Ukrainian forces continue to hold initiative in Bakhmut sector – military spox

Ukraine's defense forces continue to hold the initiative and carry out assault operations in the Bakhmut sector.

Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said this on Ukrainian television, Ukrinform reports.

"On the Bakhmut axis, the defense forces continue to hold the initiative, put pressure on the enemy, carry out assault operations and recapture our land meter by meter," he said.

He said that the enemy was constantly trying to strike Ukrainian positions.

According to him, in the last 24 hours, the army of the aggressor country hit the positions of Ukrainian units 498 times with all types and calibers of artillery and carried out two air raids.

"In total, seven battles took place in this sector, during which we managed to eliminate 44 occupiers and 118 were injured. An anti-tank missile system, three enemy field ammunition depots and a Murom-M surveillance system were destroyed," Cherevatyi said.

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on July 29 that Ukrainian forces had advanced on the southern flank near Bakhmut, Donetsk region.