AFU liberated 169 square kilometers south of the start of the offensive, which is comparable to the area of Odessa - General Staff

Since the beginning of the current counterattack, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have liberated 169 square kilometers of territory in the southern direction of the front. They have advanced 8.6 kilometers toward Melitopol and Berdyansk.

This was reported by the speaker of the General Staff of the AFU Andriy Kovalyov. His words at the briefing were quoted by the Military Media Center, coordinated by the Ministry of Defense.

According to him, last week alone during the offensive in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions Ukrainian units advanced more than a kilometer.

"Overall, the advance in these directions since the start of the offensive is 8.6 km," the speaker said.

Over the past week, more than 10 square kilometers of Ukrainian land were liberated from the presence of enemy troops in the south.

In total, he added, since the beginning of the offensive in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions, the Defense Forces have liberated 169 square kilometers from the Russian occupiers.

"This is roughly commensurate with the area of the city of Odessa. Demining activities on these territories are continuing," Kovalyov noted.

Earlier, the American edition of The Wall Street Journal published a piece about Ukraine's counterattack against the Russian occupiers. The journalists tried to explain why the operation is progressing "slowly" - first of all, they pointed to the strong mine contamination of the territories and powerful fortifications of the Russian troops.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, the Ukrainian military showed how, under the cover of artillery, they continue to storm enemy positions in the steppes of Zaporizhzhia region. Defenders stressed that every meter is given too hard, because it costs someone's life.

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