Zelensky Defends "Slow" Offensive, Putin Sees Ukraine Losses Behind “Lull”, Russia Readies Sarmat

Russia says Ukrainian troops lost control of some long-term key positions in their failed attempt to attack in the Kupyansk area in Luhansk Oblast. Kyiv said Ukraine is “holding back a large-scale assault” by Russian forces near Bakhmut and Lyman. Some Russian media reports say Crimea’s rail lines were blown up overnight in apparent sabotage operations. Meanwhile, President Zelensky admitted that the counteroffensive has been “slower than desired” as Kyiv’s forces struggle to make a major breakthrough. President Putin said there was a "lull" in the counteroffensive as Kyiv’s soldiers “understand they don’t stand a chance against our heroic and courageous fighters”. Putin has announced that Russia's Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles soon to be deployed for combat duty. #russia #russiaukrainewar #ukraine #putin #usa Video: AP/AFP/Reuters/Twitter 0:00 - Introduction n18oc_world n18oc_crux CRUX is your daily video news guide to the big events that are shaping our world. We track news, geopolitics, diplomacy and defence strategies and explain how they shape national policies. Crux makes sense of global developments, and analyses their impact on daily lives. Follow CRUX on Telegram: https://bit.ly/3fnlLua Follow CRUX on Instagram (@crux.india): https://bit.ly/3qSFx1K Follow CRUX on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Lte7iF #GetCloserToTheNews with latest headlines on politics, sports and entertainment on news18.com https://bit.ly/2Y4QccL Also watch: Crux Decode: https://bit.ly/3MjzIoG Crux+ : https://bit.ly/35mm97B Crux Most Watched: https://bit.ly/3KhJ8iX