Ukraine has dismissed Russia’s assertions that it has successfully repelled Ukraine’s anticipated counteroffensive. The Russian defense ministry reported on Monday that Ukrainian forces had launched an assault on several Russian positions in the southern Donetsk front on Sunday. Moscow claims to have pushed back the Ukrainian troops, forcing them to retreat to their original positions on Monday while inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment.
However, Kyiv has categorically denied these reports, labeling them as untrue. Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tweeted that Russia is engaging in repelling an offensive that has not yet commenced, referring to it as “Russian disinformation.”
Ukrainian military officials have chosen not to comment officially on what they perceive as “Russian disinformation,” as they do not want to lend credibility to the claims. A press officer for one of Ukraine’s mechanized brigades stated that, in the coming weeks, they would adhere to a policy of not providing details about the counteroffensive.
For now, Ukraine is focusing on its defensive operations and has carried out successful counterattacks, according to Ihor Solovey, head of the Ukrainian state Center for Strategic Communications. Solovey argues that Russia’s claims about repelling Ukrainian forces in Donetsk are meant to divert attention from their ongoing efforts to capture Bakhmut, an area Kyiv denies has been overrun by Russian forces after months of intense fighting.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, Hanna Maliar, announced on Monday that they were reclaiming territory around Bakhmut, emphasizing their success and occupation of dominant heights while stating that the enemy was on the defensive. Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesman for Ukraine’s Army Command East, also confirmed that the Ukrainian army has effectively counterattacked in Bakhmut.
This development follows a warning from Ukraine’s Armed Forces Strategic Communications Center (Stratcom), which cautioned that Russia planned to intensify the spread of unreliable information about Ukrainian military operations. As tensions escalate, conflicting narratives emerge, increasing the need for ongoing updates and analysis of the situation.
