Ukrainian Defence Forces advance on two fronts – ISW

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have confirmed that the Ukrainian Defence Forces advanced in a counteroffensive on 31 August near the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast and in the western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Source: the ISW

Details: The analysts noted that Ukrainian forces further carried out counteroffensive operations near Bakhmut and in western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast on 31 August, reportedly advancing on both fronts.

Furthermore, the report says, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed on 31 August that Ukraine is producing long-range missiles, likely as part of a coordinated Ukrainian campaign to expand Ukraine's strike capabilities against Russia's deep rear areas.

Zelenskyy stated that a Ukrainian-made long-range missile had successfully hit a target 700 kilometres away but provided no details of the strike or the weapon.

To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 1 September:

• Russian authorities arrested a notable fringe ultranationalist Russian milblogger on accusations of discrediting the Russian military, likely as part of centralized efforts to silence some critical milblogger voices without prompting a general backlash.
• Russian military authorities allegedly ordered the detention of three Russian milbloggers who have recently criticized the Russian MoD – a move that sparked a backlash in only a small corner of the Russian information space.
• Imprisoned Russian ultranationalist Igor Girkin and his associates conducted likely futile political maneuvers intended to coalesce into a coherent and meaningful political opposition group. Girkin announced on August 31 that he intends to run for president in the 2024 Russian presidential elections, but primarily used the announcement to reiterate his longstanding critiques of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line and unsuccessfully counterattacked in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area and in western Zaporizhia Oblast on August 31.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to forcibly deport Ukrainian children to Russia and Russify Ukrainian youth.

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