Ukraine mentioned on Monday its troops had liberated the southeastern settlement of Robotyne and have been making an attempt to push farther south of their two-month-old counteroffensive in opposition to occupying Russian forces.

The Ukrainian military mentioned that its troops final week had raised the nationwide flag within the strategic village and posted a video exhibiting the transfer. The forces then carried out mopping-up operations till they confirmed management on Monday, the army mentioned.

“Robotyne has been liberated,” Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar was quoted as saying on Monday by the army.

The settlement is 10 km (six miles) south of the frontline city of Orikhiv within the Zaporizhzhia area on an vital highway in direction of Tokmak, a Russian-occupied highway and rail hub.

Tokmak’s seize could be a milestone as Ukrainian troops press southwards in direction of the Sea of Azov in a army drive that’s meant to separate Russian forces following Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia has not confirmed the Ukrainian advance. In an announcement, Russia’s defence ministry mentioned Moscow’s troops had repelled assaults by Kyiv’s forces close to Robotyne and Verbove.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke on Monday of various sectors of the entrance in his nightly video handle however made no reference to Robotyne. He mentioned Ukrainian forces have been making ready responses to Russian plans “definitely. In a way they do not anticipate”.

Ukraine believes its fighters have damaged by essentially the most tough line of Russian defences within the south and that they are going to now begin advancing extra rapidly, a commander who led troops into Robotyne advised Reuters final week.

Separately, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov mentioned on Monday any suggestion of variations with Washington over Ukraine’s army technique have been “mistaken and invented”.

He advised a information convention that Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zalunzhniy was assembly “systematically” with senior officers from allied nations supplying Ukraine with weaponry.

“Everything is going according to the plan, which was discussed with our partners in advance when our brigades were being formed, when they were equipped…,” Reznikov mentioned.

Media have reported on a gathering this month of senior NATO army chiefs and Ukraine’s prime common on resetting Ukraine’s army technique.

The New York Times final week quoted U.S. and different Western officers as saying that the offensive had made restricted progress as a result of Ukraine had too many troops within the incorrect locations.

FORTIFYING POSITIONS

A army spokesman advised Ukrainian tv Kyiv’s forces have been persevering with to fortify their positions in Robotyne.

“Stabilisation measures, demining and preparations for further actions are under way,” Oleksandr Shtupun mentioned.

Maliar advised Ukrainian tv earlier that Kyiv’s troops, who started their counteroffensive in early June, have been now shifting southeast of Robotyne and south of close by Mala Tokmachka.

Ukrainian forces are additionally combating Russian troops in jap Ukraine, and progress has been slower than had been extensively anticipated as a result of they’ve encountered huge Russian minefields and trenches.

Maliar described the battlefield scenario within the east as “very hot” up to now week. She mentioned Russian troops have been gathering new forces there and regrouping, and Moscow was aiming to deploy its finest troops there.

Ukrainian forces had continued to advance south of Bakhmut, she mentioned, referring to the shattered jap metropolis captured by Moscow’s troops in May after months of fierce combating.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth, Pavel Polityuk, Writing by Anna Pruchnicka, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Alex Richardson, Ron Popeski and Cynthia Osterman)