Ukrainian forces have breached Russian defenses northwest of the city of Artyomovsk in Donbass, Russian war correspondent Evgeny Poddubny reported on Thursday evening. He believes it’s the beginning of Kiev’s much-touted spring offensive.

The attackers appear to have launched a series of simultaneous strikes north and south of Artyomovsk, also known as Bakhmut, several other Russian war reporters added. The city has been the scene of intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops for months.

In addition, Kiev’s troops have reportedly used tanks to strike the city of Soledar. Located northeast of Artyomovosk, it was captured by Russian troops after heavy fighting in January.

Meanwhile, in Zaporozhye Region, Kiev’s troops have reportedly attacked Russian positions near the city of Guliay-Pole. They are seeking to break through the Russian forces’ first defensive line, Poddubny explained.

A large column of heavy military equipment was also allegedly spotted moving towards the Ukrainian side of the border with Russia’s Belgorod Region in the northeast.

On Thursday evening, the Russian Defense Ministry said the “general situation in the area of the special military operation was under control.” Denying the reports of any “breakthroughs,” the ministry did note there was a pitched battle near the hamlet of Malo-Ilyinovka, northwest of Artyomovsk.

Kiev has not commented on Thursday’s movements so far. Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed his military still needed more time to prepare before the attack.

The country’s forces were generally “ready” for the operation, he told a collection of Western state media outlets, adding, however, that the cost of the offensive would probably be too high at the present moment. “We can go forward, and, I think, be successful,” Zelensky said. “But we’d lose a lot of people. I think that’s unacceptable. So we need to wait.”

The long-awaited attack was originally expected to start in the spring – even as early as late winter – but has been repeatedly postponed by Kiev, which cited unfavorable weather conditions and the need to stockpile more Western weapons and equipment before the operation.

Earlier this week, German Armed Forces chief General Carsten Breuer also said that the conditions for a massive operation in Ukraine were “not in place.”

Russian military clarifies frontline situation in Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: The view shows artillery strike towards Ukrainian positions in Artyomovsk, also known as Bakhmut, April 24, 2023 ©  Sputnik

The offensive of the Ukrainian army began.
According to preliminary data, the main part of the attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was recorded in the Donetsk direction. There is an active movement of columns with military equipment.
From the Kherson region comes… pic.twitter.com/nNQaAxtCmz

— Victor vicktop55 (@vicktop55) May 11, 2023

Bakhmut is about to fall and the flanks are attacked in parallel by the AFU, which the Russian army can hardly hold. The Russians are writing and commenting like crazy about it and the AFU does not even mention it in its daily report. On the remaining sections of the front there…

— Zlatti71 (@djuric_zlatko) May 11, 2023

From Evgeny Progozhin

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed that his government is supplying long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. CNN previously reported that several Storm Shadow weapons have already been delivered.

Wallace informed parliament about the arms transfer on Thursday, claiming it was a “calibrated and proportionate response” by London to the situation in Ukraine. He described the missile as a “long-range conventional-only precision strike capability,” but declined to provide details about the latest addition to Kiev’s arsenal of Western-provided hardware.

“The use of Storm Shadow will allow Ukraine to push back Russian forces based within Ukrainian sovereign territory,” the secretary predicted. He downplayed the significance of providing the new capability to Kiev, stating that the missiles were “not even in the same league” as those available to Russia.

Kiev has long asked Western nations to give it longer-range weapons, but the requests were previously denied. There were reportedly concerns that giving Ukraine the option to attack targets inside Russian territory, which is recognized as such by the US and its allies, would be a major escalation of the conflict. Kiev promised not to make such a move.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the UK decision to send missiles, pledging that the Russian military will make necessary adjustments to counter the new threat.

Moscow has warned that the continued supply of weapons to Ukraine will simply prolong the conflict, which cannot end unless Kiev and its foreign backers address core Russian security concerns. Russia views the hostilities as part of a US-led proxy war against it.