Russians are surrounded in Bakhmut and unable to retreat – Ukraine’s deputy defense minister

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar says troops continue to advance in the Bakhmut front despite Russia's intense resistance.

The eastern Bakhmut front remains the epicenter of Ukraine's counteroffensive, which has drained Russia's resources and personnel since the start of attempts to siege the town in 2022.

We are advancing in the Bakhmut direction. This is actually what the enemy is most concerned about, and so they are trying to divert our efforts to other areas. There we are moving along the southern flank, said Maliar.

The deputy defense minister says the enemy group in Bakhmut is trapped and constantly exhausted by consistent artillery fire.

We have already reached many dominant heights, and, in fact, the occupiers are trapped there, because they cannot leave Bakhmut and move confidently within the city itself, the Deputy Defense Minister clarified.

She noted that the enemy was trying to divert attention in the Kupiansk–Lyman direction to drag Ukrainian units.

The situation intensified, two weeks ago they started very active operations – strikes, troops pulled up. Our troops stopped them very powerfully and destroyed them. They recover, regroup there now, and do not abandon their plans to move, Maliar added.