 Ukrainian army encircling Russians in Bakhmut after Wagner victory. Ukrainian troops were able to semi-encircle the city of Bakhmut and fight Russian forces in the area according to Hanamalia, the Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister. The enemy failed to surround Bakhmut and they lost part of the dominant heights around the city. This means that the advance of our troops in the suburbs, along the flanks, which is still ongoing, makes it very difficult for the enemy to stay in Bakhmut. Our troops took the city in a semi-encirclement which gives us the opportunity to destroy the enemy. Therefore, the enemy, Russia, has to defend itself in the part of the city it controls. Malia wrote on Telegram. The Deputy Defense Minister added in her post that Ukrainian troops still have control over industrial and infrastructure facilities and the private sector in the Litak area in Bakhmut. Malia's remarks came a day after the Wagner group, a private paramilitary unit claimed victory in Bakhmut with the group's founder Yevgeny Prigozin saying that the city was fully taken by Russian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry also backed the claim stating that the offensive actions of the Wagner forces and the Russian troops had completed the capture of the city. Even Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the assault units of the Wagner as well as all servicemen of units of the Russian armed forces who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover on the completion of the operation to liberate the Bakhmut. But Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy, commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that the army units continued to advance along the flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut. Despite the fact that we now control a small part of Bakhmut, the importance of its defense does not lose its relevance. This provides us with opportunities to enter the city in case of a change of circumstances and this will certainly happen. We continue to advance along the flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut and are actually closed to tactically encircling the city. Thanks to this, we will be able to control all multi-storey 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. Syrskiy added, Syrskiy said that he and the commanders thoroughly analyzed actions of Ukrainian forces as well as the order of killing hostile troops and that the situation is difficult but under control.