Ukrainian Armed Forces advance on Bakhmut's southern and northern flanks — Cherevaty

Serhii Cherevaty, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated this during the telethon.

“In Bakhmut, there are no intense battles happening in the city. We have sniper groups and other units operating there, but we can discuss them later. The massive offensive is taking place on the southern and northern sides of the city, and we are making progress there,” he said. 

The spokesperson mentioned that the details will only be shared with the public once the Ukrainian defense forces analyze the situation and strengthen their positions.

He emphasized that previously the enemy used outdated “cannon fodder” tactics, but now Ukraine has taken control of the battlefield and forced the Russian invaders to withdraw some of their units.

"The enemy attacked us for ten months, but now we are turning the tables using modern technology like drones, reconnaissance, and precision systems to destroy the enemy and overcome obstacles. We also focus on training our personnel to minimize casualties. Gradually, we are making progress without resorting to risky actions. We are successfully carrying out our objectives and pushing back the enemy," Cherevaty explained.

However, the spokesperson of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces acknowledged that the Russians still possess combat capabilities and can launch attacks on Ukrainian positions.

What is known about the Ukrainian counteroffensive

On June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive on the southern frontline, continuing a series of offensives near Bakhmut and in other directions.

On June 11, the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced the liberation of Blahodatne, Neskuchne, and Makarivka settlements, near the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. On the morning of June 12, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that the Ukrainian state flag was raised again over Storozhove, Donetsk region.

On June 24, the Ukrainian Defense Forces officially confirmed the liberation of the territories near Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region, which had been under occupation since 2014.

On June 26, Hanna Maliar reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced 1 to 2 kilometers on the eastern frontline in the past week. During the offensive in the southern direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated 130 square kilometers. She also said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had de-occupied the village of Rivnopil, Donetsk region. 

British Defence Minister Ben Wallace stated that Ukraine has already liberated more territory as part of the summer counteroffensive campaign than Russia had captured during the entire winter offensive.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that the settlements already liberated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were not the "main event" - they were just the introduction to a major counter-offensive

Specialists from the Institute for the Study of War believe that the Russian military is likely to bring additional forces to Bakhmut from different directions in response to Ukraine's offensive operations in the area.