Ukraine retakes 14 square miles of territory from Russia in past week, claims Kyiv

Kyiv [Ukraine], July 3 : Ukraine claimed on Monday that it has claimed a total of 14 square miles 9 square km of territory in the east and 28.4 square km in the southfrom Russia in the past week, CNN reported.

Hanna Maliar, the Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine that intense fighting is ongoing in the east with Ukrainian forces advancing in the Bakhmut direction, and Russia attacking the Lyman, Avdiivka and Maryinka directions, CNN reported.

"The enemy is trying to force our troops out of their positions, but is receiving a worthy rebuff," said Maliar in her latest update Monday.

Russia has stepped up attacks in the east, she added, while Ukraine continues to push its offensive in the south, in the Melitopol and Berdiansk sectors.

"They conducted offensive operations in the areas of Novodarivka, Pryiutne; Novodanylivka, Robotyne; Novosilka, Staromayorske, and were successful, CNN quoted Maliar as saying.

She added that the total area liberated in the south is 158.4 square kilometres.

Earlier on Sunday, Maliar said that Russian forces have gained some ground near the eastern Ukrainian town of Svatove.

The defence official Hanna Maliar in a Telegram post said: "Fierce fighting is taking place there. The enemy is attacking Bilohorivka and Serebrianka".

She was referring to two smaller villages south of Svatove.

The eastern town, which is located in the Luhansk region, has long been regarded as a key target for Ukrainian forces. It is situated along key Russian supply routes, so any eventual recapture of the town would have important strategic implications for Ukraine, as per CNN.

This development comes two days after Russia launched an overnight drone attack on Kyiv after a 12-day break, Al Jazeera reported citing a senior Ukrainian military official.

"Another enemy attack on Kyiv," Serhiy Popko, a colonel general who heads Kyiv's military administration, said in a post on the Telegram channel early on Sunday.

"At this moment, there is no information about possible casualties or damage," he said.

The attack came a day after Ukrainian officials reported more civilian casualties from Russian shelling in the country's east and south.

At least three civilians were killed and 17 were wounded on Friday and overnight on Saturday, in the eastern front-line Donetsk region according to Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, AL Jazeera reported.