Ukraine breached Russian lines by taking two eastern villages - commander

The commander of Ukrainian ground forces said on Monday the recent recapture of the eastern villages of Andriivka and Klishchiivka had enabled Kyiv's troops to breach Russian lines near the devastated city of Bakhmut. "These settlements, at first glance small, were important elements in the enemy's defensive line which stretched from Bakhmut to Horlivka," General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on the Telegram messaging app, referring to a town about 40 km (25 miles) from Bakhmut.

"As a result of our troops' successful actions, the enemy's defensive line - which it tried to close by throwing all available reserves into battle - was breached." Syrskyi said Russian troops were still trying to regain the positions they had lost in the Bakhmut sector, and that fighting there was heavy. He gave no further details.