Syrsky explained what is happening in Bakhmut and whether the AFU controls the city

The commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyy, has said that the Ukrainian defenders continue to control part of Bakhmut and that the defence of the city does not lose its relevance.

He also noted that the positions taken by the Ukrainians would allow them to quickly switch to an attack in case the situation changes.

And this is bound to happen," Syrsky said.

Speaking about the situation in the city, Syrskyy specified that the Ukrainian Armed Forces continued to advance on their flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut and were actually getting closer to taking the city in a ring.

Thanks to this, we will be able to control all high-rise buildings occupied by the enemy and gradually destroy them. This deprives the enemy of control over the approaches to the city and gives us certain tactical advantages," he said.

Syrskyy added that the military units holding the defence around the city had agreed in detail further actions and the procedure for destroying the enemy in Bakhmut.

In his turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the G7 speech in Japan that the Armed Forces had not abandoned Bakhmut.

Our military are carrying out a very important task. They are in Bakhmut, in which points - I will not share. But it shows that Bakhmut has not been seized by the Russian Federation as of today. There can be no two or three interpretations here," the president said.

He added that the city of Bakhmut now resembles Hiroshima after a nuclear bombing.

There is nothing alive, all the buildings are destroyed, there is no understanding - where is the street, where is the house. Absolute, total destruction - there is nothing," Zelensky said.

He pointed out that Ukraine is heroically fighting for its territory and a little longer and "will start winning". Zelenskyy also expressed hope that Bakhmut can be rebuilt in the future.