Russia denies reports of Ukrainian breakthroughs along front lines

Moscow responded after Russian military blogs, posting on Telegram, claimed that Ukrainian forces were making advances to the north and south east of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Some suggested a long-awaited offensive by pro-Kyiv troops had begun.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that the offensive has not yet begun.

The Russian Defence Ministry said that the statements made by Telegram channels in relation to 'defence advances' in various areas along the line-of-contact did not match reality.

In a press release, it used the Kremlin’s description of war in Ukraine to say that the "overall situation" in the area is under control.

The fact that the Russian Ministry felt compelled to issue the statement is indicative of what Moscow admits as a "very challenging" military operation.

Ukraine claims it has pushed Russian troops back in the last few days near Bakhmut. A full-blown offensive involving tens and thousands of troops, as well as hundreds of Western tanks, is still being planned.

Zelenskiy told European broadcasters that "we still need some more time".

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It was unclear if Ukrainian forces had launched a full-scale attack or merely conducted armed reconnaissance missions.

Oleksandr Musiyenko, a Ukrainian military analyst, said that Kyiv's supporters understand that a "counteroffensive" may not result in a complete eviction and defeat of Russia across all occupied territories.

Musiyenko, Ukrainian NV Radio. "We must be prepared for the war to last into next year - it could end this summer." It all depends on the outcome of the battles. "We can't predict how the counter-offensive is going to develop."

Yevgeny Prgozhin, the head of Russia’s Wagner private army, which led the battle in Bakhmut on Thursday, said Ukrainian operations had been "unfortunately, partly successful". He called Zelenskiy’s claim that the counteroffensive has not yet started "deceptive".

BRITAIN TO SEND CRUISE MISSILES TO UKRAINE

Zelenskiy stated that Ukrainian forces have already received enough equipment for their campaign from Western allies, but are still waiting for the complete complement of armored vehicles to arrive.

Britain announced that it would be sending Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles to Kyiv, which will give Kyiv the capability to strike behind Russian lines.

Ben Wallace, Defence Secretary, told the London Parliament that the missiles are now "going into or in the country itself". He added that the missiles would be supplied to Ukraine so they can be used there.

Western countries, including the U.S., had held back on providing long-range weapons in fear of Russian retaliation. Wallace said Britain weighed up the risks.

Earlier, the Kremlin said that if Britain supplied these missiles then "adequate response" from our military would be required.

Zelenskiy announced in an evening speech on Thursday that he will soon be able report important news related to defence.

He said, "Foreign flags won't reign on our land and our people won't be enslaved."

The war in Ukraine has reached a critical point. After six months on the defensive, Kyiv is now ready to launch its counteroffensive, while Russia launched a massive winter offensive, but failed to gain significant territory.

Bakhmut has been Moscow's primary target for several months, but it still hasn't fully captured the city despite Europe's bloodiest battles on the ground since World War Two.

While an agreement reached in July last year reopened certain Black Sea grain shipping channels, extending the deal proved difficult.

On Thursday, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey discussed UN proposals for keeping the pact in place. Moscow has threatened to leave on 18 May due to obstacles to its grain exports and fertilizer.

In South Africa, another important ally of Russia on a continent riven by war, the US Ambassador told journalists Washington was certain that a Russian ship loaded arms and ammunition from South Africa during December. This could be a breach of Pretoria’s neutrality declared in the conflict.

In a press release, the office for President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the government would launch an independent investigation led by a retired court judge to investigate the allegation. The president's office stated that Washington had not yet provided any evidence to back up its claim.

Washington has warned many countries not to provide material support to Russia. It said that those who did so could face economic sanctions similar to the ones imposed on Moscow.

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