“There is progress”
Kyiv reports terrain gains, Moscow shoots down drones
September 11, 2023, 4:58 a.m
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Ukraine’s counteroffensive against the Russian invaders is progressing slowly. President Zelenskyy emphasizes progress in the south of the country and around Bakhmut. Moscow meanwhile announced that it was repelling a drone attack in the Belgorod region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has spoken of progress on the front. “There has been progress in the last seven days,” he said in his daily video address on Sunday evening. There is movement both in the south of Ukraine in the Zaporizhia region and around the Russian-occupied city of Bakhmut.
In other sectors of the front, positions were successfully defended against Russian attacks, he added. The head of state also discussed the strong Russian missile and drone attacks in recent days. He thanked firefighters, rescue workers, police officers and volunteers who helped free those buried from the rubble in the cities of Kostiantynivka, Kryvyi Rih, Sumy and the Odessa region.
In Kostiantynivka, 16 people were killed in an impact. According to Zelensky, one person was killed and 60 people were injured in Kryvyi Rih as a result of Russian rocket fire on a police station. Zelensky also confirmed the Russian shelling of international aid workers from the rescue organization Road to Relief on Sunday near Bakhmut near the front. A Canadian and a Spanish woman were killed and a German and a Swede were injured and taken to hospital. “They will be provided with all the necessary help,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine: Part of Opytne liberated
Meanwhile, the head of Avdiivka’s military administration, Vitaly Barabash, announced Ukrainian territorial gains in the east of the country. On the Avdiivka section of the front north of the city of Donetsk, which has been occupied by Russian forces since 2014, it was possible to liberate part of the Opytne settlement, he said on Ukrainian television on Sunday. The information could not immediately be independently verified.
Opytne is located on the southern edge of the small town of Avdiivka. According to Barabash, the Russian military concentrated its offensive efforts north of Avdiivka a few days ago, ignoring the situation south of the city. The Ukrainians would have responded with a quick attack in this direction. “The enemy probably missed it a bit,” said Barabasch. According to him, the fighting in Opytne continues.
Drone attack in Belgorod region
Meanwhile, Russia says it has repelled another Ukrainian drone attack in the Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine. The Defense Ministry in Moscow said air defense shot down two drones over the region during the night.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram that the two drones were shot down over Yakovlevsky District, which lies north and west of the city of Belgorod. There were no fatalities. Debris from the drones fell onto a street near a private residential building.
Drone attacks on Russian territory have increased since Ukraine launched its counteroffensive against Russian troops in June. According to Russian information, two drones were destroyed on the night of last Thursday over the city of Rostov-on-Don, which is an important logistical center for the Russian armed forces.