Ukraine's 'Hellish Assault' near Bakhmut Viewed 500K Times

Intense clashes are underway in the battle for the industrial city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, combat footage published by Kyiv’s military shows.

The three-minute clip, posted on Telegram late on Thursday by Ukraine’s Third Assault Brigade, shows a fierce battle between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The footage was also shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Eastern European media outlet NEXTA, which described it as showing a “hellish assault” on Bakhmut. At the time of writing, the video has been viewed more than 579,000 times. It isn’t clear when the footage was filmed. Newsweek has contacted Russia’s Defense Ministry for comment via email.

A hellish assault on Bakhmut by the Third Assault Brigade

The fighters opened fire on the enemy even before landing from the combat vehicle. In a forest strip burned out by shells, the storm troopers fought their way into enemy trenches and shot down orc infantry until they… pic.twitter.com/H7fQ3Vq9Qx

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 16, 2023

The devastated city of Bakhmut has seen some of the fiercest clashes of the conflict. Ukraine has reported destroying large numbers of Russian tanks and equipment in the Bakhmut direction, as it grinds on with its counteroffensive efforts to recapture the territory Russia has seized throughout the war.

“[An] infernal assault on Bakhmut,” the brigade said in a post on Telegram, sharing the combat footage. It was filmed using GoPro camera by the commander of the assault group, who goes by the call sign “Makar”.

A Ukrainian tank fires during a military exercise on June 27, 2023 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The devastated city of Bakhmut has seen some of the fiercest clashes of the conflict.
Viktor Fridshon/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images

The footage shows Ukrainian forces opening fire on Russia troops before they disembark from their combat vehicle. Once members of the brigade exit the vehicle, they race across a barren forest area, hide in a trench and fire in quick succession.

Makar, who is filming the video, can be seen at one point in the trench, pulling out what appears be a rocket launcher and taking aim, before switching back to using his rifle and continuing to gun down Russian forces.

The brigade fired until the Russian troops “retreated,” Ukraine’s Third Assault Brigade said in its post.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank said Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations south of Bakhmut on Thursday but did not make confirmed advances.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff said that Ukraine’s forces continued assault operations south of the city, and repelled 24 Russian attacks near Ivanivske, which is located 3.7 miles west of Bakhmut, near Klishchiivka, and near Andriivka.

Deputy commander of the Third Separate Assault Brigade, Maxim Zhorin, told Ukraine’s Radio NV in an interview published Thursday that Russian forces are using chemical weapons in Bakhmut. He compared the conflict in the city and throughout Ukraine as “really similar to the First World War.”

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