In Bakhmut, the Russians lost part of the dominant heights around the city. The flanking advance of Ukrainian troops in the suburbs, which is still ongoing, makes it difficult for the occupiers to stay in Bakhmut.
Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Malyar announced this on May 21.
The defense forces put the city in semi-encirclement, which makes it possible to destroy the occupiers. Therefore, the Russians have to defend themselves in the part of the city they control.
The Ukrainian military maintains control over industrial and infrastructure facilities and the private sector of Bakhmut in the "Litak" area.
- The Ukrainian military is simultaneously advancing on the northern and southern outskirts of Bakhmut in order to collapse the flanks of the "Wagnerians" who are storming the city itself. All that was left was to capture a dozen high-rise buildings and a small part of the private sector in order to completely occupy Bakhmut. But at the same time, the Ukrainian army is trying to break through the Russian defense around Bakhmut and, if successful, surround it.
- On May 20, The New York Times newspaper wrote that Ukrainian troops managed to advance near Bakhmut, taking advantage of the conflict between "Vagner PMC" and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.