The Ukrainian military claims to have launched a counter-offensive against Russian forces in the south, claiming considerable progress toward Kherson.

On Saturday, Ukrainian forces “continued offensive operations and forced the enemy back 9 kilometers in the Beryslav district,” according to Serhii Hlan, a deputy on the Kherson region council.

Ukrainian forces “split the hostile grouping into two halves and actually encircled the enemy grouping in Davidiv Brid,” according to Hlan.

For weeks, Davidiv Brid has been on the front lines, serving as an escape route for citizens attempting to flee Kherson while under fire.

Video of artillery strikes against Russian positions was released by the Ukrainian military. “The artillery war continues,” it declared on Facebook.

“Ukrainian soldiers chase and burn the occupiers’ equipment on the lands of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions,” it said.

“Kherson hold on, we’re close!”