Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces begins, says think tank

The long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces seems to have commenced, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank based in Washington, DC. While Ukrainian officials have not yet confirmed the operation, the ISW has observed a general uptick in military activity across the entire front line.

Ukrainian forces have reportedly gained territory in the Bakhmut region, where they are on the offensive. The counteroffensive is expected to consist of numerous undertakings in various locations, with varying intensity and duration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised the “results” of heavy fighting in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, although he has not explicitly confirmed the counteroffensive.

Other experts and news outlets, including NBC News and The Washington Post, have also reported the beginning of the Ukrainian offensive. Michael Kofman of the Center for Naval Analyses has noted that the fighting has taken a “more qualitative turn,” with Ukrainian forces appearing to mount offensive operations in several areas.

Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull, reporting from Kyiv, has stated that Ukraine is likely engaged in a series of probing attacks and shaping operations ahead of the counteroffensive. These actions aim to probe Russian weaknesses, search for vulnerabilities, and keep Russia guessing.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported a two-hour battle between Russian and Ukrainian troops in the Zaporizhia region, involving 1,500 soldiers and 150 armoured vehicles. The ISW has warned that the initial phase of Ukraine’s counteroffensive operations will likely be the most costly and difficult, with potential heavy losses in lives and equipment as troops attempt to penetrate Russia’s defensive positions.