Russia was reported to have moved troops to the southern Donetsk front, including 20 attack helicopters, from the Kherson region, where the destruction of the Kakhovka dam has reduced the potential of Ukrainian forces to cross the enlarged Dnipro. Russia’s defence ministry claimed on Monday that its forces had fought off a Ukrainian attempt to take the village of Novodonetske in the eastern Donetsk region, on the road to Mariupol, close to where Ukrainian forces have enjoyed recent success, according to Reuters. In a phone call on Monday, the British prime minister, Rishi Sunak, told Volodymyr Zelenskiy that it was clear the Ukrainian counteroffensive was “making good progress”, Downing Street said. Our troops act courageously in the face of the enemy’s superiority in forces and means, and do not allow the enemy to advance.” Therefore, it has concentrated a significant number of units in the east, in particular the airborne assault units. Currently, this is the enemy’s main offensive line. “The enemy does not abandon his plans to reach the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. High activity of enemy shelling is recorded. She said: “The enemy has raised its forces and is conducting an active offensive in the Lyman and Kupyan directions, trying to seize the initiative from us.

Maliar said the situation in the east of the country was “difficult” after initial positive reports over advances around Bakhmut. “The Russians have transferred additional units there and increased the amount of shelling,” she said. Maliar said Ukrainian troops were coming up against fierce resistance in the east of the country, particularly around Bakhmut, the symbolically important town captured recently by Russia after months of close combat fighting and heavy casualties. Glory to Ukraine,” an unidentified soldier said in a video that could not be independently verified. The Russians ran away, leaving equipment and ammunition. “Today, 18 June, the forces of 128 Assault Brigade chased out the Russians from the village of Piatykhatky.

Ukraine’s border guard service released images of several Ukrainian service personnel holding their national flag at Piatykhatky.

Dream tanks