 Ukrainian defenders liberated 18 more square kilometers. Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hannah Malia has reported that the Ukrainian forces liberated almost 18 square kilometers of territory in the countries east and south in a counter-offensive over the past week. Malia wrote this on Telegram. Over the past week, the offensive actions resulted in the liberation of a total of almost 18 square kilometers of Ukrainian territories in the countries east and south. The area liberated during the offensive totaled 210.5 square kilometers. She wrote, During the same period, Ukrainian forces have advanced more than one kilometer toward Russian-occupied Militopol and Burdiansk in Zaporizia Oblast, said the General Staff's spokesman Andrey Kovalev. The enemy resists, moves units and troops, and actively uses its reserves. Heavy fighting is happening in the Bakhmut area, said Kovalev. Hannah Malia said Ukrainian forces managed to capture key heights over Bakhmut, putting their artillery in range of Russian positions in the city itself. Our defenders have been keeping the entrances, exits and movements of the enemy through the city under fire control for several days, she said. At present, the active offensive actions of Ukrainian forces on the Militopol and Burdiansk axis are ongoing. Since the beginning of the summer counter-offensive, Ukrainian troops reportedly advanced 8.6 kilometers in the Militopol and Burdiansk directions and regained 169 square kilometers of land there.