The third phase of the AFU counteroffensive is still ahead: the expert pointed out what it will be evidenced by

Ukrainian Defense Forces have not started the third phase of the counteroffensive yet, as they have not used the main strike groups to participate in the operation to liberate the territories. However, the defenders are already entering the second line of enemy defense in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

Units of limited functionality are working there and they are strongly hampered by mines that the occupants left behind. This was stated by military-political observer of the group "Information Resistance" Oleksandr Kovalenko on air of FREEDOM channel (to watch the video, scroll down to the end of the news).

According to him, practically 70-80% of combat tasks in the Zaporizhzhia direction are carried out precisely by the infantry component of the troops. It has the support of BMPs, tanks and artillery, but we are talking about the limited involvement of this equipment, as everything else is dangerous to use because of serious mining.

"Sometimes we even have to manually carry out mine clearance without using appropriate specialized means, as it can attract attention and be an element for the enemy's artillery to target," the expert said.

Kovalenko says that the indicator of the beginning of a new phase of the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Defense Forces will be the participation of heavy military equipment and main strike groups in the operation.

"The main strike groups have not been engaged yet. Consequently, the third phase of the offensive is still ahead," he expressed his conviction.

The military expert stressed that in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian defenders are already reaching the second line of defense lined up by Russian troops.

"They still need to equalize the flanks and cover the main strongholds, such as, for example, the village of Robotyne, as it needs to be covered. Until we reach the main line of defense and align all the flanks, it is too early to talk about the beginning of a new stage," Kovalenko concluded.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, soldiers of the Ukrainian Defense Forces have liberated the village of Staromaiorske from Russian occupants in Donetsk, which is near the border with the Zaporizhzhia region. Marines of the 35th separate battalion of marines named after Contradmiral Mykhailo Ostrohradsky published a video of the offensive operation and noted that they continue to clear the village.

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