According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Moscow has successfully repelled a large-scale offensive by Ukraine. Kyiv’s troops have unsuccessfully attempted to break through the front line in Donbas as the war rages on.
According to the ministry, as reported by RT, the assault began on Sunday morning. “The enemy’s goal was to breach our defenses in what they assumed was the most vulnerable section of the frontline,” it said in a statement. “The enemy has failed to reach its goals and was unsuccessful,” the ministry added.
Russian defense officials said that Ukraine had deployed the 23rd and the 31st mechanized brigades from its “strategic reserves,” which were supported in battle by other units. “The Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost more than 250 service members, 16 tanks, three infantry vehicles, and 21 armored vehicles,” the Defense Ministry claimed. It also released a video on Telegram of what it said were strikes on Ukrainian military vehicles.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed on Saturday that Kyiv was ready to launch its long-planned counteroffensive. However, the deputy head of his office, Igor Zhovkva, stated the same day that Ukraine had still not received enough weapons and ammunition to mount a successful campaign. -RT
Kyiv has recently stepped up artillery and drone attacks on Russian cities, including a UAV raid on Moscow last week. On Sunday evening, the Russian Defense Ministry said that troops had repelled an armed incursion into Belgorod Region, which borders Ukraine.
The Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the “Freedom of Russia Legion” have claimed responsibility for the attack, as they did for similar forays into Russian territory throughout this spring. Both are pro-Kyiv groups made up of fighters with “neo-Nazi backgrounds.”
On Monday morning, the governor of Belgorod. Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel that a drone strike had caused a fire at an energy infrastructure site. He added that there were no casualties and no power outages.
War efforts continue to ramp up, as there seems to be no end in sight. Neither side is willing to budge and with an increase in offensive attacks lately, it’s possible this will be a long and drawn-out war.