Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar has said that "no one believed that under such intense enemy attacks it would be possible to hold the city (Bakhmut - Ed.) for more than a week, two weeks at most".
"This week marks the second month since the fighting for Bakhmut escalated... But thanks to the courage and heroism of thousands of our soldiers, as well as the skilful leadership of our generals and officers, the defence of Bakhmut is holding and the possibilities are not yet exhausted," Malyar said on Telegram.
She added that Brig Gen Andriy Hnatov is in charge of the Bakhmut defence. Col-Gen Oleksandr Oleksandr Syrskyy, commander of the Khortytsya Operational Group of Forces, is in charge of the defence of the eastern front, which includes Bakhmut. In addition, part of the eastern front is overseen by Brig Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskyy, commander of the Tavriya Operational Group of Forces.
Col Pavlo Polisa, commander of the 93rd Brigade, and Col Oleksandr Pivnenko, commander of the 3rd Brigade of the National Guard, are defending the city.
Earlier, the spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Serhiy Cherevatyy, said that Russian troops were tactically unable to complete the operation to capture Bakhmut.