Ukrainian commander says Russian army attempting to advance along entire front

Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, said Sunday that Russia’s troops continue trying to advance along the entire front line in Ukraine and that the situation in the country’s east remains complex.

“Myself and the defenders holding the defense line in the eastern direction have analyzed the situation in detail and considered various options for how to move forward. Together, we made the necessary decisions to maintain the stability of our defense, preserve the lives of our soldiers, and use our ammunition wisely,” Syrskyi wrote on Telegram.

According to a briefing from the Ukrainian General Staff published Sunday morning, 60 armed clashes had occurred on the battlefield in the previous 24 hours. The update said Ukraine’s forces had successfully repelled Russian attacks around the cities of Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, and Shakhtarsk. Ukrainian troops are also reportedly attempting to advance south of Bakhmut, maintain their defense in Avdiivka, and hold Russian forces back in Marinka.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported Sunday that it had repelled attacks by the Ukrainian military around Kupyansk, Lyman, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia.