Lavrov - seen as Vladimir Putin’s mouthpiece overseas - will jet into North Korea tomorrow (Wednesday) for a two day go to, the Russian overseas ministry mentioned in a quick assertion which didn't specify whom he would meet or the goals of the journey.

But the announcement got here as US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby instructed how Pyongyang has provided as much as 1,000 containers of "equipment and munitions" to Moscow in "recent weeks".

American officers additionally launched photographs of what they mentioned had been 300 containers assembled for transport in Najin, North Korea.

Speaking at a news convention, Mr Kirby mentioned the tools was exported by way of sea and rail to a provide depot in southwestern Russia, close to Tikhoretsk, about 180 miles (290km) from the Ukrainian border. Mr Kirby didn't specify the character of the munitions he says had been provided by Kim Jong Un’s regime, however the US has beforehand accused Moscow of buying rockets and artillery shells from Pyongyang.

As battles raged all alongside the jap entrance, Kyiv mentioned within the final week the Kremlin chief’s forces had misplaced 127 tanks, 239 armoured personnel automobiles (APVs) and 161 artillery programs.

Some estimates have lately put total Russian losses because the begin of the battle as excessive as approaching 300,000 troopers.

In a particular briefing, it mentioned Russian forces have misplaced 288,630 troops in Ukraine because the starting of its full-scale invasion on February 24 final 12 months.

This quantity consists of 860 casualties Russian forces suffered simply over the previous day.

“As for the counteroffensive, which is allegedly stalling, it has failed completely,” Putin said in video remarks posted to social media by a Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin.

Russia currently controls about 17.5per cent of Ukrainian territory and a four-month-old Ukrainian counteroffensive this year has resulted in almost no net territorial gains.

The most intense of the ongoing fighting now centres on the town of Avdiivka, where losses are said to be heavy on both sides.

When asked about the battle for the eastern Ukrainian town yesterday, Putin simply said: “The opposing side is preparing new active offensive operations. We see it and we know it.”

“What is happening now along the entire length of the line of contact is called 'an active defence'," Putin said.

“And our troops are improving their position at almost the entire area. Quite a large area."

Ukrainian military officials say Moscow’s objective is to encircle Avdiivka, however to this point the attackers have made modest positive factors.

It seized the close by village of Berdychi and closed in on a 150-metre excessive slag heap subsequent to the city’s coke and chemical manufacturing facility.

He mentioned that sending a prolonged navy column into battle - a tactic used when Russian forces tried to grab Kyiv final 12 months, and the jap city of Vuhledar in February - wouldn't work.

“The Russians ought to have realised this a very long time in the past,” mentioned Lysyuk.