Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that offensive and defensive operations against Russian forces were underway and that his top commanders were in a "positive" frame of mind as their troops engaged in fierce fighting along the front line. At a news conference in Kyiv with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko responded to a question about Russian President Vladimir Putin's remark a day earlier that Ukraine's counteroffensive had begun — and Ukrainian forces had suffered "significant losses."
On Friday, Putin had said that Ukrainian forces had begun their expected counteroffensive in Ukraine, but that every attempted advance had failed, resulting in heavy casualties. His remarks added to the narrative that Russia has been developing since the beginning of the week, which Kyiv has refused to challenge, stating only that the counteroffensive will not be announced, according to news agency Reuters.
Russia's Defence Ministry previously stated that it had repelled fierce attacks in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, resulting in over 1,000 Ukrainian casualties and the destruction of dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles, but it provided no evidence to back up its claims.
According to the report, Ukrainian forces attacked Russian lines four times with two battalions backed up by tanks just south of Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk, but were repulsed each time.
According to Zelennsky, "Counteroffensive, defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine. I'm not going to say what stage or phase they're in."
"I keep in touch with our commanders in different directions every day," he added, naming five of Ukraine's top military leaders. "Everyone is positive. Pass this on to Putin," the news agency AP quoted the Ukrainian President as saying during the conference.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Visits Ukraine:
Welcoming the Canadian PM, Zelennsky on Twitter wrote: "Despite all Russia's efforts to bow our people, Ukrainians continue to fight for independence and freedom. And in our victory, we will stand together just as we are standing now – on our way to defend life and people."
Trudeau, the first foreign leader to visit Ukraine since devastating floods caused by a breach in a Dnieper River dam, pledged financial, military, and moral support, as per the AP report. He pledged $500 million in new military aid, on top of the $8 billion already provided by Canada since the war began in February 2022, and announced $10 million in humanitarian aid for the flood response, it said.
According to the report, Trudeau stated that the dam's collapse was "a direct consequence of Russia's war," but he did not directly blame Moscow.
Ukraine's General Staff said Saturday that "heavy battles" were still going on in the country's industrial east, citing 34 clashes the day before. It provided no further details but stated that Russian forces were "defending themselves" and conducting air and artillery strikes in Ukraine's southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.