Ukraine announces major offensive on Russian-held south

ANKARA

Ukraine announced a major offensive against its Russian-held southern regions, according to local media on Monday.

Citing Serhly Khlan, deputy of the Kherson Regional Council, state-run news agency Ukrinform reported that the first line of Russian defenses had been breached on the Kherson front.

The report said that some Russian military units, including an elite air assault regiment, fled the battlefield.

Ukrainian forces has been damaging Russian routes of movement, as well as manpower and ammunition clusters, across the Kherson region, it added.