Russia won't hold Bakhmut if its troops retreat from city flanks

He said this on Espreso TV. 

"There will be no point in holding the city of Bakhmut if the flanks fall. Because fighting in the city is much more difficult. The Russians realize this. They understand that if they retreat from the outskirts of the city, they will not be able to hold Bakhmut. The city is destroyed, but some of the buildings still remain. Therefore, if the Russians decide to hold Bakhmut to the end, it will be a rather difficult battle," Borodin explained.

The spokesman for the 3rd Detached Assault Brigade added that after the liberation of Andriivka, Ukrainian troops have fire control over a large section of the front around Bakhmut.

"The ongoing operation to liberate Andriivka gives us the opportunity to control a fairly large area on the right flank of Bakhmut. We are talking about fire control. For many months our units have been advancing step by step. Our fighters occupied position after position, which became key to controlling certain Russian logistics routes," he added.

• On September 14, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that the Ukrainian military had liberated the village of Andriivka near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, but the 3rd Brigade denied the statement and called it false.

• On September 14, the Defense Forces successfully advanced in the area of Klishchiyivka in the Donetsk region. According to the General Staff, on the morning of September 15, it became known that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had captured Andriivka.

• On September 16, the American Institute for the Study of War reported that after the Ukrainian military liberated Andriivka, they continued offensive operations near Bakhmut and in the western Zaporizhzhia region. At the same time, the tactical situation south of Bakhmut worsened for the Russian army.