Russia Claims to Have Thwarted Major Ukrainian Attack, Killing Hundreds

Russia on Monday claimed that its forces had thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive at five points along the front in the southern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. It also claimed to have killed hundreds of Ukrainian troops.

Russian forces killed 250 Ukrainian troops as well as destroying 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armoured combat vehicles, the Russian defence ministry said.

Russia’s defence ministry released video of what it said showed several Ukrainian armoured vehicles in a field blowing up after being hit.

Russia’s defence ministry said Ukraine had attacked with six mechanised and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk.

But the daily report from Ukraine’s General Staff said only that there were 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Saturday that he was ready to launch the counteroffensive but tempered a forecast of success with a warning that it could take some time and come at a heavy cost.