Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the "Tavria" troop group, reported that Ukrainian soldiers broke through the defense near Verbove in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
"On the left flank [near Verbove], we have a breakthrough and are continuing to advance," Oleksandr Tarnavskyi told CNN Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen during an interview on Friday. He also admitted that his troops were moving more slowly than expected.
“Not as fast as expected, not like in the WWII movies. The main thing is not to lose this initiative that we have," he said.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces said they had reached the "first line" of Russian strongholds in the Zaporizhia region, signaling that Kyiv is closing in on the Russiansʼ sprawling network of fortified trenches along the southern front.
CNN says it cannot verify battlefield reports from either side. However, the analysis of available videos from open sources indicates that some Ukrainian units crossed an important line of Russian defense near the village of Verbove.
Ukraineʼs long-term goal is to break the "land bridge" of Russia, which connects the territory it holds in the east with the annexed Crimea.
Tarnavsky believes that the capture of Tokmak, which is a strategic center for Russia, will be a major breakthrough in the counteroffensive.
Earlier this week, CNN reported that Ukrainian forces were about 20 kilometers from Tokmak, trying to break through multiple layers of Russian defenses.
"I believe that [there will be a big breakthrough]. I think it will be after Tokmak. At the moment, [the Russians] are relying on the depth of their defensive line… Tokmak is a minimum target. The general goal is to reach our state borders," said Tarnavskyi.
- Last day, the Defense Forces eliminated 510 occupiers and 108 units of enemy weapons and equipment. Russian troops tried to recapture lost positions in the area of Andriyivka (south of Bakhmut), Robotyny and Verbovoy (Zaporizhia region), but without success.