Following the start of its long-anticipated counteroffensive last week, Ukraine says it has recaptured seven villages from Russian forces along a 100 kilometre front in the southeast.

Given Russia’s numerical superiority in men, ammunition, and air power, as well as the long period they have had to construct deep defensive fortifications, especially in southern Ukraine, ending Russia’s occupation is challenging.

Ukrainian forces are making progress on the battlefield despite rain and fierce fighting, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video address.

“The battles are fierce, but we have movement and that is crucial,” Zelenskiy said. “The enemy’s losses are exactly what we need.”

The Ukrainian flag was seen in a video held by soldiers in the village of Storozheve, near the Mokri Yaly River which flows northward from Russian-held territory. Reuters confirmed the location.

The Ukrainian military announced on Sunday that it had liberated three more nearby villages along the Mokri Yaly: Blahodatne, Neskuchne, and Makarivka.

Hanna Maliar, deputy defence minister, said late on Monday that Ukrainian forces had also recaptured Levadne and Novodarivka, approximately 10 km (6 miles) west of the Mokri Yaly, as well as Lobkove, southeast of Zaporizhzhia.

According to Maliar, Russian troops have advanced 6.5 kilometers and taken control of 90 square kilometers (35 square miles), just a fraction of the 40,000 square miles under their control.