Zaluzhnyi calls top US general, discusses progress on front line and defense needs

Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi said on June 13 that he had another phone call with Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley about the progress made by Ukrainian forces on the front line and ongoing defense needs.

According to Zaluzhnyi, he spoke about the intense fighting going on in the eastern and southern parts of the country, as well as the gains Ukrainian forces have already made in the counteroffensive.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 10 during a press conference in Kyiv that the counteroffensive was underway.

Ukrainian forces have already confirmed the liberation of several villages formerly occupied by Russia in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts.

The long-anticipated counteroffensive is widely regarded as a crucial turning point for Ukraine, as it seeks to regain control of its territory from Russia while also avoiding pressure to make concessions to Russia during negotiations.

Zaluzhnyi added that he and Milley also discussed Ukraine's need to strengthen its air defense, artillery, and capabilities for counter-battery combat leading up to the next Ramstein summit.

The next Ramstein summit will take place on June 15 in Brussels and will primarily focus on Western allies' "fighter jet coalition" to supply Ukraine with modern fighter jets.

"We agreed to continue our dialogue. I thank General Milley for his consistent and unwavering support of Ukraine," Zaluzhnyi wrote.

Ukraine makes gains 1 week into counteroffensive but decisive battle yet to begin

Ukraine’s large-scale counteroffensive, anticipated for months, spearheaded by new Western tanks and armored vehicles, has finally begun. No longer limited to shaping operations or localized counterattacks, evidence shows the beginning of major Ukrainian offensive pushes to break through fortified…

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell