(Moscow) Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Ukrainian army’s counter-offensive, launched in June, had not been successful in the face of the resistance of Russian defenses in eastern and southern Ukraine .
“All attempts by the enemy to break through our defense […], especially by using strategic reserves, were not successful during the entire period of the offensive. The enemy did not achieve success,” Putin said.
Speaking in an interview with the Rossia-1 television channel, broadcast on Sunday, he judged that the situation was “positive” for the Russian forces on the front.
Our troops are performing heroically. Unexpectedly for the adversary, they even go on the offensive in certain sectors and capture more advantageous positions.
Vladimir Putin, Russian President
On Friday, the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriï Yermak, admitted that the Kyiv counter-offensive was not advancing “so quickly”, assuring that the Western allies were not putting pressure on Kyiv about it.
Led since June with the support of heavy weapons delivered by the West, the counter-offensive is progressing slowly against Russian troops who have time to establish solid defences, in particular formidable minefields, and still have a substantial firepower to pound the Ukrainian forces.
PHOTO VADIM BELIKOV, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Russian rockets are launched against Ukraine from the Russian region of Belgorod, July 16 in a view from Kharkiv.
On Sunday, the Ukrainian General Staff said that offensive operations in the direction of Melitopol and Berdyansk, two towns occupied by Russia in southern Ukraine, were continuing.
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, the Russian Defense Minister told him that Russian troops had succeeded in breaking through 1.5 km deep on a stretch of the front near Lyman, in the eastern Donetsk region. from Ukraine.
Drone attack repelled in Crimea
Russia said on Sunday that it had neutralized at least ten Ukrainian drones, launched in annexed Crimea near Sevastopol, headquarters of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea regularly targeted by this type of attack.
In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said it shot down two drones with its anti-aircraft defenses and disabled five others with jamming systems.
The ministry claims to have also destroyed two Ukrainian army naval drones, craft that operate on the surface of the water, without a crew.
“No casualties or damage after this aborted terrorist attack,” he said.
The Russian governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvojayev, told him on Telegram at the end of the morning that a tenth aerial drone had been neutralized over the Black Sea with electronic jamming systems.
Sevastopol is the home port of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Since the start of the offensive against Ukraine in February 2022, Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, has been the regular target of aerial and naval drone attacks.