After his meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated:
The Ukrainian counterattack in the territories previously occupied by Russia is unsuccessful.
According to a Reuters report, he also added, there is no question of a stalemate and Ukraine’s efforts have failed.
However, it is important to note that Putin consistently maintains in his communications the narrative that Ukraine cannot make significant progress against Russian defense positions in the occupied territories. However, this is contradicted by the reports of Russian military bloggers, who report on the difficulties experienced by the Russian forces on the front line.
Putin’s claims are also contradicted by the official Kiev communication, according to which Ukrainian troops stationed in southern Ukraine have successfully breached Russia’s primary and most reliable defense line. For several days now, Ukraine has been reporting territorial gains in several areas, including the eastern part of Donetsk and the area around the city of Bakhmut.
Reuters points out in the material that the aim of the Ukrainian counterattack is to liberate the regions of Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson from Moscow’s occupation. Another goal is for Ukraine to regain control over the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea.
Cover image source: Getty Images
