After three months of a stalemate, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) seem to be finally making progress against Russia in the south-eastern offensive.

The AFU has managed to breach the primary Russian defensive line in the south-eastern region of the country, although it still faces significant secondary and tertiary defensive lines. The breakthrough holds the promise of reinvigorating the slow-paced counter-offensive that Ukraine has been pursuing for the past three months, following a change of tactics in recent weeks that concentrates its forces in the south-east.

Reports from the front lines on August 31 say that Ukrainian paratroopers are battling entrenched Russian positions near the outskirts of Verbove village. Additionally, Ukrainian troops have succeeded in reaching the main defensive line to the south of the nearby Robotyne village. These advances have been confirmed by Ukraine's military authorities, the Wall Street Journal reports, although the Ukrainian military authorities gave no details.

Ukraine’s Western allies were pressing Kyiv for a large frontal assault on the southern front, but after initially sustaining heavy losses, Ukraine’s command switched to smaller units making more cautious attacks to reduce casualties. The upshot was progress has been slow, which has been fuelling the now visible Ukraine fatigue amongst Kyiv’s allies.

However, the tactics changed following a secret meeting on the Polish border at the start of August, reported by The Guardian, between Ukraine’s high command and top Nato commanders that has concentrated the attack in the south.

As a result Ukrainian forces have managed to breach the extensive Russian defensive line, characterised by minefields, trenches and anti-tank obstacles fortified with artillery support, but have not yet opened up a large enough hole to allow the Western-supplied mechanised armour to pass through.

Ukrainian troops are now focused on expanding the breaches in the defensive line to create openings large enough for its Western tanks and APC to pass through and attack Russian troops in the rear of the defence lines.

Encouraged by recent progress, Western intelligence services hold cautious optimism that Ukraine might regain control of the occupied city of Tokmak – a vital logistical hub for Russia that would be a steppingstone to the beaches of the Sea of Azov – the ultimate goal.

Nevertheless, Russia is fighting back fiercely, and the defence is showing no signs of collapse. Russia continues to hinder the advance, directing heavy artillery fire towards Ukrainian troops and deploying reinforcements, including its elite paratrooper battalions, to hold their positions.

To counter the murderous Russian artillery fire, in August Ukraine directed accurate counter-battery fire that has effectively neutralised some of Russian artillery, allowing the AFU to make progress, while infantry movements secured trenches and tree lines along the perimeters of agricultural fields, the WSJ reports. Key advances resulted in the capture of the village of Robotyne and a southward push towards Tokmak in the last few days.

Ukraine has been bringing their best troops to the fight as it deploys its reserves to help widen the breach, including potent airborne units such as the elite Western-trained and armed 82nd Air Assault Brigade, equipped with Western-made Stryker armoured fighting vehicles. Recent days have witnessed Ukrainian forces making inroads into the outskirts of Verbove village, posing a considerable challenge to Russian defences.

Russian forces are employing heavy artillery fire, directed by a swarm of aerial drones to target Ukrainian troops and vehicles. Ukraine has countered with US-supplied cluster bombs that have a devastating effect on Russia’s ground forces.

A successful breach at Verbove could open a strategic route to the Russian-occupied port cities of Berdyansk and Mariupol, reports the WSJ. Similarly, progress to the south of Robotyne (map) has the potential to pose a threat to the city of Tokmak.

The primary objective for Ukraine remains the establishment of a corridor through the Russian defensive lines to the Sea of Azov that would cut the land bridge connecting Russia’s mainland at Rostov-on-Don with the Crimea and so threaten Russia’s control of the peninsula.

The AFU has retaken the village of Robotyne this week (marked with a blue pin) but must also take the larger town of Tokmak as well as the costal cities of Melitopol and Berdyansk before they reach the sea.