Ukraine calls its offensives against Russia ‘successful’

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine on Monday claimed that it carried out “successful” offensives against Russia in the southern Zaporizhzhia region over the past week.

“In the south, the Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions. In the direction of Mala Tokmachka-Robotyne of the Zaporizhzhia region, they were successful,” Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on Telegram.

Maliar claimed that the Ukrainian forces have retaken control of a total of 204.7 square kilometers (79 square miles) of land in the south, including 12.6 square kilometers (4.8 sq. miles) over the last week.

On the eastern front, she said that Russian forces continued to focus their main efforts in the directions of Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka, adding that more than 170 battles took place in these directions during the past week.

According to Maliar, Russian forces tried to advance in the directions of Kupiansk, Lyman, Avddivka and Marinka, but they were “unsuccessful.”

“In the direction of Bakhmut, the enemy tried with all their might to stop our advance during the week, but our defenders gradually advanced. The liberated area in the Bakhmut direction is 37 square kilometers (14.2 sq. miles) in total. 2 square kilometers (0.7 sq. miles) were liberated in a week,” she said.

She also recalled the claims on Thursday that Ukrainian forces recaptured the village of Staromaiorske.

Russian officials have not yet commented on the situation, and the Ukrainian claims could not be independently verified due to the ongoing war.