Ukrainian troops ‘break through Russian defences’ to capture village of Staromaiorske
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Ukraine says it has recaptured the village of Staromaiorske in the occupied Donetsk region.
A Ukrainian official tweeted a video of troops holding a flag in the settlement, located about halfway between Mariupol and Zaporizhzhia in the country’s southeast.
“The 35th brigade and the ‘Ariy’ territorial defence unit have fulfilled their task and liberated the village of Staromaiorske. Glory to Ukraine!” said a soldier in the video.
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Staromaiorske lies to the south of a number of small settlements that Ukraine has recaptured during its counteroffensive, which began in June.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had hinted at a significant win on the frontline last night.
“By the way, today our boys had very good results at the front,” he said in his nightly video address on Wednesday.
“Good for them! Details will follow.”
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Ukrainian attacks in the southeast of the country – which Russia largely controls – had intensified.
Ukraine has been relatively tight-lipped about its counteroffensive, but Mr Zelenskyy has conceded progress has been slower than hoped.
Meanwhile, conditions around Robotyne settlement – about 110km (68 miles) west of Staromaiorske – give “important colour” to speculation about the counteroffensive, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
It said geolocated footage showed a tank and two Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicles and a T-72 tank either disabled or abandoned about 2.5km (1.5 miles) east of the village.
It added: “This geolocated point is beyond the forward-most pre-prepared Russian defensive fortifications in this area, indicating that Ukrainian forces managed to penetrate and drive through tactically challenging defensive positions.
“This kind of penetration battle will be one of the most difficult things for Ukrainian forces to accomplish in pursuit of deeper penetration.”
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Anonymous officials at the US Pentagon, reported in The New York Times, suggested the attacks marked an inflection point in Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
The Western officials said it was an opportune moment given recent operations to clear Russian defensive positions, Russian command changes and continued Ukrainian artillery strikes.
Ukraine does not routinely comment on the counteroffensive or its objectives, but there has been speculation that it could seek to drive its forces south to the Sea of Azov.
While undoubtedly very challenging, this could have the effect of cutting Russian forces in two and – crucially – cutting off the land bridge to Crimea.