Russia has rejected a "large-scale offensive" by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk Region annexed to the Federation.
This was announced by Moscow, which underlines how the fighting is intensifying along the border.
Kiev has been preparing for months a "major counter-offensive" in an attempt to recover the territories lost since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Could this be the start? Kiev's army said there would be no announcement of the start of operations and in recent days Zelensky let the Wall Street Journal know that Ukraine is ready for a counter-offensive.
«South of Donetsk – the Russian Defense Ministry announced – the enemy has launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front. A total of six Ukrainian mechanized and two tank battalions were involved. The enemy (Kiev, ed.) did not achieve its tasks, it was unsuccessful. 250 Ukrainian soldiers were killed."
The ministry released what it said was video of the battle, showing Ukrainian armored vehicles under Russian artillery fire. Russian Army Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov "was in one of the forward command posts," Moscow added.
Large parts of Donetsk have been under the control of pro-Moscow separatists since 2014. It is one of four eastern Ukrainian territories that Russia formally annexed in September last year, along with Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Always sotot attack the district of Belgorod, in Russian territory, where an energy plant is on fire after being hit by a drone. “There were no casualties. No users have been disconnected. The operational services are working on the site,” said the governor of the region Vyacheslav Gladkov.
(Unioneonline/L)
