Zelensky says ‘counteroffensive’ in opposition to Russia underway | World News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a counteroffensive in opposition to Russian forces was underway, whereas declining to offer specifics on his troops' operations.

"Counteroffensive and defensive actions are going down in Ukraine: at which stage I cannot speak intimately," Zelensky stated on Saturday, commenting after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Kyiv's operation was already failing.

Russia has reported thwarting Ukrainian assaults within the east and south.

"It is fascinating what Putin stated about our counteroffensive. It will be important that Russia all the time feels this: that they don't have lengthy left, in my view," Zelensky stated.

He added that he was in day by day contact with navy commanders, together with armed forces chief Valery Zaluzhny, and "everyone seems to be optimistic now -- inform that to Putin!"

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On Saturday, Kyiv's forces carried out counteroffensive operations in not less than 4 front-line areas, in keeping with the Washington-based assume tank the Institute for the Examine of Conflict (ISW).

"Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces have tactical benefits in conducting assaults at night time resulting from Western-provided tools with superior night time optics methods," ISW stated.

To shore up that stockpile, Zelensky secured recent pledges of navy support whereas assembly with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the weekend.

- 'Held to account' -

Trudeau, 51, and Zelensky, 45, hugged and used one another's first names because the Canadian chief made his second unannounced go to to Kyiv since full-scale battle broke out in February final 12 months.

Canada, which hosts a big Ukrainian diaspora, has been one in every of Kyiv's key allies because the Russian invasion.

It has supplied Ukraine with vital navy support, educated greater than 36,000 troopers and adopted sanctions in opposition to Moscow.

On Saturday, the Canadian chief stated he would supply Can$500 million (US$375 million) in recent navy help to Kyiv, and pledged Canada can be a part of the multinational effort to coach Ukraine's fighter pilots.

Trudeau additionally urged worldwide organisations to return to assistance from these in Russian-occupied territories after flooding from the breached Kakhovka dam pressured hundreds to flee their properties and sparked fears of humanitarian and environmental disasters.

Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up the dam on Tuesday, whereas Moscow says Kyiv fired on it.

When requested why he stopped in need of blaming Russia for the dam collapse, Trudeau stated: "I do know there are investigators and there are a whole lot of questions and intelligence being analysed on what precisely occurred to have this dam collapse.

"However there isn't any doubt in my thoughts that absent Russia's invasion of final February, that dam would nonetheless be standing at present."

Pledging Can$10 million in flood reduction, Trudeau additionally stated Russia "will probably be held to account" for its actions in Ukraine.

Earlier within the day, Trudeau positioned flowers by a wall of remembrance displaying images of troopers killed in fight.

Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Oleksandr Polishchuk handed Trudeau a field that he stated held shrapnel from a rocket that fell on the Black Sea port metropolis of Odesa.

He stated the reward was meant to remind Trudeau of Ukraine's affected by Russian strikes.

- Iran should 'finish help' for Russia -

Three individuals had been killed early Saturday in a hearth sparked by particles from shot-down Russian drones within the Odesa area.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi to "instantly finish" Tehran's help for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which includes supplying Moscow with assault drones, the Elysee stated.

Macron in a phone name underlined the intense "safety and humanitarian penalties" of Iran's drone deliveries "and urged Tehran to instantly finish the help it thus offers to Russia's battle of aggression in opposition to Ukraine", stated a press release.

The decision got here a day after White Home nationwide safety spokesman John Kirby stated Russia was receiving supplies from Iran to construct a drone manufacturing facility that "might be totally operational early subsequent 12 months".

The US has stated that Russia has obtained tons of of Iranian assault drones to hit Kyiv and "terrorise" Ukrainians, a cost denied by Tehran.