In the latest developments in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine’s military forces have achieved what the US government calls “notable progress” in their advance against heavily fortified Russian positions in the southern region. White House security spokesman John Kirby reported these gains, which occurred over the past 72 hours, south of Zaporizhzhia.
However, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba cautioned that it remains a challenging battle. Russia, on the other hand, claims to have taken strategic heights near the city of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine, although none of these claims have been independently verified.
Kirby noted that Kyiv had acknowledged the slower-than-anticipated pace of their push in the south, which aims to sever the Russian land corridor to Crimea. Despite this, they have achieved some success against the second line of Russian defenses.
Ukraine’s military had recently announced capturing the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region. In the north-east, Russia has gathered forces to recapture territory east of Kharkiv.
In the south, Russia is believed to have constructed an intricate system of trenches, tunnels, minefields, artillery positions, and anti-tank concrete barriers, making it a formidable battleground.
Kyiv initiated this counter-offensive after acquiring advanced weaponry from Western allies and preparing assault battalions. However, their progress has been slow, prompting continued appeals to NATO countries for additional military support, including tanks, de-mining equipment, and warplanes, particularly US-made F-16 fighter jets.
In a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Spain, Minister Kuleba expressed frustration with critics of Ukraine’s counter-offensive, challenging them to come to Ukraine and attempt to liberate even a small piece of territory themselves.
The conflict began when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, following the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of Ukraine’s Donbas region in 2014. In recent weeks, Ukraine has launched attacks on mainland Russia, including drone strikes on the bridge connecting Crimea to the Russian mainland.
President Putin addressed students at the start of the school year, emphasizing Russia’s historical invincibility and attempting to bolster patriotism in schools.
Additionally, Russia’s military announced the deployment of a new strategic nuclear missile system named Sarmat, equipped with multiple warheads, although independent confirmation of this deployment is pending.
The situation in the ongoing conflict continues to evolve rapidly, with both sides vying for strategic advantages in different regions of Ukraine.
Source: BBC
