Ukraine's counter-offensive will continue after cold weather starts - Budanov

This was reported by Reuters.

"Combat actions will continue in one way or another. In the cold, wet and mud, it is more difficult to fight. Fighting will continue. The counteroffensive will continue," Budanov said.

It is noted that his comments made at a conference in Kyiv are currently the most convincing evidence that Ukraine does not plan to stop its offensive, even when the weather changes.

The head of Ukrainian intelligence added that the counter-offensive is taking place in several directions. At the same time, he admitted that the advance is slower than desired, and described the situation as difficult.

In addition to the huge concentration of Russian mines, Budanov named a large number of small Russian kamikaze drones as a key factor that has so far slowed down Ukraine's progress.

Ukrainian Armed Forces counter-offensive: latest updates 

The White House said on Friday (1 September) that the United States had observed significant progress by Ukrainian defenders south of Zaporizhzhia over the past 72 hours.

The New York Times reported that in order to stop the advance of Ukrainian troops in Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian forces have invented a new tactic - they pour flammable substances on minefields and set them on fire.

Since the beginning of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the Armed Forces have de-occupied a total area of 47 square kilometres near Bakhmut. Last week alone, the defenders liberated 3 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory.

On 6 September, Ilya Yevlash, the head of the press service of the Eastern Military Group, said that urban fighting was continuing in Klishchiyivka, and Russia was withdrawing with losses.

Later, the ISW confirmed that the Defence Forces had made progress in the area of Verbove in Zaporizhzhia.

On Friday, 8 September, it became known that Ukrainian defenders had succeeded in the area south of Robotyne. 

On 9 September, the Ukrainian military advanced in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions as part of a counter-offensive. The Armed Forces achieved success south of Klishchiyivka.