Russian forces stop Ukrainian counteroffensive, says Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that Ukrainian troops have started a counteroffensive and are suffering significant losses in their efforts to penetrate Russian defences in Ukraine. However, Ukrainian authorities have either denied or declined to confirm if their counteroffensive has started. The Institute for the Study of War warns that the early phase of the campaign may see the highest Ukrainian losses. The US Department of Defense announced an additional $2.1bn in military assistance for Ukraine on Friday.