By Rozina Sabur, WASHINGTON EDITOR
26 July 2023 • 11:23pm
Ukraine launched the main thrust of its counter-offensive on Wednesday with thousands of men and Western armoured vehicles pouring onto the frontlines in Zaporizhzhia.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, on Wednesday night hailed his country’s “very good results” on the front line, and promised to provide details of their successes soon.
An enlarged Ukrainian force, whose ranks are swelled with Western-trained troops, and around 100 Western-supplied armoured vehicles, hopes to advance south to sever a land bridge to Crimea.
The new operation, if successful, could take one to three weeks, Ukrainian officials have told Washington. “This is the big test,” one senior US official said.
Ukraine is currently attacking in three directions, in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Bakhmut.
Sources within the Pentagon told the New York Times that Ukrainian officials are focusing on Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukraine as turmoil engulfs Russian leadership in the region.
According to one official, Ukraine sensed an opportunity to gain ground after the local regional Russian commander, Major General Ivan Popov, claimed he was ousted after raising battlefield concerns with his superiors.
“The Russians are stretched,” an official told the New York Times. “They are still experiencing problems with logistics, supply, personnel and weapons. They’re feeling the pressure.”
As the counter-offensive entered full throttle, artillery battles flared along the front in Zaporizhzhia.
Igor Konashenkov, the spokesman for the Russian Defence Ministry, said a “massive” assault and fierce battles south of Orikhiv, a town that Ukraine holds about 60 miles north of the Sea of Azov.
Russian officials said the assault involved Ukrainian troops who had been trained overseas and were equipped with around 100 armoured vehicles, including German-made Leopards and American-made Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
Footage showing the Ukrainian advance on the Zaporizhzhia frontline in Bradley vehicles on Wednesday appeared to support those claims.
Ukrainian officials have reportedly told their American counterparts their ambition is to advance south – over terrain covered by Russian mines – towards the city of Tokmak.
They then hope to advance to Melitopol, near the coast, with the ultimate goal of severing the so-called land bridge between Russian-occupied Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula.
Failing that, they hope to bring Ukrainian forces within range of the Crimean peninsula.
However, analysts speculated that the Ukrainian briefing of secret plans to US news outlets could be a feint to distract Moscow.
Ukrainian troops along the southern front have reported incremental progress in pushing Russian troops back, with their way impeded by minefields and heavy Russian shelling and airstrikes.
White House officials are closely following their progress.
Mr Zelensky has previously conceded that the offensive in Russian-occupied areas of the country’s east and southeast is going more slowly than he would like.
But in a video address on Wednesday night, Mr Zelensky said: “Today our boys had very good results at the front. Good for them. Details will follow.”
Thousands of well-trained reinforcements, which were being held back by Kyiv, have now been deployed to the front lines, according to Pentagon sources.
Many of those units have been trained on advanced manoeuvre tactics by Western allies.
It appeared to tally with previous speculation from Washington’s defence officials that Kyiv would hold back its best-trained forces until it had identified weak spots in Russian lines.
Pentagon officials said there were substantive arguments for Ukraine’s decision to hone in on Zaporizhzhia.
In addition to the commotion among the local Russian leadership, Ukrainian forces have made headway clearing a path through Russian defences, including minefields in the region.
Kyiv also sees an opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities far behind the front lines to target Russian ammunition depots and command posts.
Before news broke of the Ukrainian assault, Kyiv was facing criticism for going too slowly among its western allies.
James Heappey, the UK’s armed forces minister, on Wednesday dismissed such concerns in an interview with The Telegraph.
He said the effort was progressing according to a plan worked out with Britain and America over the winter.
He stressed that Kyiv was being “appropriately cautious” in how it deployed large numbers of men and western weapons into dense Russian minefields.
Ukraine was waiting for the right moment to strike with its full force, he said, and was wise to keep western armour ‘out of sight’ until then.
Other Western officials have underscored the point that Kyiv was being judicious in committing the second part of its force to the best possible avenue for attack.
Separately, Joe Biden on Wednesday ordered his administration to begin sharing evidence of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine with the International Criminal Court.
The Pentagon had been resistant to the move amid concerns any cooperation with the court in the Hague could open the way for the prosecution of American troops deployed overseas.
The ICC, a permanent war crimes tribunal, in March issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for suspected deportation of children from Ukraine, which would be a war crime.
Again AFU is playing it smart. Give the orcs hell🔥 ! Our hopes and prayers are with you men and women of the AFU🙏🇺🇦💪!
Amen Amen Amen!
Selected comments from DT readers:
Matt Forster:
“This is all very exciting news. It’s time to show the drunk, thieving Russians what bravery, modern training and superior technology can achieve.”
Peter McMahon:
“So all the Russian trolls who have been saying Ukraine had failed were – as usual – ful of horse manure.
But then, what else do we expect from that nation of primitive savages, none of whom have evolved socially since the dark ages?”
Reply from Campbell Chisholm:
“So correct. You can’t even tell them to go stick their head down their toilet because so many of them don’t have one.”
John Hill:
“Come on Ukraine!”
martin walsh
“Only last week Putin informed anyone who’d listen that Ukraine countrt-offesive had already failed. And now this! Top drawer. Deal with it trolls.” Andrew Moloney : Reply to martin walsh “I was just wondering about that myself. He’s only recently been dealing with a large scale mutiny though so he’s probably not been paying attention.”
A kremtroll shitstain : “James Williams” writes:
“Biden and his evil emissary Sullivan have one main goal: Biden’s re-election.
Destiny of Europe is secondary. Destiny of Ukraine is ‘who gives a flip’ it was a cash cow while it lasted.. now we’ve sucked everything out of it, so what.
So to that end keeping the war going in Ukraine suits them fine. They know very well Ukraine has no chance..
On the other hand they also know that Russia doesn’t want to go all out in this war and thus sacrifice its economy/have a big death toll/destabilisation. Russia also doesn’t want conquer Ukraine, it hasn’t got the man-power or will to be a full occupying force with all that entails.
So ironically what’s happening now suits Biden and the Russians, both! Biden re-elected. Ukrainian military put through the ‘meat-grinder’ until a spent force. No threat to Russia.
There will eventually be some kind of negotiations. Outcome being:
Russia is allowed to incorporate Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, the ‘new Russia’ areas already legally incorporated into Russia, and Crimea is also recognised.
Western Ukraine stays as it is. But by international agreement it can never join NATO. However, it can (the carrot) join the EU [which is flipped anyway].”
Replies to the shitstain:
Peter Clarke Reply to James Williams “Desperate?” Lily Blue Reply to James Williams “So many words and all of them in the wrong place. You should talk to a resident of Ukraine. It is their future you so blithely ‘flip’.” John Fox : Reply to James Williams “You write very good English for a Russian.” Philip Miller : Reply to James Williams “Have another shot of antifreeze ‘James’. At some point even you’ll start believing what you’re told to write. Can’t be much fun. We’re here for you if you want to open up.” Charles Maplethorpe Reply to James Williams “James, are you insane? (Also, don’t forget the ‘articles’ — the ‘the’ words.)” Wally Slater Reply to James Williams “Ladies and Gentlemen – its give peace a chance troll!”
……..
James Bulloch:
“The totality of modern western military equipment gifted to Ukraine has largely been concentrated into a single Corps, which has been held back so far. There are a few units of western equipment that have been sent to probe, but more importantly, to be seen by the Russians who might then assume that the place is the start of the main assault.
Well, keep guessing. There’s about 14 weeks left of the mobile fighting season left in this calendar year, a single Corps has around 8 weeks of hard battle in it before it needs total refurbishment, and there’s about 100 miles of depth to penetrate, somewhere. There’s more than enough time.”
Paul Neczypir:
“Tokmak is the one place I wouldn’t bother attacking. Being so vital for Russian supply lines, the Russians are always going to have to commit a large proportion of their forces to the town, just in case.
Makes me think this isn’t the real thing. Just a show of strength to make sure the Tokmak garrison has to stay there.”
John Cameron:
“The amount of people being killed on both sides is insane! Stop this war! Peace talks Now!
Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called the children of God.”
James Bulloch
Reply to John Cameron
“No. Peace talks when Russian military forces are ejected from Ukraine.
Until then, Slava Ukrainia!”
Troll: “Robin Michael Hurley” writes:
“This article is something and nothing.
There may be an offensive or it may be a publicity stunt to draw attention away from another part of the front line.
Ukrainian soldiers are expected to die and be maimed so that the Ukraine will have a slightly better negotiating position.
All the time is the threat that Putin will lose his temper and do something out of the ordinary.”
Reply from Lily Blue:
“Invading a non threatening neighbour so you can steal, kill and destroy is actually something out of the ordinary.”
John Lawrence : “Good luck to them.Our 🙏 are with you, brave souls.” Scott Driver : “So the party’s started… Slava Ukraini!!” Francis Barnett : “A lot of Russians will die and be maimed – but they do have a choice. Get out of Ukraine and it stops.”
Re James Bulloch’s excellent comment, there will likely be multiple feints before the fighting season is slowed down again by weather. Ukraine will be following a plan.
Godspeed lads!
“Before news broke of the Ukrainian assault, Kyiv was facing criticism for going too slowly among its western allies.”
We all know and Kyiv knows that only dumbass bimbos and nitwits would say anything like that … people who try to be military experts but wouldn’t know a 9 mm bullet from a .50 cal. bullet.
Nevertheless, I still hope that Kyiv doesn’t get pressured in doing something in a too hasty manner. Maybe this is a fake to fool the orcs. If it’s not, then God speed to the AFU and its very brave fighters!