 Russians still face stiff resistance in Bakhmut. Russian assault teams captured four urban areas in Bakhmut and paratroopers provided support and immobilized enemy forces on the city's outskirts during the special military operation in Ukraine. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konoshenkov reported in the Donetsk direction the assault teams captured four areas in the North West. Western and Southwestern parts of the city of Bakhmut. Airborne force units are immobilizing the enemy on the city's northern and southern outskirts and rendering support to the assault teams' operations. The spokesman said, Russian troops tried to sever important supply routes into the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut and thereby put more pressure on defending forces Ukrainian officers said. Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musyenko said districts were rapidly changing hands in fierce fighting. Ukraine is successfully conducting local counterattacks, making it difficult for the Russians to capture Bakhmut. Musyenko told Ukrainian NV Radio, at least 4,000 civilians have been killed in the fighting in Bakhmut according to estimates from Kyiv and thousands more soldiers from both sides. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian military leadership is increasingly prioritizing completing the city's capture before the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive. But Kyiv has almost completed its preparation for a counter-offensive against Russian forces. According to Defence Minister Olexiy Reznikov, his country's troops are ready to go ahead, adding, As soon as there is God's will, the weather and a decision by commanders, we will do it, he added. Globally speaking, we are to a high percentage ready.