The Russian Defense Ministry said early Monday that Ukraine began a “large-scale offensive” by launching attacks along five sections of the frontlines in the eastern Donbas region.
According to RT, the ministry said the offensive began early Sunday, and the Ukrainian forces were unsuccessful. “The enemy’s goal was to breach our defenses in what they assumed was the most vulnerable section of the frontline,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The enemy has failed to reach its goals and was unsuccessful,” the statement added. The ministry claimed that Ukraine lost 250 soldiers, 16 tanks, three infantry vehicles, and 21 armored vehicles, but the numbers aren’t confirmed.
Military situation in Ukraine on June 4, 2023.
The statement from the Russian Defense Ministry comes after much anticipation of Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive.
NATO-trained soldiers are expected to lead Kyiv’s offensive operations, as the Ukrainian war effort is entirely reliant on US and NATO support. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine was sending untrained, poor men into the Bakhmut meatgrinder to preserve professional soldiers for the offensive.
While publicly, Biden administration officials are predicting Ukrainian success, leaked Pentagon documents that appeared on Discord and other media reports have shown the US does not think Kyiv can regain much territory.
Source: AntiWar.
