ISTANBUL

Ukraine claimed on Monday that its forces retook control of 3 square kilometers (1.1 square miles) near the city of Bakhmut, one of the key hotspots of the Russia-Ukraine war.

“Last week ... our Armed Forces advanced in the Bakhmut direction on the southern flank, and the area of the liberated territory over the past week is 3 square kilometers. In general, 40 square kilometers (15.4 square miles) have already been liberated on the southern flank around Bakhmut,” Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said in a video message to the media.

An intense gun battle continues between Russian and Ukrainian forces near Kupiansk, Lyman, and Bakhmut, Maliar claimed, adding that Russia continues its offensives in the directions of Avdiivka and Marinka.

“The Russian army does not enter Avdiivka in order not to get bogged down in street battles; their goal is to surround Avdiivka and move on. As for Marinka, the Russian army has almost destroyed the face of this settlement, and there are actually no whole houses left. And now the Russian army is trying to fully take control of this city,” she explained.

She also claimed that, despite the diminishing number of attacks on the eastern front, Russian forces are “regrouping and accumulating forces” in the region, specifically in the directions of Kupiansk and Lyman, in order to continue offensive actions.

On the southern front, she claimed that fierce fighting is taking place, particularly in the direction of Urozhaine.

“There are also certain successes in the southern and southeastern directions around Staromaiorske, Donetsk region, and hot battles are currently ongoing both in the south and in the east of Ukraine,” she said.

Russian authorities have not yet commented on the claims, and independent verification of Ukraine’s claims is difficult due to the ongoing war.