110,000 enemy troops concentrated in Lyman–Kupyansk direction – AFU spox
"Fierce battles are currently taking place in the eastern direction, the enemy uses the entire range of its aviation and artillery equipment. The Russian occupiers do not have an ammunition shortage. They daily fire tens of thousands of shells at the positions of our defenders in the eastern direction," Captain Illia Yevlash, the head of the press service of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said during the United News telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
According to him, the enemy fired 495 shots and launched 15 airstrikes in Lyman direction over the past day.
The spokesman noted that Lyman–Kupyansk direction remained the most difficult as 110,000 Russian servicemen are concentrated here, trying to break through the defense lines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "But thanks to the titanic efforts of our infantry, artillerists, tankers, pilots, and all other defense forces, we manage to hold back [the enemy]," he emphasized.
In this direction, according to Yevlash, 13 combat engagements took place during the day, 11 of them near Novoyehorivka. Ukrainian defenders, thanks to the successful work of counter-battery units and reconnaissance, destroyed many enemy artillery systems. In total, during the day, seven UAVs were destroyed, in particular six Lancet drones, and 141 occupiers were eliminated.
In Bakhmut direction, the enemy launched 471 strikes on the Ukrainian military positions, the spokesman said. In the north of Bakhmut, the enemy continues to defend itself and uses assault tactics, while the offensive operation of Ukrainian forces continues on the southern flank.
As reported, the Defense Forces of Ukraine continue offensive operations in Bakhmut and Melitopol sections and had success in the areas of Novodanylivka and Novoprokopivka.