War in Ukraine: What we know about the start of the Kiev led counteroffensive

Committed to the security of operations, Ukraine is careful not to reveal details about its offensive strategy. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy just confirmed on Saturday that counter-offensives and defensive measures are underway along the front line with Russia. And to add: I won’t go into detail about it.

As military historian Michel Goya summarizes, the Ukrainians are forced to break through the front lines in order to achieve their strategic goal of complete liberation of the territory. However, this does not prevent the preparation of secondary operations on the outskirts of the main attack zone in order to deter Russian forces, to pin them down or to exploit an enemy weakening to the advantage of the main zone. So much for the strategic framework.

Indeed, progress has been made on the ground in two main directions.

The map of the southern front of Ukraine. | OV Watch in full screen

The map of the southern front of Ukraine. | FROM

On the one hand, Ukrainian units pushed the Russian defenders and liberated four villages – Blahodatne, Neskutchne, Makarivka and Storojeve – on the border of the Donetsk region, next to the Zaporizhia region. Your axis of locomotion to the south may show that one of the destinations is the city of Mariupol. Unless the Ukrainian units are also on their way to Donetsk…

Also read: War in Ukraine: Kiev’s counterattack has begun discreetly

Another axis is taking shape south of the city of Zaporijjia, with the city of Melitopol in probable line of sight (80 km to the south). Ukrainians have taken control of Lobkove and are advancing towards Vasylivka on the banks of the Dnieper.

These two axes of attack testify to the will of the Ukrainians to recapture part of Zaporizhia Oblast and the rest of Kherson Oblast, which are still in Russian hands, in order to isolate Crimea

(Yet) secondary attacks

Among the secondary operations, the operation launched around Bakhmout will be extended; Ukrainian forces continue to fight on the flanks of the city they lost on May 20 and have pushed Russian forces another 700 meters north.

Another operation, much further northeast of the country, seems to be falling by the wayside; It was aimed at the city of Kremina north of Lugansk.

Ukrainian losses

Despite Ukrainian rocket and artillery attacks, there is no Russian resistance. The Proof: A group of Ukrainian Bradley Fighting Vehicles supporting German-made Leopard tanks came under fire on Wednesday and suffered significant casualties as the 47th Brigade launched an offensive southeast of Zaporizhia. The 47th Brigade is one of the newly created units equipped with western-supplied equipment.

A group of Ukrainian armor was damaged or destroyed in a Russian ambush. | EPA/MAXPPP Show full screen

A group of Ukrainian armor was damaged or destroyed in a Russian ambush. | EPA/MAXPPP

This costly setback underscores the risk of using inexperienced and inexperienced troops, even if they are well trained and equipped. “The main capital of an army is not its material stock, but its capital in officers and non-commissioned officers in number and value,” remembers Michel Goya.

These losses also testify to Russian responsiveness with effective observation drones and artillery. They are also blessed bread for Russian military propaganda, which boasts of its soldiers’ attacks on Western equipment.