In a remarkable turn of events, Ukraine has achieved significant advancements in a 72-hour period against Russian forces this week, according to the White House.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby lauded the undeniable progress made by the Ukrainians in their counteroffensive
This intensified Ukrainian effort has yielded crucial victories, with their troops breaching Russian lines between Robotyne, a recently reclaimed village, and Verbove in the Zaporizhzhia region. Zaporizhzhia, housing Europe‘s largest nuclear power plant, has been under Russian control since the early stages of the conflict, but skirmishes have persisted in the area for over a year.
The strategic objective for Kyiv is to advance southward toward the Sea of Azov, aiming to sever Russian land access to occupied Crimea. John Kirby commended the Ukrainians’ “southern line of advance” from the Zaporizhzhia area, noting “some success against that second line of Russian defenses.”
While not divulging specific plans, John Kirby emphasized that tough battles lie ahead as Ukrainian forces continue their southward push.
Ukrainian troops have already advanced over 3 miles south of Robotyne towards Melitopol, a primary target of the counteroffensive, according to the New York Times
Despite criticism from anonymous US officials regarding the counteroffensive’s pace, John Kirby urged unity and praised Ukrainian soldiers for their courageous efforts. John Kirby assured that the US is actively assisting Ukraine with the necessary resources.
In response to critics, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba defended his country’s soldiers and challenged detractors to join the front lines, stating that their criticism was akin to “spitting into the face” of those risking their lives.
President Volodymyr Zelensky previously attributed the counteroffensive’s delayed start, in part, to the slow arrival of Western weaponry last month.
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