President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that his military was engaged in “counter-offensive and defensive operations” a day after Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin said Kyiv’s long-vaunted drive to retake territory was well under way.
He said Putin’s comments on the counter-offensive were “interesting ... It is important that Russia always feels this: That they do not have long left, in my opinion.”Russia’s Defence Ministry on Saturday said Ukrainian forces had in the past 24 hours made “unsuccessful” attempts to attack in the southern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions – two areas subject to heavy fighting.
“Thank you to all those who hold their positions and those who advance,” he said, citing the eastern and southern fronts, where fighting is heaviest. Ukraine has said for months it plans a major counter-offensive. But it had denied the main operation had begun. “Some [Russian] units are likely conducting credible manoeuvre defence operations while others have pulled back in some disorder, amid increased reports of Russian casualties as they withdraw through their own minefields.”
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