The deputy head of the Russian-speaking city of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, told state media that the Russian Armed Forces repelled the Ukrainian army's counterattack in Bakhmut.
Information reports of inferno in the area with 41 battle points today in Bakhmut and the wider area.
19 of the 41 clashes took place in the area of the city of Bakhmut, which was also the main direction of the Ukrainian counterattack. In just one day there on the entire front line of Bakhmut: Orekovo-Vasilevka, Ivanoskoe, Sutino, Ukrainian forces hit with artillery barrage of different calibers.
"In general, there were 128 strikes in this direction, in the area of Bakhmut.
Russian troops in the Bakhmut direction operate in small tactical infantry groups, while using less armored vehicles.
The village of Vasilevka in Bakhmut was captured
The village of Vasilevka, northwest of Bakhmut, has come under the control of Russian forces, said Prigozhin, head of the Wagner group.
"Vasilevka is completely under the control of Wagner. There are battles on the outskirts. The entire territory of the settlement is under our control," he said.
Bakhmut is located in the Kiev-controlled part of Donbass, north of the large city of Gorlovka, and is an important transport hub for the supply of the Ukrainian troop group in Donbass.
As Sergei Rachmanin, a member of the National Security, Defense and Intelligence Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament, said, the situation in Bakhmut is critical.
Valery Zaluzny, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on Zelensky's order, called for the continuation of the defensive operation in the city.
Attack of Russian Paratroopers on Kremenaya
Russian elite Paratroopers captured the strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine around Kremenaya, emphasizes another Russian source in state media.
In the course of the advance of the Ukrainian forces, Russian Paratroopers attacked the Ukrainians by surprise.
At first Russian UAVs revealed Ukrainian positions and relayed their coordinates to Russian artillery.
After a barrage of strikes, the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were taken by assault detachments of Russian Paratroopers, capturing Ivanovo and Kostrona.
"During the massive artillery and mortar fire, as well as the attacks of the Russian assault detachments of the Airborne Forces, the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered significant losses, the survivors fled their positions, leaving behind their weapons and equipment, as well as corpses of their dead brothers", reports a Russian Officer.
Russian Paratroopers captured more than five strongholds, neutralizing dozens of Ukrainian fighters and capturing several, the same sources said.
Prigozhin was right to check Bakhmut's flanks, believing that the Ukrainians would fight back, and they did.
Security of the sides of the Russian mercenaries were elite units of the Paratroopers, who operated directly in the area.
The sequel will be particularly bloody for both sides, while a new batch of Ukrainian soldiers trained in the EU is also expected.
