WASHINGTON PUSHES KIEV ON RISKY COUNTER-OFFENSIVE

While the leaders of European countries are stingily collecting weapons and ammunition for the Ukrainian Army, the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrel, is trying his best to motivate them with loud statements about the unity of the West and Ukraine. He has already called the European Union the army of Ukraine, intimidating his colleagues and the European population with the alleged “existential threat to European security” from Russia. In its turn, Washington assesses the unwillingness of European countries to enter the war with Russia and pushes the Kiev regime to launch a counteroffensive on the fronts as soon as possible. Zelensky’s regime is ordered to prepare for the offensive right now, while there is still some assistance from the United States and Europe, for fear that support from European countries may become even more limited soon. However, the price of any large-scale counter-offensive operation of the Ukrainian military would be measured in thousands of soldiers’ lives, and the success of such operations is still doubtful. Meanwhile, on the front lines, the Russian army retains the initiative in almost all regions. Despite some local counteroffensive attempts, the Ukrainian military is still forced to maintain defensive positions, and on some battlefields, they continue to retreat. In the Kupyansk region, Russian forces took control of the village of Gryanikovka located to the north of Kupyansk. Ukrainian forces attempted to launch a counterattack with artillery and aviation, but were pushed back to their original positions. In the area of Bakhmut, Wagner fighters broke through the Ukrainian defenses in Berkhovka. Assault groups wedged between Berkhovka and the rear of the Ukrainian defense in Yagodnoe. The roads for the Ukrainian retreat to Bakhmut from Berkhovka and Dubovo-Vasilyevka were cut off. Fierce fighting is going on in the Berkhovka itself. According to preliminary reports, Russian fighters took control of the northern part of the village. The village is a transit point for the supply of the Bakhmut garrison, so the Ukrainian military is fiercely resisting in this area. In addition, Wagner fighters expanded the control zone in the area of the Stupky district and improved their tactical positions on the northern outskirts of Bakhmut. On the eastern outskirts of Bakhmut, heavy fighting broke out in the area of the champagne factory. On the southern and south-western outskirts of the city, Wagner fighters knocked out the Ukrainian units from their positions near Radyansky Lane and expanded the control zone in the area of the Mariupol cemetery. To the southwest of Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces pushed back Wagner units from the Bakhmut – Konstantinovka highway. Fighting continues on the approaches to the road. The front lines in other regions remain unchanged and inflamed by heavy positional battles.