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Ukrainian Defenders Oust Russian Forces from Some Positions in Bakhmut, Says Ukraine General

Damaged buildings in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP)
Damaged buildings in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP)
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Ukrainian Defenders Oust Russian Forces from Some Positions in Bakhmut, Says Ukraine General

Damaged buildings in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP)
Damaged buildings in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP)

Ukrainian counterattacks have ousted Russian forces from some positions in the besieged eastern city of Bakhmut, but the situation remains "difficult", a top Ukrainian general said in comments released Monday.

During the past few months the battle for Bakhmut has become the fulcrum of a conflict that has seen little shift in front lines since late last year, leaving both sides looking for a breakthrough.

"The situation is quite difficult," said Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of ground forces, in a statement on Telegram.

"At the same time, in certain parts of the city, the enemy was counterattacked by our units and left some positions."

Syrskyi made the remarks while visiting front-line troops on Sunday, the military said.

He added that new Russian units, including paratroopers and fighters from the Wagner mercenary group, were being "constantly thrown into battle" despite taking heavy losses.

"But the enemy is unable to take control of the city," Syrskyi said.

Russian forces have steadily made incremental gains in Bakhmut, but a Ukrainian military spokesman said on Sunday it was still possible to supply the defenders with food, ammunition and medicine.

Ukraine said on Monday its forces had repelled more than 36 enemy attacks on the part of the eastern frontline that stretches from Bakhmut to Maryinka, just west of Donetsk.

Kyiv is preparing to mount a widely expected counteroffensive to retake swathes of territory in the east and south that was occupied by Russian forces following the invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation", 15 months ago.

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Washington: A Final Warning to Tehran Before Military Action

US President Biden speaks to journalists at the White House, on Thursday. (DPA)
US President Biden speaks to journalists at the White House, on Thursday. (DPA)
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Washington: A Final Warning to Tehran Before Military Action

US President Biden speaks to journalists at the White House, on Thursday. (DPA)
US President Biden speaks to journalists at the White House, on Thursday. (DPA)

In a strikingly timed development, leaks and writings have emerged about discussions in the White House regarding potential military options to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities. These deliberations were reportedly in preparation for the scenario where Tehran moves toward producing a nuclear weapon before January 20, the date President-elect Donald Trump is set to assume office.

According to Axios, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan presented President Joe Biden with a range of options and scenarios in a confidential meeting several weeks ago. While no new intelligence prompted the meeting and no definitive decision was made, it was part of a contingency planning process in case Iran enriches uranium to 90% purity before Trump’s inauguration. Despite the lack of active discussions on military action, some of Biden’s senior advisors believe the potential acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program, especially following Iran and its proxies’ weakened state in the ongoing conflict with Israel, could compel the US to act.

Biden’s advisors, including Sullivan, reportedly view the degradation of Iran’s air defenses and missile capabilities, coupled with the diminished strength of its regional proxies, as factors that improve the chances of a successful strike while minimizing the risks of Iranian retaliation or regional escalation. An American official clarified that Sullivan did not recommend a strike, and Biden has not approved any military action.

This leak has been interpreted as a stern warning from Washington to Tehran, particularly to its hardline factions, which dominate the domestic power struggle and push for confrontation, including potential shifts in Iran’s nuclear doctrine.

Matthew Levitt, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, stated that the Biden administration has been concerned about Tehran exploiting the final days of Biden’s term to advance its nuclear weapons program. To address these fears, a contingency plan was developed, Levitt told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The US Military Stands Ready

Richard Nephew, former deputy special envoy for Iran during the Biden administration, argued that while diplomacy might still offer hope, the US must prepare to use military force if negotiations fail. Nephew warned that a maximum pressure strategy to weaken Iran and force it into talks might provoke Tehran to conceal its nuclear materials, build a bomb, or withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Nephew emphasized that striking Iran’s nuclear program could yield strategic benefits beyond simply preventing a dangerous adversary from acquiring nuclear weapons. Such an action could deplete Tehran’s already limited resources, further strain its ability to threaten US interests, and force it to balance rebuilding its nuclear program with replenishing Hezbollah, restoring its missile stockpiles, and addressing its crippling economic challenges—all under continued sanctions.

However, Nephew cautioned that a single strike might not be sufficient to significantly weaken Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Achieving this objective could require multiple rounds of strikes, a prolonged US military presence, and an expanded scope of attacks targeting Iranian decision-makers beyond nuclear facilities.