On Monday, Russia announced that its forces had successfully repelled a major offensive launched by Ukraine at several points along the front in southern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Hundreds of pro-Kiev soldiers were killed in the clashes, according to Russian officials. It remains uncertain whether the reported attack is the start of a long-anticipated Ukrainian retaliation to reclaim territory seized by Russian forces following the February 2022 invasion.
Russia’s Defense Ministry revealed that Ukraine launched an offensive with six mechanized and two tank battalions in the southern Donetsk region, an area Moscow has long suspected of trying to infiltrate Russian-controlled territory. will In a statement posted on Telegram at 1:30 a.m
The Ministry of Defense explained to Moscow Time: “On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale attack in five sectors of the front in the direction of southern Donetsk. The enemy’s goal was to destroy our defense system in the most vulnerable sector. was to be broken. According to their estimation, the front. However, the enemy failed to achieve their objectives.
The authenticity of the Russian statement could not be immediately confirmed, and there was no immediate response from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry or the military on the incident.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Ryzenkov posted a cryptic message on Twitter on Sunday, quoting the lyrics of the Depeche Mode song “Enjoy the Silence.” “Words are so unnecessary, they can only hurt,” his tweet read.
Last week, Ukraine released a dramatic video showing soldiers preparing for battle and singing a rousing anthem, later used as a recruitment clip. In response, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video showing several Ukrainian armored vehicles exploding in a field after being hit.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, their forces killed 250 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, and 21 armored fighting vehicles during the clash. The accuracy of the claim could not be independently verified, and requests for comment from Ukraine’s defense ministry and military were not responded to.
Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who oversees Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine, was in the area at the time of the Ukrainian attack, the ministry said. “Jerasimov was in one of the highest-ranking command posts,” the ministry added.
For months, Ukraine has been preparing to retaliate against Russian forces, which Kiev officials and CIA Director William Burns believe will challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin’s credibility. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi expressed readiness to launch a retaliation but warned that success could take time and come at a high cost.
The outcome of the retaliation will likely shape future Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine, as the country has sought substantial Western arms to counter Russian forces. Ukraine has been secretive about its specific plans to undermine Russian positions, and recently pro-Ukrainian forces have entered Russia proper in the Belgorod region, while Moscow has claimed that Ukrainian terrorists The attack was targeted by a drone.
Since early May, after a two-month standoff, Russia has launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, mainly targeting military and key infrastructure facilities in Kiev.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began on February 24, when Putin deployed troops to Ukraine in anticipation of an immediate operation. However, Russian forces suffered defeats and had to regroup, resulting in their partial withdrawal from eastern Ukraine. Currently, Russia controls at least 18 percent of the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine and has declared four areas as Russian territory.
Tens of thousands of Russian troops have set up fortified positions along a front line that stretches nearly 600 miles (1,000 km) in anticipation of a Ukrainian offensive that could potentially break Russia’s land bridge to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia claims What was the affiliation in 2014?
Ukraine is determined to expel all Russian troops from its territory, calling the attack tantamount to a land grab by the world’s largest nuclear power. Russia says the conflict is escalating and accuses the West of waging a hybrid war against Russia to exploit its vast natural resources, while the West denies seeking Russia’s destruction. And expresses support for Ukraine without wanting a confrontation with Russia.
In a statement last year, US President Joe Biden warned that a conflict between NATO and Russia would lead to a third world war.