Russian troops are trying to advance in the direction of Lyman, Bakhmut and Avdiyivka of the Donetsk region, the General Staff of Ukraine reported, citing the Kyiv Independent.

According to the General Staff, Russia is conducting defense in four other directions – Kupyansk in the northeast of the Kharkiv region, Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia in the southeast, and Kherson in the south.

Also, Russian troops shelled Ukrainian military positions and civilian objects 10 times with rocket launchers, the General Staff added.

The Russians claim that they have almost surrounded the city of Bakhmut

According to reports from Russia and Ukraine, heavy fighting continues around the city of Bakhmut in eastern Donetsk region.

The city has become an important target for Russian troops, who have been unable to gain territory in eastern Ukraine in recent months and have been forced to withdraw from many areas.

In recent days, videos have been circulating on social media showing the massive destruction in Bakhmut, where thousands of people are still living without electricity and water, according to CNN.

Denys Pushylin, the leader of Russia’s self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said on Monday that Russian troops were now close to encircling Bakhmut.

“The situation in Bakhmut remains difficult, but our units, especially the Wagner unit, are definitely moving forward,” Pusilin said on Russian television.

The Ukrainian army also damaged a railway bridge near the village of Starobohdanivka in the Zaporizhzhia region, to which Russian troops were delivering weapons and military equipment.

The General Staff added that Russian troops were defending their positions in the region, rather than trying to advance, and seven settlements in the region were shelled.

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