Russia Denies Reports of Ukrainian Breakthroughs on Front Lines

The Russian Ministry of Defense has denied reports claiming that "Ukrainian forces have penetrated various points along the front lines," stating that "the military situation is under control." In a post on Telegram, it mentioned, "The statements circulated by individual channels on Telegram regarding defensive breaches in various areas along the military contact line." Moscow's response came on Thursday after Russian military bloggers on the messaging app Telegram reported advancements by Kyiv's forces north and south of the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Some indicated that Kyiv-aligned troops had begun their anticipated counteroffensive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously stated that the attack had not yet commenced. In contrast, Ukraine indicated that it had "pushed Russian forces back in recent days near Bakhmut, while preparations are still underway for a comprehensive counteroffensive involving tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of Western tanks." Reuters was unable to verify the accuracy of these reports, and it remains unclear whether Ukrainian forces are launching a strong attack or merely conducting armed reconnaissance operations.