AFU are conducting counteroffensive in four directions, - ISW
The defence forces continue to advance near Bakhmut and have made some progress in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
This is stated in a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Censor.NET reports.
The authors of the report note that on 9 June, Ukrainian troops continued counter-offensive operations in at least four areas of the frontline.
For example, the Russian Ministry of Defence said that Ukrainians attacked near Kreminna. Ukrainian officials said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had advanced near Bakhmut. Also, the Defence Forces continued limited counter-offensive operations near the border of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions and ground attacks in western Zaporizhzhia region.
Analysts point out that Ukrainian officials have explicitly acknowledged that they expect to lose equipment during counter-offensive operations.
Key findings of ISW:
- On 9 June, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the Ukrainian counter-offensive had only recently begun and noted that Ukrainian forces still had offensive capabilities.
- Ukrainian officials have explicitly acknowledged that Ukrainian forces expect to lose equipment in the course of counter-offensive operations.
- On the night of 8-9 June, Russian troops launched missile attacks on Ukrainian territory.
- The White House announced on 9 June that Iran is helping Russia build a drone manufacturing plant in Yelabuga, Tatarstan, Russia, underscoring the growing military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow despite Western sanctions.
- Russian and Ukrainian forces conducted limited and localised ground attacks south of Kreminna.
- Russian troops continued ground attacks in the area of Bakhmut and on the Avdiivka-Donetsk line.
- The Ukrainian armed forces continued limited ground attacks on the administrative border between Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions and in the west of Zaporizhzhia region.
