Monday Jun 05, 2023
On Monday, Russia announced that its forces had successfully foiled a major offensive launched by Ukraine at several points along the front in the Donetsk region of southern Ukraine. According to the Russian authorities, the clash resulted in the death of hundreds of pro-Kyiv soldiers. It remains uncertain whether the reported attack marks the start of a long-awaited Ukrainian counter-offensive to retake territory seized by Russian forces after the February 2022 invasion.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine had launched an offensive with six mechanized and two tank battalions in the southern Donetsk region, an area where Moscow had long assumed Ukraine would try to push into Russian-held territory. In a statement posted on Telegram at 1:30 am.
The Ministry of Defense explained Moscow time: "On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the direction of the south of Donetsk. The enemy's goal was to break through our defenses in the most vulnerable sector of the front according to their assessment. However, the enemy did not achieve its goals."
The authenticity of the Russian statement could not be immediately verified, and there was no immediate response from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry or the military regarding the incident.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov posted a cryptic message on Twitter on Sunday, quoting the lyrics of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." His tweet read: "Words are very useless. They can only hurt."
Last week, Ukraine released a dramatic video showing soldiers preparing for battle and reciting an inspirational chant, which was subsequently used as a recruitment clip. In response, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video purportedly showing several Ukrainian armored vehicles exploding in a field after being targeted.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, their forces killed 250 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored fighting vehicles during the clash. The accuracy of this claim could not be independently verified, and requests for comment from Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and the military went unanswered.
Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who oversees Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, was present in the area during the Ukrainian attack, the ministry said. "Gerasimov was at one of the forward command posts," the ministry added.
Ukraine has been preparing for months for a counteroffensive against Russian forces that Kiev officials and CIA Director William Burns believe will challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin's credibility. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has expressed readiness to launch a counteroffensive, but warned that success may take time and come at a high price.
The outcome of the counteroffensive is likely to shape future Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine, as the country has sought significant weapons from the West to combat Russian forces. Ukraine has been tight-lipped about its specific plans to weaken Russian positions, and recently pro-Ukrainian forces crossed into Russia itself in the Belgorod region, while Moscow claimed it was the target of a Ukrainian terrorist attack.
Since the beginning of May, after a two-month lull, Russia has launched numerous drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, targeting mainly Kiev's military and critical infrastructure facilities.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began on February 24, when Putin deployed troops to Ukraine expecting a quick operation. However, Russian forces faced defeats and had to regroup, leading to their partial withdrawal to eastern Ukraine. Currently, Russia controls at least 18% of internationally recognized Ukrainian territory and has claimed four regions as Russian territory.
Tens of thousands of Russian troops have fortified positions along some 600 miles (1,000 km) of the front line in anticipation of a Ukrainian attack that could potentially sever Russia's land bridge to the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014.
Ukraine remains determined to expel all Russian troops from its territory, characterizing the invasion as a land grab by the world's largest nuclear power. Russia argues that the conflict is escalating and accuses the West of waging a hybrid war against Russia to exploit its vast natural resources, while the West denies seeking to destroy Russia and expresses support for Ukraine without wanting a confrontation with Russia.
US President Joe Biden warned in a statement last year that the NATO-Russia confrontation would lead to World War III.
