Kyiv, Ukraine – On August 28th, the Ukrainian authorities reported that their military had successfully liberated the southeastern settlement of Robotyne and was now endeavoring to make further advances southward as part of their counteroffensive against Russian forces.
During the previous week, Ukrainian military sources had communicated that they had managed to raise their national flag in the strategically important Robotyne settlement. Nonetheless, ongoing operations to clear the area of any remaining opposition were still underway.
According to a commander who led the troops into Robotyne, the Ukrainian forces believed they had breached the most formidable Russian defenses in the southern region, paving the way for a swifter advancement. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar confirmed the liberation of Robotyne and shared this information with the military, stating, “Robotyne has been liberated.”
Robotyne is situated around 10 kilometers (approximately six miles) to the south of the frontline town of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region. This location holds strategic significance as it lies along a vital route leading to Tokmak, a road and rail hub that is currently under Russian control.
The potential capture of Tokmak would mark a significant achievement, as Ukrainian forces strive to advance southward towards the Sea of Azov. This ongoing military campaign aims to create a division among Russian forces subsequent to their full-scale invasion in February 2022. Maliar, in an interview with Ukrainian television, detailed that the counteroffensive, initiated in early June, has now progressed southeast of Robotyne and south of the neighboring Mala Tokmachka.
Ukraine’s success in retaking Robotyne, an assertion not confirmed by Russia, comes in the wake of reports suggesting a meeting between senior NATO military officials and Ukraine’s top general, where discussions about recalibrating Ukraine’s military strategy took place.
The conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces in eastern Ukraine continues to unfold, with Ukrainian troops encountering challenges in their counteroffensive due to extensive minefields and trenches set up by Russian forces. Maliar characterized the situation in the eastern theater as “very intense” over the past week. She noted that Russian forces were consolidating their positions and deploying additional troops, indicating Moscow’s intention to bolster its presence in that region.
Ukrainian forces have made progress south of Bakhmut, a city in the east that was severely affected by conflict and captured by Russian troops in May after a prolonged period of fierce fighting. Maliar stated that in the preceding week, Ukrainian forces managed to regain control of an area of approximately 1 square kilometer around Bakhmut, while Russian forces did not achieve any notable advances.
In the latest series of Russia’s recurrent airstrikes on Ukraine, a vegetable oil plant in the central Poltava region was struck, resulting in two casualties. Russia also claimed to have intercepted a Ukrainian drone en route to Moscow in the early hours of Monday, briefly impacting flights over the Russian capital. However, Reuters was unable to independently verify the situation on the battlefield or confirm the details of the reported recent attacks.