Ukraine's Counteroffensive and Russia's Preparations: Latest Updates.

Ukraine has formed eight new "storm" brigades comprising up to 40,000 troops to take part in a future counteroffensive against Russian invaders. The troops will be re-equipped and trained for two to three weeks before being ready to take part in fighting. The US estimated that more than 20,000 Russian soldiers had been killed and more than 80,000 injured in just five months of fighting in Ukraine, mostly around Bakhmut. Russia rejected the claim, saying the figure had been "plucked from thin air".