Russia thwarted Ukrainian counteroffensive with a strike on an ammunition depot

The city of Pavlograd was destroyed by a Russian missile strike. went off at the 136th kilometer of the railway between Bryansk and Unecha, about 70 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.

Russian Railways, the country's railway operator, said the incident occurred at 10:17 a.m. seven derailed freight cars and set the locomotive on fire.

Two Russian media outlets linked to security agencies said authorities were looking for two male suspects seen nearby on CCTV cameras.

According to Bogomaz, traffic on this section of the railway has been suspended. The disruption was so severe that trains running southwest to the city of Gomel in Belarus were also stopped, authorities said.

Early on Monday, power pylons in the north of the country were blown up. in western Russia outside of St. Petersburg in what the FSB security service called an act of sabotage.

The counteroffensive «will go far»

Meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian general in a social media post said his forces had driven out Russian troops from some positions near the strategic city of Bakhmut.

On Monday, the commander of the Ukrainian forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrsky of the Ground Forces, described the situation around Bakhmut as «difficult» but said his troops had counterattacked and forced the Russians out of «certain parts of the city.»

Independent reports confirming these allegations have not been reported. .

The Russian Defense Ministry has published undated photographs of Tornado-G missiles fired at Ukrainian positions. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense/Newsflash

Later on Monday, Ukraine's defense minister said that the country's forces were well prepared for a counteroffensive.

«We are at the finish line, when you can say:» Yes, everything is ready, » Alexey Reznikov said, adding that now it is only a matter of time before the military command launches it.

“I don’t just hope for [counteroffensive], I believe in it.”

He said he was convinced that the Ukrainian government had done enough to make the counteroffensive “go far.”

On Monday, the US State Department announced the death of an American citizen in Ukraine.

On Sunday, the British film director and the volunteer said his friend, a 26-year-old former US Marine, was killed during the fighting near Bakhmut.

Cooper Andrews reportedly served in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.

At least 100 foreign volunteers took part in the fighting. have been killed fighting alongside Ukrainian forces since the start of the Russian invasion.