Russian troops retreat from their northern positions on Bakhmut front
Photo: GettyImages
The Ukrainian defense forces knocked out the Russian invaders from positions near Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, on the Bakhmut front.
The spokesperson for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrii Kovaliov, announced that Ukrainian troops are conducting offensive operations north and south of the city of Bakhmut, Military Media Center reports.
"In the course of hostilities, the Russian occupiers were forced to retreat from their positions northeast of Orikhovo-Vasylivka," Kovaliov said.
The General Staff spokesperson also reported that the Ukrainian defenders have had partial success and are entrenched at the achieved boundaries. The Russians are putting up strong resistance, using reserves, and suffering heavy losses.
Kovalev also said that the Ukrainian troops were victorious in the directions of Velyka Novosilka – Staromaiorske and Novosilka –Staromaiorske. Ukrainian soldiers are also entrenched there.
Photo: DeepState Map
The Ukrainian military "inflicts fire damage with artillery on identified enemy targets, carries out counter-battery countermeasures," he added.
The military command also reported that over the past day, Ukraine's Air Force had struck 12 strikes on the areas of concentration of Russian troops, weapons, and military equipment, and three on their anti-aircraft missile systems.
Ukraine's missile troops and artillery struck one Russian control point, one anti-aircraft missile complex, 16 artillery systems in firing positions, three ammunition depots, and three EW stations.
On July 18, the Ukrainian defense forces eliminated about 500 invaders. Since the beginning of the Russian aggression, the invaders have lost almost 239,500 soldiers.
What we know about Ukraine's counteroffensive today
The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation on the Melitopol and Berdiansk fronts, are entrenched at the reached boundaries, inflict fire damage, and carry out counter-battery countermeasures.
On July 18, British intelligence reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the troops of the Russian Federation had made some progress in different directions. British intelligence also said that Russia's counter-battery capabilities have deteriorated.
The Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Maliar, said that the offensive of Russian troops in the Kupiansk direction was unsuccessful, and the initiative was already on the side of Ukraine.
In her turn, the joint press center chief at the Defense Forces of South of Ukraine, Nataliia Humeniuk, reported that the progress of the Ukrainian troops sometimes looks insignificant. Still, the totality of the successes of the Defense Forces is quite convincing. On the left bank, the Russians suffer daily losses thanks to the Armed Forces.
Ground Forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said that even though all Ukrainians expect "quick results" from the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian defense forces, "this is impossible."
Today, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have changed the tactics of conducting a counteroffensive, which has enabled them to reduce losses in military equipment. Still, the country's territories' de-occupation has slowed because of this.
