WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Ukraine says it liberates strategic settlement
Ukraine said on Monday its troops had liberated the southeastern settlement of Robotyne and were trying to push farther south in their two-month-old counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces.
The Ukrainian military said that its troops last week had raised the national flag in the strategic village and posted a video showing the move. The forces then carried out mopping-up operations until they confirmed control on Monday, the military said.
"Robotyne has been liberated," Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar was quoted as saying on Monday by the military.
The settlement is 10 km (six miles) south of the frontline town of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region on an important road towards Tokmak, a Russian-occupied road and rail hub.
Tokmak's capture would be a milestone as Ukrainian troops press southwards towards the Sea of Azov in a military drive that is intended to split Russian forces following Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russia has not confirmed the Ukrainian advance. In a statement, Russia's defence ministry said Moscow's troops had repelled attacks by Kyiv's forces near Robotyne and Verbove.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke on Monday of different sectors of the front in his nightly video address but made no reference to Robotyne. He said Ukrainian forces were preparing responses to Russian plans "definitely. In a way they do not anticipate.”
Ukraine believes its fighters have broken through the most difficult line of Russian defences in the south and that they will now start advancing more quickly, a commander who led troops into Robotyne told Reuters last week.
Separately, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Monday any suggestion of differences with Washington over Ukraine's military strategy were "mistaken and invented".
He told a news conference that Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zalunzhniy was meeting "systematically" with senior officials from allied countries 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 said.
Media have reported on a meeting this month of senior NATO military chiefs and Ukraine's top general on resetting Ukraine's military strategy.
The New York Times last week quoted U.S. and other Western officials as saying that the offensive had made limited progress because Ukraine had too many troops in the wrong places.
FORTIFYING POSITIONS
A military spokesman told Ukrainian television Kyiv's forces were continuing to fortify their positions in Robotyne.
"Stabilisation measures, demining and preparations for further actions are under way," Oleksandr Shtupun said.
Maliar told Ukrainian television earlier that Kyiv's troops, who began their counteroffensive in early June, were now moving southeast of Robotyne and south of nearby Mala Tokmachka.
Ukrainian forces are also fighting Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, and progress has been slower than had been widely expected because they have encountered vast Russian minefields and trenches.
Maliar described the battlefield situation in the east as "very hot" in the past week. She said Russian troops were gathering new forces there and regrouping, and Moscow was aiming to deploy its best troops there.
Ukrainian forces had continued to advance south of Bakhmut, she said, referring to the shattered eastern city captured by Moscow's troops in May after months of fierce fighting.
** Five killed in Russian attacks in Ukraine, Ukrainian officials say
Three people were killed in an overnight Russian missile strike in central Ukraine, and two died in shelling later on Monday in the east and south. Ukrainian officials said.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the three people were killed at an industrial plant in central Poltava region. Five were wounded and another person was unaccounted for, he said.
Presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said those killed were night shift workers at a vegetable oil factory in the Myrhorod district and posted photos showing the plant in flames. Klymenko said the fire had later been extinguished.
Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of southern Kherson region, said a 63-year-old woman had been killed in the mid-morning shelling of the village of Sadove.
Russian shelling killed a man working outside his home in the early evening in Toretsk, in eastern Donetsk region, prosecutors said.
The Ukrainian military said Russia had launched four missiles from the Black Sea overnight. Two were shot down.
Other reports from Ukrainian officials described heavy Russian shelling of Marhanets, opposite the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with four people injured.
Regional officials reported three injured in the shelling of nine localities in northern Sumy region.
Ukraine's military also said central Kryvyi Rih region in had been struck in a missile attack. Local authorities said private houses were damaged, but reported no casualties.
The reports could not be independently confirmed. Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine 18 months ago, did not immediately comment.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Russia wipes out Ukrainian aircraft armament, ammo site in overnight precision strike
The Russian Navy delivered a multiple-launch precision strike, wiping out a Ukrainian aircraft armament and ammunition site over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.
"Last night, the Navy delivered a multiple-launch strike by seaborne long-range precision weapons against an aircraft armament and ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army," the spokesman said.
The goal of the strike was achieved. "The site was destroyed," the general stressed.
Russian forces repulse two Ukrainian attacks in Kupyansk area over past day
Russian forces repulsed two Ukrainian attacks in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the western battlegroup repulsed in their active operations supported by aircraft and artillery two enemy attacks near the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed as many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles and a D-20 howitzer in the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours, the general reported.
Russian forces destroy 60 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area over past day
Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, destroying roughly 60 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, two attacks by forces of the Ukrainian army’s 12th special operations brigade and 42nd mechanized brigade were repulsed by well-coordinated operations of units of the battlegroup Center, army aviation strikes, artillery and heavy flamethrower fires near the settlement of Kuzmino in the Lugansk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses in the Krasny Liman area totaled as many as 60 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a D-30 howitzer," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post in LPR over past day
Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian command post in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Near the settlement of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic, a command/observation post of the Ukrainian army’s 67th mechanized brigade was destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian forces repulse two Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces repulsed two Ukrainian army attacks in the Donetsk area, eliminating over 185 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of the southern battlegroup in interaction with aircraft and artillery repulsed two attacks by Ukrainian army assault groups in areas near the settlements of Kleshcheyevka and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses in the Donetsk direction totaled over 185 Ukrainian personnel," the spokesman said.
Russian forces also destroyed three Ukrainian armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery gun and a Grad multiple rocket launcher in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, the general reported.
Russian forces destroy 100 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces destroyed roughly 100 Ukrainian troops in the south Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"The enemy’s losses in the south Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 100 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, two D-20 guns and a Msta-B howitzer," the spokesman said.
Russian forces also repulsed two enemy attacks in the south Donetsk area over the past 24 hours, the general reported.
Russian forces repel seven Ukrainian attacks in Zaporozhye area over past day
Russian forces repelled seven Ukrainian army attacks in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian battlegroup, aircraft and artillery repelled seven attacks by the Ukrainian army’s 82nd air assault brigade and 46th air mobile brigade in areas near the settlements of Rabotino and Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroy 160 Ukrainian troops in Zaporozhye area over past day
Russian forces destroyed roughly 160 Ukrainian troops, two US-made artillery systems and two British howitzers in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"As many as 160 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, four motor vehicles, two US-made M777 artillery systems, an AS90 Braveheart self-propelled artillery system and an FH70 field gun of UK manufacture and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian forces eliminate 35 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area over past day
Russian forces eliminated roughly 35 Ukrainian troops and a US-made artillery system in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, as many as 35 Ukrainian personnel, three motor vehicles, a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted by firepower," the spokesman said.
Russian air defenses intercept three US-made JDAM smart bombs in Ukraine operation
Russian air defense forces intercepted three US-made JDAM guided bombs, one rocket of the US-manufactured HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Air defense capabilities intercepted three JDAM guided bombs and a rocket of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the spokesman said.
During the last 24-hour period, Russian air defense systems also destroyed 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Druzhelyubovka and Voskresenka in the Kherson Region, Lisichansk in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Mirnoye and Pologi in the Zaporozhye Region, Paraskoviyevka, Novoandreyevka, Lidiyevka and Soledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general reported.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian troops, military hardware in 128 areas over past day
During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical and army aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces struck Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 128 areas, the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 466 Ukrainian warplanes, 247 combat helicopters, 6,179 unmanned aerial vehicles, 433 surface-to-air missile systems, 11,538 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,146 multiple rocket launchers, 6,095 field artillery guns and mortars and 12,480 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
Reuters/Tass