Ukraine debunks Russian claims of fresh summer offensive

He stressed that this is not a new offensive, since Russia’s attempts to advance have been ongoing since early 2024:

“As I’ve said, this is not a new offensive, but the continuation of the previous one, which has been failing since 2024," he explained.

"Putin had set objectives to seize Ukrainian cities in the East, but Ukraine’s Defense Forces have disrupted these plans.”

Kovalenko added that Russia continues to transfer new reserves and occasionally shifts the intensity of its attacks.

Earlier, German tabloid Bild claimed that Russia was preparing a new large-scale offensive against Ukraine by the end of summer, allegedly with the support of the North Korean army.

However, Kovalenko dismissed the article as nonsense:

“A complete misunderstanding of the frontline and events," he wrote.

"They read Telegram channels — often Russian ones — and write articles that get quoted here. By the way, this information supposedly came from ‘the Russian General Staff.’ You get the idea.”

He also explained that Russia continues striking Ukraine’s rear areas because it has failed to meet its military objectives on the frontlines since last year.