Hanna Malyar, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, reported that the Ukrainian armed forces launched a counter-offensive in the direction of Bakhmut, Orekhovo-Vasylevka, Bogdanovka, Yagodny, Klescheyivka and Kurdyumovka and made progress. She added that the Russian forces tried to advance in the direction of Kupyansk, Liman and Maryinka, but in vain.
Commenting on the situation on the battlefield, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexi Reznikov stated that the Ukrainian armed forces have not yet delivered the main blow of the counterattack; preparations are being made at the moment, because, according to Reznikov, the Russian side has created strong defense lines.
"The main blow will be strong and will bring Ukraine closer to victory," added the minister.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also had a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden, discussing the course of the war and the developments in Russia in recent days. The President of Ukraine thanked Washington, in particular, for providing Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems. Zelenskiy also had telephone conversations with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
