Ukrainian forces say they have recaptured territory in the eastern region of Kharkiv, where Russian troops launched a large offensive in the northern hemisphere spring that brought initial gains but the operation soon stalled.
Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade said in a statement that its forces advanced nearly two square kilometres in that area.
It was unclear when the attack was launched, its scale and the area of the offensive and it is hard to predict if it will have a further effect on the battlefield.
Ukraine's reported counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region comes as its forces have gained new momentum and altered the battlefield this month.
Ukraine launched a shock offensive into Russia's western Kursk region on August 6 while simultaneously intensifying a drone war against military and fuel targets that sparked blazes deep in Russia this week.
On Friday some new details emerged about damage and injuries caused by some of those attacks.
A Ukrainian drone attack targeting a distant Russian air base in its Volgograd region caused significant damage to an airfield that reportedly housed glide bombs used by Russia in the war, satellite photos analysed by the Associated Press suggested.
Meanwhile, an attack on a cargo ferry at the port of Kavkaz in Russia’s Krasnodar region on Thursday injured 13 people, Russia’s state news agency Tass reported on Friday.
Citing health officials, Tass said that four of the injured have been hospitalised and one other person remained unaccounted for.
Ukraine and its allies hope that the regained momentum could strengthen the country's hand on the diplomatic front.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday to sit down for talks with Russia to end the war.
The first visit by an Indian prime minister in modern Ukrainian history comes at a volatile juncture in the war launched by Russia in February 2022.
The optics closely resembled the Indian leader's visit to Moscow last month where he called for peace and embraced Russian President Vladimir Putin, angering Ukraine where a Russian missile strike hit a children's hospital on the same day.
"The road to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy. And we should move in that direction without wasting any time. Both sides should sit together to find a way out of this crisis," Modi said on Friday.
"I want to assure you that India is ready to play an active role in any efforts towards peace. If I can play any role in this personally, I will do that, I want to assure you as a friend," he said.
Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade said Ukrainian soldiers also took control of an area that was held by a Russian battalion, and some strongholds.
Brigade Commander Andrii Biletskyi said that they attacked Russian troops that had superiority "and won," adding that the ratio of forces on the battlefield was 2.5-to-1 in Russia's favour.
The Associated Press was unable to independently verify the Ukrainian claims.
with Reuters
