Progress in Ukraine's counteroffensive has been slower than expected, but its forces are building momentum in the country's south, and could be just 15 kilometres away from a major prize.
abc.net.au/news/why-ukraine-counteroffensive-could-be-close-to-major-prize/102801456When Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba last week told critics of his country's counteroffensive to "shut up", accusing them of "spitting in the faces" of frontline soldiers, it was obvious who his fury was directed at.
"We have noted over the last 72 hours or so, some notable progress by Ukrainian armed forces ... in that southern line of advance coming out of the Zaporizhzhia area," he said.Mr Kuleba described it as the first step to cutting off the land bridge and strangling Russian supply lines. "You don't really need to reach all the way to Melitopol to have a significant impact on Russia's options. You don't need to reach the shores of the Sea of Azov before logistics start to crumble on the Russian side," he said.For any fighting force to operate effectively it needs what's referred to as a ground line of communication — a transport route that allows military units to be supplied with food, fuel, artillery, spare parts for vehicles and other reinforcements.
Dr Kallberg said territorial gains by Ukraine could not only strangle supply routes, but have a huge impact on where Russia staged its command posts and stores its artillery. The exiled mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Federov, said via his Telegram channel that after 18 months of occupation, Tokmak was once again becoming a frontline city, and that there were reports that Russian-installed authorities were in the process of fleeing."According to residents, the local occupying 'authority' have one foot out the door, they are being transported to another city.
"A group of 31 people did the work of an entire battalion, which should have consisted of about 400 people."Mr Reynolds said there were signs the Russian forces were exhausted, and having to spend "weeks or months" at a time on the frontline.
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