- Ukraine general says Klishchiivka village near Bakhmut recaptured

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Sunday that his forces had retaken an eastern village near Bakhmut, which had been under Russian control since May. Zelenskiy praised the soldiers for reclaiming Ukrainian territory in the Bakhmut area. Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, also expressed Ukraine’s determination to reclaim what belongs to them. Zelenskiy specifically thanked the successful units involved in the operation. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar shared a video showing the aftermath of the battle and noted that Russia was still attempting to regain lost positions. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, confirmed the recapture of the village, which had a pre-war population of around 400. Ilia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukrainian troops in the east, reported significant damage inflicted on Russian airborne units and other Russian military groups. Yevlash emphasized that the recaptured village would serve as a base for further offensive actions against the invaders. The village of Klishchiivka, located north of Andriivka, was also recaptured earlier in the week. Both settlements had suffered extensive destruction during the fighting for Bakhmut. Ukrainian military analysts believe that the liberation of these settlements will enable the military to advance from the southern flank and gain control of the heights in the Bakhmut area. The ongoing efforts by Ukrainian forces aim to dislodge Russian units from the city of Bakhmut, which fell into Russian hands in May.