South Front
File image.
As of June 18, heavy fighting continued in the Zaporozhye and south Donetsk sectors as Kiev forces made new attempts to advance along the frontline.
In Zaporozhye, Kiev forces renewed their attacks in the directions of the settlements of Orekhov and Pyatihatki despite sustaining heavy material and human losses a day earlier. Videos and photos from the sector showed Russian service members capturing Ukrainian troops, some of whom were trained by NATO.
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The footage also shows destroyed military equipment, including American-made MaxxPro mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles.
Meanwhile in Donetsk, clashes are taking place near the settlement of Mariinka as well as in the Ugleadar area. However, Kiev forces have so far failed to make any gains.
The Kaskad battalion released video footage showing the destruction of a Ukrainian T-72 main battle tank with a Lancet loitering munition.
Furthermore, the Russian Center Group of Forces said in a statement that its artillery hit two gatherings of Ukrainian equipment in the direction of Krasno-Limansky. In addition, two 120 mm mortars and an ammunition transport vehicle were destroyed.
In addition, assault and aviation units of the group of troops carried out missile strikes on eight gatherings of manpower and artillery positions of Kiev forces.
Moreover, in the area of Serebryansky forestry, the movement of Ukrainian troops from the 67th Mechanized Brigade was discovered by the Center Group of Forces. As a result of the strike by the aviation and artillery of the group, an infantry fighting vehicle was destroyed, and a number of troops were killed or wounded.
In a related development, the Ukrainian United 24 initiative announced that it had raised $325 million and trained 10,000 drone operators since the start of the year as part of the Army of Drones project.
Ukraine launched its so-called spring counteroffensive on June 4. Despite sustaining heavy losses and failing to reach the Russian first line of defense, Kiev has apparently decided to step up its offensive operations across the frontline. Political pressure by backers in the West may be behind this escalation.
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