Ukrainian Armed Forces pressure Russian troops on Bakhmut’s flanks, have partial success in southern direction

Andriy Kovalov, the spokesperson for the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reported the information.

"Ukrainian troops have had partial success in the Levadne - Pryiutne, Mala Tokmachka - Ocheretuvate directions, and are consolidating their positions," the spokesman said.

Kovalyov emphasized that on the flanks of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukrainian soldiers are putting pressure on Russian troops, driving them out of the previously captured positions. They have some gains.

In the Pryvillia-Zaliznianske direction, Ukrainian soldiers have also made partial progress and are holding their positions.

Also, Ukrainian Armed Forces units continue to hold back the Russian offensive in Lyman, Avdiivka and Marinka directions.

Russian troops are reportedly resisting and suffering significant losses. Heavy fighting continues.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive

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

On June 11, the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced the liberation of Blahodatne, Neskuchne, and Makarivka settlements, near the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. On the morning of June 12, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that the Ukrainian state flag was raised again over Storozhove, Donetsk region.

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 June 26, Hanna Maliar reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced 1 to 2 kilometers on the eastern frontline in the past week. During the offensive in the southern direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated 130 square kilometers. She also said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had de-occupied the village of Rivnopil, Donetsk region. 

British Defence Minister Ben Wallace stated that Ukraine has already liberated more territory as part of the summer counteroffensive campaign than Russia had captured during the entire winter offensive.

But Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated that the already liberated settlements were not the "main event" but rather the prelude to a major counteroffensive.