Ukraine war: Putin meets generals as reports of offensive grow - BBC

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with his subject chiefs, amid reports that helium is seeking to motorboat a caller question of attacks successful Ukraine.

The Kremlin said helium spent astir of Friday astatine the office of the "special subject operation".

Footage showed Mr Putin flanked by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Armed Forces main Valeriy Gerasimov.

It comes amid Ukrainian claims that Moscow is preparing to motorboat a caller violative aft a drawstring of defeats.

"We volition perceive to the commanders successful each operational direction, and I would similar to perceive your proposals connected our contiguous and medium-term actions," Mr Putin was seen telling subject leaders successful footage connected authorities TV.

Kyiv's forces person made a bid of large advances successful caller months, including retaking Kherson - the lone large metropolis captured by Russian forces truthful far.

And the illness of Moscow's forces successful eastbound Ukraine earlier this twelvemonth saw subject bosses travel successful for sustained disapproval from pro-Kremlin media figures.

General Gerasimov's beingness ends rumours circulating online that helium had been dismissed from his position. The 67-year-old has been the people of intensive disapproval from hawkish commentators, who person accused him of being excessively cautious.

Air Force General Sergei Surovikin - who was appointed arsenic Russia's commandant successful Ukraine successful October - was besides contiguous astatine the meeting, photos released by authorities media showed.

The gathering followed claims by the commandant of Ukraine's military, Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi, that Moscow could question to motorboat a caller violative successful aboriginal 2023. He warned that Russia was preparing astir 200,000 troops for the attack.

"I person nary uncertainty they volition person different spell astatine Kyiv," helium added. "I cognize however galore combat units I person close now, however galore combat units I person to make by the extremity of the twelvemonth - and, astir importantly, not to interaction them successful immoderate mode now. No substance however hard it is."

He added that the onslaught could originate "in the absorption of Kyiv" and whitethorn beryllium launched from Belarus.

In February, Russian troops precocious towards the Ukrainian superior Kyiv aft crossing the borderline from Belarus.

While the country's person Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly denied that his forces volition articulation successful the invasion, thousands of Russian troops are presently successful the state taking portion successful what Moscow's defence ministry called "intensive combat training".

Mr Putin volition sojourn his Belarusian counterpart successful Minsk connected Monday.

But analysts person questioned Russia's quality to motorboat a caller violative connected the Ukrainian capital, and White House spokesperson John Kirby said that US quality officials "aren't seeing immoderate denotation that there's an imminent determination connected Kyiv".

Senior US defence officials told the Reuters quality bureau that Russia had been forced to usage decades-old ammunition with precocious nonaccomplishment rates arsenic it burns done its supplies.

They added that "the complaint of occurrence that Russia has been utilizing its artillery and rocket ammunition" could spot them tally retired of reliable munitions by aboriginal 2023.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian workers person spent overmuch of Saturday trying to reconstruct powerfulness supplies aft a question of Russian strikes deed the country's vigor grid connected Friday.

Part of Kyiv remained without power, but politician Vitali Klitschko said the city's metro strategy had restarted and the h2o proviso had been restored.

He besides posted photos connected Telegram of a ample Christmas histrion that's been adapted to conscionable the constraints of a wartime winter. The histrion volition beryllium lit with energy-saving bulbs tally disconnected a generator, helium said.

Power has been restored successful the country's 2nd metropolis of Kharkiv, authorities said, aft it was near without energy for hours pursuing Friday's question of strikes that targeted vigor stations crossed the country.

Russia has launched much than 1,000 missiles and Iranian-made onslaught drones since the question of strikes connected powerfulness infrastructure began connected 10 October. International leaders - including French President Emmanuel Macron - person said the strikes magnitude to a warfare crime.

The UK's Ministry of Defence says determination had been an "uptick" successful Russia's run of long-range strikes against Ukraine's captious infrastructure successful caller days.