Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated on Monday that the troops are preparing conditions for gradual advance and are maintaining the initiative on the battlefield. He mentioned that the Ukrainian defense forces are resilient, noting their success in thwarting Russia's attempts to launch a counteroffensive and distract Ukrainian forces from other parts of the front.
Zaluzhnyi confirmed after a phone call with U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley that "intense fighting is still ongoing, while Ukrainian forces continue to gradually prepare for advancement. We are holding the initiative." He stated that Ukrainian defensive lines are strong, adding that "the enemy is launching strong assaults in some directions but is achieving no success. This particularly pertains to their attempts to divert Ukrainian forces' attention from certain areas of the front."
Additionally, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar mentioned that Russia is using all its resources to halt Kyiv's advance, noting that Ukrainian forces continue to move towards the southern cities of Melitopol and Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov. Maliar reported that Russia has intensified its shelling in the eastern regions over the past week.
