" the eastern city of Bakhmut, The Associated Press reported.
"The occupiers actually destroyed Bakhmut, another Donbas city that the Russian army turned into burnt ruins," Zelensky said during his nightly video address. It is unclear, though, what the Ukrainian president meant by "destroyed," as reports indicated that a number of buildings in Bakhmut remained standing, with citizens still roaming the city streets.
While Ukrainian forces continue to cause problems for the invading Russian forces, the destruction of Bakhmut comes as Russia launches a barrage of heavy attacks on the country's eastern region. Much of this fighting has been centered on four provinces that Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed in September. Bakhmut is a key strategic point in Donetsk, where, along with the province of Luhansk, fighting remains heavy.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Along with Zelensky, the Ukrainian military also reported a number of continuing missile strikes in the eastern portion of the country, as Moscow continues to ramp up its bombardments of the "annexed" regions.
"Bakhmut, Soledar, Maryinka, Kreminna. For a long time, there is no living place left on the land of these areas that have not been damaged by shells and fire," Zelensky added, naming cities that had been severely damaged by the ongoing attacks.
However, there may be a bright spot on the horizon, as the United States on Friday announced a new tranche of military aid for Ukraine, per Reuters. The U.S. also vowed to disrupt Iranian military ties with Russia.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Is ChatGPT's new search engine OpenAI's Google 'killer'?
Talking Point There's a new AI-backed search engine in town. But can it stand up to Google's decades-long hold on internet searches?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Celine Dion 'civil war' in New Zealand
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman lives with needle in brain for 80 years
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's Crimea fleet shipyard on fire after Ukrainian missile strike
Photos and videos showed huge explosions and raging fires at the Sevastopol Shipyard
By Peter Weber Published
-
Luton Airport bendy buses join Ukraine war effort
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Would North Korean weapons tilt the war Russia’s way?
Today's Big Question Putin wants to boost ‘depleted stocks’ but Pyongyang’s arms may be in poor condition
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published