Kyiv: Ukrainian Forces strengthening positions in Zaporizhzhia region
A representative of the United Press Center of the Ukrainian Forces South, Oleksandr Shtupun, has stated that Ukrainian troops are consolidating their positions near the village of Verbove in the Zaporizhzhia region, while Russians are in a defensive position there.
"We are securing our positions on the appropriate front lines. In order for us to move forward, we must firmly secure ourselves so that, God forbid, the enemy does not strike us somewhere on the flank or break through our defense from another side, causing problems for our advancing troops. The Russian military is in defense. Sometimes they try to distract us from our offensive with small raids, usually without equipment. But the enemy is trying to defend its positions, sometimes from the left, sometimes from the right," said Shtupun on Radio Svoboda.
According to him, the Russian armed forces are losing 150-200 personnel daily.
"A week or so ago, there was a comical situation where a Russian tank attempted to dislodge enemy positions and launch an assault. Infantry was riding on armored vehicles behind it. The tank was destroyed by its own mine, a Russian one. And then the infantry disembarked, only to be hit by their own multiple rocket launch systems. Therefore, the enemy does not always have a good understanding of the terrain," Shtupun noted.
He added that chevrons of the private military company Wagner are found on killed Russian soldiers. However, there is no certainty that these individuals are truly Wagner mercenaries.