The Ukrainian military reported on Thursday that Russia’s armed forces attempted a significant offensive in the southern Zaporizhzhia region overnight, but Ukrainian troops successfully thwarted the attack.
As per the southern Ukrainian defense forces, around 320 Russian soldiers initiated assaults on five villages southeast of Zaporizhzhia city at approximately 6:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday. The Russian contingent was equipped with 40 armored vehicles, around a dozen buggies, and three tanks.
“The adversary was unable to achieve its objectives. The Ukrainian defense forces retained all of their positions,” stated the military in a message shared on Telegram.
During two and a half hours of conflict, it was reported that Ukrainian artillery and drone strikes resulted in the deaths of 140 Russian soldiers, the destruction of numerous military vehicles, and damage to all three tanks involved.
The Moscow Times has not been able to independently verify these assertions. Additionally, Russia’s Defense Ministry has not acknowledged any offensive activities in the area in the last 24 hours.
Ukraine’s military also shared drone footage showing strikes on armored vehicles, allegedly documenting the Russian attack in Zaporizhzhia.
Zaporizhzhia is one of four regions in Ukraine partially occupied by Russian forces, which Moscow claims as part of its so-called “new territories,” despite lacking complete control over the area.
