Ukraine says it has been preparing a major counter-offensive for months. Among the most probable theaters of operations: the south-east of the country and the region of Zaporijia. Located on a flat ground, favorable to an advance of armored vehicles, this zone is strategic for kyiv which intends to liberate the occupied territories. For several weeks, speculation has been rife as to a possible breakthrough in the direction of Melitopol, but on the front, the big maneuvers have not yet begun.
With our special envoys in Ukraine, Anastasia Becchio and Boris Vichith
The echoes of Russian and Ukrainian artillery reach the village. Kaz and his teammates came to spend a few hours of rest. These territorial defense soldiers operate in a unit specializing in anti-tank combat: “ In recent days, the firefights have been quite intense. Usually it’s quieter. Last night, around 4 a.m., we came under salvoes of Grad missiles on our positions. Sometimes it even comes so far. »
In these landscapes of meadows and rapeseed fields, the lines have hardly moved for months. Khaki cap on his head, drawn features, but a wide smile that lights up his face, Oleg arrives from the front for 24 hours of rest in a village where only soldiers, dogs and chickens remain.
” We stand ready »
Nicknamed “the Frenchman”, because he left France where he worked, to engage in the first days of the war, he awaited the counter-offensive to participate in the liberation of his native region: ” We are ready, of course. We prepared mentally, but also militarily. Now we are waiting to be told: “to storm”. But no one knows when that will come. In any case, we are really waiting for that, to repel the Russians. »
Near a nearby roadblock, a poster proclaims ” Melitopol starts here “. The southern city has been occupied by Russian forces for fifteen months.
►Read also : Near Zaporijjia, Ukrainians await the counter-offensive to regain their village
New military aid to Ukraine of 1.2 billion dollars
This Tuesday, May 9, Washington announced new military aid to Ukraine in the amount of 1.2 billion dollars in order in particular to strengthen the air defense of this country against Russia, immediately welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky . The new aid reflects “ the determination of EUnited States to continue to support Ukraine with critical short-term resources such as air defense systems and ammunition “artillery while strengthening its ability to defend itself” longer term “Said a statement from the Pentagon.
The new materials will not come from American stocks and will therefore not be used immediately on the battlefield; the aim here is to finance the purchase of armaments in the longer term from the defense industry, which avoids drawing on the inventory of EUnited States already put to use. The Pentagon has not yet decided on the type of air defense system planned this time, its spokesman, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, said of the ” start of the ordering process with the industry. But the aid package includes ammunition for anti-drone systems, as well as 155mm artillery shells.
This new tranche brings the total American military assistance to Ukraine to more than $36 billion since the beginning of the Russian offensive on February 24, 2022. Asked if that was enough, the secretary ofEtat Antony Blinken told the press that Ukraine has what it takes to ” continue to successfully regain territories that have been occupied by Russia for the past 14 months “.
(With AFP)