The invaders continue making efforts to reach the administrative borders of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and keep control over a ground corridor with the occupied Crimea.

Oleksandr Motuzianyk, Ukrainian Defense Ministry Spokesman stated this during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform.

He also stressed that despite huge losses in manpower and equipment, the invaders outnumber the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

“Despite huge losses in manpower and equipment, the invaders outnumber the Ukrainian defenders and try to win solely by numbers. In some areas, for one shot of Ukrainian artillery, there are six or more enemy artillery shots. At the same time, the effectiveness of the actions of the Russian infantry units remains low, especially within the cities,” Motuzianyk said.

The area of Sievierodonetsk remains the hottest part of the front. Ukrainian troops are hindering the enemy’s attempts to establish full control over the city.

Serhiy Haidai, Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, said that the invaders are following “creeping tactics” and shooting at the Ukrainian-controlled settlements in the Luhansk region with aircraft and artillery.

“Sievierodonetsk is shelled every day at the same points: orcs are shelling Azot plant and already destroyed bridges,” he said.

He also noted that civilians are affected by the shelling of Lysychansk, and several policemen were wounded.

“Massive shelling has significantly destroyed infrastructure and housing. Enemy missiles deliberately fired on the buildings of the city’s security forces – the police, the prosecutor’s office, the Security Service of Ukraine,” Haidai added.

The enemy is conducting offensive operations, trying to block the Ukrainian servicemen near Borivske and Voronove and to block the main logistics routes from Bakhmut.

“Currently, fighting is ongoing in these areas. In order to detect the firing positions of Ukrainian units, the enemy conducted reconnaissance through battle in the directions of Metolkine – Voronovo, and Metolkine – Syrotyne,” Motuzianyk said.

In the Bakhmut direction, the main battles are concentrated in the area of the settlement of Zolote.

Ukrainian Defense Forces repulsed the enemy’s assault in the direction of Myronivka-Semihiria and stopped the enemy’s offensive in the direction of Molodizhne-Katerynivka.

There were no active hostilities in the Avdiivka, Kurakhiv, Novopavliv, and Zaporizhzhia directions. There, the enemy is firing from the tanks, barrels, and jet artillery on the positions of Ukrainian troops, trying to prevent the transfer of reserves to other areas.

It was previously reported that the Defense Forces of Ukraine are pursuing a counterattack in the Kherson region.