The Ministry of Defense announced the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Soledar direction

On May 11, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) launched an offensive in the Soledar tactical direction along the entire line of contact. This is reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

“In the Soledar tactical direction, the enemy yesterday carried out offensive operations along the entire line of contact between the parties, more than 95 kilometers long,” says in the department’s daily report.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched 26 attacks, in which more than 1,000 military personnel and up to 40 tanks and other military equipment were involved. All enemy attacks were repulsed, there were no breakthroughs in the Russian defense, the message emphasizes.

In the Maloiliinovsky direction, Russian troops occupied a new frontier, taking into account the favorable conditions of the Berkhovsky reservoir. The defense department noted the courage of the military personnel of the 4th and 200th motorized rifle brigades, army aviation crews and other units of the Russian Armed Forces. It is specified that more than 540 Ukrainian servicemen and eight tanks were destroyed in this direction.

In the western part of Artemovsk (Ukrainian name – Bakhmut) continued to fight, they are supported by airborne units. Over the past 24 hours, Russian aviation has made nine sorties, and artillery has completed 64 fire missions. In total, the enemy lost about 900 people killed and wounded in the Donetsk direction.

In the Kupyansk direction, the activities of the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group (DRG) in the Kharkiv region were suppressed at night. The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this direction amounted to more than 60 servicemen. Two more Ukrainian DRGs were liquidated by Russian troops in the Krasnolimansky direction in the LPR. During the day, more than 75 Ukrainian soldiers were destroyed in this direction.

The total losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Yuzhnodonetsk and Zaporozhye directions amounted to 110 people, and the Russian Armed Forces also destroyed one Ukrainian tank. In the Kherson direction, the enemy lost up to 40 servicemen.

The day before, on May 11, a number of war correspondents in their Telegram channels reported on the start of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, military commander Yevgeny Poddubny said that the Ukrainian army began to encircle Russian forces in the Artemovsky direction and made attempts to “organize a breakthrough” in the Soledar area with the help of armored groups with tanks. Later, he clarified that “the enemy is conducting local battles as part of a grand plan” – an offensive.

The Ministry of Defense reports on the breakthrough of defense refuted and stressed that the situation in the special operation zone is under control. The department added that in the Kupyansky, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya directions “active operations are not being conducted”, and in the Artemivsk area, fighting continues.