Zelensky Denies Russia's Complete Control of Bakhmut

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Sunday that Ukraine's peace formula has the potential to prevent future wars by deterring aggressors from launching them. In a press conference in Hiroshima, Japan, he emphasized that peace will only be achieved after Russian troops are withdrawn from Ukrainian territory, reaffirming that Ukrainian forces are still present in Bakhmut, denying full Russian control of the city. Additionally, a senior Ukrainian military commander pointed out that Ukrainian forces control a "small" part of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, but it is a foothold that will be sufficient for entering the devastated city when the situation changes. In a Telegram post, General Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Kyiv's forces are advancing on the outskirts of Bakhmut and are nearing a "tactical encirclement" of the city.