Loss of colonels indicates catastrophic situation of Russian army in Bakhmut 

He made the statement on Espreso TV.

"The loss of colonels on the battlefield is a marker of the catastrophic situation of the Russian army in the Bakhmut direction. Until recently, Prigozhin and his criminal group were the monopolist in Bakhmut. Prigozhin threatened to capture the entire Donetsk region. The huge losses in the Bakhmut area forced Prigozhin to engage regular Russian troops, airborne and motorized infantry units of the occupier. But they were not ready for combat," Cherevatyi emphasized. 

According to the spokesperson for the Eastern Military Grouping, junior officers of the Russian Federation are no longer able to cope with the command. Colonel-level officers have to manage the situation on the battlefield.

"The very fact that several senior officers were on the battlefield and commanded the battle at the company level indicates that junior commanders could not cope. Russian colonels were forced to carry out crisis management. Of course, our intelligence and our artillerymen took advantage of this and killed these colonels, demoralizing the Russian personnel," Cherevatyi said. 

• On May 13, British intelligence reported that units of the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian Federation had chaotically withdrawn from their positions on the southern flank of the Bakhmut direction.

• On May 13, Ukrainian troops were reported to be gradually advancing in two directions in the suburbs of Bakhmut. 

• Ukrainian troops continue defensive operations in the Bakhmut sector and move forward in some areas of the frontline

• The American Institute for the Study of War confirmed that the Defense Forces had liberated 16.85 square kilometers in the area of Bakhmut, Donetsk region.

• On May 15, Land Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi called the advance of Ukrainian troops in the Bakhmut area the first success of the offensive.