UKRraine ready to launch long-awaited counterattack on RUssia; Occupiers unsuccessfully tried to advance on Bakhmut and Avdiivka fronts; 2nd attack on RUs in Berdiansk in one day, many dead; UKR says RU eases Bakhmut attacks, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

Ukraine ready to launch long-awaited counterattack on Russia, official Oleksiy Danilov says:

Ukraine is prepared to launch its long-awaited counteroffensive on Moscow’s forces, a senior security official said.

The Ukrainian assault aiming to take back territory from Russia does not yet have a start date but could begin “tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week,” Ukrainian Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov told the BBC.

Danilov went on to emphasize the weight of the decision.

“We have to understand that that historic opportunity that is given to us — by God — to our country we cannot lose, so we can truly become an independent, big European country,” Danilov said.

He added that the decision will come when “we can have the best result at that point of the war.”

Separately, Ukraine’s top military commander, Gen. Zaluzhnyi, posted a rallying cry on Telegram Saturday suggesting a counterattack is looming on thValeriye horizon.

“The time has come to return what is ours,” Zaluzhnyi wrote in the post that featured a video clip of Ukrainian snipers, missile deployments, and artillery.

Danilov also said confirmed of the Wagner mercenary forces backing Russia were withdrawing from the war-torn city of Bakhmut and “regrouping to another three locations” which “doesn’t mean that they will stop fighting with us.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said in a Telegram post that Moscow’s forces have continued fighting but the “overall offensive activity has decreased.” —>READ MORE HERE

Occupiers unsuccessfully tried to advance on Bakhmut and Avdiivka fronts – General Staff report:

On Saturday, Russian troops conducted unsuccessful offensive actions on the Bakhmut and Avdiivka fronts; seven attacks were repelled on the Marinka front.

Source: summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces

Details: In total, during the day, the Russians carried out 10 airstrikes and about 30 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas. The probability of missile and air strikes throughout the territory of Ukraine remains high.

The Russians continue to focus their main efforts on attempts to completely seize Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. During this day, units of Ukrainian defence forces repelled 13 Russian attacks.

On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, the operational situation has not changed significantly, and no signs of formation of offensive groups have been detected.

On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russians carried out an airstrike in and around Vovchansk of Kharkiv Oblast, carried out mortar and artillery attacks on the settlements of Hremiach in Chernihiv Oblast; Zarutske, Hlukhiv, Buniakyne, Katerynivka, Obody, Myropillia in Sumy Oblast, as well as Basove, Buhaivka, Hoptivka, Lukiantsi, Zelene, Ternova, Starytsia, Ohirtseve, Hatyshche, Vovchansk, Tykhe, Khatnie in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Kupiansk front, the Russians carried out an airstrike in and around Kyslivka of Kharkiv Oblast. Kolodiazne, Krasne Pershe, Fyholivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kyslivka and Berestove in Kharkiv Oblast were subjected to Russian artillery and mortar fire. —>READ MORE HERE

Follow links below to +++++relevant+++++ and related stories:

+++++Russia-Ukraine News LATEST UPDATES: (REUTERS) (AP) (NY POST) and (WSJ)+++++

+++++Second attack on Russians in Berdiansk in one day, many dead+++++

+++++Ukraine says Russia eases Bakhmut attacks, Kyiv talks up counteroffensive+++++

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