Ukraine says long-anticipated southern offensive near Kherson has begun
The Ukrainian military has started a long-awaited counter-offensive against Russian forces in the country's south, according to its southern command.
Ukraine's Southern command spokesperson, Natalia Humeniuk confirmed the offensive in a news briefing also saying that it included the Kherson region.
"Today we started offensive actions in various directions, including in the Kherson region," she said.
Humeniuk said at the briefing that recent strikes on Russia's southern logistical routes had "unquestionably weakened the enemy".
Ukraine regularly voices its intention to retake its south, especially the port city of Kherson – the only regional capital that Russia has been able to capture from Ukraine since it invaded six months ago.
Kherson, a city key due to its access to the sea, was captured by the Russians in early March, not long into the invasion.
Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security wrote on Twitter that Ukraine's armed forces had "breached the occupiers' first line of defence near Kherson".
They added that the Armed Forces of Ukraine believe "Ukraine has a real chance to get back its occupied territories, especially considering the very successful use of western weapons by the Ukrainian army".
Ukraine's southern command Humeniuk did not give any further details on the offensive.
However, she did note that the Russian forces in southern Ukraine remained "quite powerful".
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