Ukraine’s Armed Forces widened breach of the first line of Russian defense in the south, particularly in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, US Army General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, said in his interview with Al-Mamlaka TV, a Jordanian Public Service News Channel.

General Milley spoke of “steady progress” by the Ukrainians, explaining that the pace of the attack was slower than he had planned. He said Ukrainian forces had managed to cross the main first line of defense, which the Russians had spent several months preparing.

CNN confirms Milley’s statement. According to CNN, there are more signs that Ukrainian troops have broken through the first line of Russian defense on the part of the southern front line in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast and are expanding the wedge towards the strategically important city of Tokmak down south.

Ukrainian forces have also launched a parallel attack in the Verbove area, east of recently liberated Robotyne, amid heavy artillery fire in both directions, CNN reported.

Several Russian military bloggers said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the south are advancing on Novoprokopivka (the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed this).

Related:

• Frontline report: Ukrainian special forces attack Russian radio-radar base in Crimea
• Work of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces during the recent liberation of Robotyne (video)
• Russia says it repelled massive drone and missile attack