Ukraine’s military says it has achieved success on one of its first fronts in southeastern Ukraine, as Western officials talk of a major push.
In a video released by President Zelensky, Ukrainian troops said they had captured the village of Staromyursk.
The village, 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the city of Zaporizhzhya, was liberated under heavy artillery fire and airstrikes, the army said.
Ukraine has not confirmed that it has stepped up its retaliation.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin said attacks in Ukraine had “significantly” intensified.
He told reporters in St. Petersburg that he had no success: “All counter-offensive efforts were stopped, and the enemy was driven back with heavy casualties.”
Oleksandr Khodakovsky, the leader of the Russian-backed militia, denied Mr Putin, saying Ukraine had methodically shelled Staromairské for days and had taken advantage, holding on to the outskirts.
President Zelensky posted a video of soldiers raising the Ukrainian flag in the village, and Defense Minister Hina Miliar said they were now “continuing to finish the settlement”.
Russian military blogger War Gonzo said the news was troubling because the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia in Staromyur was a key Russian outpost on the front line.
Russia’s war bloggers are considered an alternative source of information from the frontline in the absence of official accounts.
Ukraine’s retaliation began last month on several fronts, but so far has seen few clear successes. Generals in Kyiv have warned that quick results are almost impossible to achieve because of Russia’s strong defensive lines and rows of minefields.
General Oleksandr Tarnavski, in charge of operations in the south, told JEE News that “any defense can be breached but you need patience, time and skillful action”.
While there has been no word yet from Kyiv, U.S. defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have told U.S. outlets that a new push has begun in the Ukrainian retaliation.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War said a “severe frontal attack” was launched towards Robotine, southeast of the city of Zaporozhye and about 10 kilometers (6 mi) south of the town of Orkhiv.
War Gonzo said Ukrainian forces were shelling Russian forces in the northern and eastern outskirts of Robotyn, although Kyiv did not confirm this. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian attacks there had been repelled.
Ukrainian observers have warned that talk of a new phase in retaliation is premature. Military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko said Ukrainian forces were getting close to breaking through Russian defense lines in the south, but it was too early to say they had done so.
Defense Minister Hina Maliar has spoken of “gradual progress” in the push towards the two Ukrainian cities of Melitopol and Berdyansk. Any advance towards either city would mark a decisive step in the military campaign.
If Ukrainian forces manage to make further progress in Robotyne, the next settlement to the south is Tokmak on the road to Melitopol.
One area where Ukraine has said it is making advances is south of the eastern city of Bakhmut, which Russian forces captured after a long and fierce battle that left it in ruins.
Ms Miliar said Ukrainian forces were advancing gradually and fighting was taking place in three villages on the front line directly south of the city. “The fighting is quite intense. The enemy fire is intense,” he said.
In a separate development, Ukraine’s parliament has voted to extend martial law for another 90 days, barring men of fighting age from leaving the country.
Martial law was imposed when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The vote also means parliamentary elections in October will be delayed.
