Near the village of Verbowe in the Zaporizhzhia region, “we have made a breakthrough and are moving forward,” Tarnavskyi said on US television channel CNN on Saturday. Ukraine began its counteroffensive to recapture areas under Russian control in June. The first reports of success were slow to arrive, but Kiev has recently reported strategic progress, especially in the Zaporizhzhia region.
An important breakthrough would be the recapture of the town of Tokmak, about 20 kilometers from the front line, Tarnawsky said. Tokmak came under Moscow’s control at the start of the Russian invasion. Capturing the city would allow the Ukrainian army to advance further towards annexed Crimea.
Don’t worry about winter
Tarnavsky did not see the approaching winter as an additional factor that could slow down Ukraine’s counteroffensive: “The weather could be a serious obstacle during the advance, but given the way we advanced, especially without vehicles, I don’t think so. that this will greatly influence the counteroffensive.”
In addition to the report of success coming from the south of the front, the general admitted that the progress of the counteroffensive was slower than expected. “Not as fast as expected, not like in World War II movies,” Tarnawskyj said. But it is important “not to lose this initiative”.
Crimea: Kiev says senior military officers killed
The CNN interview aired the day after the Ukrainian attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on the annexed peninsula of Crimea. The success of the counteroffensive depends not only on what is happening at the front, but also on the “destruction of command centers” – which creates “chaos on the battlefield,” Tarnawskyj said. Attacks on Crimea would also boost the morale of Ukrainian soldiers: “It helps us, but it also gives us hope for the future.”
APA/AFP/Planet Labs Pbc A satellite image shows smoke over Sevastopol after the Ukraine missile attack
The Ukrainian army said on Saturday that senior Russian naval officers were also killed in the attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea the previous day. The shelling hit the building during a meeting of Russian naval leadership. Dozens of “occupants” were killed and injured.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed in the port of Sevastopol. One of the Russian command centers for Moscow’s war against Ukraine is located there. From there, Russian occupation troops in southern Ukraine are supplied and rocket attacks are carried out.
Moscow: Air defense in action
According to authorities on the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia since 2014, a fire broke out on Friday following the Ukrainian rocket attack. Photos of a plume of smoke in the sky were shared on social media and it was suggested there was a Russian ammunition dump in the affected area. On Friday, the Russian side initially spoke only about falling rocket debris – but ultimately the Ukrainian attack turned out to be much more successful: the projectiles seriously damaged the important and symbolic Russian naval building.
New missiles for Ukraine
As US media reports, the US is also now supplying missiles with greater range. This should allow for more pressure on the counteroffensive.
“According to preliminary information, air defense has been deployed in Sevastopol,” Moscow-appointed Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvoshayev wrote in Telegram. The Russian side initially named a dead person, but later corrected this information and spoke only of a missing person. The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, later said in an interview that at least nine Russians were killed and 16 others were injured, including generals. The information provided by both parties could not be independently verified. Budanov declined to say whether Western-made missiles were used in the attack.
New explosions in Sevastopol
Meanwhile, the Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol warned on Saturday of a possible new rocket launch. The public was asked to close their windows and stay away from them, get out of cars and public transport and go to a safe place. Explosions were heard again in Crimea on Saturday.