MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had begun a major offensive against Russia's army but that Ukrainian forces had failed to achieve their objectives despite intense fighting over at least three days.
"We can state for sure that this offensive has begun.
This is evidenced by the use of strategic reserves of the Ukrainian army," Putin told Russian reporters in Sochi.
"Ukrainian troops did not achieve their goals in any sector." Putin said fighting had been very intense over the past three days but that "the enemy did not have success" in any of the battles.