Ukraine says it recovers more territory in counteroffensive

KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine said on Monday its troops had regained more territory on the eastern and southern fronts during the final week of its counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said in televised comments that Ukraine had retaken nearly 2 square kilometers (0.77 square miles) of land around the eastern city of Bakhmut, captured by Russia in May after months of fighting.

He later added on the Telegram messaging app that the Ukrainian army had also recaptured 4.8 square kilometers in the southern sector of Tavria last week.

In his televised comments, Maliar said Ukrainian forces had captured part of the village of Opytne, south of the eastern town of Avdiivka, and had had “partial success” near the village of Novomaiorske in the eastern Donetsk region.

He reported “some successes” near the villages of Andriivka and Klishchiivka, south of Bakhmut.

Ukrainian troops have regained control of about 49 square kilometers near Bakhmut since the start of the counteroffensive in early June, Maliar said. In the direction of Tavria, more than 256 square kilometers were recovered, he stated.

kyiv has retaken a number of villages and settlements in the counteroffensive, but its soldiers have been hampered by vast Russian minefields and trenches.

Reuters could not verify the reports and Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, rarely comments on developments reported by kyiv.

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