Ukrainian Counterattack: Kyiv Army Successfully Crosses Oskil River, Threats Russian Troop Positions in Donbas

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed not to give up the battle to retake lost territory from Russia, as Kyiv said his troops had advanced to the east bank of the Oskil River, threatening the Russian occupation forces in the Donbas.

Crossing Oskil is another important milestone in the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the northeastern region of Kharkiv as it flows south into the Donets Siversky River, which passes through Lughansk, one of the two provinces of the Donbas region.

The Donbas is the traditional industrial heart of Ukraine which consists of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Ukrainian troops "have pushed across Oskil. As of yesterday, Ukraine controls the eastern bank," the Ukrainian Armed Forces wrote in Telegram late Sunday.

As for Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of the Lugansk region, wrote on Telegram: "The Lugansk region is right next door. Deoccupation is coming soon."

President Zelensky vowed to keep pressure on Moscow, after Ukraine made quick gains in Kharkiv this month.

"Perhaps for some of you, after a string of victories, we now have some sort of respite," he said in his evening address.

"But there will be no pause. There is preparation for the next series. For Ukraine it must be free. All of that," he said.

Separately, US President Joe Biden said victory for Ukraine meant removing Russian troops from across the country, and pledging US support for as long as needed.

"Winning the war in Ukraine is getting Russia out of Ukraine completely, and recognizing sovereignty. They defeated Russia," explained the President in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" broadcast.

"Russia turned out to be incompetent and capable as many people thought," Biden said.

Meanwhile, Russian artillery pounded towns and villages on the front lines in the east and south on Sunday, including civilian infrastructure in the city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials said.

Britain says Russian forces have expanded attacks on civilian infrastructure following battlefield setbacks and are likely to expand their targets even further.

"In the face of setbacks on the front lines, Russia may have expanded its available locations for attack in an attempt to directly undermine the morale of the Ukrainian people and government," the British Ministry of Defence said.

Ukraine's southern command said Monday attacks were also launched on a radar station near Kherson and on a pontoon crossing near Nova Kakhovka east of Kherson, where Ukraine's counteroffensive was focused on destroying bridges across the Dnipro and Inhulets rivers.

Separately, Ukraine's general defense staff said its troops had repelled Russian attacks in the residential areas of Mykolaivka Druga, Vesela Dolyna and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.

Kyiv also hit "enemy targets" including air defenses and ammunition in several strikes, he added.