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Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in June, but well-prepared
Russian defense lines reinforced by minefields have slowed their
southward advance towards the Sea of Azov.
Ukrainian forces said on Wednesday they had raised the national
flag in the settlement of Robotyne in the southern Zaporizhzhia
region, about 10 km (six miles) south of the frontline town of
Orikhiv.
"We don't stop here," said a commander who led some of the
troops into Robotyne and who uses the callsign "Skala,"
eponymous with the battalion which he leads.
"Next we have (the town of) Berdiansk, and then more. I made it
clear to my fighters at once: our goal is not Robotyne, our goal
is (the Sea of) Azov."
Robotyne is about 100 km from Berdiansk, a port on the shores of
the Sea of Azov, and 85 km from the strategic city of Melitopol.
Both are occupied by Russian forces following Moscow's
full-scale invasion in February last year.
Moscow has not confirmed that Ukraine has advanced into Robotyne.
A U.S. official said last week that Ukrainian forces did not
appear likely to be able to reach and retake Melitopol in their
counteroffensive, intended to split Russian forces in the south.
Defending Ukraine's strategy this week, President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy dismissed suggestions that his country's troops were
spread too thinly and repeated his belief that Kyiv would regain
all Ukrainian territory that has been seized by Moscow.
"We have passed the main roads that were mined. We are coming to
those lines where we can go (forward). I'm sure we'll go faster
from here," Skala said.
He said two houses were still under Russian control in Robotyne:
"We're fighting for them, and then we'll have full control (of
Robotyne)."
Skala said Ukrainian troops had now entered territories where
there were only "Russian logistics" groups, and where he made
clear he did not expect Russian defences to be as difficult to
break through.
"We are moving on to liberate all our territories," he said.
(Reporting by Vladyslav Smilianets; Writing by Pavel Polityuk;
Editing by Timothy Heritage, David Gregorio and Frances Kerry)
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