Zelenskyy Claims Ukrainian Troops Made A Big Loss During Retaliatory Attacks On Russia

Ukrainian Military/PHOTO via Instagram @uaf_general_staff

JAKARTA - Ukrainian forces continued to launch retaliatory attacks on the front lines around two cities in the east of the country on Friday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims Russian forces suffered heavy losses.

Russia says its forces have seized two new villages in their slow forwards through Ukraine's east and south, but its defense ministry has not named any Ukrainian attacks near the cities of Pokrovsk and Dobropillia.

Zelenskyy, in his speech, said the retaliatory attack had thwarted Russia's plans to achieve their long-term goal of seizing the Pokrovsk logistics center.

"That is one of Russia's most offensive locations, and they cannot launch a full attack there. Our military is destroying their troops," Zelenskyy said.

"Russia has suffered significant losses, and the 'exchange funds' for our country have been significantly refilled - every day more and more Russian prisoners have been arrested," he continued.

Ukraine's supreme commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, wrote on Telegram his troops had advanced for three to seven km (two to four miles) through Russia's defenses.

In his video address, Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces maintained their position around Kupiansk -- an area in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region that had been targeted by Russian attacks for months.

On Thursday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops had reclaimed seven settlements and 160 square km (62 square miles) around Pokrovsk and Dobropillia since operations began. Nine other settlements have been "cleared" from enemy forces.

The Donetsk region, which is only partially occupied by Russia but Moscow wants Kyiv to leave before any settlement of peace remains the location of the fiercest fighting.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had seized two more locations -- Muravka, southwest of Pokrovsk, and Novoivinka, further southwest in the Zaporizhia region.

The general staff of the Ukrainian military registered Muravka as one of several settlements where its troops had halted 87 attacks near Pokrovsk.

A senior official in the Russian-appointed government in the Moscow-controlled Donetsk region told Russia's TASS Russian news agency Russian troops have now taken control of all other roads and logistics around Pokrovsk.

Reuters was unable to independently verify warfield reports from both sides.