Cherevaty: Defense forces holding initiative in Bakhmut direction

“In Bakhmut direction, the defense forces continue to hold the initiative, carry out assault actions, pushing back the enemy on the southern and northern flanks. The enemy is fiercely resisting: launched 361 artillery strikes, carried out three air raids, three combat engagements took place. [The Ukrainian troops] eliminated 57 occupiers, wounded 136 more, destroyed three enemy tanks, Grad MLRS, Pion self-propelled gun,” Serhiy Cherevaty, the spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said during the United News telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to him, the Ukrainian defenders also destroyed the enemy's powerful S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile system, D-30 howitzer, five field ammunition depots, and a fuel depot.

The spokesman added that the enemy tried to attack Ukrainian positions in Lyman–Kupyansk direction, having launched 445 artillery strikes. In addition, there were nine assaults and 12 air raids.

While repelling the assaults, Ukrainian troops decimated 56 invaders and wounded another 12, Cherevaty noted.

As reported, the Russian army continues to focus its main efforts on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Maryinka directions – 38 combat engagements took place over the past day.