Ukrainian military pushing Russian troops out of Bakhmut – deputy commander of Freedom battalion 

He said this on the air of the Espreso TV channel.

"The Bakhmut direction is a section of the frontline where the Ukrainian Defence Forces are succeeding with hard work, where they are pushing through the enemy's defences. The enemy is retreating and suffering heavy losses due to the efforts of our heroes. As they advance, the Ukrainian Defence Forces are liberating our territories, and this is south of Bakhmut. But it's too early to say that this is the key to encircling the occupied part of Bakhmut," Nazarenko stressed. 

According to the deputy commander of the Freedom battalion, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' advance in the Bakhmut direction makes it possible to bring in other long-range weapons systems and strike at enemy communications.

"This is not the encirclement of Bakhmut. This is artillery control over enemy targets and supply routes to the occupied part of Bakhmut. Step by step, the Defence Forces are making miracles, destroying the myth of the invincible Russian army. We are destroying the myth that Russia has finally captured Bakhmut. The Ukrainian Defence Forces are in the city, holding the defence and pushing the occupying Russian forces out," Nazarenko said. 

• Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi visited the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the Bakhmut and Lyman directions, where he listened to the commanders and learned about their vision of the current situation.

• On July 20, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said that the Ukainian Defence Forces continued to advance 0.5 to 1 kilometre every day as part of a counter-offensive, despite the difficulties they faced.