Ukrainian forces seize initiative on eastern Kupiansk front – deputy defense minister

Russian forces failed to launch another large offensive in the Kupiansk direction, says Ukraine's deputy defense minister Hanna Maliar.

Ukrainian forces keep holding their positions, draining Russian logistics and personnel.

The enemy's offensive in Kupyansk direction is currently unsuccessful. The fighting continues, but the initiative is already on our side, she said.

As in previous days, the Ukrainian troops have advanced on the southern flank around the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, according to Maliar. Battles took place on the northern flank.

The enemy tries to regain lost positions. Our fighters have to deal with dense minefields and intense enemy fire, the deputy minister noted.

Ukrainian forces are making progress in the southern direction and gaining a foothold on the achieved positions.

18 combat clashes have been recorded in five areas where the Russians concentrated their main effort during the day on 18 July. This applies to Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka fronts.

On the morning of 18 July, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the situation in the east of Ukraine was difficult but controlled, with the Russians keeping their main forces on the Kupiansk front and moving reserves to the Bakhmut front.

Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that by intensifying actions on the Kupiansk front, the Russians are trying to pull the reserves of the defense forces from critical areas of the front, but experts believe that the Russians will not be able to make an operationally significant breakthrough.