General Staff confirms liberation of Andriivka in Donetsk Oblast

Ukraine has liberated Donetsk Oblast's village of Andriivka, located south of Bakhmut, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Sept. 15.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar announced the liberation of the settlement already on Sept. 14. However, the 3rd Assault Brigade fighting around Bakhmut denied the report, saying that the fighting continues in Klishchiivka and Andriivka, after which Maliar corrected her statement.

On the morning of Sept. 15, the deputy defense minister said again that Andriivka was liberated by Ukrainian forces over the course of fighting the previous day, referring to the report by the General Staff.

Later the same day, the 3rd Assault Brigade confirmed that the settlement had been retaken, adding that Ukrainian forces dealt a crushing blow to the Russian 72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade in the course of battle.

According to the 3rd Brigade's report, the Russian formation lost its chief of intelligence, three commanders, almost all of its infantry, including officers, and a significant amount of equipment.

"It was difficult and yesterday's situation changed very dynamically several times," Maliar explained the contradicting reports.

The General Staff said that Ukrainian forces liberated Andriivka and inflicted heavy losses on Russian troops as a part of offensive operations around the nearby Klishchiivka village, in which they have also achieved partial success.

Andriivka is a small settlement located around three kilometers south of the embattled Klishchiivka, and less than 10 kilometers south of occupied Bakhmut.

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