Ukraine has been advancing in Bakhmut for three days – land forces commander

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have been continuing counteroffensive actions for the last three days in the Bakhmut area in Ukraine's east, which have entirely disoriented the enemy. 

Commander of the ground forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app that despite the Russian army having more resources, our defenders destroyed their plans in Bakhmut.

Bakhmut has been a stronghold of Ukraine and the largest flashpoint on the front line. Ukrainian armed forces have been defending the city since the summer of 2022. 

"The Bakhmut direction. I visited the commanders and soldiers on the front line. Each of them is the author of a new page in the history of our war," Syrskyi wrote after his visit near Bakhmut.

He thanked the military for the confident steps taken to liberate our land. "Dear brothers, dear heroes, today you're creating the latest history. The next page of our war began just three days ago when you went on the offensive," Syrkyi said. "With your actions, you brought the entire Russian army to a standstill because the Russians do not know where the offensive is, where our general offensive is, which is taking place near Bakhmut, which they already considered theirs and that it was surrounded. Now the situation is completely different," the ground forces commander emphasized.

Syrskyi added that the moment, the Wagner mercenaries who fight for Russia in the eastern city of Bakhmut are like rats in a mousetrap because the defense forces continue their offensive actions from the north and the south and win victories.

According to the commander, the defenders of Bakhmut use the principle of "active defense," destroying the Russian plans.

Syrskyi reported that he discussed and made the necessary decisions to continue the defense operation with the commanders of the units. They all together calculated all possible scenarios of the development of events.

As Rubryka reported, tactical aircraft of the Air Force continued to strike the positions of the Russia occupiers. During May 15 and the beginning of May 16, more than twenty group airstrikes were carried out against the Russian army.