WASHINGTON: The White House said on Friday that Ukrainian forces have achieved “notable progress” in their recent Southern offensive against Russian soldiers.
Responding to criticism about the progress of Kyiv’s southern campaign against Russian forces, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby acknowledged that the progress had been slower than Ukraine itself had expected.
However, Kirby stated that in the past 72 hours, Ukrainian armed forces had achieved significant success in breaching the second line of Russian defenses.
Western battlefield analyses in recent days have revealed Ukrainian forces breaking through Russian defenses between Robotyne and Verbove in the Zaporizhzhia area for many kilometers (miles).
The aim of Kyiv is to move directly south to the Sea of Azov, blocking Russian access to the occupied Crimea from the land.
White House Rebukes Critics of Ukraine’s Progress
However, to halt Ukraine’s progress, Russian soldiers have built extensive, deep barriers across the landscape, including minefields, tank traps, and other fortifications.
Kirby criticized the anonymous officials who have voiced criticism of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, noting that such comments are unhelpful to Ukraine’s efforts on the battlefield.
He emphasized that any objective assessment of the situation would recognize the progress made by Ukrainian forces in recent days.
