Ukrainian defense forces knocked out the Russian invaders from their positions near the village of Andriyivka near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.

Andrii Kovalyov, Spokesman of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, announced this on July 25.

Ukrainian troops are conducting offensive actions north and south of the city of Bakhmut.

“In the course of offensive and assault operations conducted by the Defense Forces of Ukraine, the enemy was forced to retreat from its positions near Andriyivka,” the spokesman shared.

In this way, the Ukrainian servicemen are expanding the bridgehead near the settlement of Klishchiyivka, the control of which has been fiercely battled over for a long time.

The Russians are constantly counterattacking, trying to prevent the Ukrainian defenders from occupying new lines and stopping the advance.

The Spokesman of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine added that the day before, the Russians unsuccessfully advanced south of Ivanovo and west of Klishchiyivka.

It should be noted that the clearing of Russian invaders of settlements north and south of Bakhmut will allow the city to be tactically surrounded.

The advance of Ukrainian forces is difficult because the Russian invaders have brought their reserves in this direction. The invaders are also trying to gain a foothold in the areas of the front near Bakhmut, where the Defense Forces of Ukraine are conducting offensive operations.

Fighting also continues in and around the village of Klishchiyivka, where the Russian soldiers are suffering heavy losses trying to hold the ruins that remained of the settlement.

There, the Russians recently lost a platoon of paratroopers who were ambushed and fired upon by mortars and automatic grenade launchers.

Drone footage published on social media shows that two Russian BMD-2 airborne infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed in Klishchiyivka, and another one was damaged.