Russia denies claims Ukraine retook key settlement in east
- 16 September, 20:57
Russia has denied Ukrainian claims over the recapture of the devastated Andriivka village near the city of Bakhmut in eastern Donetsk region.
In a statement published on Saturday, the Russian Defence Ministry dismissed Ukraine’s allegations that Russian troops had been expelled from Andriivka, a stepping stone on the war to key city Bakhmut.
The ministry said Ukrainian troops are “unsuccessfully trying to oust Russian troops from the population centres of Klishchiivka and Andriivka.”
The statement comes after the general staff of Ukrainian armed forces claimed that Ukraine seized the village of Andriivka and also posted a video purporting to show the capture of the embattled village. The defence ministry also said it repelled 16 Ukrainian attacks in the past week, with Ukraine’s losses exceeding 1,700 in this period of time.
There has been confusion over who retains control over the village. On Thursday, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Mailar backtracked on her earlier announcement that the Ukraine had retaken Andriivka after troops revealed the fighting was still underway.
Andriivka is around 14 km south of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region where Ukrainian troops have been pushing back against Russian forces since June.
