Ukraine Begins Long-Anticipated Counteroffensive Against Russian forces
Ukrainian soldiers ride on tanks near the front line of Chasiv Yar in April 2023 | Photo Credit: Oleksandr Klymenko/Reuters
On June 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that “counteroffensive and defensive actions are being taken in Ukraine.” During a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, on a surprise visit to Kyiv, Zelenskyy admitted that the long awaited spring counteroffensive against Russian forces occupying parts of eastern Ukraine had begun. However, he remained cautious not to reveal too much. “At what stage [the operation is at], I will not disclose in detail.” he reminded reporters.
Backed by Western support, the Ukrainian army hopes to retake not only the areas of Eastern Ukraine that Russia invaded in 2022, but also the region of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. However, this is an ambitious goal. Russian forces are now well entrenched in their positions. Months of a relatively static front line have given them time to build defenses, including trenches, minefields, and anti-tank barriers consisting of concrete pyramids called “dragon’s teeth.” Most of these defenses are concentrated in the south.
Strategic priorities for Ukraine include breaking through this southern section of the frontline and retaking the “land bridge” between Russia and Crimea, cutting off Russian access to the peninsula and splitting their forces in two. Another significant victory would be the recapture of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, which has important strategic value as a source of electricity for Ukraine.
The success or failure of the operation will undoubtedly influence future support for the war among Western nations that have been providing arms to Ukraine. Previous counteroffensives were successful earlier in the war, as demonstrated by the recapture of a swath of territory around Kharkiv in autumn 2022, as well as the city of Kherson in the south.
As of June 11, the Ukrainian army claimed to have captured the small towns of Blahodatne, Makarivka, and Neskuchne in the Donetsk province. Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson of the Russian Defence Ministry, contended that the Russian army had repelled Ukrainian advances in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia provinces. Reuters confirmed that two villages had been recaptured by Ukraine in Donetsk. Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar stated that Ukraine had retaken seven villages on June 12. She also attested that advances of nearly one kilometre had been made near the port cities of Mariupol and Berdyansk.
“Over 100 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory was retaken under control,” said Ukrainian Brigadier-General Oleksii Hromov in a media briefing on June 15. This is one of Kyiv’s most significant advances in several months. Hromov also reported advances of three kilometers in Zaporizhzhia Province and seven kilometers in Donetsk Province.
Meanwhile, the Kakhovka dam and power plant on the Dnipro River was destroyed on June 6, releasing vast amounts of water from the Kakhovka reservoir and causing a humanitarian crisis as cities and towns downstream were flooded, including Kherson. In the south, Ukraine controls the western bank of the Dnipro while Russia controls the eastern. The flooding is predicted to make it more difficult for Ukrainian forces to cross the Dnipro River and retake land on the eastern bank controlled by Russia. Ukraine and Russia have each blamed the other for the disaster. According to The New York Times, the evidence suggests that Russia was responsible for the explosion.
The Ukrainian government requests that the counteroffensive not be discussed, and has created a series of videos asking people to refrain from talking about it. One video showed Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, sitting at a desk without speaking for 30 seconds. It was titled “Plans love silence.”