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Aug. 26 (UPI) — The Ukrainian military is experiencing significant advancements in their counteroffensive against Russia, having successfully penetrated the crucial defensive line, according to a high-ranking U.S. military official.
Ukraine’s soldiers have managed to breach the first line of Russian defense at specific locations along the southern front between the two nations, stated Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a television interview with a Jordanian news outlet.
“In particular, on the axes of advance that the Ukrainian forces are currently attacking, they have successfully breached the main defense belt,” disclosed Milley to Al-Mamlaka Television.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian troops liberated the strategically important village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhya Oblast, located in Southeast Ukraine.
Russian military sources have reported heavy losses on the Ukrainian side, as mentioned by CNN. They further revealed that signs of progress in the counteroffensive are evident in the Zaporizhzhia region as Ukrainian forces aim to expand their presence towards the strategic town of Tokmak.
Additionally, the attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea have intensified. Andriy Yusov, an official from the Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate, confirmed that an attack was carried out on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet at the village of Perevalne, resulting in the destruction of the fleet’s 126th Separate Guards Coastal Defense Brigade.
During the interview, Milley acknowledged that the Ukrainian counteroffensive has progressed at a slower pace than expected. Ukraine initiated the long-awaited military counteroffensive back in June.
The U.S. general emphasized that it is still premature to declare the counteroffensive a success or failure, describing the operation as “a highly bloody, slow, long, and challenging endeavor.”
“It is too early to pass judgment on the outcome of the attack… However, it is evident that some level of success has been achieved thus far,” he added.
While many other military leaders are withholding judgment on the counteroffensive, Giampaolo Di Paola, Italy’s former defense minister and chairman of NATO’s military committee, mentioned that Ukraine has seized the initiative from the invading Russian forces.
“The progress may be slow, and although the Ukrainians claim that it is going according to plan, it cannot be confirmed,” he stated in an interview with Radio Free Europe. “However, what has been achieved is that Ukraine has regained the initiative from the enemy. Finally, we are witnessing the long-awaited counteroffensive.”
