Heavy Fighting Reported in Northeast Ukraine as Kyiv’s Forces Hold the Line and Make Gains
July 31 (Reuters) – A senior Ukrainian official has reported heavy fighting in the northeast of the country on Sunday, with Kyiv’s forces holding their lines and making gains in some areas. The Russian military, however, claims to have halted Ukrainian forces in the northeast and has brought down three Ukrainian drones that attempted to strike Moscow. They also damaged a high-rise building reported to house government offices.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described Sunday as “a good day, a powerful day” at the front, particularly near Bakhmut, where Ukrainian forces are reportedly retaking ground lost when Russian forces took the city in May.
While Ukraine did not directly claim responsibility for the drone attacks, Zelenskiy stated that the war was “gradually returning to Russia’s territory – to its symbolic centers”.
In the latest series of night-time air attacks, Russian forces struck a “non-residential building” in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, causing a fire but no reported casualties.
Zelenskiy also reported that the death toll in a Russian strike on a school in the northern town of Sumy on Saturday had risen to two after rescue teams cleared rubble from the site.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar stated that Russian forces were “trying to drive us out” of elevated positions in the northeast that were occupied by Moscow after its February 2022 invasion but later retaken by Ukrainian troops. She added that the Russians’ main objective was to “divert our forces from the Bakhmut area, where we have a successful offensive”.
Maliar further explained that Ukrainian troops have been resisting the continuous attacks and sometimes pushing back with heavy losses. She claimed that the Russians had suffered “no fewer losses than during the heated battles in Bakhmut”, which fell to Russian forces after more than 10 months of fighting.
Last month, Ukraine launched a counter-offensive focusing on a southward campaign to drive a wedge between Russian forces holding territory in the east and the annexed Crimean peninsula, as well as to win back ground around Bakhmut. However, fierce fighting has also erupted around the Ukrainian-held northeastern towns of Kupiansk and Lyman.
Maliar revealed that Russian forces were “tenaciously trying to seize back” areas on the southern front that were taken by Ukraine. She stated that Ukraine had recaptured 200 sq. km. (77 sq. miles) in the south, but advances were limited due to entrenched Russian positions and mines.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, in its daily account of military activity, claimed that its forces had spotted and deployed rockets to destroy an armored brigade of Ukrainian troops near Svatove, a key Russian-held town in the northeast. They also repelled four Ukrainian attacks near the town of Lyman, further south.
It is important to note that the battlefield accounts provided by both sides could not be independently verified.
Reporting by Ron Popeski and Nick Starkov; Editing by Stephen Coates
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“What measures are being taken by the international community to address the collapsed building incident and the attack on the school in Ukraine?”
Collapsed building. The attack on the school has been widely condemned by the international community.
The fighting in northeast Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks, with both sides accusing each other of provocation and escalating the conflict. Kyiv’s forces have been holding their lines and making gains in some areas, while the Russian military claims to have halted their advance.
President Zelenskiy’s remarks about the war gradually returning to Russia’s territory indicate that Ukraine sees its military actions as a response to Russian aggression and an attempt to regain control over territories lost to Russian forces.
The drone attacks on Moscow, which were not directly claimed by Ukraine, show a potential escalation in the conflict. The Russian military claims to have successfully brought down three Ukrainian drones that attempted to strike the capital, as well as damaging a high-rise building that reportedly houses government offices. This highlights the growing use of drones in warfare and the increasing role they play in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to carry out air attacks in northeast Ukraine. A recent strike in the city of Kharkiv caused a fire in a non-residential building but resulted in no reported casualties. These attacks further exacerbate the situation and contribute to the growing tensions between the two countries.
The death toll in the Russian strike on a school in Sumy has also increased. Rescue teams have cleared the rubble from the collapsed building, revealing that two people lost their lives in the attack. The international condemnation of this strike underscores the devastating impact of the conflict on civilian lives.
Overall, the heavy fighting in northeast Ukraine highlights the ongoing tensions between Kyiv and Moscow. Despite claims from both sides about gains and halting advances, the conflict continues to escalate, resulting in casualties and destruction. The international community continues to call for a peaceful resolution to the crisis, but achieving a lasting peace seems increasingly challenging as the fighting persists.
