Ukraine’s counter-offensive has begun: Zelensky adviser says multiple operations are underway

Ukraine’s counter-offensive against Russia has begun, one of President Zelensky’s top advisers said this morning.

Mikhail Podolyak, head of the presidential bureau, said on Thursday that operations to push Russia back to its borders “have been going on for days.”

Speaking to Italian radio station Rai1, Mr. Podolyak said: “It is an intense war on 1500 kilometers of border, but the actions have already started.”

It is unclear what actions he was referring to, but Ukrainian forces are known to be attacking around Bakhmut’s flanks in an attempt to encircle the city recently taken by Wagner forces.

Mr Podolyak added: ‘This is not a ‘single event’ that will begin with the ceremonial cutting of the red ribbon at a certain hour of a specific day.

Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region on May 15

“These are dozens of different actions to destroy the #Russian occupation forces in different directions, which already happened yesterday, are happening today and will continue tomorrow.

“Intensive destruction of enemy logistics is also a counteroffensive.”

“Today we have the ‘Storm Shadow’ long-range missiles, the Leopards, the anti-missile systems that France and Italy have given us. With the F-16s, we can finally close the airspace,” he added, pointing out that “the paradox is that if we had them a year ago, the war would have already ended.”

It came as Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner group, said his men will leave Bakhmut by June 1 after years of fighting to take the city.

Defense will be left to elements of the regular Russian army, said Prigozhin, whom he previously criticized for abandoning their posts in the face of Ukrainian attacks.

Bakhmut, a crossroads city in the Donbas, has little tactical significance but has become politically important to both sides as they try to portray themselves as on their way to victory.

Ukraine denies Russia has full control of the city, with General Oleksandr Syrskyi – head of ground forces – saying his men are trying to surround troops stationed there.

Podolyak’s words also come against a backdrop of increased attacks on Russian positions, including with Britain’s long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

Ukraine claims ammunition depots, troop concentrations, command posts and artillery positions are regularly hit in what military experts call “shaping operations” ahead of the offensive.

Kiev’s allies also continue to ramp up support for Ukraine, including a coalition of countries seeking to provide the coveted F-16 fighter jets for its air force.

Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden approved plans to allow allies to train Ukrainian forces in flying US-made F-16 fighter jets — and eventually take care of the plane themselves.

No decision has yet been made on whether to actually deliver fourth generation fighter jets, but training pilots now – a process that takes several months – will help accelerate combat readiness once a formal decision has been made.

F-16s have been at the top of Ukraine’s weapon wish list ever since it received main battle tanks from the likes of the US, UK and Germany.

Kiev, which had already bolstered its air defenses with a host of Western-supplied anti-aircraft systems, now believes the jets could prove vital in the war and essential to the country’s long-term security.

Ukraine’s Air Force currently relies on Soviet-era jets that would fight in a dogfight against the Kremlin’s more modern jet, or against its air defenses.

Despite this, Russia has also failed to gain control of the skies over Ukraine, as Kiev’s own air defenses largely grounded the Moscow Air Force.

Ukrainian soldiers fire a howitzer D-30 at the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine on April 19

Ukraine says its F-16s are “four or five times” more effective than the Soviet-era jets it currently has, and is urging its allies to send some to Kiev.

And British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed this month that Britain is sending Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine as another blow to Vladimir Putin’s war effort.

Costing about £2.2 million, the missiles would enable Ukraine to hit Russian troops and logistics hubs deep behind the frontline. It was the first known shipment of long-range weapons that Kiev has long sought from its allies.

The UK has supplied Ukraine with short-range missiles, Challenger tanks and training of 15,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil.