"Units of the [Russian] Yug Group of Forces have successfully repelled the attacks of assault groups of the armed forces of Ukraine in the Lisichansk, Soledar-Artemovsk [Bakhmut], Aleksandr-Kalinovsk and Maryinka directions. The group's aviation carried out missile and bomb strikes against concentrations of enemy manpower and firepower," the spokesperson said.
The defense ministry spokesperson added that the advance of Ukrainian troops was detected in a timely manner by the reconnaissance of Russian units, thanks to which the enemy's armored vehicles were destroyed before they reached the line of transition to the attack.