Ukrainian troops dig in after 'partial success' in south, fighting rages in east

Ukrainian servicemen of the 30th Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi Separate Mechanized Brigade talk next to a T-80 main battle tank captured earlier from Russian troops, at a position near the front line town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine June 19, 2023. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian forces are digging in and attacking on the southern front after having "partial success" in the last day, and are weathering a big Russian assault in the east, a senior defence official said on Wednesday.

Ukraine has reported recapturing eight villages in the south in the last two weeks. Though small, the advances are the biggest by the Ukrainian military since November as they push into heavily fortified and mined Russian-held areas.