A renewed push on Bakhmut fuels rumours of a Ukrainian counter-offensive

MIGHT THE long-awaited have begun? President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 11th that it was not yet under way. But there have also been bullish statements by Ukrainian commanders about ongoing, if limited, battlefield successes; and mostly unconfirmed reports by Russian military bloggers of Ukrainian advances. These latter include: the possible encirclement of Russian forces in ; Ukrainian armoured groups closing in on nearby Soledar; an attack on Mayorsk to the south of Bakhmut; and a Ukrainian advance in the direction of Belgorod, a Russian city. There have also been accounts of renewed Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian logistics hubs behind the lines.