Russia Says Two of Its Commanders Killed as Kyiv Wages Bakhmut Offensive

Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut, an eastern city where fierce battles against Russian forces have been taking place, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 12, 2023. (AP)
Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut, an eastern city where fierce battles against Russian forces have been taking place, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 12, 2023. (AP)
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Russia Says Two of Its Commanders Killed as Kyiv Wages Bakhmut Offensive

Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut, an eastern city where fierce battles against Russian forces have been taking place, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 12, 2023. (AP)
Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut, an eastern city where fierce battles against Russian forces have been taking place, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 12, 2023. (AP)

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Sunday that two of its military commanders were killed in eastern Ukraine, as Kyiv's forces renewed efforts to break through Russian defenses in the embattled city of Bakhmut.

In a daily briefing, the ministry said that Commander Vyacheslav Makarov of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade and Deputy Commander Yevgeny Brovko from a separate unit were killed trying to repel Ukrainian attacks.

It said that Makarov had been leading troops from the front line, and that Brovko "died heroically, suffering multiple shrapnel wounds". The defense ministry rarely announces the deaths of military command in its daily briefings.

It also said Ukrainian forces waged attacks in the north and south of Bakhmut over the past 24 hours, but that they had not broken through Russian defenses.  

"All attacks by units of Ukraine's armed forces have been repelled," it said.

Reuters was not able to independently verify Russia's account.

Ukrainian deputy defense minister Hanna Maliar confirmed on Sunday that Ukrainian forces "continue to move forward in the Bakhmut sector in the suburbs."

"Our units captured more than ten enemy positions in the north and south of Bakhmut and cleared a large area of forest near Ivanivske. Enemy soldiers from different units were captured," she said on the Telegram messaging app.

Neither Ukraine nor Russian forces have been able to take full control of the city, despite months of grinding warfare that has inflicted heavy losses on both sides.

Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Bakhmut amid a surge of Ukrainian attacks, but Kyiv has played down suggestions a huge, long-planned counteroffensive has officially begun. 



Türkiye Says Arrests 153 Suspected ISIS Members, Associates

FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo
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Türkiye Says Arrests 153 Suspected ISIS Members, Associates

FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo

Türkiye has arrested 153 presumed members of ISIS in nationwide raids, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Friday.

The arrests took place from Izmir and Mugla in the west and southwest, to Hatay and Mardin in the southeast and Samsun on the northern Black Sea coast.

"In the course of operations in 28 provinces over the past two weeks, our military police have detained 153 presumed members of the terrorist organization" ISIS, Yerlikaya said on X.

The suspects "have provided funds to affiliated groups" and are accused of "propaganda that benefits a terrorist organization," he said, according to AFP.

Yerlikaya said the police had acted on information from Turkish intelligence services and cooperation from authorities abroad.

Türkiye shares an 800-kilometer (500-mile) border with Syria, where ISIS claimed responsibility in late May for an attack on the new government forces in the south of the country.