Russians try to advance to Bakhmut center but Ukrainian forces hold defense

This was reported on Telegram by the AFU Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"The defense of Bakhmut continues. Intensive combat operations are taking place along the entire front line in the area where the Eastern Group of Forces operates. Russian equipment, manpower, and warehouses are constantly being destroyed in the Bakhmut direction," he wrote.

According to the military, enemy assault groups are trying to advance from the outskirts to the city center, but the Defense Forces are preventing them from doing so.

He also reports that the 24th brigade’s artillery launches powerful attacks on Russian positions. And the 80th brigade held back the enemy's assaults, preventing Russians from advancing.

• The AFU Eastern Group spokesman Serhiy Cherevatyi said that Russians are not capable of encircling Bakhmut. They attack and suffer huge losses, while Ukraine’s Armed Forces exhaust them and drain their combat capabilities.

• Military expert Ivan Kyrychevskyi noted that the AFU destroyed a number of Russians near Bakhmut that would be enough for a repeated Kyiv offensive operation. That is about 50 thousand people and 200 tanks.