Military: Situation on eastern front escalates

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on July 16 that the situation along the eastern front line had escalated, with Ukrainian troops gradually advancing in the Bakhmut direction but on the defensive near the Kupiansk direction.

According to Maliar, Russian forces have been launching attacks in the Kupiansk direction of Kharkiv Oblast for two consecutive days and Ukrainian forces are on the defensive.

"Intense battles are taking place, and the positions are dynamically changing several times a day," she said.

Ukrainian forces have made progress along the southern flank of Bakhmut and are attempting to hold positions along the northern flank.

Ukrainian forces are also engaging in artillery strikes against Russian forces in the city of Bakhmut while also enduring incoming shelling themselves, according to Maliar.

Russian forces are continuing to conduct offensive actions in the Avdiivka and Marinka directions but Ukrainian forces "are effectively holding them back" and there is "no change in positions," she added.

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The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko