The Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced 500 meters in the Bakhmut direction and are attacking the flanks of the occupants: analysis by ISW

The Ukrainian Defense Forces extended limited counterattacks near Bakhmut on May 17. The defenders advanced half a thousand meters in that direction, striking at the flanks of the Russian forces.

This was pointed out by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts stressed that the success of Ukrainian forces near the fortress city was recognized even in the aggressor country of the Russian Federation.

AFU counterattacks near Bakhmut

Thus, the day before, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar said that Ukrainian units are advancing in uncertain areas on the flanks of Bakhmut. And Colonel Sergiy Cherevatiy, spokesman for the Eastern Group of Ukrainian Forces, added that during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces had advanced up to 500 meters in the Bakhmut direction and continued to attack the flanks of the Russian Armed Forces.

At the time, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the Russian airborne forces had allegedly "achieved insignificant progress," but acknowledged continued Ukrainian counterattacks against the occupants' flanks near Bogdanivka (5 km northwest of Bakhmut) and Ivanivske (6 km west).

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagnerites, denied the Russian agency's claim of territorial gains, and at the same time criticized it for falsely representing the retreat as a seizure of new positions.

One Russian blogger complained that Russian forces must now respond to Ukraine, meaning that they are losing the initiative in the Bakhmut area.

Actions of the Russian Armed Forces around Bakhmut

At the same time, Russian forces continued their attempts to seize the town in Donetsk region on May 17. Analysts referred to geolocation footage allegedly showing that the Wagner PMC mercenaries were gradually advancing in the southwestern part of Bakhmut.

One Russian blogger stated that Russian troops had launched a failed ground attack west of Bakhmut near Ivanovskoye (6 km west), but had "advanced" northwest of the city near the Bakhmut-Khromovo highway, Orikhove-Vasilivka (11 km northwest) and Minkivka (13 km northwest).

Another propagandist claimed that the Wagnerians had generally "completed the capture" of an AFU stronghold in western Bakhmut and began "pressuring Ukrainian forces" in the nearby combat zone.

Prigozhin stated the day before that his mercenaries had advanced 200 meters and the Ukrainian Defense Forces controlled "only 1.46 square kilometers of territory in Bakhmut." On May 17, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar only confirmed that the occupiers were gradually advancing in the city.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, after successful counterattacks by the AFU around Bakhmut, the occupiers began trying to strengthen their tactical offensive. Russian troops reinforced their forces around the city to supposedly stabilize the situation.

Maxar Technologies showed what ruins the Russian army had turned Bakhmut into in a year of fighting. Satellite photos of the town were published.

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