Russian offensive going 'very cautiously', Ukrainian presidential adviser says

The battle will not go in Russia's favour," he said on national television. Russian forces were trying to push through Ukrainian defences along almost the entire front line in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.

Russia's new offensive in eastern Ukraine is going "very cautiously" and will fail because Moscow's forces lack the strength to break through Ukrainian defenses, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday.

Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said Russian forces were trying to find "sensitive spots" in Ukraine's defenses but added: "Their offensive will fail - I give you a 99% guarantee - they simply do not have enough strength." "The battle for Donbas, which was announced and apparently began yesterday, is underway and is going very cautiously. The battle will not go in Russia's favor," he said on national television.

Russian forces were trying to push through Ukrainian defenses along almost the entire front line in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday. After being pushed back by Ukrainian forces from an assault on Kyiv, Russia has regrouped to focus on a new offensive in eastern Ukraine.