Zelenskyy praises advancing Ukrainian troops, Russia claims repelled attack

(Patria) - Fierce clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces took place in several locations in Ukraine yesterday. Some sources claim the long-awaited Ukrainian offensive has begun, but official Kyiv is not calling the movements of its troops as such. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised on Monday evening the "news we are waiting for" from Bakhmut, without adding further details.

"First of all, I am grateful to each of our warriors, to all our defenders who have given us the news we are waiting for. The Bakhmut direction – well done, warriors," Zelenskyy said in his evening video address. "We see how hysterically Russia perceives every step of ours there, every location we take," he added.

Zelenskyy also singled out two combat units and thanked them. "The 5th Separate Assault Brigade and the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, which skillfully, decisively, and effectively defend our positions, destroy the occupiers, and, most importantly, advance," said the Ukrainian president.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Ukraine attacked on Sunday morning with six mechanized and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk, where Moscow has long suspected Ukraine would try to drive a wedge through Russian-controlled territory.

"The enemy launched a large-scale offensive on June 4 in the morning in five sectors of the front in the direction of southern Donetsk," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

"The enemy's goal was to break through our defenses in the most vulnerable sector of the front, in its opinion," it stated.

"The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it was not successful," Moscow claims.

Deputy Ukrainian Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar said that forces had begun carrying out "offensive actions" on several fronts and had made some progress in the eastern city of Bakhmut.