Weapons availability allows Ukrainian Armed Forces to push the enemy back from the outskirts of Bakhmut - Svoboda battalion fighter Lysenko

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"Everything is stable. No one has given up Bakhmut and is not going to give it up. Bakhmut is not surrounded. Our unit was defending Sievierodonetsk in April, and then we could talk about the encirclement of the city. The situation with Bakhmut is completely different. Our unit not only managed to hold its positions, but also managed to advance towards the roads leading to Sloviansk and Kostiantynivka," said Lysenko.

The Svoboda battalion fighter emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing to recapture the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"I think that with the weapons we have, we will be able to drive the enemy back from the outskirts of Bakhmut in the next few weeks. Also, under favorable conditions, we will be able to counterattack further. After all, our goal today, in addition to the defense of Bakhmut, is the recapture of occupied Donetsk. The liberation of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk will also be of great strategic importance," he added.

• On February 20, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that it was important for Ukraine to defend Bakhmut, however not at any cost, but as long as it is reasonable. 

• The British Ministry of Defenсe writes that Russia may announce the capture of Bakhmut on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, regardless of who controls the city.