Ukraine counter-offensive actions have begun, Zelensky says

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to person confirmed that Ukraine's long-awaited counter-offensive against Russia has started.

"Counteroffensive and antiaircraft actions are taking place," helium said connected Saturday.

But helium added that helium would not speech successful item astir which signifier the counter-offensive was in.

Ukrainian troops person precocious successful the eastbound adjacent Bakhmut and successful the southbound adjacent Zaporizhzhia, and person carried retired long-range strikes connected Russian targets.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said successful a video interrogation published Friday that: "We tin decidedly authorities that this Ukrainian violative has begun."

Speaking successful Kyiv, aft talks with the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Mr Zelensky described the Russian leader's words arsenic "interesting".

"It is important that Russia ever feels this: that they bash not person agelong left, successful my opinion," helium said.

Ukraine's subject commanders were successful a affirmative mood, Mr Zelensky continued, adding: "Tell that to Putin."

The quality league followed an overnight Russian onslaught successful which 3 radical died and dozens were injured successful the confederate metropolis of Odesa.

Falling debris from a shot-down Russian drone started a occurrence successful a residential artifact successful the Black Sea-port city, Ukrainian officials said.

A abstracted overnight Russian onslaught targeted an airfield successful the cardinal portion of Poltava.

Ukraine's aerial unit said the Odesa attack, which lasted six hours, progressive 8 land-based missiles and 35 drones, and that aerial defence units were capable to sprout down 20 drones and 2 cruise missiles.

"As a effect of the aerial fight, debris from 1 of the drones fell onto a high-rise apartment, causing a fire," Natalia Humeniuk, the confederate subject command's spokesperson, said.

Emergency services said 27 people, including 3 children, were wounded, and that the occurrence had been rapidly enactment out. Twelve radical were rescued from the building, they said.

Images showed an flat gathering successful Odesa heavy damaged, with debris covering rooms and windows blown out. Others showed a ample crater connected the ground.

An airfield successful the cardinal portion of Poltava was besides deed by a Russian onslaught aboriginal connected Saturday, with the section politician saying it progressive ballistic and cruise missiles arsenic good arsenic drones. He said it caused harm to airfield infrastructure and equipment.

A 29-year-old was killed successful a abstracted onslaught successful the northeast Kharkiv region, officials said.

Meanwhile, warring has escalated successful caller days successful the cardinal confederate Zaporizhzhia region, Russian officials say, with Ukraine forces reported to beryllium trying to regain entree to the Sea of Azov, which would divided Russian forces.

Ukraine's anticipation of advances successful the region, however, could beryllium hindered by immense flooding successful the southbound of the state aft the Nova Khakovka dam was destroyed past week.

The flooding has covered astir 230 quadrate miles (596 sq km) either broadside of the Dnipro River.

Nato and Ukraine's subject person accused Russia of blowing up the dam, portion Russia has blamed Ukraine.