INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Moscow appears to be underway
Russia, meanwhile is witnessing an uptick in attacks against residential areas inside its territory.Speaking to reporters in Sochi, after
sector - thanks to the courage of Russian soldiers, proper organization of troops." Putin added.Moscow has been preparing for this
counter-offensive, which Ukrainian leaders have delayed on several occasions.Ukraine, backed by the United States -led NATO military
alliance, has refrained from making any public comments on its military operation to recapture territory lost to Russia.In his nightly video
address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had discussed tactics and "achievements" with military leaders but made no mention
of the counter-offensive."For our soldiers, for all those who at this time are engaged in particularly heavy combat
We see your heroism, and we are grateful for every moment of your lives," Zelensky said.Experts believe lack of statements by officials in
Kyiv on the highly sensitive counter-offensive (which may influence future Western military and diplomatic support for Ukraine) could be
down to the fact that Ukrainian authorities had demanded more sophisticated weapons from the United States -led NATO military alliance, as
well as training, before starting the long-awaited counter-offensive.Others argue that announcing the start of the counter-offensive could
backfire as Ukraine could suffer major losses on the battlefield and the operation may not succeed.The counter-offensive is expected to
include tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops that have been trained and equipped by NATO
Reports suggest Kyiv has 12 brigades of about 50,000 to 60,000 troops that are ready to enter the new phase of the battle
Nine of these brigades have been armed and trained by NATO members.In the absence of any statements from Ukraine itself, NATO has filled the
The New York Times has quoted three senior United States officials as saying that the counter-offensive was underway.Another key Ukraine
ally, the United Kingdom has also made similar public statements
progress in others, without offering any evidence.Ukraine has banned reporters from the frontline, which analysts point out is part of the
wider information war being waged to hide the number of casualties inflicted against its troops
The measure may have also been taken to keep the military operations secret and avoid Russian access to them
Bloggers have been reporting the first sightings of new German and United States weaponry on the battlefield.With Kyiv appearing to be
finally opening its counter-offensive, the United States has announced another military aid package for Ukraine, this time to the tune of
$2.1 billion, bringing to more than $40 billion dollars Washington has shipped Ukraine in weapons since the conflict erupted in February
munitions.Other NATO members have also shipped tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine, with the number of advanced weaponry rising ahead of
fierce Ukrainian offensives in the eastern Zaporozhzhia and Donetsk regions, killing more than 1,000 Ukrainian troops and destroying dozens
of tanks and armored vehicles.In a statement, the ministry said Ukrainian forces had attacked Russian lines four times with two battalions
supported with tanks south of a region in the eastern Donetsk, but were pushed back
Russian forces had also repelled two attacks just south of the city of Orikhiv in the Zaporozhzhia region, the ministry said
Moscow says Ukraine had lost around 1,200 military personnel, around 40 tanks and several aircraft, including a MiG-29 and a Su-25 in the
carried out a long-range sea and airborne high-precision group strike against ammunition depots, foreign-made weapons and military
equipment, including unmanned aerial vehicles
All designated targets were hit
governor of Poltava said the Russian military had fired missiles and drones in the central Ukrainian region overnight, inflicting "some
damage to infrastructure and equipment" at the Myrhorod military airfield.The attack that used ballistic and cruise missiles also damaged
eight private residential homes and several vehicles, governor Dmytro Lunin said in a social media post
No casualties were reported.Russia says its attacks are limited to Ukrainian military, logistics and other sites such as NATO weapon depots,
and does not target civilian areas.Meanwhile, the last month has seen an increase in attacks from Ukraine into Russia, with NATO-supplied
long-range missiles can reach the capital Moscow.In late May, the Russian capital was struck with a series of drone attacks for the first
time since the eruption of the conflict
casualties.Since May, the Russian Belgorod region, in particular, has been the target of intensified attacks, which has killed a number of
One attack included a cross-border incursion on May 22 to 23.Last week, Ukrainian forces continued to shell Belgorod overnight into Sunday
after two people were killed the previous night and hundreds of children were evacuated away from the border.More than 4,000 people had been
It had thwarted three cross-border attacks near the town of Shebekino
Kyiv has rejected the accusation.Some experts argue Ukraine and its NATO allies have been attacking Russian territory as a diversionary
tactic for the counter-offensive that is now underway.Moscow says its actions in Ukraine are a "special military operation," and insists it
