The situation at the front as of October 9, 2023. Le Figaro
CARDS – The Ukrainian counteroffensive that began in early June appears to be running into Russian defense lines. But fighting continues near Zaporizhzhia, where Kiev has made a first breakthrough.
Since June, Ukraine has launched a major counteroffensive to liberate areas occupied by the Russian army. Despite massive Western arms deliveries, progress is still limited and far from the first hopes of a quick breakthrough. Le Figaro uses maps to take stock of the development of the almost 1000 kilometer long front. And in particular on the three main axes of attack of the Kiev men: towards Robotyne, a stone’s throw from Zaporizhia in the south of the country, around Velyka Novosilka and around Bakhmout, which was captured and completely destroyed by Wagner’s men last May.
The southern front
The main fighting is currently centered around Robotyne, a village recaptured by Ukrainian troops in late August. “After crossing the first Russian defense line, Ukrainian forces captured the small town of Robotyne. Novoprokopivka is 2 km further south and Verbove 10 km southeast. Their capture will mean a breakthrough for the second Russian defense line, which has three,” decodes Guillaume Ancel, former French officer, on X (ex-Twitter) and in a post on his blog “Don’t Suffer”. Ukraine’s ultimate goal is to capture the strategic city of Tokmak and Melitopol and ultimately threaten Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Also read The water war along the Dnieper in Ukraine
Kiev’s counteroffensive also enabled advances in the Velyka Novosilka region. So in June and then August a handful of villages were recaptured. A total of 190 square kilometers are back under Ukrainian control. No significant changes have been noted since then.
The Eastern Front
The capture of Bakhmout by Wagner’s mercenaries in May 2023 did not end the fighting in the region that has become emblematic of the conflict. In mid-September, Kiev raided the villages of Andriivka and then Klichchiivka. According to experts at the Institute for War Research, “Ukrainian armed forces conducted operations and may have advanced” in this sector at the end of last week. There is also heavy fighting near Avdiivka near Donetsk in Donbass.
The Northern Front
Finally, in the north, Moscow conducts an operation in the Kupiansk zone to regain ground and prevent the counteroffensive. However, there is nothing to report in the Kherson area.
” data-script=”https://static.lefigaro.fr/widget-video/short-ttl/video/index.js” >