Ukraine reported more gains in the early stages of its counteroffensive on Tuesday but said Russian forces were "doing everything" they can to defend the territory they have occupied.
The Deputy Defense Minister said Ukrainian troops had advanced 250 meters (275 yards) near the small eastern city of Bakhmut, 200 meters on the Toretsk front in east Ukraine, and 500 meters to 1 km in the direction of the port city of Berdyansk.
Maliar said Ukrainian forces had gained control of an area of up to 3 square km (1.16 square miles) but did not say over what period.
She said late on Monday that Ukrainian forces had advanced 6.5 km and taken control of an area of 90 square km. That was still only a fraction of the 40,000 square miles that remains under Russia's occupation.
Ukrainian army from the 43rd Heavy Artillery Brigade fire the German howitzer Panzerhaubitze 2000, called Tina by the unit, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bahmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 5, 2023. (credit: MARKO DJURICA/REUTERS)Ukraine gaining ground
"The enemy is doing everything to hold on to the positions it has seized," Maliar wrote on the Telegram messaging app on Tuesday morning.
She said Russian forces had air support and were showering Ukrainian troops with intense artillery fire, and that Ukrainian troops were encountering "continuous minefields which are combined with anti-tank ditches."
"All this is combined with constant counterattacks by enemy units on armored vehicles and the massive use of ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles) and kamikaze drones," she said.
Reuters could not verify the battlefield situation. Russia had not officially acknowledged the Ukrainian gains and has said it has repulsed Ukrainian attacks, inflicting heavy casualties since the counteroffensive began.
