Ukraine Authorities Report New Advances in South and East

Over the last week, according to Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar, the Ukraine Armed Forces recaptured more than 12 km of South Ukraine territory. Over the last week, the Ukrainian military recaptured more than 12 square kilometers of South Ukraine territory in a counteroffensive against Russian troops. Ukraine Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said that on Monday. Maliar said the offensive increased the territory recaptured after the counter-offensive launch in June to more than 192 square kilometers in the South of the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that the counteroffensive had failed, but Secretary of State Anthony Blinken denied the claim, saying the Ukraine Armed Forces counterattack was in its initial phase. In a video message distributed by the Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Maliar said that the Ukraine Armed Forces continued its offensive in several directions towards Melitopol and Berdyansk in the southeast. She said the main fighting in the east had taken place around Bakhmut, captured by Russian forces in May after months of fierce fighting. Maliar stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces continued their offensive on the southern flanks of Bakhmut, but in the north Russian forces “fought to every centimeter and meter” of the Ukrainian land. According to the Deputy Defence Minister, over the last week the Ukrainian Forces recaptured about 4 square kilometers in this direction, with the main battles taking place around the villages of Klishchiyivka, Andriyivka and Kurdyumivka south-west of Bakhmut. The Ukrainian military said in its daily report that there had been 35 military clashes in the eastern direction over the past 24 hours.