Ukraine says advanced nearly 2 km along southern front this week

AFP , Friday 14 Jul 2023

Kyiv said on Friday its troops had advanced nearly two kilometres along the southern front over the past week as Ukraine pushes ahead with its counteroffensive.

Ukrainian servicemen of 22th mechanized brigade operate at a recaptured position near Klyshchiivka village, south of Bakhmut, Donetsk region on July 13, 2023. AFP

Mykola Urshalovych, a senior representative of the National Guard, told reporters that the force's 15th Karadag brigade and regular troops had moved towards the occupied southern city of Melitopol during the ongoing offensive.

The soldiers, "supported by tanks, have advanced 1,700 metres (1.1 miles) to the south and southeast" over the past seven days, he said.

Ukrainian troops are advancing despite "dense" minefields and shelling, he added during the briefing.

Urshalovych said that in the Berdyansk sector National Guard troops continued to maintain their positions "under constant enemy fire".

He also said the units of the National Guard were preparing to expand an offensive in the Avdiivka sector in eastern Ukraine.

Last month, Ukraine launched a highly anticipated counteroffensive after stockpiling Western weapons and building up its offensive forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that the slow delivery of promised arms was delaying Kyiv's counteroffensive, and called on the United States and other allies to provide long-range weapons and artillery.