Russian forces have the resources needed to stop the Ukrainian counteroffensive on the Liman direction in the DPR, State Duma Defense Committee member Andrey Kolesnik has said.

According to Kolesnik, fierce meeting engagements are underway in the area. He said the Russian military’s immediate task is to break Ukraine’s offensive momentum and then launch its own advance.

Russian aviation, artillery, drones and missile forces are being used to halt the Ukrainian operation. Kolesnik said Ukrainian forces would be «burned out in earnest» with the available firepower.

He identified preventing Ukrainian units from establishing positions along the Zherebets River as one of the key objectives. Kolesnik also said Russian forces have the capability to trap advancing Ukrainian units in a fire pocket.

The lawmaker urged against panic over the difficult situation on the Liman direction, saying some Russian bloggers and journalists had already begun spreading alarm. He maintained that the Russian Armed Forces have sufficient resources to stop the Ukrainian advance.

Earlier, the Archangel Spetsnaz Telegram channel reported that the situation on the Liman direction remained difficult. According to the channel, Ukrainian forces launched an active counteroffensive under Operation Vivaldi aimed at fully retaking territory west of the Zherebets River.