Putin acknowledged Ukraine's counteroffensive has recently begun - ISW

That's according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrinform reports.

ISW analysts said this was a departure from previous Kremlin efforts to downplay Ukrainian counteroffensives.

"Putin's discussion of the Ukrainian counteroffensive is a notable departure from his previous distanced approach to discussing battlefield realities and may indicate that the Kremlin is learning from its previous failed approach to rhetorically downplay successful Ukrainian counteroffensives in 2022," the ISW said.

In one of their previous reports, ISW experts noted that Russia's Ministry of Defense had shifted its rhetoric and was actively describing strike campaigns, likely in an effort to portray a proactive approach to growing concerns in the Russian information space regarding a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Photo: General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces