MOSCOW, June 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he regrets the recent explosion at the Kakhovka HPP disrupted the Ukrainian counteroffensive in that area because the attack would have failed.

"This may sound weird, but I’ll say it anyway. Unfortunately, that (the recent explosion at the Kakhovka HPP - TASS) disrupted their counteroffensive in that area," he said at a meeting with military correspondents.

Putin then explained his use of the word "unfortunately."

"It would have been better if they had attacked there," he said. "Better for us, because it would have ended very badly for them, attacking there."

"Because the flooding happened, the offensive didn’t take place," the president said.