Ukrainian forces gain ground in Klishchiyivka, fierce fighting continues

nv.ua:  The Ukrainian army had regained control of the village of Klishchiyivka, south of Bakhmut, as of June 29, military officer Denys Yaroslavskyi has told Radio Liberty.

There is still heavy fighting in this sector of the front, but the Ukrainian army has almost completely captured Klishchiyivka, Yaroslavskyi said.

Yaroslavskyi said that Klishchiyivka is a strategically vital settlement from which an offensive will be launched targeting territory directly south of Bakhmut. From this village, the city lies within visible range.

He also said that north of Bakhmut, the 57th Brigade is enjoying operational success and the enemy is retreating from the northern streets of Bakhmut.

Ukraine’s counter-offensive: Latest

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are continuing their offensive on the Bakhmut, Melitopol, and Berdyansk sections of the front and are making progress. Ukrainian forces have advanced 1.3 kilometers toward Berdyansk.

Over the past week, as part of the Ukrainian military’s counter-offensive, the Russian invasion army's losses exceeded Ukrainian losses by eight times, Malyar added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that progress since the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive campaign is "slower than we would like," but that Ukraine will move forward "as it sees fit."

On June 15, Malyar reported that the offensive continued on several fronts. The Ukrainian army was slowly but surely advancing and inflicting significant losses on the invaders.

Earlier, the head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, predicted that the Ukrainian counter-offensive would see difficult and fierce battles.