UK says Russian forces made no major gains in the last 24 hours

(Reuters) – Russian forces have made no major gains in the last 24 hours despite increased activity, as Ukrainian counterattacks continue to hinder their efforts, British military intelligence said on Saturday.

Despite Russia’s claimed conquest of the port city of Mariupol, heavy fighting continues to frustrate Moscow’s attempts to capture the city, impeding their progress in the Donbas region, the Ministry of Defence tweeted in a regular bulletin. Russia’s air and maritime forces have not established control in either domain owing to the effectiveness of Ukraine’s air and sea defences, it said.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.