Breaking News: Ukrainian Forces Break Through Russia’s First Line of Defense
September 2, 2023 | 5:22pm
By Jacob Geanous
Ukrainian forces have reportedly made a significant breakthrough in the south, breaking through Russia’s first and strongest line of defense. The Ukrainian troops are now targeting Moscow’s military units that provide cover for retreating Russian soldiers.
According to Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, the first line of defense was the strongest as Russia had allocated most of its resources to it. It is estimated that Russia spent around 60% of its time and resources on building this initial line of defense. The Ukrainian forces are now positioned between the first and second defensive lines.
The breakthrough came after weeks of slow progress, during which Ukrainian forces cleared minefields in the Zaporizhzhia region. The Ukrainian infantry engineers meticulously cleared a route through the minefield, while Russian troops waited for them to finish.
Since the defensive line was broken, Russia has been shifting troops from different regions to the southern region, including from Kherson in the west, Lyman in the north-east, and even from inside Russia itself.
Brig. Gen. Tarnavskiy stated that the enemy is pulling up reserves from both Ukraine and Russia. However, he believes that the Russians will eventually run out of their best soldiers, giving the Ukrainian forces an advantage to attack even more fiercely.
Although the counteroffensive had a slow start due to the de-mining process and evacuation of wounded soldiers, the breakthrough is seen as a significant achievement. The Russians had not expected the Ukrainians to break through this line of defense and had prepared the area for over a year.
The United States has taken note of Ukraine’s counteroffensive push, with the U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby acknowledging that significant progress has been made in the last 72 hours.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is reportedly planning to send depleted uranium ammunition as part of a new aid package to Ukraine. These rounds are designed to be fired from U.S.-made Abrams tanks, which are also expected to be included in the aid package. However, the decision to send depleted uranium rounds has sparked controversy, as Russia previously used the shipment of shells from the U.K., claiming they contained a “nuclear component,” as a pretext to station nuclear weapons in Belarus.
In addition, Ukraine continues to target a key bridge that links Russia to Crimea. Russia’s Defense Ministry revealed that they destroyed three naval drones attempting to attack the bridge, causing its temporary closure for the third time in less than a year. Ukraine has not confirmed whether it launched the drones.
The situation in Ukraine remains tense as the Ukrainian forces push forward, taking aim at Moscow’s military units and causing Russia to mobilize its troops from various regions. The world watches closely as the conflict escalates, with the hope that a peaceful resolution can be found.