The two commanders shared details of the surprise offensive, which Ukrainian ground forces commander Oleksandr Syrsky confirmed was successful. Once within earshot of the enemy, they spent hours negotiating with dozens of Russian soldiers, urging them to surrender. After some Russian troops were killed, others became “demoralized and some of them also just ran away,” he said. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in an interview last week that Russian forces are suffering about 500 casualties per day in and around Bakhmut. And even as Ukrainian forces were retaking significant territory to the south, the troops inside the city were locked in a ferocious, grinding battle as Victory Day drew closer.

Source: Washington Post May 13, 2023 12:05 UTC