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| Putin comments on Ukrainian counteroffensive | Putin comments on Ukrainian counteroffensive |
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| Kiev’s long-anticipated attempt to retake lost territories has started, the Russian president says | |
| The much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday. He cited the deployment of Kiev’s strategic reserves as a telltale sign of the operation. | |
| “We can state with absolute certainty that this Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun, and the use of strategic reserves points to it,” Putin stated at a press conference in Sochi. | |
| The president noted that particularly heavy fighting has been ongoing for five days, with Russian troops managing to hold their positions. | |
| He also claimed that the Ukrainian military has suffered far heavier casualties than the “classic” three-to-one ratio often expected during an offensive. | |
| However, Kiev has still retained its offensive capabilities, Putin said. He added that he expects Russian commanders to “assess the situation realistically” and act accordingly. | |
| The Russian leader also acknowledged that Moscow’s troops are facing shortages of modern weapons, and expressed hope that the country’s military industry will soon be able to satisfy growing demand. | |
| Putin attributed the purported failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive to the effectiveness of the armaments already at the disposal of Russian forces. | |
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