Ukraine advances in counteroffensive, NATO pledges support, US announces US$325m aid

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised the progress of his troops as they advance near the city of Bakhmut in the east and on the southern front. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has also acknowledged Ukraine’s progress in its counteroffensive against Russia, promising increased support from NATO leaders in their upcoming meeting. In contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukraine’s counteroffensive was failing, with Kyiv suffering losses 10 times greater than Russia’s.

Putin also mentioned the loss of Western-supplied military vehicles by Ukraine. Russia’s defence ministry released a video showing captured German-made Leopard tanks and US-made Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Al Jazeera’s defence editor, Alex Gatopoulos, stated that Ukraine has been successful in masking its strategic aims by using feints, disinformation, and shuffling troops, keeping Russian military planners guessing.

In other developments, Ukraine reported a “massive missile attack” on the city of Kryvyi Rih, resulting in at least 11 deaths and 28 injuries. Putin countered by accusing Ukraine of attacking the Nova Kakhovka dam, causing last week’s breach. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia’s Wagner Group, expressed uncertainty about whether his mercenaries would remain in Ukraine due to conflicts with the Russian defence ministry.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s chief, Rafael Grossi, plans to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to assess the effects of the dam breach. France has uncovered a Russia-linked misinformation campaign targeting its government websites and media outlets. Putin also mentioned a “peace plan” for Ukraine, calling for an end to Western arms supplies to Kyiv.

The US has announced a new US$325m military aid package for Kyiv, including munitions for air defence systems, ammunition, and vehicles. Defence ministers from the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led alliance of European countries, have announced a new US$116m package of air defence capabilities for Ukraine. Germany is preparing to send over 100 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine by the end of the year, according to Die Welt newspaper.