Ukrainian forces entrench near Robotyne, conduct counter-battery fire

Ukrainian forces had "partial success" around Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, fortifying the territory they liberated and conducting counter-battery fire, according to the General Staff.    

The main Ukrainian counteroffensive is pushing south toward Melitopol and Berdiansk, but is facing heavy resistance from the well-fortified and mined Russian defensive lines.

The village of Robotyne is a tactically important Russian strongpoint the Ukrainian military needs to reconquer to be able to continue pushing south toward Tokmak and Melitopol.

Ukrainian brigades have been probing Robotyne's defenses for weeks, sacrificing many vehicles in the process. Recently, Forbes reported that Ukrainian scouts were inside the village.

In the past 24 hours, Ukraine saw 33 engagements, 36 shellings and six missile attacks, plus 36 attacks from multiple rocket launchers.

Russian forces reportedly conducted unsuccessful offensives around Bakhmut, Lyman and Kupiansk.

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…

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell