 |
| ©Photographer: John Moore/Getty Images |
May 11 (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry on Thursday denied reports that Ukrainian forces had broken through in various places along the front lines and said the military situation was under control. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had earlier said the offensive had yet to start. Ukraine has pushed Russian forces back over the past several days near Bakhmut while a full-blown counteroffensive involving tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of Western tanks is still being prepared.
Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musiyenko said Kyiv's backers understand that a counterattack may not result in the complete eviction of Russian troops and the definitive defeat of Russia in all occupied areas. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia's Wagner private army which has led the fight in Bakhmut, said Ukrainian operations were "unfortunately, partially successful".
He called Zelenskiy's assertion that the counteroffensive had not yet begun "deceptive". Britain has sent Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, allowing Kyiv to strike deep behind Russian lines. This is a significant step up in Western military support for Ukraine. Western countries have previously held back from providing long-range weapons for fear of provoking Russian retaliation. In an evening address on Thursday, President Alexei Zelenskiy said foreign flags would never reign on their land, and their people would never be enslaved.
The war in Ukraine is at a turning point, with Kyiv poised to unleash its counteroffensive after six months of keeping its forces on the defensive. Russia mounted a massive winter offensive that failed to capture significant territory.
Zelenskiy is expected to meet Pope Francis. The war between Ukraine and Russia began in February 2022 with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. Pope Francis is scheduled to meet Zelenskiy in the Vatican on Saturday, days after the pope said the Vatican was involved in a peace mission. The war worsened a global food crisis, and negotiations to extend the Black Sea grain shipment deal were complex.
In South Africa, the U.S. ambassador told journalists that Washington was confident a Russian vessel had loaded weapons and ammunition from South Africa in December, a possible breach of Pretoria's declared neutrality in the conflict. Washington has warned countries against providing material support to Russia, saying that those who do may be subject to economic sanctions similar to those imposed on Moscow.
