The Ukrainian Defense Ministry on Monday claimed “successes” on the southern front, where its army has made slight progress in recent weeks, and in the east near Bakhmut.
Ukrainian forces “continue their offensive operations in the south” and “have recorded successes south of Robotyné (locality recaptured from the Russians at the end of August) and west of Verbové”, declared on public television the deputy minister of Defense, Ganna Maliar.
It is in this area of the Zaporizhia region that Kiev says it has “pierced the first Russian line of defense”, thus opening the way for its offensive towards the towns of Tokmak and Melitopol, important for the logistics of the Russian army.
In the region of Bakhmout (east), “progress has been made” also and the Ukrainian army “has had some success in the area of Klichtchiïvka and Andriïvka”, specified the deputy minister in her weekly update.
“Over the past week, about 2 km2 of territory has been liberated” near Bakhmout, and “a total of 49 km2 has been liberated” on the flanks of the city since the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in June, according to Ms. Maliar.
The Ukrainian army has also “taken part of Opytné”, a village near the town of Avdiïvka, another hot spot on the front, she added.
The Ukrainian counter-offensive launched in June came up against powerful defense lines built by the Russians, including minefields and anti-tank traps, but Kiev hopes for a breakthrough in the south in the Robotyne sector.