Ukrainian forces advanced deeper into Russian defense lines near Robotinea village on the southern front, which they announced they had recaptured yesterday, Monday, according to a Ukrainian military spokesman.

“Ukrainian forces have scored successes in the direction of Novotanilivka and Verbove,” two areas located in the Zaporizhia region, Andriy Kovalev told state media, adding that Ukrainian forces are holding the ground they recaptured and attacking Russian artillery .

The Ukrainian army has launched a counterattack since June, which is considered very difficultto recapture territories held by Russian forces in southern and eastern Ukraine, and has so far recaptured only a few villages.

In particular, it faces strong Russian defense lines, as Moscow’s forces spent the winter and spring reinforcing their positions, with trenches, tank traps and minefields spanning hundreds of kilometers, particularly in the south.

However, according to analysts, recapture of Robotine settlement shows Ukrainian army can break through Russian lines.

For his part, the head of Russian occupation forces in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, told Russian television that among the “hottest spots” on today’s front is the zone around Urozaine, which is about 100 kilometers northeast of Robotine, where the Ukrainians are on the offensive.

Pushilin also assured that Russian forces are “holding the fronts” around Bakhmut, the town that has been at the center of fighting for more than a year and was captured by Moscow in May. “The situation there is stabilizing,” he added.