NNA – Russia says it has thwarted another major Ukrainian offensive in Donetsk, inflicting heavy losses, while Ukraine has hailed progress in fighting in the east, although it was unclear if it marked the start of a long-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive.
On Monday, Russia said Ukrainian forces had begun a major offensive at the weekend in the southern part of the Donetsk region, which it had also thwarted.
Ukrainian officials have made no mention of any broad, significant new campaign although, in his nightly address on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was enigmatic, hailing quot;the news we have been waiting forquot; and forward moves in Bakhmut in Donetsk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24 last year in what the Kremlin expected to be a swift operation, but its forces suffered a series of defeats and regrouped in the country#39;s east.
Tens of thousands of Russian troops dug in for the winter, besieging Bakhmut for months and bracing for an expected Ukrainian counterattack to try to cut Russia#39;s so-called land bridge to the Crimean Peninsula.
The latest Russian defence ministry statement said Russian forces had inflicted huge personnel losses on attacking Ukrainian forces and destroyed 28 tanks, including eight Leopard main battle tanks and 109 armoured vehicles.mdash;Reutersnbsp;
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