Dismissing Criticism About Counterattacks, President Zelensky Makes Sure His Troops Record Progress On The Battlefield

President Zelensky visited Ukrainian troops on the front lines. (Source: President.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - President Volodymyrz Zelensky said on Sunday that Ukrainian troops who carried out retaliatory attacks against Russian occupation forces had made progress over the past week in the south front, as well as movements in the eastern region of Bakhmut, dismissed recent criticisms.

President Zelensky's latest comments about the state of the retaliatory attack that has lasted for three months, such as confirming the assessment of other officials regarding progress, however small it is in the eastern and southern regions.

"Over the past seven days we have made progress in the (south) Tavria sector," President Zelensky said in his evening video address.

"There is a movement in the Bakhmut sector. Yes, there is a movement," he said.

President Zelensky further said Ukrainian troops remained on other fronts in the east, Avdivka and Maryinka near the focus of Russia's main attacks, Serya Lyman and Kupiansk, were also targeted by Russia's efforts to advance further north.

Near Avdivka, the head of local military rule, said Ukrainian forces were using Russian troops focused on one sector to advance and seize parts of Oppytne Village in the south of the city.

"In my opinion, this is very important. To be honest, the enemy ignores this southern direction a little," Vitaliy Barabash told national television.

Barabash called the attack a "catastrophe operation", saying fighting was taking place in the settlements.

It is known that Avdivka, the location of the main kokas factory, was almost constantly attacked by Russia for months.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported success near Bakhmut, the location of the fierce battle for nearly a year until it was seized by Russian forces in May.

In its evening report, the General Staff reported "part of the success as a result of the attack operation" near Klishchiivka, a village at the southern altitude of Bakhmut, which was deemed important to retake the city.

The report also describes the measure of success near Robotyne, a settlement captured by Ukraine late last month, as part of its journey to the south through Russia-controlled territory to the Azov Sea.

President Zelensky and other officials said the retaliatory attack took time and they dismissed criticism in Western media that the attack was too slow due to a tactical error, such as placing troops at the wrong location.

In an interview with The Economist published on Sunday, President Zelensky said stable progress was essential to maintaining morale.

"Now we have movement. This is important," he said, quoted by the publication.

And President Zelensky did not rule out the possibility of major breakthroughs in the future.

"If we push them from the south, they will run," he said.