Ukraine Regains More Territory in the East and South Amid Counteroffensive

On Monday, Ukraine reported that its forces have regained more territory along the front line in the east and advanced in the south as part of its military counteroffensive against Russian forces. Hanna Malyar, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defense, stated that Kyiv's forces recovered two square kilometers of land around the devastated city of Bakhmut, which was seized by Russian troops in May after months of fighting. Malyar added that Kyiv's forces also liberated two villages located in the southern part of the city, namely Andriivka and Klishchivka. She noted that Ukrainian forces have reclaimed a total of 51 square kilometers near Bakhmut since the beginning of the counteroffensive. Additionally, she mentioned that Ukrainian forces are continuing to repel the Russian attack on the towns of Avdiivka and Marinka in the southern Donetsk region. Malyar indicated that Ukrainian forces are attempting to advance towards the Sea of Azov as part of a southern maneuver aimed at splitting Russian forces, successfully regaining an area of 5.2 kilometers last week. Reuters could not independently verify the reports, and Russia has not confirmed Ukraine's advances in these locations.