MOSCOW. Dec 26 (Interfax) - Russian forces have accomplished the task of thwarting the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"Main efforts in the outgoing year focused on the achievement of the special military operation objectives. The main one of them was to thwart the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces loudly announced by Ukraine and its NATO allies. This task has been successfully accomplished," Shoigu said at a teleconference with the Russian Armed Forces command.