Ukrainian forces slowly advance to free Bakhmut, pressure on city's southern side continues – military expert Serhiy Zgurets 

Changes around Bakhmut

In the area near Bakhmut, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are carrying out attacks to the north and south of the city. After days of intense fighting, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed that the enemy was forced to retreat from the Andriivka area due to the Ukrainian offensive operations.

Our 3rd separate assault brigade is advancing in this region, while the defense was held by the 57th motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Federation. The main challenge during the offensive was the need for our troops to move across a large open area, which was made even more difficult due to the enemy's use of artillery, mortars, and armored vehicles.

Some media outlets interpreted these events as the complete liberation of Andriivka because we really want to win. However, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of Forces, Serhiy Cherevatyi, clarified that Andriivka has not been fully liberated yet, but there is a possibility of its liberation. This would improve our forces' tactical position in the future, but the progress made towards Andriivka is indeed significant.

If Andriivka is liberated, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will advance towards Kurdyumivka and Klishchiivka, where battles are currently ongoing. Additionally, they can move east from Andriivka along the Bakhmutka River. The pressure on Bakhmut's southern flank continues, and the Ukrainian army is gradually moving towards the city's liberation. We expect the enemy to try to counterattack, as they usually do. We have planned tactics to engage and destroy the most capable Russian units using Ukrainian artillery. The ongoing confrontations in Bakhmut are challenging for the enemy, who have around 50,000 Russian occupiers concentrated nearby, according to OC East.

Southern frontline 

The General Staff shared updates about the front line and successes in the south. On July 25, Ukrainian troops achieved success in the direction of Staromayorske on the southern front.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to break through the enemy's defenses on the Priyutne - Staromayorske line to advance further south. This is an important Russian defensive line, which the Ukrainian military aims to destroy.

Valeriy Prozapas, a captain in the AFU, mentioned that they continue their daily combat efforts to disrupt the enemy's fighting orders. Their goal is to protect their personnel and efficiently disrupt the logistics of the Russians. The enemy is well-prepared with firearms, MLRS, and powerful mines. They have a significant number of armored vehicles, though outdated, and a considerable mobilization resource, though not highly trained or motivated. The enemy also has air superiority and strong electronic warfare capabilities. It's crucial for society to understand the challenges they face, and for the whole nation to support the efforts on the front. To achieve more victories, they need drones, weapons, and technical resources. The Armed Forces are carrying out long-term plans, despite the high expectations seen on TV.

Prozapas emphasized that there's no tactical trick or miracle weapon that leads to success. Victory depends on the entire mechanism of the Armed Forces, including well-trained personnel, equipped and well-prepared with intelligence management tools and armored vehicles. When all these components work more effectively than the enemy's defense, results are achieved. The Armed Forces have gathered valuable experience in different directions, such as Kherson, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka. They now understand the Russians and their own capabilities. The Armed Forces make efficient use of all modern combat elements available to them.

Ukraine-Poland cooperation

Let's talk about the tanks first. In the Zaporizhzhia direction, there was a video showing a Leopard tank getting blown up by anti-tank mines.

At first, it looked like the tank had serious damage. But after consulting with experts, they said that if the hull is not deformed, all the damage can be fixed within a day, and the tank can get back to its combat duties.

However, there are more significant repair needs for such equipment, so we need our partners’ assistance. Poland is one such partner that provides solutions for repairing our Leopards. This year, Poland gave us military aid worth 3 billion euros, which is a tenth of their defense budget. This aid is crucial for our defense capability and our ability to fight against the enemy.

Dariusz Materniak, the head of the Poland-Ukraine Research Center, commented on the disagreement between Poland and Germany regarding the repair of Leopard tanks. Thankfully, things were resolved positively. Germany will finance the repair, and the process will take place in Poland. Last week, the first two Ukrainian tanks were handed over to Poland for repairs, and everything seems to be going smoothly now.

According to him, Ukraine and Poland have been cooperating for the past 10 years. They have worked together on various projects, such as anti-aircraft systems and modernizing T-72 tanks. After February 24, 2022, the opportunities for cooperation increased even more. One area of cooperation is drones, which play a significant role in combat operations in Ukraine. There might be joint production and modernization of drones between Polish and Ukrainian companies, but specific details are kept confidential due to military secrecy.