KYIV: Russia reported heavy fighting along the front in southern Ukraine on Friday, where bloggers described the first sightings of German and US armour, signalling that Ukraine’s long-anticipated counterattack was under way.
With virtually no independent reporting from the frontlines and Kyiv maintaining a strict policy of silence, it was impossible to assess whether Ukraine was having success in penetrating Russian defences to drive out the occupying forces. The counteroffensive is ultimately expected to involve thousands of Ukrainian troops trained and equipped by the West.
Russia, which has had months to prepare its defensive lines, says it has repelled attacks since the start of the week. Kyiv has so far said its main effort has yet to begin.
Moscow and pro-war Russian bloggers reported intense battles on Friday on the Zaporizhzhia front near the city of Orikhiv, around the mid-point of the “land bridge” linking Russia to the Crimea peninsula, seen as one of Ukraine’s likeliest targets. In all, Kyiv has 12 brigades totalling 50,000-60,000 troops ready to unleash in the counteroffensive, reports stated.
The Russian defence ministry said, “The armed forces of Ukraine continued attempts to conduct offensive operations in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhzhia directions.” It said its troops had repelled two Ukrainian assaults just south of Orikhiv and four near Velyka Novosilka further east.
In the east, Ukraine has reported gains of territory around Bakhmut, which Russian forces captured last month after nearly a year of the deadliest ground combat in Europe since World War Two. Meanwhile, Kyiv said at least four people had died and 13 were missing after a dam collapse in Kherson.