Ukrainian troops make gains in Bakhmut suburbs.

Ukrainian troops are advancing in two directions in the suburbs of Bakhmut, while the situation in the city center remains complicated, according to deputy defense minister Hanna Malyar. Pro-Kyiv forces have started to push back against troops loyal to Moscow, who had been on the offensive for months. The Wagner group of mercenaries is leading much of the fighting in Bakhmut, and its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claims his men have advanced up to 550 meters in some directions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy did not provide a direct answer when asked about the start of the counter offensive but said that Russia would feel the results.