Ukrainian troops make gains in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine’s military spox says

Ukrainian troops are making progress in the Melitopol sector of the southern front in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Valerii Shershen, the spox of the Joint Defense Forces Press Center of Ukraine, said during the national telethon on 26 June. Ukraine's Armed Forces continue counteroffensive operations in Zaporizhzhia Oblast (southeastern Ukraine) and make gains despite stiff resistance from the invading Russian forces, Valerii Shershen said.

"As a result of systematic pressure, the defense forces have made progress and advanced 1,5 kilometers deeper into the territories captured by the Russian forces," Valerii Shershen said.

Currently, the Ukrainian forces are consolidating their positions, conducting aerial reconnaissance, demining, and artillery fire on the Russian positions to prepare for further advance, Shershen said. Earlier today, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian forces had advanced between one to two kilometers in each of six directions in the Bakhmut area since they started counteroffensive actions there last week. At the same time, Russians tried to carry out assaults in Lyman, Bakhmut, Adviyivka, and Mariinka directions over the last week, trying to push the Ukrainians out of their positions, but failed, Maliar claimed. Maliar confirmed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had liberated Rivnopil in Donetsk Oblast, southeastern Ukraine.

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