Volodymyr Zelensky: Ukrainian Army's Counteroffensive Actions Against Russian Forces Are Underway

Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, stated in a press conference in Kyiv alongside Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, that the Ukrainian army's counteroffensive and defensive actions against Russian forces are "ongoing." Zelensky also emphasized that the mindset of his senior commanders remains "positive" despite intense fighting at the front lines. In response to a question regarding Vladimir Putin's statements the previous day about the "beginning of a counteroffensive against Ukraine and significant casualties among Ukrainian forces," Zelensky said, "Counteroffensive and defensive actions are underway in Ukraine. I will not discuss them in detail." Senior Ukrainian officials have refrained from announcing a full-scale counteroffensive, although some Western analysts believe a severe counterattack is underway due to intense fighting and reports of reserve forces being utilized. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Army announced on Saturday that "heavy battles" continued the previous day in the eastern industrial region of the country. The staff did not provide details but stated that Russian forces in southern Kherson and Zaporizhia regions are "defending themselves" and conducting air and artillery attacks. The allocation of billions of dollars in Western military equipment to Ukraine—some of which is equipped with advanced technologies—has heightened expectations regarding the timing of its use and its impact on Russian defensive lines. In this context, Justin Trudeau tweeted: "As the Russian regime continues and escalates attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine, we are providing new funding for military assistance and extending Operation Unifier—Canada's military training and capacity-building mission in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces—until 2026." He added: "We will also take actions to seize Russian assets in Canada and impose further sanctions." The Prime Minister of Canada continued by saying: "In response to the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam, we have provided support and are assisting organizations responding to the needs of people affected by the flooding caused by this incident. We are also committed to helping with post-flood reconstruction."