AFU Advance Near Bakhmut: Russian Forces Pushed Away

The defences of the Russian Federation were broken on the southern flank, the city is encircled.

The Ukrainian military launched an offensive and stormed the positions of the Russians south of Bakhmut. There is heavy fighting.

Maksim Zhorin, Major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, acting commander of the 3rd Assault Brigade and former commander of the Azov Regiment, told about this on the air of Apostrophe TV.

“Our 3rd Assault Brigade have resumed offensive operations near Bakhmut, on the southern flank near Bakhmut. We have been advancing for several days. Today, however, we have very difficult battles, and we have to pay a huge price, but the advance is on, we have knocked out the enemy from his positions and have made significant progress, thereby freeing areas near Bakhmut that are extremely important for further movement,” said the military man.

According to him, there are also fights near Berkhivka. There is a struggle for it, but it will be completely under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the near future.

“If we talk about the enemy actions, then it is forced, in the truest sense of the word, to stand to the death and hold on to its current positions. They are following their orders mostly. Joking aside, the battles are very difficult, the enemy has to be knocked out of every trench, from every dugout,” Zhorin said.

Later it became known that the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to push back the Russians on the southern flank in the course of the battle on June 7.

A Ukrainian serviceman who calls himself “Bakhmutsky Demon” reported from the scene, according to dialog.ua.

“The battle for one piece of land continued the whole day. We’ve forced them out. Advancing to the south,” the soldier said.

The fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are moving forward on the flanks around Bakhmut was also confirmed by the Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Hanna Maliar on the air of a telethon.

According to Maliar, “speaking in civilian language”, recently the Defense Forces actually took Bakhmut into a semi-encirclement and occupied the dominant heights, and now they are building up forces and moving forward. The Russian occupiers are bringing their troops there and trying to fortify themselves in the areas where the defenders of Ukraine are advancing.

“There are fierce battles, the enemy suffers huge losses. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are gradually advancing, primarily in the Bakhmut direction and the flanks around Bakhmut… The Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying to advance in several directions. We need to be patient [until the official information from the Armed Forces of Ukraine],” the Deputy Minister said. “Everything is going on according to our plan,” she added.

Maliar also said that the Defence Forces are controlling the southwestern outskirts of Bakhmut.