Ukrainian army breaks through Russian lines in south, claims general
Ukrainian servicemen fire a M109 self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops.
The army of Ukraine crossed the Russian lines in southern Ukraine, said the general who is leading the counteroffensive while speaking to the US media this weekend amid the latest claims made by Ukraine that it is making progress in the Zaporizhzhia area.
The counteroffensive was launched by Ukraine to take back territory from Russian forces in June.
The progress of the Ukrainian army has been slower than expected because of the heavily mined territory, however, in recent weeks Kyiv reported making strategic advances in the Zaporizhzhia region.
"On the left flank (near the village of Verbove) we have a breakthrough and we continue to advance further," said General Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, while speaking to CNN.
He further acknowledged that the army's advance has been slower than what was hoped by Ukraine.
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"Not as fast as it was expected, not like in the movies about the Second World War," he stated in the CNN interview.
However, he stated that it is important "not to lose this initiative". A strategic victory was declared by Kyiv last month when it successfully recaptured the southern village of Robotyne.
Tarnavskiy stated that the counteroffensive's major breakthrough will be when Kyiv recaptures the city of Tokmak, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the front line.
He added that retaking Tokmak would help Ukrainian forces in pushing towards occupied Melitopol and annexed Crimea.
"I think it (a breakthrough) would happen after Tokmak," he stated, further warning, "At the moment (Russian forces) are relying on the depth of their defensive line there."
Tarnavskiy then disagreed with a few predictions that the push by Ukraine could sloe down more in the coming months due to winter.
"The weather can be a serious obstacle during the advance, but considering how we move forward, mostly without vehicles, I don't think (it) will heavily influence the counteroffensive," he stated.
Ukraine's heavy artillery inflicting 'hell'
The heavy weapons, which were supplied by the West, in the battle taking place on the outskirts of Bakhmut, has led to a significant toll on Russia's lines, said Ukrainian commanders while speaking to Reuters.
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Unit commander Oleksandr said that the armed forces of Ukraine "very much rely" on heavy artillery, which includes the U.S.-made M109 self-propelled howitzer and the Polish-made Krab gun.
"Even one gun can completely turn the situation around. An attack can be stopped with one such gun. The main thing is to aim where needed. They (the Russians) hate our hardware. That's what we gather from our intercepts. We hear that we keep giving them hell and they keep wondering how much ammunition we have left,” he said.
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos
(With inputs from agencies)
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