Ukrainian Army: We Have Created 'Hell' for the Russians with Western Weapons

Ukrainian commanders say that heavy weaponry supplied by the West has inflicted significant casualties on enemy lines during intense fighting in the outskirts of Bakhmut, which fell to Russia in May. According to the commander of Ukraine's artillery unit, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are 'heavily reliant' on heavy artillery systems made in the United States and Poland. He stated, 'The most important factor is to target the desired point. They (the Russians) hate our weaponry. This is something we have heard through intercepting their messages. We hear that we have created hell for them and they are constantly thinking about how much ammunition we have left.' The advance of the Ukrainian army to break through the Russian front line in Bakhmut is one of the most significant achievements of Ukraine's counteroffensive, which began in June. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, and senior officials in Kyiv have praised these advancements and dismissed Western criticism that the counteroffensive is progressing too slowly. In another development, Ukraine targeted one of the key cities in Crimea a day after attacking the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters. A Russian-based official stated that Ukraine carried out another missile attack on Sevastopol in occupied Crimea on Saturday morning, resulting in the disappearance of a soldier and the burning of the main building of this headquarters. Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, has been a target of repeated airstrikes by Ukrainian forces since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly 19 months ago. The head of Ukrainian intelligence told Voice of America on Saturday that as a result of Friday's attack by Kyiv on the Black Sea Fleet, at least 9 people were killed and 16 were injured. The Ukrainian army also provided more details about the attack on Sevastopol on Friday. According to the Ukrainian army, the air force conducted 12 strikes on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters, targeting areas where personnel, military equipment, and weapons were concentrated. According to reports, two Russian anti-aircraft missile systems and four artillery units were targeted. The Institute for the Study of War, based in the U.S., stated that Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian naval facilities in Crimea in recent weeks, while the main summer counteroffensive has made little progress in eastern and southern Ukraine. Military experts say it is essential for Ukraine to continue its attacks on targets in Crimea to weaken Russian morale and diminish its military capabilities. The Ukrainian army also announced on Saturday that Russia launched 15 Iranian-made Shahed drones into the frontline area of Zaporizhia in the southeast and the Dnipropetrovsk region in the north, of which Kyiv was able to destroy 14. Meanwhile, a former commander of the Wagner mercenary group was arrested in Norway for attempting to return to Russia. His lawyer stated on Saturday that Norwegian police arrested him on suspicion of trying to illegally cross the border back to Russia after seeking asylum in Norway earlier this year. Andrei Medvedev, who fled from Russia to Norway through the Arctic border last January, claimed he left Russia while Russian guards shot at him. Upon his arrival in Norway, Medvedev stated that he sought asylum because he was concerned for his life after witnessing the massacre and mistreatment of Russian prisoners brought to the front lines in Ukraine. His escape in January, claiming he fought in Ukraine as part of the Wagner mercenary group, made headlines worldwide. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner group, was killed in a private jet crash on September 1, just two months after he had sent his mercenaries to advance towards deployment. Joe Biden, the President of the United States, stated at the time that he did not have enough information regarding the crash of Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane but emphasized that fewer incidents occur in Russia without Vladimir Putin being behind them. Yevgeny Prigozhin was a former close associate of Vladimir Putin who assisted him in the war in Ukraine. Two months ago, after a disagreement between him and the Russian military, Prigozhin opposed Putin and even moved his forces to besiege Moscow. After two days, they reached an agreement, and Prigozhin went to Belarus.