Russian forces enter Ivanivske near Bakhmut
Russian troops have advanced into the outskirts of the village of Ivanivske, near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, engaging in frontal attacks while also attempting to outflank Ukrainian troops holding the line. Commander of the battalion tactical group of the 4th Brigade of the National Guard, Serhiy Sidorin, provided an update on the Bakhmut front during a nationwide Ukrainian news broadcast.
Sidorin elaborated on the tactics employed by the Russians in fighting for Ivanivske. According to him, the Russians are using two main tactics: initial frontal assaults through the streets of Ivanivske and subsequent attempts to encircle the Ukrainian forces from the flanks.
He reported that clashes with the Russians are taking place within the settlement, but Ukrainian forces remain present there. Positions have changed hands multiple times, indicating that Russia does not have full control, Sidorin assured. "Russia does not have full control there. The Ukrainian Defense Forces are present, and fighting is ongoing."
The Ukrainian military commander also noted that Russian forces are using artillery to target the front-line positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as supply routes, with shelling reaching Chasiv Yar, located 5 km from Ivanivske. He also pointed out that the Russians increase the use of FPV drones during favorable weather conditions, and to counteract this, Ukrainian Defense Forces require powerful electronic warfare capabilities.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported nine attacks in the Bakhmut direction on the morning of March 9. Main assaults were directed at Andriivka and Klischiivka (south of Bakhmut). The online DeepState map of military operations shows no changes to the front line, with the latest enemy advancement toward Ivanivske at the end of February.
Only a few days ago, Ukrainian military representatives claimed that the enemy had not entered Ivanivske but was positioned near its eastern outskirts. DeepState analysts noted an increasing threat to Chasiv Yar as the Russians pressure Ukrainian positions.
On March 8, Ukrainian forces reportedly repelled Russian assaults near Rabotine in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to estimates, 300 paratroopers were neutralized during the attack. Meanwhile, the most intense sector of the front currently is the Avdiivka-Pobeda line, where Russian forces sometimes launch up to 40 assaults a day.