The Ukrainien contre-offensive, announced months ago, got underway this weekend with the liberation of seven villages.
The time for a counter-offensive is now. Announced months ago, denied last week, this time the Ukrainian counter-attack to retake the 17% of territory occupied by Russia has been confirmed by Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron. Violent fighting is taking place, particularly in the south of the country. However, Ukraine has not yet launched the bulk of its forces in its major counter-offensive, and is still testing the front with targeted attacks to determine its weak points, according to military analysts. Here’s an update on the situation.
Seven villages taken back
It’s finally here. According to the Ukrainian president, “the fighting is difficult, but we are making progress, and that is very important,” he declared in his daily address on Monday evening. Enemy losses are exactly at the level we need.” “The weather is not favorable – the rain makes our task more difficult – but the strength of our soldiers is giving good results,” he added, hailing the return of the Ukrainian flag to “newly liberated territories.”
The Ukrainian government has claimed to have “liberated” seven villages in the south and east of the country since the weekend. Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Malyar said that the villages of Lobkovo, Levadne and Novodarivka, near Zaporozhie, had been recaptured, as well as the village of Storozheve, in the south of the Donetsk region. “The area under our control now totals 90 square kilometers,” said Ganna Malyar.