Russia says it has thwarted a major attack on Ukraine

Russia’s defense ministry said it had thwarted a major Ukrainian attack on Donetsk, claiming it had killed 250 soldiers and destroyed armored vehicles.

A video of what Russia says is the battle appears to show military vehicles under heavy fire in the fields.

But there was no comment from Kiev and Russia’s claim has not been independently verified.

Ukraine’s counterattack has been long overdue, but Kiev says it would not give advance warning of an attack.

It is unclear whether the alleged attacks indicate that a new push to retake Ukrainian territory from Russian forces has begun in earnest.

Russia’s defense ministry said Ukraine launched a “large-scale offensive” in the Donetsk region on Sunday using six mechanized battalions and two battalions of tanks.

It claimed that the Ukrainians tried to penetrate the Russian defenses in what Kiev considered the weakest part of the front line, but “they did not accomplish their tasks and did not succeed.”

Moscow claimed that Ukraine lost 250 soldiers as well as 16 tanks.

Ukraine had been planning a counterattack for months. But she wanted as much time as possible to train troops and receive military equipment from the Western allies.

Officials in Kiev cautioned against public speculation about the attack, saying it could help the enemy.

“Plans love silence,” the defense ministry said in a video posted to Telegram on Sunday. “There will be no announcement of the start.”

The footage showed masked and well-armed soldiers holding their fingers to their lips.

There is a lot at stake because the government in Kiev needs to show the people of Ukraine — and Western allies — that it can break through Russian lines, end the effective military impasse, and reclaim some of its sovereign territory.

The commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Sersky, said Monday morning that the forces were “advancing” towards Bakhmut and destroyed a Russian position near the city.

The claim was made by the Russian Freedom Corps (FRL), which described the announcement as a joint statement with the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK).

Both groups want to overthrow President Vladimir Putin. They oppose the all-out invasion of Ukraine that he launched in February last year.

The chief Belgorod official, Vyacheslav Gladkov, responded by saying that he had agreed to meet the captors of the men if the soldiers were still alive. But the fighters later said the governor “didn’t find the courage” to meet them and would hand over their captives to Ukraine.

Russia has blamed Ukraine for the recent attacks on its border lands, but Kiev denies direct involvement.

Authorities in Belgorod said a power plant had caught fire following a drone attack on Monday morning.

In Russia’s Kaluga region – which borders the southern regions around Moscow – Governor Vladislav Shapsha said two drones had crashed on a main road. Shabsha said there was no explosion and the area is now cordoned off.

There has been no independent confirmation of either attack, but Moscow says the Belgorod region has been the usual target of drone attacks from Ukraine.