The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on the 5th that Ukrainian forces have launched a predicted “counter-offensive” against the Russian forces. However, it added that Russian forces had repulsed all of the initial attacks.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement on the 5th that it had stopped a major offensive by Ukrainian forces in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, and killed hundreds of people.
Locations of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine
The Russian Ministry of Defense added that the Ukrainian army launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the southern front of Donetsk with six mechanized battalions and two tank battalions on the morning of the previous day (4th).
“The enemy’s objective was to break through our defenses in the most vulnerable sector of the front,” he said, “but the enemy failed to accomplish the task.”
A local Russian field commander told Russian media that “more than 250 Chinkyev (Kiu: Ukrainian government) troops have been eliminated”.
In addition, 16 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored vehicles were destroyed, the commander added.
The position of Ukrainian authorities on the Russian announcement is not yet known.
■ Zelensky “The great counterattack will succeed”
In this regard, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on the 3rd that he is now ready to launch a “counterattack” and “strongly believes that we will succeed.”
See also: Zelensky “I can’t wait any longer, launch a counterattack… Russia’s air power is strong, so there will be a lot of us killed”
President Zelensky went on to add that there could be many casualties during the ‘counterattack’.
Ukraine has warned that it will turn the tide of the war by launching a “counterattack” after Russia’s annexation of the four major occupied territories in the fall of last year, when the frontlines were entrenched.
On the same day (3rd), Russia suffered significant losses in the Battle of Bakhmut, the largest battleground in eastern Ukraine, said Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Army Oleksandr Shirsky.
Commander-in-Chief Sirski posted on Telegram that “our army will continue to fight and win,” immediately after visiting the front line of the region, and repeatedly emphasized that he would definitely recover the stolen Bahmut.
See also: Ukrainian commander-in-chief “I will take back Bakhmut…Russian forces have significant losses”…’Hybrid’ warfare begins
■ Continued Russian militant activity
Meanwhile, pro-Ukrainian armed groups made up of Russians recently launched another raid in Belgorod in southwestern Russia, saying they “captured several Russian soldiers and are planning to turn them over to the Ukrainian government.”
The main pillars of the ‘Free Russian Corps (FRL)’ and ‘Russian Volunteer Army (RVC)’ previously announced that they were responsible for the attacks on the border area that took place on the 22nd and 23rd of last month and the 1st and 2nd of this month.
They also explained in a press conference last month that “the peacekeeping operation in the Belgorod region pursues the strategic goal of establishing a demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine and destroying the security forces defending the regime of Vladimir Putin (Russian President).” I did.
“Another goal is to show the Russians that resistance is possible and they can win against Putin’s regime,” he added.
See also: Interview with armed groups infiltrating mainland Russia “Operation to destroy Putin regime continues”…Russian Ministry of Defense warns of “extremely harsh response”
Ukrainian authorities continue to deny any direct connection with them, but take an ambiguous stance, such as issuing a message that they are “going in the same direction.”
This is VOA News Jongsu Oh.
#Ukrainian #forces #launch #largescale #military #operation…Russian #Ministry #Defense #repulse #counterattack #kill #people
2023-06-05 01:44:11
