While Ukrainian and Russian forces are suffering losses to the south, a Ukrainian counteroffensive is moving through the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
The town of Piatykhatky, Zaporizhzhia, which has a population of about 18,000, has been retaken by Ukrainian forces. According to Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed member of the military-civilian administration in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine has taken control following a wave of attacks.
Due to worries about a potential nuclear incident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Southern Zaporizhzhia underwent a mass evacuation in May. At the time, Russia was in charge of the area and had done so ever since the beginning of its invasion last year.
One of the four regions of Ukraine that Russia has at least partially seized control of is Zaporizhzhia.
According to reports, Ukrainian forces have increased their presence in Piatykhatky as Russian shelling continues. The British Ministry of Defense claims that there have been numerous serious injuries on both sides.
According to a statement from the ministry, Russian forces frequently engage in "relatively effective defensive operations" in the south. Both sides are losing a lot of soldiers, with Russian losses reportedly at their highest point since the Bakhmut battle's height in March.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ukraine recently conducted ground assaults outside of Bakhmut and close to Kreminna. In the south, Ukrainian forces are also making progress.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, has declared that there is "no chance" that Ukraine's stepped-up counteroffensive will be successful. At a press conference on Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin referred to the invasion as the worst security crisis in Europe since World War II.
But the Ukrainian people never cease to amaze the world with their fortitude and bravery, Austin said. The courageous defenders of Ukraine have now begun the next stage of their struggle to free their nation's sovereign territory from Russian occupation.
In order to improve his military's air defenses, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has persisted in calling for F-16 fighter jets. Currently, pilots are receiving training to operate the aircraft.
