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05-06-2023
MOSCOW: On Monday, Russia announced that its forces successfully thwarted a major offensive launched by Ukraine at multiple locations along the front in southern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. The clash resulted in the deaths of hundreds of pro-Kyiv troops, according to Russian authorities. It remains uncertain whether this reported attack 
marks the beginning of a long-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive to reclaim territory seized by Russian forces after the February 2022 invasion.
Russia’s defence ministry disclosed that Ukraine initiated the assault with six mechanized and two tank battalions in the southern Donetsk region, an area where Moscow had long suspected Ukraine would attempt to penetrate Russian-controlled territory. In a statement posted on Telegram at 1:30 a.m.
The defence ministry explained Moscow time: “On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the South Donetsk direction. The enemy’s goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable sector of the front according to their assessment. However, the enemy failed to achieve its objectives.”
The authenticity of the Russian statement could not be immediately verified, and there was no immediate response from the Ukrainian defence ministry or military regarding the incident.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov posted a cryptic message on Twitter on Sunday, quoting lyrics from Depeche Mode’s song “Enjoy the Silence.” His tweet read, “Words are very unnecessary. They can only do harm.”
Last week, Ukraine released a dramatic video showcasing troops preparing for battle and reciting an inspiring chant, subsequently used as a recruiting clip. In response, Russia’s defence ministry released a video purporting to show several Ukrainian armored vehicles exploding in a field after being targeted.
According to the Russian defence ministry, their forces killed 250 Ukrainian troops and destroyed 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, and 21 armored combat vehicles during the clash. The accuracy of this claim could not be independently verified, and requests for comment from the Ukrainian defence ministry and military went unanswered.
Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who oversees Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine, was present in the area during the Ukrainian attack, as stated by the ministry. “Gerasimov was at one of the advanced command posts,” the ministry added. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
