Zelenskyy: Russia devoting all resources to halt Ukrainian army's advancement

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine cautioned that Russia was utilising every available resource in its military campaign to impede Kyiv’s troops from making progress in their counteroffensive in the southern and eastern regions of the country. Although Ukrainian officials acknowledged that the long-awaited operation to push back Russian forces was proceeding at a slower pace than anticipated, reports of battlefield advancements by Ukraine have emerged.

Zelenskyy emphasized, “We must all understand very clearly – as clearly as possible – that the Russian forces on our southern and eastern lands are investing everything they can to stop our warriors.” He expressed gratitude for each success achieved by Ukrainian combat brigades, stating, “Every thousand meters we advance, every success of each of our combat brigades deserves gratitude.” Zelenskyy also mentioned receiving an “important report” on the security situation in neighboring Belarus, which he closely monitors, but reassured the public that there were currently no large-scale threats.

Meanwhile, developments in Belarus revealed that Russia’s Wagner mercenary group had reached an agreement to train Belarusian troops.

The Belarusian defense ministry announced that they had established a roadmap with Wagner for future training and experience-sharing between different branches of their armed forces.

A video released by the ministry showcased Wagner fighters providing instruction to Belarusian soldiers at a training ground near Asipovichy, approximately 90 kilometers southeast of Minsk.

Although the ministry did not specify the extent of Wagner’s involvement in Belarusian military training, it is worth noting that the mutinous mercenary force found sanctuary in Belarus after terminating its rebellion against the Russian military leadership last month. Belarus has emerged as President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in his war on Ukraine.

Regarding the progress of the Ukrainian offensive, Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, acknowledged on Friday that the fighting had been challenging for Ukrainian forces, and the offensive was proceeding at a slower pace. Yermak clarified that Western allies, who have provided substantial military aid to Kyiv, were not pressuring Ukraine to advance more quickly. Instead, they were offering assistance and asking, “How can we help you further?”

Ukraine’s General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of Ukrainian forces in the south, reported after a meeting with President Zelenskyy that his troops were systematically displacing the enemy from their positions.

He noted that enemy losses over the past 24 hours were estimated to be at least 200. In contrast, Russia’s defense ministry stated in its daily report that its forces successfully repelled 16 Ukrainian attacks on the eastern front, including near the contested town of Maryinka and the strategically significant village of Klishchiivka on Bakhmut’s southern periphery.

Military analyst Serhiy Hrabskyi warned of the challenging situation in the south, particularly in advancing towards Berdyansk, a port on the Sea of Azov. He stated that the enemy was offering significant resistance to impede Ukraine’s southward progress.

The Ukrainian counteroffensive, ongoing for several weeks, has focused on capturing villages in the southeast, aiming to reach the Sea of Azov and areas near the eastern city of Bakhmut, which fell to Russian forces in May after months of fierce battles primarily led by Wagner fighters. Ukrainian forces aspire to sever the land bridge that Russian forces have established with the annexed Crimean peninsula.