The Ukrainian armed forces are attacking along three fronts in the south, east and north, reversing some of the territorial gains the Russian army made in the first six months of Russia’s wider war on Ukraine.



The war’s momentum clearly is shifting—in Kyiv’s favor.



Ukraine’s counteroffensive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/08/29/ukraines-southern-counteroffensive-long-rumored-might-finally-have-begun/?sh=1c42ac4a4b26">began on Aug. 30</a>, in the south. The Ukrainian Southern Theater Command—overseeing around three dozen army, marine and territorial battalions with perhaps 20,000 combat troops—launched assaults across the 100-mile front line stretching along the Inhulets River north of Russian-occupied Kherson, a strategic port on the Black Sea.



The Ukrainians felt out at least three soft spots in the Russian 49th Combined Arms Army’s defenses. The Ukrainian navy’s 35th and 36th Naval Infantry Brigades found the softest spot. In the first week of the counteroffensive, they advanced seven miles south of Ukraine’s main lodgment on the left bank of the Inhulets, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/09/06/russias-main-southern-bridgehead-could-be-ukraines-main-target/?sh=af1872a30b51">seemingly aiming</a> for the 49th CAA’s bridgehead across the Dnipro River in Beryslav, 25 miles south of the Inhulets and 35 miles east of Kherson.



That bridgehead is critical to the Russian defense. In three months of shaping operations starting in late May, Ukrainian artillery, rockets, commandos and saboteurs damaged or dropped all the major spans over the Inhulets and Dnipro in and around Kherson, leaving a handful of pontoon bridges—including the one in Beryslav—as the main lines of communication to the 49th CAA.



Tens of thousands of Russian and allied troops are at risk of starvation and encirclement in Kherson Oblast. The Ukrainians are taking advantage of the occupiers’ worsening fragility, steadily marching south and liberating devastated villages.&nbsp;



In seizing the initiative in the south, Ukraine has forced Russia to react rather than act. The Kremlin since May has shifted around a dozen battalions—a tenth of its force in Ukraine—from the Donbas region in the east to Kherson Oblast.



Conditions are bad enough for the Russians in Kherson that the reinforcing battalions might not make much difference in the south. But pulling those troops from Donbas&nbsp;has&nbsp;made a difference&nbsp;there.&nbsp;



The Russian army this summer captured several small cities in Donbas, expending much of its manpower and firepower reserves in the process. The Russian offensive in Donbas ground to a halt outside Bakhmut last month, apparently signaling to Ukrainian commanders that the time was right for Ukraine to counterattack &#8230;&nbsp;everywhere.&nbsp;



Kyiv’s forces moved on Kherson first. And as the Russians hollowed out their defensive positions in the north and east in order to meet the Ukrainians in the south, the Ukrainians&nbsp;also&nbsp;moved on Donbas and Kharkiv.



Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://te.legra.ph/Dispatch-for-September-5-09-06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirmed</a>&nbsp;Ukrainian gains in Donetsk Oblast in Donbas when he specifically thanked the 54th Mechanized Brigade and a local territorial brigade for their efforts. Ukrainian troops meanwhile&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Militarylandnet/status/1567131390260428802" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">probed</a>Russian positions around Balakliia in Kharkiv Oblast. “Ukraine could give the enemy a few more surprises,” Zelesnky&nbsp;<a href="https://t.me/uniannet/71005" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>.



It’s possible that, in the sixth month into the wider war, the Russian and Ukrainian armies are similar in size—each with around 100 battalions. The Russians&nbsp;on paperpossess more artillery, helicopters and warplanes, but the Ukrainians with their smaller air force and artillery corps have leveraged high-end American weaponry—High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/08/30/watch-the-ukrainian-air-force-lob-american-missiles-at-russian-radars/?sh=55c2920955e5">High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles</a>—to strike Russian supply lines and air-defenses.



The precision of Ukrainian deep strikes, combined with the Ukrainians’ shorter supply lines and superior morale, could give Kyiv key advantages as the war’s momentum shifts and the Russians struggle to keep up with ever-bolder Ukrainian maneuvers.&nbsp;https://060d82c014cb357ad7acde8d2553728b.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html



It’s telling that, just a couple months ago, the Ukrainian military struggled—and ultimately failed—to hold the high ground in the city of Lysychansk on the eastern edge of free Donbas. Today the Ukrainians aren’t just holding territory, they’re actively taking it back along three fronts.



The next few weeks are critical. The early winter months in Ukraine are wet and muddy. Traditionally, offensive warfare in Ukraine halts in October or November and resumes only after the ground freezes around the New Year.&nbsp;



Now is the time for Kyiv to free occupied settlements. Ukrainian commanders clearly understand that. It’s apparent they’ve been waiting, and preparing, for this moment.



By David Axe, Forbes Staff

Russia-Ukraine war

Ukraine Is Attacking Everywhere

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv, witnessed multiple explosions and what government officials called “horrific rocket strikes” early on Friday as Russian forces continued to press deeper into the country in an attempt to capture the city, home to nearly 3 million people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<a href="https://forbes.ua/news/putin-ogolosiv-pro-pochatok-viyskovoi-operatsii-na-donbasi-ta-proignoruvav-zvernennya-zelenskogo-golovni-novini-24022022-3843" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to</a>&nbsp;Forbes Ukraine, explosions were heard throughout Kyiv early on Friday morning.



Ukraine’s Deputy Interior Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-24-22-intl/h_e6c92eba96f9436542099ad74eef40e7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">claimed</a>&nbsp;that one of the major explosions heard over the city—videos of which were&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1497043832168493067?s=20&amp;t=Mt30Qbyk8uFKyYcIkHgQ7w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">circulating</a>&nbsp;on social media—was the result of a Ukrainian air defense system shooting down a Russian missile out of the sky.



Interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko in a separate statement said Kyiv had been hit by Russia “cruise or ballistic missiles,” on Friday and shared several photos of residential buildings on fire.



Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reiterated these claims of “horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv” in a <a href="https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1497058048430460934" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweet</a> and compared the situation to the 1941 invasion of the country by Nazi Germany.



By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732613.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54426" width="720" height="480" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732613.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732613-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732613-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></figure></div>



A man walks his dog in front of a damaged residential block hit by an early morning missile strike on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Yesterday, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with Russian troops invading the country from the north, east and south, accompanied by air strikes and shelling. The Ukrainian president said that at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by the end of the first day. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732743.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54427" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732743.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732743-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732743-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure></div>



A member of the congregation bows their head to pray as Reverend Simon Ckuj delivers a service at St Andrew&#8217;s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Lidcombe on February 25, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. Russia has launched a military invasion of Ukraine, despite facing financial sanctions and condemnation from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and several other nations. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372731108.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54424" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372731108.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372731108-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372731108-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



 A burnt, damaged bedroom of an apartment is seen in a residential block hit by an early morning missile strike on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Yesterday, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with Russian troops invading the country from the north, east and south, accompanied by air strikes and shelling. The Ukrainian president said that at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by the end of the first day. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238746109.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54423" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238746109.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238746109-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238746109-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



Hundreds of residents from a residential building damaged by a missile gather in a bomb shelter in the basement of a school on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Yesterday, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with Russian troops invading the country from the north, east and south, accompanied by air strikes and shelling. The Ukrainian president said that at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by the end of the first day. (Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images)



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238745910-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54422" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238745910-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238745910-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238745910-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238745910-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1238745910.jpg 1616w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



Civilians are seen after a missile struck a residential building during Russiaâs military intervention in left bank Kyiv, Ukraine on February 25, 2022 (Photo by Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732824.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54428" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732824.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732824-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GettyImages-1372732824-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



 Ukranians gather in protest outside the Russian Consulate on February 25, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey. Yesterday, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with Russian troops invading the country from the north, east and south, accompanied by air strikes and shelling. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said this week that his country, which is a NATO member, did not &#8220;recognize any step against Ukraine&#8217;s sovereignty and territorial integrity.&#8221; (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Tag: Kyiv

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Ukraine Is Attacking Everywhere

Photos Show Devastating Impact Of Rocket Strikes And Shelling On Kyiv