Ukraine: Drone footage captures fighting around Zaporozhye front

Ukraine has breached Russia’s first and main line of defence on the Zaporizhzhia front, according to a top general.

Vladimir Putin’s forces have built up in-depth defences along the southern front dubbed the Surovikin Line after so-called General Armageddon Sergey Surovikin who has since been sacked.

Tanks traps, trenches and thousands of mines have hampered Ukraine’s forward progress in the region, but a breakthrough appears underway.

After weeks of mine clearing and heavy fighting, Kyiv’s forces have breached Russia’s main defence, according to Brig Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskiy.

“We are now between the first and second defensive lines,” the top general told The Observer.

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READ MORE: Terrifying moment Ukrainian soldiers storm Russian lines as heavy fighting rages

He estimated that Russia committed 60 percent of its defensive efforts to the first line of defence – and a breakthrough would be crucial for Ukraine as its troops push towards the Black Sea.

“In the centre of the offensive, we are now completing the destruction of enemy units that provide cover for the retreat of Russian troops behind their second defensive line,” Tarnavskiy said.

While Russian troops were able to “pick off” Ukrainian forces bogged down in minefields and tank traps, this may no longer be the case.

The general added that his Russian counterparts have been forced to redeploy troops from elsewhere in the east and west to shore up the breach.

“The enemy is pulling up reserves, not only from Ukraine but also from Russia. But sooner or later, the Russians will run out of all the best soldiers. This will give us an impetus to attack more and faster,” Tarnavskiy said. He added: “Everything is ahead of us.”

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Tarnavskiy has experience in leading Ukraine’s troops to victory. Last September, he was placed in charge of forces in the western Kherson region. Two months later, those forces liberated most of the region up to the Dnipro River.

The good news for Ukraine comes amid growing concern voiced by Western officials that the counteroffensive is not moving quickly enough.

However, Ukrainian authorities have been quick to hit back at those claims noting that, albeit slow, Kyiv’s forces are making forward progress.

“Ukrainian forces are moving forward. Despite everything and no matter what anyone says, we are advancing, and that is the most important thing. We are on the move,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X, formerly known as Twitter, yesterday.

Although it was unclear if he was talking about a specific area of the frontline, his comments echoed the more detailed assessment offered by General Tarnavskiy.

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