Ukrainian officials say Russian forces are continuing to shell Donetsk region, launching more than 200 strikes in the past 24 hours in the Bakhmut district alone, but say the Russians are losing hundreds of people on the front lines every day, CNN reports.

According to Serhii Sherevati, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of Armed Forces, the city of Bakhmut in the east of the country remains “the focus of the enemy’s attack.”

Sherewati said it was difficult to say whether the intensity of Russian attacks around Bakhmut had decreased because of factors such as weather, unit rotation or reserves brought in by the Russians.

However, according to him, Russian tactics have remained unchanged, small tactical groups “are trying to wear down our defenses.” According to him, soldiers of Wagner’s mercenary group are stationed near Bakhmut, and Russian troops are being reinforced where needed.

“We beat them down. In fact, the Wagner fighters will soon be gone if they continue at the same pace,” Sherewati said.

He distinguished between the battle for Bakhmut and battles elsewhere. According to him, north of “Wagner” there was less in the area of ​​Lyman and Kupyansk, where over the past day Russian regular forces with the support of the Luhansk militia carried out more than 400 shellings.

“The main task now is to resist, exhaust the enemy’s forces, while the units are trained both in Ukraine and abroad, equipped with new defense equipment and coordinated,” said the Ukrainian government official.

In and around the city of Avdiyivka, Donetsk region, intensive shelling and airstrikes by Russian aircraft against Ukrainian defenses continue.

“There were explosions all the time I was in the city. I did not see a single building that was not damaged. Unfortunately, there are still civilians in Avdiivka. People live in basements,” said military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi.

But he said many civilians were reluctant to leave the city, especially the elderly, and the city had been without electricity since last May.

According to him, the Russians are trying to bypass the city, “and these attacks are constantly accompanied by shelling.” Over the past day, the enemy fired 26 rounds and suffered quite significant losses. More than 100 people died, more than 240 were injured,” he said.

“During the day, they attack with planes, artillery and people. They suffer heavy losses in manpower and equipment,” he concluded.