Surprisingly, the Ukrainian armed forces have also launched a counter-offensive in the east of the country – and they are apparently making progress. During the fighting in the Kharkiv region, Russian troops were overwhelmed by the advance of Ukrainian troops, according to several reports. The Russians admitted that the city of Balakliia was surrounded, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said on YouTube. The Ukrainian troops advanced much further, blocking the road to Kuyansk.
He was referring to a central supply post for Russian troops further east in the country. Yuri Podoliak, a Ukrainian often quoted by pro-Russian officials, wrote on Telegram: “The enemy is achieving considerable success at Balakliya with relatively few troops.” He also wrote: “It seems that the Russian troops overslept this advance and expected it elsewhere.” There were heavy losses.
attack long prepared
High-ranking separatist Danijl Bessonov from the Russian-occupied part of the Donetsk region was also extremely candid. According to him, the attack on Balaklija, which took place on Tuesday, seems to have been prepared for some time by the Ukrainian armed forces. The city, with a population of 27,000, is located between the disputed city of Kharkov and Russian-occupied Ishum. There is an important railway hub for Russian supplies.
The government in Kiev remains silent on details, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his armed forces’ counter-offensive in the east of the country on Wednesday evening. There is “good news from the Kharkiv region” this week, he said in his video address. The Ukrainians have reason to be proud of their army. According to reports from Russian war correspondents, the Ukrainian army has successfully advanced near Balaklija since Tuesday and recaptured several towns.
“Every success changes the whole situation”
“This is not the time to name this or that settlement to which the Ukrainian flag will return,” said the head of state. He listed three army brigades that had distinguished themselves. He also thanked two brigades involved in the attack in southern Ukraine in the Kherson region. “Any success of our military in one direction or another changes the situation along the entire front in favor of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
According to the Ukrainian armed forces, the actual counter-offensive is taking place in the south of the country. The scarce information on this is difficult to verify independently. The leadership in Kiev does not allow journalists to go to the front and publishes only limited reports on the situation in order to keep Russia in the dark and not lose the element of surprise. A military spokeswoman told the media that “some areas have already been liberated”. According to Western military experts, Ukraine in the south is trying to pin thousands of Russian soldiers on the western bank of the Dnieper and destroy their supply lines.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
