 Ukrainian forces captured Russian positions near Bakhmut. Ukrainian forces have advanced near Bakhmut and continued positional fighting with Russian troops over the past week. The Institute for the Study of War, ISW, said this. Geolocation footage released on the 20th of December showed that Ukrainian forces had made minor advances southwest of Klishivka, southwest of Bakhmut. Russian forces advanced near Mariinka and continued positional fighting with Ukrainian forces on the 28th of December. Russian forces also made minor advances northwest of Avdivka and continued positional fighting with Ukrainian forces on the 28th of December. Geolocation footage shows that Russian forces made minor advances near the Avdivka Koch plant northwest of Avdivka. In addition, Russian troops confirmed an offensive in the eastern part of Zaporizia Oblast and reportedly advanced in its western part. Geolocation footage confirms that Russian forces have captured Dorosnyanka south of Hulyaipol. Ukrainian forces held positions on the left bank of Kursan Oblast, but neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces made any confirmed gains in the area. Soldiers in Bakhmut, the scene of Ukraine's bloodiest battle, painted a bleak picture of their time there. Death was always close and would rarely come from an enemy you could see. They stayed alive by sprinting between buildings to avoid drones and airstrikes, several told Business Insider. After months of fighting, Ukrainian forces moved out of the heavily damaged city in May, leaving Bakhmut in Russian hands.