Defense Ministry: Ukraine liberates almost 18 square kilometers within week

Ukrainian forces have liberated 7 square kilometers in the Bakhmut direction and 10.9 square kilometers in the south over the past week, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on July 17.

"Over the past week, as a result of the improvement of the operational-tactical position and alignment of the front line in the Bakhmut direction, the territory of 7 square kilometers has been liberated," Maliar wrote on Telegram.

"In total, during the offensive in this direction, the liberated area is 31 square kilometers."

As Maliar noted, Ukrainian troops have been advancing on Bakhmut's southern flank every day over the course of the last week.

Russian troops have been actively advancing since the end of the past week in the Kupiansk direction in Kharkiv Oblast, the deputy defense minister reported.

She clarified that Russia is currently searching for weak points in Ukrainian defenses and attacking near Masiutivka and Novoselivske.

On July 16, Maliar said that the situation along the eastern front has escalated, with Ukrainian troops gradually advancing in the Bakhmut direction but on the defensive near the Kupiansk direction.

In the south, Ukraine conducts offensive operations in the Berdiansk and Melitopol directions, achieving success at the Makarivka-Staromaiorske, Novodarivka-Pryiutne, Mala Tokmachka-Novopokrovka, and Piatykhatky-Hrozove sectors, Maliar commented.

Together with 10.9 square kilometers re-captured this week, Ukraine has already liberated 179.5 square kilometers and has advanced 9.25 kilometers in the south since the start of the counteroffensive, according to the report.

The partially-occupied Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts saw heavy engagements since the start of Ukraine's counteroffensive in early June.

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