FRONT LINES >> Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says forces advancing ‘in all directions’...The president’s office posted four videos of Zelenskyy’s journey on Monday, which he said covered “hundreds of kilometres” and appeared to present encounters with his troops in at least three locations on the front lines.

During his visit to the Donetsk Oblast, President Zelenskyy stopped at a gas station for a coffee break and took photos with Ukrainian soldiers. 

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday praised Ukrainian forces for advancing “in all directions,” after he spent the day visiting and distributing awards to troops on the frontline in parts of eastern and southern Ukraine. 

• In a regular intelligence briefing, Britain’s Defence Ministry supported the claim that Ukrainian forces had made “small advances” near Krasnohorivka.

  • The ministry said it was “one of the first instances” that Ukrainian forces had “highly likely recaptured an area of territory occupied by Russia since 2014”.

Ukraine claims recapture of land held by Russia since 2014

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reports gains in Kyiv's counter-offensive

Ukrainian troops near the front line in Donetsk where Kyiv is looking to recapture territory. Reuters

Tim Stickings

Jun 27, 2023

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Ukraine claims to have retaken land in its counter-offensive against Russia that pro-Kremlin forces had held since 2014.

The capture of territory near Krasnohorivka was announced by Ukrainian brigadier general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi.

Ukrainian defence chiefs said Russia had shelled the area amid fighting in the eastern Donetsk region.

The area is close to the “line of control” that used to separate Kyiv’s forces from pro-Russian separatists who entered Ukraine in 2014.

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Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin: I was not trying to overthrow Putin

Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 moved the battle lines, but Ukraine is aiming to retake land beyond what it held at that time.

In a regular intelligence briefing, Britain’s Defence Ministry supported the claim that Ukrainian forces had made “small advances” near Krasnohorivka.

• The ministry said it was “one of the first instances” that Ukrainian forces had “highly likely recaptured an area of territory occupied by Russia since 2014”.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an overnight address that his troops had “advanced in all directions”.

“This is a happy day,” he said after visiting troops near the front line.

Senior Ukrainian officials have said the recent political crisis in Russia could give Kyiv’s forces an opening on the battlefield.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said “devastating consequences” had been avoided after a mutiny by Wagner mercenaries was called off before it reached Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Ukrainian commanders near the front line on Monday. EPA

DNyuz

8 hours ago

UKRAINE UPDATES — Zelenskyy said Ukraine's forces are advancing 'in all directions' as it wages a counteroffensive

La Prensa Latina

1 hour ago

Zelenskyy hails 'all-around advance' by Ukrainian forces over 24 hours - La Prensa Latina Media

EUROMAIDAN PRESS  

Zelenskyy visits front lines, claims Ukrainian advance in several directions

President Zelenskyy and Ukrainian soldiers in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine.
Credit: Volodymyr Zelenskyy via Telegram. 

2023/06/27 - 02:01 • LATEST NEWS UKRAINE

On 26 June, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the frontlines in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

• During a nightly video address to Ukrainians recorded from a train, Zelenskyy claimed that Ukraine’s Armed Forces make gains in several areas on the frontline.

“Today, our soldiers made progress in all areas, and this is a happy day. I wished the guys more days like this,” Zelenskyy said.

On 26 June, Ukraine’s President visited the Bakhmut sector in Donetsk Oblast (eastern Ukraine) and awarded medals to Ukrainian soldiers who fought in the battle of Bakhmut. After that, President Zelenskyy visited Ukrainian marines who repelled the Russian invasion on the southern front.

“A busy day, a lot of emotions. I had the honor to award our soldiers, to thank them personally, and to shake their hands. Thank you for all your words of support, guys,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “Thank you for the warm hugs today. And thank you for your chevrons. I am extremely honored.”

  

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Euromaidan Press (EP) is an online English-language independent newspaper launched by Ukrainian volunteers in 2014. EP focuses on events concerning Ukraine and provides translations of Ukrainian news, expert analyses, and independent research. Through its work, EP strives to bridge Ukraine with the English-speaking world.

EP is a registered non-governmental organization in Ukraine, NGO “Euromaidan Press.”

EP’s coverage is vast, spanning Ukrainian politics, the war and peace process in eastern Ukraine, the economy, history, breaking news, business opportunities, tourism, and more. We collect, rely on, and promote non-partisan, non-religious, unbiased information in our fight against the Russian disinformation campaign. Many of our stories are devoted to Ukrainian soldiers’ efforts to defend the territorial integrity of our country’s eastern flank.  

During his visit to the Donetsk Oblast, President Zelenskyy stopped at a gas station for a coffee break and took photos with Ukrainian soldiers. Some of the soldiers gave the President their chevrons as a souvenir.

Related:

• Ukrainian troops make gains in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine’s military spox says
• Ukraine liberates Donetsk’s Rivnopil – Defense Ministry
• Ukrainian troops advance 1-2 km in six directions near Bakhmut, capture 17 km² in south – Defense Ministry
• Ukraine gains traction in Bakhmut counter-offensive amid scant Russian ground force reserves – UK intel
• Zelenskyy and Biden discuss defense cooperation and mutiny in Russia

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UPDATED TUE, JUN 27 20233:44 AM EDT

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Live updates: Putin slams rebels as criminals; Zelenskyy lauds military advances ‘in all directions’

Elliot Smith

This is CNBC’s live blog covering updates on the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a statement about Wagner’s action on TV in Moscow, Russia on June 24, 2023.

Sefa Karacan | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

The eyes of the world remain on Russia after Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s attempted mutiny on Saturday posed what many regard as the greatest challenge yet to President Vladimir Putin’s two-decade grip on power.
In a televised address to the nation on Monday, 

• Putin called the organizers of the uprising “criminals” and vowed to bring them to justice. He also said the uprising would have been crushed — even if Prigozhin had not cut a deal with the Kremlin that reportedly sees him exiled to Belarus.

The revolt raised questions about President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power and what could be next for the country. Some analysts expect a “purge” as Putin looks to reassert his dominance in the country, while many are skeptical that the peaceful exile of Prigozhin and his fellow mutineers will go ahead.

• Stateside, President Joe Biden clarified on Monday that the United States was not involved in the aborted weekend rebellion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, called for further support from Western leaders to repel the Russian invasion. European foreign ministers and NATO officials on Monday pledged fresh military support to Ukraine, with the EU’s military assistance fund set to increase by 3.5 billion euros ($3.8 billion) to roughly 12 billion euros in the coming years.

• In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy also praised Ukrainian troops later on Monday for advancing “in all directions” after he spent the day visiting soldiers on the frontline in eastern and southern Ukraine.

2 HOURS AGO

Zelenskyy praises Ukrainian advances after trip to frontline

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday praised Ukrainian forces for advancing “in all directions,” after he spent the day visiting and distributing awards to troops on the frontline in parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.

“Today, our warriors have advanced in all directions, and it is a happy day,” the president said in a nightly video address, according to a translation.

— Elliot Smith

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Ukrainian forces advancing 'in all directions,' says Volodymyr ...

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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says forces advancing ‘in all directions’

President Zelenskyy toured front line positions in the south and east of the country, afterwards saying: ‘This is a happy day’.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to a Ukrainian soldier at a petrol station after visiting positions near the front line in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on June 26, 2023 [Ukrainian Presidential Press Service via Reuters]

Published On 27 Jun 202327 Jun 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited Ukrainian forces fighting on the front line that runs through the eastern Donetsk region and the south of the country, decorating troops on a day in which he said his forces had “advanced in all directions”.

In an upbeat message to his nation after visiting the front lines, Zelenskyy said: “This is a happy day. I wished the guys more days like this.”

“It was a busy day, a lot of emotions… I was honoured to award our warriors, to thank them personally, to shake their hands,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address, which was released in the early hours of Tuesday.

The Ukrainian president also said he had spoken about weapons supplies with United States President Joe Biden.

“Today, I was in the area where these weapons will give more power, more protection to Ukrainians’ lives. And bring our victory closer, this is the main thing. All our land will be free – all of it,” he said.

The president’s office posted four videos of Zelenskyy’s journey on Monday, which he said covered “hundreds of kilometres” and appeared to present encounters with his troops in at least three locations on the front lines.

The Ukrainian leader’s interactions with his forces and positive comments on Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive contrasted starkly with the turmoil in Russia following the short-lived weekend mutiny by the Russian Wagner Group’s mercenary forces.

Video Duration 01 minutes 45 seconds01:45

Ukraine army advances: Fighting near Bakhmut and Zaporizhzhia

One location visited by Zelenskyy was in the eastern Donetsk region, which has been a focal point of fighting in the 16-month-old war. Another was located in what was described as the Berdyansk sector in the south of the country – in areas where Ukrainian forces have captured villages. A third location was also on the southern front, further to the west.

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The first video showed Zelenskyy handing out military awards at an undisclosed indoor location and poring over maps with Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces.
“I have the honour to be here today, talk to the commander and first of all thank you, thank you for protecting our country, sovereignty, our families, children, Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in the video.
A second video showed Zelenskyy at a fuel station where he had coffee with soldiers. Dressed in his trademark military khaki T-shirt, he stood alongside troops in a queue at a counter and posed for photos with the soldiers and women working there.
In the third video, Zelenskyy handed out decorations, posed with soldiers and again examined maps with officers. Loud booms resounded at least twice during the video.

Video Duration 02 minutes 27 seconds02:27

Mariupol one year on: The battle to rebuild

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had regained control over Rivnopil, a village west of a cluster of settlements recaptured in recent offensive operations in the Donetsk region. The village appeared to be the ninth retaken by Ukraine forces this month.
In the past week, 17 additional square kilometres (10.5 sq miles) of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia region have been recaptured, Maliar also said on Telegram, while a total of 130sq km (almost 81 sq miles) of Russian-occupied territory had been liberated since the start of the counteroffensive in early June.
Ukraine also reported minor successes in the east. According to Maliar, the army advanced 1-2km (0.6-1.2 miles) in several directions during the previous week, despite fierce resistance from the Russians.
Ukrainian forces also repelled Russian counterattacks at several points on the front, including near Bakhmut, Lyman and Avdiivka where the fighting is said to be particularly fierce right now.
In the past seven days, there have been more than 250 battles in these areas, Maliar said.
The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had intensified their assaults around Bakhmut city and had made advances around the northern and southern parts of the city.
There was also little evidence that Russia had the ground force reserves required to “reinforce against” the many threats now posed by Ukraine “in widely separated sectors, from Bakhmut to the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, over 200km [124 miles] away”, the ministry said in an intelligence update.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES