Moscow/Kyiv: Russia claimed it busted a counter-offensive campaign launched by the Ukrainian military in Kherson province on Monday. The Ukrainian government had asserted that it would expel Russian troops from southern Ukraine and other areas and hoist the Ukrainian flag. Ukraine also claimed that it captured four villages delivering a blow to the Russian forces in Kherson. Contrarily, Russia’s Defence Ministry has dismissed these claims and announced that the Ukrainian army had been hit hard.  

Kherson is recognized as the region connecting Ukraine and Crimea, which Russia captured in 2014. The Kherson province includes both water bodies, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. This region is part of the Dnieper River, known as the ‘Fruit Basket’ in Ukraine. Russia began its campaign in Ukraine in late February and gained control of the region within a few weeks. This region is crucial for Ukraine, considering maritime control and Crimea.  

Russia has not had much success in Donbas or other areas in the last month. At the same time, the side of the Ukrainian army seems to have recovered to some extent, given the significant arms support received from Western countries. It is on the strength of this weaponry that the Ukrainian forces have initiated operations to regain control of Kherson province. This Ukrainian campaign seems to have exceptional support from the United States.  

On Monday, Ukraine launched a counterattack in Kherson. After that, Ukraine claimed to have successfully broken the Russian front in Kherson in 24 hours. Ukraine said simultaneous attacks were being carried out on five locations in Kherson province. By late Monday, Ukraine reported that it had captured four villages in Kherson and caused heavy losses to Russia. Ukraine said the villages included Pravdin, Nova Dmitrivka, Arkhanhelske and Tomina Balka. After the capture, Ukrainian forces also announced that they were targeting Russian positions along the Dnieper River. Ukraine is said to have used HIMARS rocket systems, Howitzers, air raids, and missiles to launch these attacks.  

After the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a new warning to Russia on Monday night. ‘Ukrainian forces will chase Russia’s soldiers to their borders. Our borders have not changed. The Russian army will be forced to retreat,’ Zelensky warned. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, warned that Russian forces would be crushed in its counter-offensive.  

Russia has rebuffed the claims made by the Ukrainian leadership and military. Besides, Russia also announced that Ukraine’s counter-offensive in Kherson had failed. The Russian forces destroyed 26 tanks, more than 30 armoured vehicles and two fighter jets of the Ukrainian army, the Russian Defence Ministry said. The Ministry also reported that more than 560 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the Russian response. While responding to the Ukrainian offensive in Kherson, Russia also launched attacks in Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine and the Sloviansk region in Donbas.  

Meanwhile, US officials have indicated that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian control, may have been attacked by Ukraine .  

The officials made the statement while answering questions at the US Department of Defence press conference. The US official said that Ukraine may have attacked the nuclear complex in retaliation for the Russian attacks. The Russian media has published a report on it. Some satellite photographs showing the damage caused by the attack on the nuclear plant were recently released. It shows the damage to the roof of one part of the plant. A team of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be visiting this plant in Ukraine, and the team has already arrived in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on Tuesday. 

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