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September 2, 2023 | 5:22 p.m
Ukrainian forces have reportedly broken through Russia’s first – and strongest – defense line in the south and targeted Moscow’s military units providing shelter for fleeing soldiers.
The breakthrough came after weeks of slow progress as Ukrainian forces cleared minefields in the Zaporizhzhia region as part of the counterattack, a senior military official said.
Brig. General Oleksandr Tarnavskiy told The Guardian that Moscow’s first line of defense was the strongest because Russia devoted most of its resources to it because it did not expect Ukraine to get that far.
Tarnavskyi estimated that Russia spent about 60% of its time and resources building the first line of defense, while it spent about 20% each on the second and third lines of defense.
“We are now between the first and second lines of defense,” he said.
“In the center of the offensive, we are now completing the destruction of enemy units covering the retreat of Russian troops behind their second line of defense,” he added.
In the weeks before the breakthrough, Ukrainian infantry engineers meticulously cleared a path through a minefield while Russian troops “just stood there waiting for the Ukrainian army,” using drones and artillery to shoot down vehicles.
However, with the defensive line broken, Moscow began moving troops from Kherson in the west and Lyman in the northeast, as well as from Russia’s interior to the southern region.
Ukraine has broken through the Russian defense line in the south. AP Ukrainian soldiers conducting a counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region were filmed burning Russian flags. @www.dshv.mil.gov.ua/Newsflash
“The enemy is withdrawing reserves, not only from Ukraine but also from Russia,” Tarnavskiy said.
“But sooner or later the Russians will run out of the best soldiers. This will give us the impetus to attack stronger and faster. Everything is ahead of us.”
He added that the counteroffensive got off to a slow start because of mine clearance that had to be carried out at night to avoid Russian attacks and because wounded soldiers had to be evacuated.
However, he said the breakthrough was a big step.
“In my opinion, the Russians believed that the Ukrainians would not overcome this defensive line,” Tarnavskiy said.
Ukraine focused on attacking Russian military units that would provide cover and fire for retreating troops, Brigadier General said. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskiy said.AP
“They had been preparing for over a year. They went above and beyond to make sure this area was well prepared.”
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Washington had noted Ukraine’s counteroffensive push, which had made “remarkable progress” in the last 72 hours.
The progress came as the US appears to be planning to ship controversial depleted uranium munitions as part of a new aid package.
The multimillion-dollar aid package could include the uranium bullets, which are a dense metal that penetrates armor, according to a draft document and two American officials.
The United Kingdom sent depleted uranium shells in March to be used in British Challenger 2 tanks, although the decision sparked backlash after Russia used the shipment of shells allegedly containing a “nuclear component” as a pretext for the deployment of nuclear weapons used on Belarusian territory.
Meanwhile, Moscow authorities said Ukraine continued to target a key bridge connecting Russia with Crimea.
Russia destroyed three naval drones that tried to attack the bridge, causing it to be temporarily closed for the third time in less than a year, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
Ukraine, which generally avoided commenting on attacks from Russian territory, did not confirm whether it launched the drones.
With post wires
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