Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the presumed commencement of Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive, noting the current inadequacy of modern weaponry within his forces. While Kremlin officials and various media outlets have reported Ukraine's initiation of the counteroffensive against Russia, Kyiv has not officially declared the start of the military campaign, clarifying that offensive strikes do not necessarily indicate its beginning.

During a press conference in Sochi, Putin remarked, "We can assert with absolute certainty that this Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun, and the utilization of strategic reserves attests to it," as reported by the Russian state media outlet RT. RT also mentioned that Putin acknowledged the shortages of modern weapons faced by Moscow's troops and expressed optimism about the future capability of the country's military industry to meet the escalating demand.

Although Putin did not provide specific details about the modern weapons he believes are lacking, his forces have consumed a substantial amount of ammunition throughout the war. Furthermore, recent weeks have witnessed an increased frequency of missile attacks by Moscow. Global officials have speculated for months that Putin could soon deplete his supply of modern missiles, while reports have indicated that the Russian military has resorted to deploying old tanks from storage due to significant losses of armored vehicles in Ukraine.

According to Tass, another Russian state news agency, Putin also mentioned during the Sochi press conference that Ukraine has not achieved success with its counteroffensive. He stated that it remains uncertain whether the Ukrainian offensive has stalled or not, but it can be concluded that all previous attempts made in the counteroffensive have failed.