Russians try to surround Bakhmut as they cannot storm the city - National Guard's officer 

He announced this during the Espresso TV channel broadcast.

"There was a period of time when Russians stopped trying to storm Bakhmut because they received a rather powerful response. Bakhmut is a fortress. This city cannot be taken by storm," Konon explained.

The lieutenant added that the Russians are trying to seize the routes leading to Bakhmut.

"Now the enemy is trying to surround Bakhmut from the south and north and occupy the roads leading to the city: the road from Sloviansk to Bakhmut in the north, and the road from Kostyantynivka from the south. That is why they have intensified their offensive actions there: the enemy is storming these routes closer to Bakhmut," he added.

• On January 31, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Serhiy Cherevatyi, reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are doing everything to prevent the Russians from blocking the route of Ukrainian military supplies to Bakhmut