IT’S HAPPENING

Zelensky Confirms Counteroffensive as Ukrainian Troops Advance on Bakhmut

“Counteroffensive and defensive actions are being taken in Ukraine.”

After weeks of rumor and anticipation, it’s official: the Ukrainian counteroffensive to expel Russian forces has begun. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed it Saturday at a press conference in Kyiv, according to The New York Times. “Counteroffensive and defensive actions are being taken in Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “At what stage, I will not disclose in detail.” It appears one of Ukraine's targets is Bakhmut, which represents a symbolic, hard-fought victory for the Russian army. Military officials for Ukraine claimed their troops had advanced around the city. “Our main goal remains unchanged: to inflict maximum damage on the enemy,” the spokesman for the country’s eastern military command said.