Ukraine reports frontline success, Russian minister decries Kyiv’s failure

Ukraine launched a counter offensive in June to reclaim territory seized by Russia, but has struggled to break through entrenched Russian lines and has faced growing criticism in Western media of concentrating forces in the wrong places. With Moscow's stretched military resources and dissent in the ranks, however, both sides have measured recent successes by taking control of tiny villages or small pockets of land. Kyiv has retaken several villages in a southward drive towards the Sea of Azov and says it is regaining ground near the eastern city of Bakhmut, seized by Russia in May after months of battles.