But Kiev has acknowledged that progress against the heavily fortified Russian positions has been slow and said it had gained only some ground around the war-torn city of Bakhmut last week.
“An area of three square kilometers (1.2 square miles) was liberated last week in the Bakhmut sector,” Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Malayar told state television.
He explained that Ukrainian forces had been diverted from offensive operations around the city, citing Russian pressure building up in the Kharkiv region – captured by Russian forces in May.
Malayar said, “It was important for the enemy to divert our forces in other directions, so we could not concentrate our forces for an offensive in the Bakhmut sector.”
“I emphasize that Ukraine is in dire need of essential weapons. These are air defense systems and long-range weapons,” Klitschko wrote on social media.
Ukraine’s claims of further advances in the east came as its air force said it shot down several waves of Russian missiles and drones targeting Odessa, the latest in a series of attacks on the southern region on the Black Sea coast.