Russia Says It Thwarted Major Ukrainian Offensive, Kyiv Accuses Moscow of Spreading Lies

Drone footage shows armoured vehicles on the move in an unidentified location after the Defence Ministry in Moscow said that Russian forces have thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive in the southern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, in this still image taken from a handout video released on June 5, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters

MOSCOW—Russia said on Monday its forces had thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive at five points along the front in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk and killed hundreds of troops while Ukraine accused Moscow of spreading lies.

It was not immediately clear whether or not the attack represented the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive which Kyiv has been promising for months to drive out Russian forces after the invasion of February 2022.