Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his view that Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces is a failure, despite reports from Kyiv’s Ministry of Defence indicating advances on the front lines in the eastern Donetsk region, particularly around Bakhmut city.

During a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin denied claims of recent battlefield gains by Ukraine. He asserted that Kyiv’s forces had not merely stalled in their advance but had, in fact, failed.

Russia’s State news agency TASS quoted Putin as saying, “The Ukrainian counteroffensive ‘has failed, not stalled.'” He expressed hope that the situation would persist in this manner.

Putin has consistently maintained that Ukraine has made no significant progress against Russian defensive positions in areas controlled by Moscow’s forces. However, Russian Military bloggers and international military analysts have reported challenges faced by Russian forces on the front lines, including a shortage of artillery shells. This scarcity has compelled Russian military planners to prioritize artillery accuracy over their traditional approach of high volumes of shells fired in battle.

On the other hand, Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar announced on Monday that Kyiv’s forces had reclaimed approximately 3 square kilometers (1.16 square miles) of territory in the past week around the eastern city of Bakhmut. This city had been captured by Russian troops in May following months of intense fighting.

Since commencing their counteroffensive in early June, Ukraine has recaptured approximately 47 square kilometers (29 miles) of territory around Bakhmut, according to Maliar’s statement on the Telegram messaging app. The contrasting narratives from Moscow and Kyiv underscore the ongoing conflict’s complexity and the differing perspectives on its developments