Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar stated today, Monday, that her forces are still advancing on both sides of the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, despite a decrease in "the scale" of their movements, and that Russia is bringing in more troops. In statements conveyed via television, Maliar said: "Through our movement on both sides - in the north and the south - we are successfully destroying the enemy, and by advancing along both sides and controlling certain heights there, we have made it extremely difficult for the enemy to remain in the city itself." She added: "We are still advancing, but the scale of movement is slightly decreasing. If we talk about the north, there is much less activity there, and if we talk about the south, we are advancing, and the defense of Bakhmut as a city has fully achieved its military goal."
Maliar later wrote in a post on Telegram that Ukrainian forces are still in control of "some specific facilities and the private sector in the Lytak region." She pointed out that "the enemy is sweeping through areas under its control in the city. The struggle continues for the dominant heights on both sides, north and south of the suburbs. Our fighters are not giving the enemy a chance to gain a foothold there." She continued, "The enemy's offensive capabilities have been significantly reduced, it has sustained heavy losses, and we have gained time for some actions that will be discussed later."
