Russian President Vladimir Putin has again called Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces a failure as Kyiv’s Ministry of Defence reported further gains on the front lines around Bakhmut city in the eastern Donetsk region.
Speaking at a news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, Putin denied reports of recent battlefield gains by Ukraine and said Kyiv’s forces had not stalled in their advance, but had failed.
