Ukraine’s head of diplomacy Dmytro Kuleba said the recapture of the city of Robotyne, claimed by Kiev, paves the way for Ukraine’s counter-offensive against occupied southern Ukraine and Russia-annexed Crimea, it was announced on Wednesday.
“By continuing to entrench ourselves on the flanks of Robotyne, we open the way to Tokmak and eventually to Melitopol, as well as to the Crimean border,” Kuleba assured French diplomats on Tuesday during a speech in Paris, made public today and cited by international agencies.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, the Battle of Robotyne was particularly long and arduous, as it was “one of the most difficult sectors of the front, requiring the use of Russian aircraft, helicopters and ‘drones’ (unmanned aerial vehicles)” that dominate the Air Force. sky”, as well as the difficulties involved in minefields.
Robotyne is on a strategically important route towards Tokmak (30,000 pre-war inhabitants) and Melitopol (150,000 pre-war inhabitants), before reaching the Crimean peninsula.
Tokmak and Melitopol are among the main cities in the occupied part of the Zaporijia region taken by Russia in the first weeks of the invasion, which started in February 2022.
One of the objectives of the Ukrainian counter-offensive launched last June is to break the unity of the territories occupied by the Russian army, forming a land bridge bordering the Sea of Azov, connecting the annexed Crimea and Russia with connects each other.
This zone is essential for the supply logistics of the Russian armed forces.
During this visit to Paris, Kuleba also reported that the first unit responsible for the capture of Robotyne had been decimated.
Subsequently, a group of 31 men launched an operation against Russian positions, achieving the recapture of the city after nearly three months of fighting.
So far, the Russian military has not announced its withdrawal from Robotyne, but has reported heavy fighting in the area and around the nearby town of Verbove.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian forces claimed further advances on the country’s southern front on Russian defense lines at Robotyne, including one whose liberation was declared Monday, an army spokesman in Kiev said.
“Ukrainian forces achieved successes towards Novodanylivka and Verbove,” two places in the Zaporijia region, Andriy Kovalyov told state media, adding that troops controlled the captured territory and attacked Russian artillery.
The information provided by the parties to the conflict about the situation at the front often cannot be immediately and independently confirmed.
Source: DN
