RUSSIANS GAINED INITIATIVE ON DONBASS FRONT LINES

More than 50% of the territory of the DPR has been liberated from the Ukrainian military, the acting head of the DPR said. The Russian military continues to implement the task of “liberating the entire territory of the DPR within the constitutional borders.” The Russian military has gained the initiative on the Luhansk front lines, where it seeks to push the Ukrainian army on the right bank of the Zherebets River. With the support of artillery, Russian troops attacked Stelmakhovka. Russian assault operations began in the area of Makeyevka. The battle for the initiative in the areas of Ploshcanka and Krasnopopovka continue. Russian strikes on the military positions and the rear of Ukrainian units continue. In their turn, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attempted to advance towards Lisichansk from their military positions near Belogorovka. To the east of Seversk, Russian troops continue their offencive in the area of Verkhnekamenskoe. Fighting continues for control of Spornoe. The situation remains tense in the Soledar area, where fierce fighting continues in the city limits. At the same time, the Wagner fighters are storming the village of Belogorovka, located north of Soledar. Yakovlevka remains under the control of Russian forces. The offensive mounted by Russian forces in Bakhmut is gaining momentum. Attempts by Ukrainian forces to counterattack on the southern outskirts in Opytne do not bring significant success. Bearing heavy losses, they cannot dislodge Russian forces from the village. While the Ukrainian command continues its attempts to counterattack on the southern outskirts, the Wagner fighters are developing their offensive in other directions. According to preliminary data, Russian troops are again entering the residential area of Bakhmut from the eastern direction. Having broken through the defense line of the 71st Mountain Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the industrial zone, Wagner fighters advanced along Pervomaisky avenue and reached Dobrolyubov Street. At the same time, Wagner fighters attacked on the northern outskirts of the city. They occupied several Ukrainian strongholds near Podgornoe. The village is a key point of defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the northern flank of Bakhmut, control over which will allow the Russians to take the city in a semicircle. The units of the People’s Militia of the DPR launched an offensive on the Ukrainian positions near Toretsk. There are battles in the Yuryevka area. New York is heavily shelled by artillery. The Ukrainian command is hastily transferring additional reserves to the area. To the south, Russian forces continue to storm the fortified areas in Maryinka. They managed to take control of the road leading to Krasnogorovka and cut Ukrainian military supplies. Heavy street battles are taking place in the center of Maryinka, where Russian motorized infantry repelled all the counterattacks of Ukrainian forces. The DPR authorities now claim control over 70 percent of the city’s territory.