Kiev announced gains on the outskirts of the city of Bakhmut, which witnessed great destruction in the east of the country, while the Russian Defense Ministry said it had repelled attacks on "five sectors of the front towards the south of the Donetsk region."
On Monday, Ukraine announced gains on the outskirts of the city of Bakhmut, which witnessed great destruction in the east of the country, but it reduced the size of the "offensive actions" launched elsewhere on the front, at a time when Russia confirmed that it had repulsed major attacks.
These operations come at a time when the Ukrainian authorities have confirmed for months their readiness to launch a major counterattack aimed at forcing the Russian forces to withdraw from the areas they occupy. The Ukrainian authorities stressed that they would not reveal their plans and the timing of this attack.
"The defensive operation includes counter operations. From here, in some sectors, we carry out offensive operations," Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Gana Malyar said on Monday.
It also referred to "minor battles" in the south, where Russian forces are "on the defensive", without adding further details.
For its part, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that attacks had been repelled on "five sectors of the front towards the south of the Donetsk region" on the morning of June 4.
It indicated that the Ukrainian forces suffered heavy losses near the town of Neskuchny, located in the Donetsk region, and in the town of Novodarivka, located on the border between this same region and southern Zaporizhia.
Also, "new attempts to penetrate the Russian defenses" were made on Monday afternoon near the town of Novodonetsky, in the vicinity of Vogledar, which is a hotspot on the front in the south of the Donetsk region.
It said that "the enemy did not achieve its goals" in breaching the Russian lines, while broadcasting pictures of destroyed tanks.
The Ministry of Defense stated that the Chief of Staff of the Russian Army and Commander of Operations in Ukraine, General Valery Gerasimov, "was during this period in one of the advanced command centers in this direction."
Bakhmut "the axis"
The Bakhmut sector is still, according to Kiev, "the focus of combat operations," after it was the scene of the longest and bloodiest battle in this war, and Moscow said it took control of it in May.
Maliar said that the Ukrainian forces are advancing on the outskirts of this city "on a relatively wide front," adding, "We are achieving success and occupying the heights."
The head of the "Wagner" armed group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, confirmed this progress, referring to "the loss of part of the town of Birkhivka," describing the matter as a "shame." He again attacked General Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
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