Ukrainian forces are building new trenches around Bakhmut to disrupt enemy movement, while the US and Germany will discuss new military aid to Ukraine, Reuters writes.
The area around Bakhmut has become the scene of the bloodiest battles of the entire war, and the attacks of the occupying army are almost continuous. Volodymyr Nazarenko, a deputy commander in the National Guard of Ukraine, said: «They take no account of their losses in trying to take the city by assault. The task of our forces in Bakhmut is to inflict as many losses on the enemy as possible. Every meter of Ukrainian land costs hundreds of lives to the enemy.»
In the last 24 hours until the morning of Friday, the 3rd of March, Ukrainian forces have repelled more than 170 attacks. Attacks on Bahmut and two settlements west of Bahmut were repulsed. Russia has shelled Chasiv Yar west of Bakhmut and at least two settlements to the south. New trenches have been created in the surrounding towns and villages, which shows that the Ukrainians are strengthening their positions. Nazarenko stated:
«We need as much ammunition as possible. There are many more Russians here than we have ammunition to destroy them. The number of enemy soldiers is not what matters. What matters is technology.»
Russia has also shelled Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
A meeting between US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planned for the 3rd of March. One of the main topics will be the US military aid package to Kyiv in the amount of 400 million dollars. It will include mainly ammunition for HIMARS and Bradley. The US has already provided Ukraine with weapons worth about 32 billion dollars. Officials will also discuss concerns that China could supply weapons to Russia.
Meanwhile in India, during a meeting of G20 foreign ministers, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to end the war and urged Moscow to reverse its decision to withdraw from the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. This was the first meeting between the two politicians since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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