Russia adopts defensive posture along entire southern front – Ukraine’s General Staff

Russian forces got into a defensive posture along the entire frontline in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported in its daily frontline update on 17 June 2023. Within the last 24 hours, Russian forces launched airstrikes in Mala Tokmachka in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Kozatske in the Kherson Oblast, according to Ukraine's General Staff.

"The enemy continues to conduct defensive operations in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson sectors," the General Staff reported. "The Russian occupiers continue to commit ecocide on Dzharylgach Island [a national nature park on the occupied territory of the Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine - ed.], where they have set up a training ground for mobilized soldiers and conduct artillery training."

According to Ukraine's General Staff, within the last 24 hours, Russian artillery fired at the settlements of Olhivske, Huliaypole, Zaliznychne, Huliaypolske, Novodarivka, Levadne, Malynivka, Krasne, Novoandriyivka, Stepove, Lobkove, Stepnohirsk, Kamianske in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where the Ukrainian Army continues its counteroffensive operations.

Over the last day, Ukraine's Air Force carried out nine strikes on the areas of concentration of Russian military personnel and destroyed a Russian anti-aircraft missile system, according to the General Staff. Furthermore, Ukraine's rocket forces and artillery struck two Russian command posts, two ammunition depots, and an artillery unit at a firing position. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued offensive operations in the areas of Novomykhailivka and Vodiane in the Donetsk Oblast without success. Ukrainian forces repelled all Russian attacks near Mariinka, Stepove, and Avdiivka in the Donetsk Oblast, near Berestove in the Kharkiv Oblast (Kupiansk direction), and near Bilohorivka in the Luhansk Oblast. Russia continues to focus its primary attacking efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Mariinka directions, where heavy fighting goes on with 22 combat engagements over the past day alone, Ukraine's General Staff reported. Within the last 24 hours, Russian forces conducted 37 airstrikes against Ukraine. Related:

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