A spokesman for the Russian forces confirmed that the artillery forces of the Southern Group during the clash destroyed the firing positions of the Ukrainian army in the areas of Belogorovka, Khromovo and Druzhba.
He added that Russian forces also destroyed an ammunition depot in the Krasno-Gorovka region and positions of Ukrainian forces in the Krasnoye region, and that Russian air defense systems also shot down Ukrainian drones.
Counterattack.. Fierce battles
And Ukraine’s Supreme Military Command said on Monday its forces were engaged in fierce fighting in fierce combat zones on the front lines, and the Defense Ministry said its soldiers had liberated several villages from occupation. Russian in the first phase. of the counter-attack.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said the first day of the counterattack saw around 25 battles near Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and south near Avdiivka and Marinka, which are towns all located in the Donetsk region, as well as near Belohorivka. in the Lugansk region.
On Monday, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hana Malyar posted a photo showing soldiers raising the Ukrainian flag in what she said was the village of Storojev in Donetsk, and thanked one of the brigades of the army for liberating the village.
On Sunday, Ukraine said its forces had advanced in 3 villages in Donetsk, namely Blahodatny, Neskochny and Makarivka. The village of Storojev is located between Blahodatny and Neskochny.
Some prominent Russian military bloggers noted that while Ukrainian forces captured Blahodatny and Neskochny, fighting continued for Makarivka.
Both sides announced that their forces had inflicted heavy casualties on the other side in personnel and equipment over the past week as the Ukrainian counterattack was still being prepared.
Russian defense lines
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Ukraine had failed to break through Russian defense lines, while the Russian Defense Ministry said it had destroyed several important Leopard battle tanks and other equipment that Ukraine had received from the West.
After remaining largely silent over the past week regarding the counterattack, the Ukrainian military has reported daily successes on the battlefield.
“Over the past week, the Russian invaders have suffered heavy losses in the direction of Bakhmut,” the General Staff said on Monday.
The governor of Ukraine’s Donetsk region said one civilian was killed and two injured by Russian fire in the Avdiivka region on Sunday.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said Kiev wants to discuss details of the “air alliance” with its allies at the next meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, scheduled for June 15 in Brussels.
Zelenskyy has long called for the supply of US F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian pilots.
The Ukrainian Military Information Center quoted Reznikov as saying, “At this stage we are talking about training our pilots… our technicians and engineers.”
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