AFU Break Through First Russian Defence Line In Zaporizhzhia Direction

And advanced three kilometres further down the line.

The Ukrainian armed forces have advanced in the Zaporizhzhia direction and have probably broken through the first Russian defence line in some places.

According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces launched localised ground attacks and achieved limited tactical successes in the western part of Donetsk and eastern Zaporizhzhia regions on June 4.

Geolocation footage shows that mechanized Ukrainian forces were advancing in limited numbers northeast of Rivnepil. Russian military bloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces were advancing towards Priyutne (15km southwest of Velyka Novosilka) and Makaryivka (within 4km southwest of Velyka Novosilka) and had captured Novodarivka (14km southwest of Velyka Novosilka) and Neskuchne (2km southwest of Velyka Novosilka).

Some Russian "war correspondents" claimed that Ukrainian forces broke through the first line of Russian defence and advanced 500 metres to 3 kilometres in the area.

Russian forces also likely lost their positions in Levadne (18km southwest of Velyka Novosilka), although it is unclear whether this happened recently or long ago.

The footage published on June 2 shows Ukrainian artillery brigade units firing at Russian positions near Staromierske, some 7km south and 7km southeast of Neskuchne and Rivnepil respectively.

Some military bloggers also claimed that Ukrainian forces launched limited counterattacks near Mala Tokmachka (28 km southeast of Huliaipole) and that Russian forces carried out air strikes against attacking Ukrainian forces near Huliaipole.

Russian "war correspondents" claimed that the Russian "Vostok" volunteer battalion and units of the 5th Combined Arms Army (CVO) successfully defended themselves against a further Ukrainian offensive. Russian sources mostly claimed that the Ukrainian localised counterattacks were reconnaissance operations.

Ukrainian forces continued shelling the frontline and rear areas of southern Ukraine. Russian sources claimed that Russian air defence intercepted Ukrainian missiles aimed at Berdyansk and Melitopol on June 3.

Russian sources also claimed that Ukrainian forces carried out additional strikes in Zaporizhzhia region on June 4: near Melitopol, northeast of Melitopol near Chernihivka and near the front line near Verbove and Rody.