Vladimir Putin has claimed Ukraine‘s counteroffensive “completely failed” as Russia carries out a sustained assault in the east of the country. Russia currently controls about 17.5% of Ukrainian territory and a four-month-old Ukrainian counteroffensive this year has resulted in almost no net territorial gains, according to analysis of the territory held by Russia. While Ukraine took back territory taken by Russia last year, the Ukrainian army has struggled to penetrate Russian lines which have been bolstered with mine fields and thousands of extra Russian troops. “As for the counteroffensive, which is allegedly stalling, it has failed completely,” Putin said in video remarks posted to social media by a Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin. “The opposing side is preparing new active offensive operations. We see it and we know it,” Putin said when asked about the battle for the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka. Both Russia and the United States have described the upsurge of fighting around Avdiivka as a new Russian offensive. Two civilians were killed in Russian attacks on the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka on Saturday, according to Donetsk officials. Read More IOC suspends Russian Olympic Committee for incorporating Ukrainian sports regions French police probe ‘poisoning’ of TV journalist who denounced Putin’s war live on air Russia loses vote to rejoin UN’s top human rights body despite Putin’s charm offensive with stolen grain Putin scales up attack on key town in eastern Ukraine as three dead in drone strikes on Russia