Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar stated today that "the armed forces of Ukraine are advancing in the southern part of the country and have halted a Russian attack towards the cities of Kupiansk and Lyman in the east." In a statement to Ukrainian television, she said: "We have fought fierce battles in the directions of Kupiansk and Lyman, but our soldiers have stopped the enemy there." Maliar noted that "the main events have not occurred yet. The main blow has yet to come. Some reserves will indeed be activated in stages later on." She added: "Russian forces still aim to completely control Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine," emphasizing that "the military operation in the south is proceeding according to plan. Every day we advance, every day. Yes, it is gradual, but our forces are gaining a foothold on this front and are advancing steadily." Reuters was unable to verify the situation on the battlefield. Each side claims that the other is suffering heavy losses since Ukraine launched its counteroffensive. Russia has not acknowledged the recent military gains made by Ukraine.
The Offensive Continues
Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak remarked today that "the offensive operations being conducted by Kyiv against the occupying Russian forces aim to reshape the battlefield." He stated on Twitter: "The army continues its assaults in several areas," adding, "The counteroffensive is not a new season of a Netflix series, and there is no need to expect excitement and buy popcorn... the offensive operations of the Ukrainian armed forces are ongoing in several areas. Formative operations are underway to prepare the battlefield." Podolyak indicated that "the time it took Ukraine to convince its Western partners to provide the necessary weapons gave the Russian army a chance to fortify and strengthen its defensive lines." He continued: "Breaching the Russian front today requires a balanced approach; the life of the soldier is the highest value for Ukraine today." The commander of the ground forces of the Ukrainian army, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated in an interview, "I want to say that our main forces have not yet participated in the fighting, and we are currently looking for weaknesses in the enemy's defenses. Everything is still ahead," according to the British newspaper The Guardian.
Kherson
The governor of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, Oleksandr Prokudin, announced that at least two people were killed in a Russian attack today on a bus company in the city of Kherson. Prokudin initially posted on Telegram, stating: "One transport company was hit by targeted fire in the attack." He explained that "a 55-year-old man died on the spot, and five others were transported to the hospital," describing the incident as "another Russian terrorist attack." In a later post, he noted that "a 43-year-old man also died in the hospital from his injuries." Prokudin shared several photos from the attack site, one of which appears to show a dead man in the foreground and two buses in the background. Other images showed emergency workers tending to the injured. Russian forces continue to shell the city of Kherson from positions they control in the broader Kherson region, despite the flooding this month following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on the Dnipro River, which also overlooks the city.
