U.S. says seeing "conflicting" views in Russia on a renewed Ukraine counter offensive

There are conflicting views in Russia on whether or not to launch a counteroffensive in Ukraine, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday, but reiterated that Washington would continue its support of Kyiv regardless of which scenario plays out.

"Certainly there are some (within Russia) who I think would want to pursue offensives in Ukraine. There are others who have real questions about the capacity for Russia to actually do that," a senior State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told reporters.

Ukraine's top general, Valery Zaluzhniy, told The Economist last week that Russia was preparing 200,000 fresh troops for a major offensive that could come from the east, south or even from Belarus as early as January, but more likely in spring.