In a chilling development that has the world on edge, Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, accused Ukraine of escalating attacks on the frontline on Wednesday. This assertion comes amid reports of Ukraine’s steady but slow advancement on the battlefield, as stated by an unnamed Ukrainian official.

Multiple US-based media outlets, citing anonymous officials, have reported that Ukraine has kickstarted a bold new phase of its counter-offensive. The objective of this plan is to dislodge Russian troops still occupying almost a fifth of Ukrainian land.

On being questioned about these reports, Yuriy Sak, who advises Ukraine’s defence minister, dismissed them, stating there were no new developments at the front lines. Yet, he acknowledged the slow but definite progress in the southern region.

In a sensational turn of events on Russian television, Putin stated that every Ukrainian attack had been thwarted and Russian forces had inflicted significant damages on their opponents.

Interestingly, the Defence Ministries of both nations reported contrasting accounts of the ongoing battles. While Russia’s defence ministry asserted that Ukrainian attacks near the village of Klishchiivka had been thwarted, Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister, Hannah Maliar, told a different story. Maliar claimed that Ukrainian troops were “gradually advancing” near Bakhmut and fighting continued in Klischiivka, Kudriumivka, and Andriivka.

Until now, Ukraine’s counteroffensive has moved at a slow pace, managing to recapture just a few hundred square kilometers – a minuscule fraction of the territory under Russian control. Yet, Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke optimistically about “very good results” on the battlefield.

Reports suggest Ukrainian forces have seen some success near the Mokri Yaly river in southeastern Ukraine, capturing several settlements and heading towards Staromaiorske, a village currently held by Russia. However, the village remains a battleground, as confirmed by Sak.

  Bakhmut, Hannah Maliar, Russia, Staromaiorske, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Yuriy Sak