Ukrainian forces recaptured no less than two villages from Russian occupation on Sunday, footage has appeared to point out, as Kyiv celebrated its first liberations of the long-awaited counter offensive marketing campaign. Videos appeared on Sunday morning and into the afternoon displaying Ukrainian troopers triumphantly hoisting the nationwide flag within the neighbouring villages of Blahodatne and Neskuchne, situated within the Donetsk area in direction of the course of Mariupol additional south, which is believed to be one in every of Kyiv’s goals throughout this sixth stage of offensive operations.

Deputy defence Minister Hanna Maliar later claimed in a Telegram video that Ukraine's forces had additionally taken the village of Makarivka, a couple of miles additional south.

Nearly midway up the greater than 600-mile frontline, Ukrainian forces mentioned they drove out Russian fighters from the village of Blahodatne, within the partially occupied Donetsk area.

Ukraine's 68th Separate Hunting Brigade posted a video on Facebook that confirmed troopers putting in a Ukrainian flag on a broken constructing within the village.

Myroslav Semeniuk, spokesman for the brigade, mentioned that an assault group captured six Russian troops after coming into a number of buildings the place some 60 troopers had been holed up.

“The enemy keeps shelling us but this won’t stop us,” Semeniuk mentioned. “The next village we plan to reclaim is Urozhayne. After that, (we’ll proceed) further south.”

Ukrainian forces of the seventh separate battalion “AREY” in Neskuchne (Image: TELEGRAM ) class="text-description">

The battlefield showdown within the south-east and chaotic scenes from inundated southern Ukraine marked the most recent upheaval and bloodshed in Russia's struggle in Ukraine, now in its sixteenth month.

Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed official within the Zaporizhzhia area, insisted that Blahodatne and two different villages within the area had been in a “grey area” when it comes to who controls them, however he admitted that Russian fighters had been pressured to depart the village of Neskuchne.

Footage printed in a while Sunday purported to point out the Ukrainian forces of the seventh separate battalion “AREY” in Neskuchne, waving a flag of their very own.

An military spokesperson mentioned the good points had been the primary localised victories of the counter offensive.

READ MORE: Kyiv says troops are advancing across the entire eastern front [REVEAL]

The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday continued to insist that it was repelling Ukrainian assaults within the space.

It mentioned in a press release that Ukrainian makes an attempt at offensive operations on the southern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia axes of the frontline over the previous 24 hours had been “unsuccessful”.

But Volodymyr Zelensky, though sustaining his coverage of silence when talking in regards to the counter offensives, praised his troopers in his nightly tackle.

He mentioned: “I am grateful to our warriors for this day. To each of our combat brigades, each of our units.

“The Khortytsia and Tavria operational and strategic groups of troops - all those who are now in combat, all those who are in positions, all those who are helping... I thank you! Thank you for every step, for every battle, for every destroyed occupier!”

Top presidential advisor Andriy Yermak posted a Ukrainian flag simply after noon native time on Sunday as the primary reviews that Blahodatne had been liberated appeared on social media.

Anton Geraschenko, a authorities advisor, additionally posted an image of troopers holding a Ukrainian flag, celebrating the liberations.

Mr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian counter-offensive actions had been underway.

Notwithstanding the truth that the recapture of Blahodatne pointed to a small Ukrainian advance, Western and Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly cautioned that efforts to expel Russian troops extra broadly are anticipated to take time. Russia has made a lot of how its troops have held their floor elsewhere.