Ukraine has achieved a significant tactical accomplishment on the battlefield, despite the limited area of positions it has regained control over. The range of liberated territories is between 16 and 19 kilometers in two extremely important axes during the battle, which may leave Russian forces unsettled.
Ukrainians are advancing south along two primary lines of attack:
The first through the village of Staromayorske towards the Russian-controlled city of Berdyansk, a port on the Sea of Azov.
The second towards the city of Melitopol, a vital transportation hub near the coast.
Ukraine's goal is to reach the Sea of Azov and strike the vital land bridge connecting Russia to the Crimean Peninsula. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based research center, described the advance as "tactically significant," stating that "the redeployment of Russian forces is likely to further weaken their defensive lines overall, creating opportunities for any Ukrainian breakthrough that could be decisive."
The Ukrainian army launched its counteroffensive this summer amid high hopes but soon faced heavy losses, prompting leaders to shift strategies from direct attacks to a war of attrition. The Russian Ministry of Defense revealed that Ukraine attempted unsuccessfully to strike the Crimean bridge with S-200 missiles, but there were no damages or casualties reported. The Crimean bridge, which Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to be constructed following the annexation of the peninsula in 2014, has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian attacks.
