Ukrainian Army Advances in Bakhmut Direction Despite Russian Claims: Updates and Analysis

“In some directions, we are moving to offensive operations. Among other things, the epicenter of combat operations is still the direction of Bakhmut. There, we are advancing on a relatively wide front. We have succeeded. We are occupying the dominant highlands,” the deputy minister said.

This is how she responded to the claims of the Russian Ministry of Defense and other Russian sources that the Ukrainian army launched an attack in the southeastern sector of the front on Sunday.

The Russians are spreading claims about Ukraine’s counterattack to divert attention from the defeats in the direction of Bakhmut, Maliara explained.

Yevgenii Prigozhin, the founder of the Russian mercenary group “Wagner”, also mentioned that the Russian army is retreating in the Bakhmut district.

He spoke of Berhivka, north of Bakhmut, and described the behavior of the Russian soldiers as fleeing.

Over the past two days, Russian sources report attacks by Ukrainian soldiers and some success in several sectors of the front in the Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions.

Some commentators, however, admit that this is not yet the start of a major counterattack, but reconnaissance with battles.