Ukraine Reports Gains in Eastern Front as Forces Advance South of Bakhmut

Ukraine says it has made gains in the east as its forces advance south of Bakhmut

Ukraine’s forces are repelling Russian attacks and have retaken several square kilometres on the eastern front over the past week, a deputy defence minister said on Monday.

Hanna Maliar also said that Ukrainian forces were advancing south of Bakhmut, the city occupied by Russian forces in May after a bloody months-long struggle, and had liberated another three square kilometres over the past week.

The Ukrainian military said last week that Russia was attacking towards Kupiansk, a town in the Kharkiv region, Reuters reports.

Speaking to the Ukrainian national television broadcaster, Maliar said:

The situation in the Kupiansk direction is difficult. The enemy is not leaving plans to move forward, the enemy is pulling up additional forces.

We are confident in our defenders, but it is very difficult for them there and the enemy is not advancing there.

These claims have not yet been independently verified.

Maliar said there were no significant changes in the situation in the south, where Ukrainian forces are trying to split Russian forces and reach the Sea of Azov.

The Ukrainian military said on Thursday it had made gains on the south-eastern front, pushing forward from the newly liberated village of Urozhaine.

However, a US official said last week Ukrainian forces did not appear likely to be able to reach and retake the Russian-occupied strategic south-eastern city of Melitopol during their counteroffensive.