Ukraine, relieved by announcement of US funds, continues its counteroffensive in the south
Kyiv/Moscow, Oct 20 (EFE).- Ukraine reacted with relief to the White House announcement on Friday that it would ask Congress for some 60 billion dollars in emergency aid. Meanwhile, its troops continued their assault on the left bank of the Dnieper River in the southern Kherson region, trying to prevent Russian advances in the east.
“I thank President Biden, the US Congress and the American people for their strong support,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address.
Zelensky made the statement following a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden.
“We talked about defense assistance and how ATACMS can help us accelerate the liberation of Ukraine from the occupier,” Zelensky revealed.
Russia, for its part, said the US was pushing the world into a “deep abyss” with more aid to Ukraine and Israel.
“The world, following the US, continues to fall into a very deep abyss. Decisions are being made that testify not only to the irreversible mental deterioration of those who make them, but also to the loss of any shame they had left,” Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram.
Zelensky in Kherson
As for the situation on the ground, Zelensky on Friday visited a border guard unit stationed in Kherson province, where his troops made moderate gains this week with an incursion into the portion occupied by Russian forces on the left side of the Dnieper River.
“Kherson. Meeting with our border guards on the current situation and conditions of their service in the border regions,” the Ukrainian president said from the partially Russian-occupied coastal province.
According to a recent report by the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), current Ukrainian actions on the Dnieper “appear to be on a larger scale than previously observed tactical incursions.”
During his tour of regions on the southern front of the war, Zelensky also visited Mykolaiv, a region bordering Kherson, on Friday.
Russia denies enemy successes
Moscow, however, claimed on Friday that Ukraine had failed in its attempt to create a beachhead to facilitate the arrival of reinforcements on the left bank of the Dnieper River.
“In the direction of Kherson, the enemy made a number of unsuccessful attempts to establish beachheads on the islands and on the left bank of the Dnieper with the forces of the 36th and 38th marine brigades,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
Moscow also claimed to be continuing its offensive in the east, where it has reportedly improved its positions on the Kupiansk front over the past week.
“As a result of the war actions, the units of the Russian grouping have improved their positions on the front line,” Russian military spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
According to the defense official, between Oct. 14 and Oct. 20, the Western Grouping of the Russian Army “repulsed 61 enemy counterattacks.” EFE
mos-mg/ics/mcd(Photo) (Video)
