Ukrainian Commander Challenges Portrayal of Russian Soldiers as "Stupid and Miserable"

Ukrainian commander Andriy Biletsky of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade has contradicted previous analysis on Russia's military, stating that Russian soldiers are not "stupid" and are putting up "stubborn and cruel" resistance in the ongoing fighting in Bakhmut. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has conceded that the city has been completely destroyed, but his office clarified that it had not fallen to Russian troops. Recent helmet-cam footage from Biletsky's brigade shows the reality of the fierce fighting, with Ukraine claiming to have made advances on the flanks around Bakhmut. The British Ministry of Defence has warned that additional Russian troops have likely been deployed to Bakhmut to fight against Kyiv's advances.