The special operation conducted by the Russian military preempted and thwarted a large-scale offensive by strike groups of Ukrainian troops on Wednesday in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, RIA Novosti reported, citing the Russian defense ministry.

According to Russian Major General Igor Konashenkov, it is not yet known how deeply the U.S. and NATO were involved in the planning and preparation of the operation to storm Donbas by the Ukrainian army.