Ukraine’s counteroffensive: Defense Forces have recaptured almost 230 km² of territory 

This was reported by Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Maliar.

According to her, over the past week alone, the Defense Forces have de-occupied more than 12 km² of Ukrainian land in the southern direction. 

Defense Forces continue their offensive in the South

Ukrainian forces continue to conduct offensive operations in several areas towards Melitopol and Berdiansk. There have been some successes in these areas wherever the Ukrainian troops have moved. 

Thus, over the past week, in the southern direction, the Defense Forces de-occupied more than 12 km² of Ukrainian land.

In total, since the beginning of the counteroffensive in this area, the liberated area has already amounted to more than 192 km².

Ukrainian Armed Forces advance by 4 km² in the East

The Deputy Minister of Defense called this week's Bakhmut offensive "successful" as the Armed Forces made steady progress on the southern flank near Bakhmut.

In this area, the Defense Forces have liberated about 35 km² of territory during the offensive. According to Maliar, over the past week, the Ukrainian Armed Forces regained control of about 4 km² of land in this area.

Key battles are currently taking place in the area of Klishchiivka, Andriivka and Kurdiumivka. According to the Deputy Minister of Defense, it is there that the "main theater of operations" in the east is unfolding, where our Armed Forces are advancing.

Maliar emphasized that the enemy remains trapped near Bakhmut, so its maneuverability is quite limited by Ukrainian forces. She added that the enemy launches about 60 thousand shells a day in the eastern sector alone.

What is known about the Ukrainian counteroffensive

On June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive on the southern frontline, continuing a series of offensive operations near Bakhmut and in Belgorod directions.

On June 24, the Ukrainian Defense Forces officially confirmed the liberation of the territories near Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region, which had been under occupation since 2014.

On the morning of July 3, Hanna Maliar reported that the Ukrainian military liberated about 38 square kilometers.

On July 4, it was reported that Ukrainian military forces were advancing on the southern flank around Bakhmut in Donetsk region and in the south.

On July 6, the Ukrainian Armed Forces advanced and consolidated their positions in three areas - Bakhmut, Melitopol and Berdiansk - while the Ukrainian forces continued to hold the line in Kupyansk.

On July 7, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported that the Defense Forces were advancing on the flanks of Bakhmut and grinding the enemy to a halt in the south, with the ratio of Russian army losses being more than five times higher. Also  it was reported that the Ukrainian military had achieved tactically significant gains in the area of Bakhmut. At the same time, Ukrainian forces continued their counteroffensive in at least three other areas of the front.

Later, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said that the Chechen special forces Akhmat had been redeployed to the Bakhmut direction: the Kadyrov soldiers were allegedly in Klishchiivka.

On July 10, the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, emphasized that Bakhmut was under the fire control of the Defense Forces. The General Staff emphasized that since the beginning of the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had liberated 169 km² of Ukrainian land in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions, an area commensurate with the size of Odesa. In the Bakhmut sector, the Defense Forces have recovered 24 km² of Ukrainian territory.

On July 12, the General Staff reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had hit the Duna hotel in Berdiansk, as previously reported. Russians were taking away the bodies of the killed soldiers by truck. Ukrainian aviation launched 6 strikes on the Russian forces' military positions and 2 on enemy air defense systems. Over the course of the day, missile and artillery units destroyed 1 control center, 16 artillery pieces at firing positions, 4 anti-aircraft missile systems and 2 enemy electronic warfare stations.

On July 14, Maliar announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were advancing on the southern flank of the Bakhmut direction.

However, on July 16, it became known that the situation in the east had escalated - the enemy had been actively advancing in the Kupyansk direction in Kharkiv region for two days in a row.

On July 19, Russia lost more than two companies of soldiers and 15 pieces of military equipment in the Tauride direction. According to the General Staff, the Russian army has lost a total of 530 soldiers, 6 tanks, and 33 UAVs over the course of the war in Ukraine.

On July 21, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' counteroffensive was progressing slowly because it began later than planned. He noted that despite the difficulties, Ukraine was making progress. 

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has lost at least 241,330 personnel in the war in Ukraine. Over the course of July 21, 40 military engagements took place in five frontline areas.

On July 23, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the Defense Forces had recaptured half of the territories that Russia had occupied since the start of the full-scale invasion.

On July 24, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russian army continues to focus its main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Mariinka directions, and heavy fighting continues. It is noted that 35 combat engagements took place over the past day.