Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported on Tuesday that the Zaporizhzhia region in southeastern Ukraine has emerged as the latest focal point for clashes in the ongoing 18-month war.

This development comes as Kyiv’s forces continue their counteroffensive.

Speaking to Russian military officials, Shoigu claimed that Ukraine has deployed reserve brigades in this region, which have received training from Western allies of Kyiv.

However, he provided no substantiated evidence for this assertion, and independent verification remains elusive, the Associated Press reported.

The conflict in the southeastern theater holds strategic importance, as a collapse of Russian defenses in this area could potentially allow Ukrainian forces to advance southward toward the coastline, thereby potentially dividing Russian forces.

Shoigu’s statement aligns partially with other reports and assessments of Ukraine’s three-month effort to expel Kremlin troops.

The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank, noted on Tuesday, based on geolocated footage, that Ukrainian light infantry has managed to advance beyond some of the anti-tank barriers and dense minefields that constitute Russia’s layered defenses in Zaporizhzhia.

Nevertheless, the think tank refrained from confirming a complete breach of the defense, as no Ukrainian heavy armor has been observed in the vicinity.

In the southern theater, Ukrainian brigades have made their most recent gains on the battlefield, as their counteroffensive continues to progress despite facing intense enemy fire.

Written by staff