Ukrainian counter-offensive continues unabated, says intel chief
Ukrainian forces are advancing slightly faster on the Bakhmut front than in the southern region, but overall, the counter-offensive continues unabated, Ukraine’s defense intelligence chief has said.
Chief of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) Kyrylo Budanov was speaking in an interview with Bulgarian television channel bTV on Aug. 5.
“It's challenging, I won't hide it, but it's quite understandable given that Russia has constructed stationary, fully-equipped, concrete-fortified defensive strongholds during this time,” Budanov said, commenting on the Ukrainian counter-offensive at the interviewer’s request
“The most important thing is that the advance isn't stopping; it's ongoing. In my opinion, it's progressing slightly faster on the Bakhmut line than in the south, but time will show,” Budanov said.
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The Bulgarian interviewer also queried Budanov about how much territory the Ukrainian forces had recaptured in the 60-day advance, and whether they could hold it.
“Unfortunately, I don't have a map in front of me right now to give you an exact answer, but I'll address the second part of your question. Can we hold the territory we've already retaken? Yes, we can, and we will continue moving forward,” he said.
Two Months of Counter-offensive: In Detail
On June 8, several Western media outlets, including The Washington Post, reported that Ukraine had launched a counter-offensive, highlighting increased attacks by the Ukrainian Army along the frontlines in the country’s southeastern part. Some media reports mentioned “significant” losses of equipment in a battle in the south.
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Ukraine's Defense Ministry had repeatedly stated that they wouldn't announce the start of a counter-offensive. However, on June 5, they announced a transition to offensive actions on certain fronts and reported “some successes” by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Zaporizhzhya front.
UK intelligence reported that Ukrainian troops were conducting large-scale offensive operations on three main fronts in the south and east of Ukraine.
In June, Ukraine successfully liberated several settlements on the border of Zaporizhzhya and Donetsk oblasts, including Blahodatne, Neskuchne, Makarivka, Storozhove, as well as Pyatyhatky and Rivnopil.
Furthermore, on June 24, Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced the start of an offensive in several directions in the east, where Ukraine retook parts of Donetsk Oblast, which had been occupied since 2014.
However, Defense Ministry spokesperson Hanna Malyar mentioned that part of Ukraine’s reserve troops would be deployed later during the counter-offensive, and the “main attack is still ahead.” Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov clarified that Ukrainian military personnel were currently carrying out a “preparatory operation.”
Meanwhile, some Western media outlets reported that Ukraine’s progress was “behind schedule.” Western partners, commenting on the challenges of the counter-offensive, noted that Russian occupiers managed to build defensive structures, including minefields, in the captured territories.
Read also: Fighting is in our favor, second stage of Ukrainian counter-offensive can begin, claims Melnyk
President Zelenskyy acknowledged that achievements were “slower than desired.” Nevertheless, he emphasized that there was progress on all fronts of the advance.
Western media outlets at the end of July reported that Ukraine had changed its counter-offensive tactics after setbacks in the initial stage.
At that time, reports emerged that Ukraine had commenced a new phase of the counter-offensive, with a primary focus on the southeast.
UK intelligence highlighted an escalation of battles in the south during this period.
Read also: Ukrainian counteroffensive or just probing attacks for now
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
