Large offensive along the southern front

Ukraine has wedged itself in Russia's first line of defense, Russian official claims, amid reports of major offensive in Zaporizhzhia region

From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio and Olga Voitovych

Ukrainian forces have been able to wedge themselves in Russia’s first line of defense, with heavy and fierce fighting still ongoing amid a large offensive along the southern front in the Zaporizhzhia region, a Russian official has claimed. 

“At least 100 armored vehicles have been used to attack by the enemy on the Orekhov [Russian spelling of Orikhiv] section of the Zaporizhzhya (Russian spelling of Zaporizhzhia) front,” a member of the Russian-installed Zaporizhzhia military-civilian administration, Vladimir Rogov, wrote on Telegram on Wednesday.

“At the moment, as a result of several waves of attack near Rabotino [Russian spelling of Robotyne] with more than 100 units of armored vehicles, including tanks, BMPs, APCs and AFVs, the enemy managed to wedge in three sections of our first line of defense.”

Rogov went on to say Russian forces were using their full arsenal, including aviation strikes, to push back against the Ukrainian units carrying out the assault, which he claimed were Western equipped and trained. 

“The fighters of these brigades have been trained abroad, and the brigades themselves are equipped with Western military equipment, including Leopard tanks and Bradley BMPs,” he wrote. “Now there are heavy, fierce battles of high intensity going on in this area.”

Well-connected Russian military blogger Rybar says fighting in the area has slightly decreased in intensity, adding Russian forces have been able able to hold their ground. 

Some context: Russian-installed officials and military bloggers have claimed Ukrainian forces have launched a major offensive in the Zaporizhzhia region, to the south of Orikhiv, as they appear to build on modest gains in the area over the past couple of days. 

Ukrainian officials and sources have yet to comment on this alleged offensive.