Ukraine says advancing on southern front near Robotyne

Ukraine said Tuesday that its forces had pushed deeper into Russian defensive lines near the village of Robotyne, one day after claiming control over the village on the southern front.

Kyiv launched a grinding counteroffensive in June after stockpiling Western-supplied weapons and building up assault battalions, but progress has been slow.

Military spokesman Andriy Kovalyov said Ukrainian forces were edging further in the Zaporizhzhia region, which Moscow claims is part of Russia.

"Ukrainian forces had successes in the direction of Novodanylivka to Verbove," he told state media on Tuesday, naming two hamlets in the war-battered region.

He added that the troops were holding captured territory and attacking Russian artillery.

Compared to offensives last year in the Kherson and Kharkiv regions, this time Ukrainian forces are crashing into Russian defensive lines of trenches and minefields that are kilometres deep.

But analysts say the capture of Robotyne is evidence that Ukrainian forces can puncture Russian lines as they push south.