Maliar tells about progress of Ukrainian offensive, gains in Bakhmut direction

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote this. 

She said that the soldiers of the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops are currently conducting offensive operations on the eastern front. Despite the Russian forces' resistance, the Ukrainian army managed to advance on several fronts:

• Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Paraskoviivka: from 200-1600 m
• Ivanivske, Klishchiivka: from 100-700 m

Earlier, the Deputy Defense Minister reported on the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive and gains near Bakhmut.

“The defense operation includes everything, in particular counteroffensive actions. That is why we are moving to offensive actions in some areas. In particular, the Bakhmut direction remains the epicenter of the fighting. We are moving on a fairly wide front there. We are making progress. We are occupying the dominant heights,” the statement says. 

Maliar noted that in the Bakhmut sector, the Russian enemy is trying to hold its positions, so it is on the defensive. According to her, in the south, the Russian forces are also on the defensive, and localized fighting continues.

The deputy minister also emphasized that the Russian troops are actively launching information about a counteroffensive because they need to divert attention from the defeat in the Bakhmut sector.

• Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman Kyrylo Sazonov told Espreso TV that the battle in the Bakhmut sector continues.