Russia hopes to change frontline by striking in east, puts most efforts there 

This was reported by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defence Hanna Maliar.

"The eastern front remains the epicentre of hostilities for the enemy. The strategic directions of its offensive are there. The Russian army believes that by striking at eastern Ukraine, they will be able to turn the tide on the frontline. Therefore, the greatest efforts are now being made in the east," the statement said.

It is noted that the Ukrainian military continues to repel enemy attacks in the Kupyansk, Lyman and Svatove directions. According to Maliar, heavy fighting is taking place there, and the number of enemy attacks has increased.  

According to Maliar, the goal of the Russian occupiers is to draw the Defence Forces to these areas from the direction where the Ukrainian Armed Forces are conducting an offensive and break through the Ukrainian defence.

In addition, in the Kupyansk sector, the Russian enemy has set itself the goal of regaining the territories lost in the autumn of 2022.

"This is a difficult and exhausting struggle, but our defenders do not allow the enemy to implement their plans," said Hanna Maliar.

According to her, the situation in the Bakhmut sector is also difficult. On the southern flank, Ukrainian troops are gradually advancing through heavy artillery fire and mines. On the northern flank, the Russian enemy is attacking - the Ukrainian Armed Forces are repelling the attacks. It is noted that in this direction, the Russians also want to regain lost ground.

Also in the east, the Russian enemy is attacking the Avdiivka and Marinka directions. There are fierce battles there, but Ukrainian defenders are not allowing the enemy to advance.

What is known about the Ukrainian counter-offensive

On June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive on the southern frontline, continuing a series of offensive operations near Bakhmut and in other directions.

On June 19, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Maliar reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated Pyatykhatky, Zaporizhzhia region, and advanced up to 7 km in the Tavria direction.

On June 24, the Ukrainian Defense Forces officially confirmed the liberation of the territories near Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region, which had been under occupation since 2014.

On June 26, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar also said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had de-occupied the village of Rivnopil, Donetsk region. It is located in the Volnovakha district of the Donetsk region. The Russian army occupied the village in March 2022.

The Defense Ministry reported that as of July 17, since the beginning of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' counteroffensive in the Bakhmut sector, the military had liberated an area of more than 30 km². In the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions, almost 180 km² of Ukrainian land were de-occupied.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday, July 23, that the Defense Forces have recaptured half of the territory that Russia has occupied since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

On July 25, the ISW stated that Ukraine's counteroffensive would not be fast and easy.

On July 25, the Ukrainian Defense Forces drove the Russians out of their positions near Andriivka in the Bakhmut direction, and in the Staromayorske area, they succeeded and are consolidating their positions. The Ukrainian Armed Forces restrained the Russian offensive near Marinka and repelled enemy attacks in other areas.

On July 26, the General Staff reported that the Defense Forces continued to advance in three directions. Instead, the Russian occupiers are trying to regain the lost position near Robotyno in Zaporizhzhia region. Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar said that the Defense Forces continue to successfully conduct offensive actions on the southern flank around Bakhmut. Fierce fighting continues in the area of Klishchiiivka, Kurdyumivka and Andriivka.

US officials said on July 26 that Ukraine told them that the army is now engaged in a major counteroffensive, moving more troops and equipment to the most western of the three fronts, near Zaporizhzhia.  

The Institute for the Study of War reported that on July 26, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a mechanized counteroffensive operation in Zaporizhzhia region and may have broken through enemy defensive positions near Orikhiv.

On July 27, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled several enemy attacks in the Kupyansk sector without losing ground, and in the Bakhmut sector our soldiers gradually moved forward. The fighting was quite fierce. The enemy was firing intensively. The General Staff reported that the Defense Forces were conducting an offensive at the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions.

On the same day, it became known that Ukrainian soldiers had liberated the village of Staromayorske in Donetsk region.

On July 31, it was reported that during the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian military liberated more than 204 square kilometers of territory in the south, and another 37 square kilometers in the Bakhmut direction.

On August 2, it was reported that the Russian occupiers are trying to reclaim their lost grounds in the Donetsk region, namely in the Bakhmut and Shakhtarsk directions.

Analysts at The New York Times reported that the Russians are overstretched, experiencing problems with logistics, supply, personnel and weapons, and it is becoming apparent how they are beginning to retreat.

On August 2, 44 combat engagements occurred at the front. The enemy tried to restore the lost position on the Bakhmut and Shakhtarsk directions.

Analysts at The New York Times reported that the Russian forces are overstretched, experiencing problems with logistics, supplies, personnel and weapons, and it is becoming apparent that they are beginning to retreat.