Ukraine maintains control over small portion of Bakhmut – Ground Forces Commander

In his statement on the situation at Bakhmut on 21 May, Col-Gen Syrskyi says Ukraine still controls a small portion of the city, emphasizing the significance of maintaining control over it and the strategic advantages gained through advancing along the flanks to encircle the city. According to Ukraine's Military Media Center, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said:

• "Although we now control a small part of Bakhmut, its defense remains important. It gives us an opportunity to enter the city in case the situation changes. And this will definitely happen."
• "We continue to advance along the flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut and are actually approaching the city's tactical encirclement. This will allow us to control and gradually destroy all high-rise buildings occupied by the enemy. This deprives the enemy of control over the approaches to the city and gives us certain tactical advantages."
• "In the course of our work with the commanders, we have analyzed in detail our actions and the procedure for destroying the enemy. Therefore, we are continuing our defense. The situation is difficult but under control."

Earlier today, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reiterated that Ukrainian forces retain control over the city's westernmost "industrial and infrastructure facilities and the detached home neighborhood of Bakhmut in the 'Airplane' area."

"The enemy failed to surround Bakhmut and lost some of the dominant heights around the city," she wrote, adding that Ukrainian troops "have half-encircled the city, which gives us the opportunity to destroy the enemy."

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