Ukraine is "within striking distance" of a breakthrough in its battle in opposition to Putin's Russian invaders, analysts within the United States have mentioned.

Ukrainian forces are presently advancing by way of the hardest line of Russian defences across the village of Robotyne, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has mentioned. The think-tank mentioned Ukraine's navy seems to be "within striking distance" of the subsequent collection of defensive positions, which can be weaker.

The analysts mentioned these defences may nonetheless pose a "significant challenge" to Ukraine - however provided that Russia has sufficient troopers in place to utilise these defences.

The ISW mentioned: "This series of prepared defensive positions may be less heavily defended than the positions Ukrainian forces already penetrated to the north.

"[The] defensive positions that Ukrainian forces are presently advancing by way of had been comprised of dense layers of minefields and fortifications to which Russian forces dedicated appreciable manpower, materiel, and energy to carry."

However, the next line of defences may have been less heavily mined, to enable Russian forces to retreat, said the ISW. Nonetheless, the next defensive line still includes anti-tank ditches, dragon's teeth anti-tank bollards, and Russian fighting positions.

Russia's landmines have, till now, hampered Ukraine's counteroffensive. Slow progress was being made on all fronts - but that changed over the weekend.

On Saturday (August 26), one commander leading an advance on Robotyne, a village in the Zaporizhzhia region, said his soldiers broke through minefields on its main roads, reported Sky News. The commander, who uses the callsign Skala, said: "I'm positive we'll go sooner from right here."

And yesterday (Sunday, August 27), the 36th Separate Marine Brigade released footage said to show the "artwork" of breaching mine defences. The footage confirmed explosions made by engineers who're utilizing plastic explosives to explode mines, in accordance with the final employees of the armed forces of Ukraine, which posted the video on Facebook.

y, the thirty sixth Separate Marine Brigade launched footage from the beginning of the counteroffensive within the south mentioned to point out the "artwork" of breaching mine defences.

The explosions had been the results of engineers utilizing plastic explosives to explode mines, in accordance with the final employees of the armed forces of Ukraine, which posted the video on Facebook.