Russia’s Defense Ministry on Thursday night denied rumors that the Ukrainian military had made inroads at several places along the front.

This was reported by the Russian news agency Tass on Thursday.

– The overall situation in the area surrounding the special military operation is under control, the Russian Defense Ministry said in the statement.

– Statements circulating on independent Telegram channels about “defence breakthroughs” occurring at various points along the line of contact do not correspond to reality,” the Russian Defense Ministry claimed in a statement carried by the Kremlin-run Tass news agency late on Thursday.

On social media and on independent blogs, rumors abound about Ukrainian troop movements in several places along the front line.

Other messages late Thursday concerned suspected drones or explosions in Russia’s Belgorod, not far from the border in northern Ukraine. This information has not been verified.

Earlier on Thursday, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyj, published his usual video address to people on his Telegram channel.

Here he did not comment on the alleged rumors of a Ukrainian breakthrough, but thanked various military departments for their efforts to defend Ukraine and repel Russian troops.

Typically, Zelenskyi’s videos are recorded from the presidential palace in Kyiv. During tonight’s speech to the people, one can see a Ukrainian president in front of a white wall, without any decoration in the background.

The president is wearing a black hoodie and you can clearly see the sweat on his face.