Putin denies Zelenskiy’s claims of counteroffensive success for Ukraine

President admits Russia has lost 54 tanks in the opening assaults but insists Ukraine’s losses are greater

• Russian missile strike kills at least 10 in Kryvyi Rih

Vladimir Putin has denied Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s claims of early success in Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive, which has seen Kyiv’s troops regain some territory, while admitting that Russia had lost 54 tanks in the opening assaults.

In a televised meeting with military bloggers, Russia’s president conceded that his forces had taken losses but insisted that Ukraine had lost 25% to 30% of its foreign-supplied military vehicles including 160 tanks.