Ukraine Reports Gritty Combat and Progress in Counteroffensive
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has escalated once again as Ukraine reported fierce fighting along its entire front line on Monday.
While the Ukrainian military faces significant challenges posed by Russian minefields and fortified positions, there has been “some success” in pushing back Moscow’s troops in a strategic part of the southeast.
Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar stated that progress has been hindered by extensive minefields laid by Russian forces, as well as the formidable fortifications that they have constructed.
Despite these obstacles, Ukrainian forces managed to advance around the village of Staromaiorske, located approximately 60 miles southwest of the Russian-held Donetsk. Furthermore, the Ukrainian military is actively engaged on two fronts in the southern region.
One of the key battlegrounds in this conflict is the neighboring settlement of Urozhaine.
Ukrainian troops are striving to gain control of this area, which plays a pivotal role in breaking through Russian lines and potentially altering the balance of power.
A statement from a Moscow-installed official in an occupied section of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region indicated that Kyiv is attempting to establish a foothold in both Staromaiorske and Urozhaine.
Deputy Defence Minister Maliar provided insights into the ongoing hostilities.
She stated, “Hostilities are taking place in the vicinity of Urozhaine and the fight is for this particular locality. Around Staromaiorske, there is some success on the southern and southeast axis.”
Ukrainian forces have made incremental progress since the commencement of their long-anticipated operation in June.
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Ukrainian Military Overcomes Challenges, Gains Ground in Eastern Conflict
However, Kyiv officials have acknowledged that the pace of advancement has been slower than desired due to the entrenched Russian defenses.
Maliar elaborated on the nature of these challenges, pointing out that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are grappling with extensively mined territories, fortified heights, constant mortar and artillery shelling, and the dense use of Russian aviation.
In a notable achievement, Maliar revealed that the Ukrainian military managed to retake nearly 2 square miles of territory over the past week in the vicinity of the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut.
This city has borne witness to some of the fiercest battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces during the nearly 18-month-long conflict.
Meanwhile, Russian troops continue their aggressive actions around the eastern towns of Kupyansk and Lyman.
Maliar indicated that these offensives have intensified following the successes of the Ukrainian army on the Bakhmut axis.
The geopolitical landscape remains fraught as Russia maintains control over a substantial portion of Ukraine, including Crimea, the Luhansk region in the east, and significant parts of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
The occupied territories encompass critical assets such as the majority of Ukraine’s coastline and key segments of its industrial heartland, the Donbas.
As the conflict rages on, the international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that can bring lasting peace and stability to the region.
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Source: Reuters
