In the midst of the tense geopolitical and military tableau of the war in Ukraine, the Army of the invaded nation reported on August 16 that it had made progress in its offensive in Donbass, where it recaptured the village of Urozhaine, in the Donetsk province, in the East of the country. However, kyiv’s forces continue to face siege from Russian attacks. Moscow launched attacks against vital infrastructure for the export of Ukrainian grains in the strategic port of the Danube, in Odessa, in the south of the country.
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In the Donbass region, Ukrainian forces managed to recapture the village of Urozhaine from Russian troops. This victory was consolidated with a strong entrenchment around the town, according to Hanna Maliar, kyiv’s deputy defense minister, announced.
“Urozhaine liberated,” Maliar declared on the Telegram messaging platform, emphasizing that Ukrainian defenses were strengthened on the newly secured borders.
This action marked a significant milestone in the series of advances undertaken by Ukraine since early last June, when it began its counter-offensive against invading troops that maintain firm control over vast swathes of the southern and eastern parts of the nation.
Although the Russian Defense Ministry did not confirm the loss of Urozhaine, in a Telegram statementHe noted that Moscow artillery and warplanes launched strikes in the area, demonstrating the intensity of the ongoing fighting.
This Ukrainian victory not only symbolizes the ability of local forces to retake their territories, but also signals a push south towards the Azov Sea.
The strategic goal is to split the Russian occupation troops in two, which could turn the tide of the battle in the region, kyiv notes. Urozhaine is located approximately 90 kilometers from the Azov Sea, which hea becomes a key point in the developing military strategy.
Ukraine’s advances towards the sea
Urozhaine was the first settlement that Ukraine declared it had retaken since July 27, the date on which it also announced the recovery of the neighboring village of Staromaiorske.
However, this progress was slowed by extensive Russian minefields and defensive lines prepared by the enemy, which led to the Ukrainian advance being slower than desired by the Kiev authorities.
The recent success in Urozhaine also brings Ukraine closer to threatening Russian control over the village of Staromlynivka, several kilometers to the south, which has been identified by military analysts as a strategic stronghold in Russian hands.
The occupation of the Kremlin military in Ukraine is a constant challenge for kyiv. Russia maintains control over one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including the Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea, much of the Lugansk region, and vast stretches of the Donetsk regions in the east and Zaporizhia and Kherson regions in the south. .
The occupation also includes a substantial part of Ukraine’s coastline and areas vital to its industrial economy in the greater Donbass region in the east of the nation.
Russian attacks damage infrastructure in Ukrainian Danube port
Despite the advances that Ukraine had, in the Odessa region, Russian strikes severely damaged grain silos and warehouses in the Ukrainian port of Renistrategically located on the Danube and essential for grain exports.
The war actions, which intensified in that area, were denounced by the Ukrainian authorities as a deliberate attack against the country’s economic infrastructure.
This Wednesday, August 16, Oleh Kiper, governor of the Odessa region, announced on Telegram that “Russian terrorists” carried out two drone strikes in the region. Despite the damage, no injuries were reported in the attack, according to reports from the Ukrainian Presidency.
The situation, already tense due to the ongoing crisis, was further aggravated by these acts of aggression. Ukrainian air forces claimed to have managed to shoot down 13 drones launched by Russia over the Odessa and Mykolaiv regions in the south of the country.
A blow to the Ukrainian economy
These attacks had a significant impact on the Ukrainian economy. Before the suspension of the agreement on the Black Sea that allowed the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, the Danube ports accounted for a substantial part of the country’s grain exports.
However, following Russia’s withdrawal from the deal, the Danube ports became a crucial step before exports could be directed to the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta.
In addition to the air strikes on Reni, Ukraine recently declared the creation of a “humanitarian corridor” to allow cargo ships blocked in its ports to access the Black Sea.
Through this corridor, ships are expected to be able to avoid restrictions and tightly controlled shipping lanes since Russia abandoned a grain export deal.
The viability and security of this corridor are still threatened by floating mines and Russian military operations in the region. The international community continues to closely watch Ukraine as it seeks peace and economic stability in the region.
With Reuters and EFE
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