- A Ukrainian general said his country's forces have recaptured over 270 square miles of territory.
- This includes significant gains in a surprise offensive in the Kharkiv region in the east.
A Ukrainian general said on Thursday that Ukraine's forces had recaptured over 270 square miles of territory in the east and the south as part of a significant counteroffensive that began just last week, Reuters reported.
Though Ukraine was expected to launch a counteroffensive in the south, a portion of these recent gains were seemingly made in a surprise offensive in the Kharkiv region — in eastern Ukraine.
Brigadier General Oleksiy Gromov said that Ukraine had advanced roughly 30 miles in that region, recapturing over 20 villages, per Reuter's report.
The news follows a report from the Institute for the Study of War on Wednesday noting that "Ukrainian forces likely used tactical surprise to advance at least 20 km into Russian-held territory in eastern Kharkiv Oblast on September 7, recapturing approximately 400 square kilometers of ground."
The conflict in Ukraine up to this point has largely been a war of attrition with both sides hammering the other with long-range artillery. Russia has struggled to make major advances, and its progress has been incremental. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in July that the Russian military had only gained about six to 10 miles of territory after failing to take Kyiv and pivoting its focus to the eastern Donbas region in the spring.
"This week we have good news from Kharkiv Oblast," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a late night address, according to Reuters. "All of you have most likely seen reports about the recent activities of Ukrainian defenders. And I think every citizen feels proud of our warriors."
Commenting on the Ukrainian counteroffensive from Germany on Thursday, Milley said, "We think their progress is steady and deliberate."
"They have the forces to do it, and we'll see how this plays out," Milley added, while underscoring that "it's too early to give a full assessment" on the counteroffensive.
Though Insider could not independently verify the reported Ukrainian gains in recent days, if confirmed they would provide a major boost to Kyiv's war effort — and could potentially inspire more military aid to pour in from Western allies.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Thursday and announced $2 billion in long-term military aid to Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors "most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression."
This came in addition to a $675 security assistance package to Ukraine announced by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Ramstein, Germany on Thursday. The US has provided Ukraine with over $15 billion in security aid under the Biden administration.
—Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 8, 2022
—Jake Epstein (@byjepstein) September 8, 2022
"Now, we're seeing the demonstrable success of our common efforts on the battlefield. And every day, we see the resolve of the allies and partners worldwide who are helping Ukraine resist Russia's illegal, imperial, and indefensible war of conquest. And we must evolve as the fight evolves," Austin said in Germany.
Russia's unprovoked war in Ukraine has seen its military suffer massive troop losses as the West has moved to isolate Moscow both economically and politically.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday rejected the notion Russia lost anything as a result of the war, per Reuters. "We have not lost anything and will not lose anything," he said.