Ukraine Says ‘Difficult’ Scenario in Combating in East, Some Success in South

KYIV (Reuters) – Kyiv reported a “difficult” state of affairs in combating in jap Ukraine and success in elements of the south on Tuesday because it pressed on with its counteroffensive in opposition to occupying Russian forces.

“The state of affairs is difficult however underneath management (within the east),” Basic Oleksander Syrskyi, commander of Ukrainian floor forces, mentioned on the Telegram messaging app.

He mentioned Russia had concentrated forces within the course of Kupiansk within the northeastern area of Kharkiv, however that Ukrainian troops had been holding them again.

Since Kyiv launched its counteroffensive in early June, aided by weapons equipped by its Western allies, it has taken again greater than 210 sq. kilometres (81 sq. miles) of land, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar mentioned on Monday.

However Russia nonetheless holds huge swathes of territory following its full-scale invasion in February 2022, and Ukrainian troops have encountered closely defended positions and minefields.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has mentioned the counteroffensive is “not succeeding”, and Moscow can also be finishing up frequent air strikes throughout Ukraine.

Ukrainian officers have more and more pointed to an intensification of Russian army exercise close to Kupiansk and close by Lyman within the northeast. Each cities had been retaken by Ukraine late final 12 months.

On Monday, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s jap forces mentioned the Russian army had amassed greater than 100,000 troops and greater than 900 tanks within the space.

Syrskyi added that Russian troops had been pulling up reserves within the Bakhmut sector in jap Ukraine to attempt to cease Ukrainian forces advancing.

Army spokesperson Andriy Kovaliov mentioned Ukrainian troops continued offensive operations to the south and north of Bakhmut, a small metropolis captured by Russian forces in Could.

Within the south, after driving Russian troops out of clusters of villages, Ukrainian forces have had success within the course of Mala Tokmachka-Novopokrovka and Velyka Novosilka-Urozhayne, Kovaliov mentioned, with out giving particulars.

“The enemy is placing up sturdy resistance, and heavy combating is occurring,” he mentioned in remarks reported by Ukraine’s Army Media Centre.

Maliar mentioned on Tuesday the state of affairs within the south was steady however in Ukraine’s favour. A spokesman for the Tavria, or southern, command additionally reported some successes, saying Ukrainian troops had been entrenching after advancing within the south.

He mentioned Russian forces had been specializing in fight within the course of Avdiivka and Maryinka within the Donetsk area however Ukrainian forces had been holding again Russian makes an attempt to advance close to Maryinka and Krasnohorivka, west of the town of Donetsk.

(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka, Enhancing by Timothy Heritage)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.