News Feed

Official: Ukrainian forces break through Russian first line of defense in south

2 min read
Official: Ukrainian forces break through Russian first line of defense in south
Ukrainian soldiers firing artillery in the direction of Bakhmut as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on August 1, 2023. 

"In some places" on the southern front line, the Ukrainian military has broken through the Russian first line of defense, moving to the "intermediate one," Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on Aug. 4.

"And there they are faced with concrete engineering fortifications on the dominant heights created by the enemy. This, of course, complicates the movement of our troops and the combat actions," Maliar said on national television.

According to the official, Ukraine is prioritizing its counteroffensive operations in the country's south, while for Russia, the main direction for assaults is the east.

The majority of Russian resources are currently concentrated near Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, as Moscow seeks to retake the territories liberated by Ukrainian forces last fall, said Maliar. "It is important for them both from a moral and a military point of view."

Meanwhile, around Bakhmut, Ukrainian troops are "slowly but persistently" moving forward on the southern flank, she told journalists. Russia is attacking the city's northern flank, trying to regain positions previously retaken by the Ukrainian army.

"Fierce battles" also continue near Avdiivka and Marinka, Donetsk Oblast, according to Maliar.

Russia reportedly transfers its reserves, mainly professional soldiers, both to the eastern and southern front lines, where Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive is ongoing.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive lurches forward: Key moment looms as more forces committed
Fresh videos of Western-made armor rolling across open fields, a new settlement liberated, and a lot of noise on Russian military blogger Telegram channels heralded to the world on July 28 that the Ukrainian summer counteroffensive had upped its gear. Almost eight weeks into the long-awaited operat…
Article image
Avatar
Dinara Khalilova

Reporter

Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.

Read more
News Feed
 (Updated:  )

"There will be no oil, (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is) not buying his oil from Russia, it started — you know, you can't do it immediately, it’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The decision to rename Fairy Tale Square was made “in order to honor prominent political leaders of modern times, as well as to draw international attention to the reconstruction of the hero city of Chernihiv," according to the explanatory note.

Show More