Ukrainian Counter-Offensive Gets Underway In Key Southern Region

Ukraine launched multiple attacks on Russian forces in the southern Zaporizhia region, following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam earlier this week, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

Russian military bloggers reported Wednesday morning that Ukraine conducted “massive” military barrages in Zaporizhia, followed by the a fleet of over 100 armored vehicles and tanks, according to The Washington Post. Ukraine’s 47th Mechanized Brigade attempted to pierce Russian lines, according to Russia’s defense ministry, but were unable to do so.

The push into Zaporizhia is one of many recent counter-offensive actions by Ukraine. Senior army veteran and former Russian security service officer Igor Strelkov wrote via Telegram that Ukraine’s new offensive began nearly a week ago: “Perhaps, we can now reliably say that the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began 5-6 days ago.”

Meanwhile, Russian forces have been accused of firing shells at the Ukrainian city of Kherson amidst evacuation efforts following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam on Tuesday. Kherson sits just miles from the dam, and its destruction has resulted in mass flooding that put hundreds of miles of land underwater and driven thousands of Ukrainian citizens out of the region. Russia maintains that it did not destroy the dam – instead blaming Ukraine – but now appears to be firing shells into Kherson.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Kherson to assess the fallout from the dam and commend rescue and evacuation workers just hours before the shelling began.

“The situation in the occupied part of the Kherson region is absolutely catastrophic, “commented Zelenskyy. “Now we need a clear and quick response from the world to what is happening.”

Ukrainian counter-offensive measures are expected to escalate as evacuation efforts from the Kakhovka dam fallout continue.