Ukraine’s Push to Liberate Territory from Russian Forces Faces Slow Progress
Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukraine’s much-anticipated summer offensive to liberate territory from Russian forces has experienced a sluggish start, with progress measured in hundreds of meters rather than tens of kilometers. Despite this underwhelming first month, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s key adviser, Andriy Yermak, confirmed that their Western backers are not pressuring for quick results. Yermak further stated that NATO members, meeting at the organization’s annual summit in Lithuania, showed no signs of discouragement, instead pledging deeper security ties with Ukraine without specifying a timeline for Ukraine’s entry into the alliance.
Ukraine had hoped to use this counteroffensive to expel a significant number of Russian forces from its soil and alter the course of the war. However, the lack of tangible progress has not prompted partner countries to pressure Ukraine for quicker gains on the battlefield. Instead, they have been inquiring about additional ways to expedite victory. The United States recently supplied Ukrainian forces with cluster munitions and is considering sending Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMs), while France and the United Kingdom have either provided or pledged to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles.
Officials in Kyiv are drawing encouragement from the results seen in Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine that has witnessed intense fighting. Ukrainian Army spokesman Serhiy Cherevatyi revealed that Ukraine has the initiative, with defense forces pushing the enemy on both the southern and northern flanks and storming their positions. However, mapping by Deep State indicates minimal shifts in the front line around the city, despite ongoing efforts by Ukrainian forces to regain control of surrounding villages.
In a stretch of land between the towns of Lyman and Kupiansk to the north, Russian forces have been aggressively attacking. The city of Lyman is of particular importance as it was occupied by Russia for almost six months before retreating in October. At present, it serves as a renewed target for Russian firepower. Claims of territorial gains or losses by either side cannot be immediately verified by CNN.
Fierce fighting has also persisted along the southern front, where Ukraine aims to disrupt Russia’s land bridge to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. Military analyst Rob Lee notes that it is difficult to determine which side has the upper hand currently, as neither has made significant territorial gains. The outcome may depend on which side can sustain losses better and maintain the offensive.
While Ukraine has not yet liberated a significant number of southern towns and villages from Russian control, their strikes on targets behind the front lines are producing tangible results. These strikes aim to disrupt Russian supply lines and target command bases and soldiers’ barracks. General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the head of the Ukrainian military’s southern command, reported that nine Russian ammunition depots were destroyed in the past day. Details on the locations of these depots are unclear, but they were likely situated away from the front lines. In a separate incident, a Russian general was killed when a Ukrainian missile struck the base of Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army in the occupied city of Berdiansk.
As Ukraine’s push to liberate territory from Russian forces continues, progress remains slow but steady. The support from Western allies and the supply of advanced weaponry bolster Ukraine’s efforts. Despite concerns over the lack of significant territorial gains, Ukrainian forces display determination as they gradually push back Russian forces and disrupt supply lines. The outcome of this ongoing conflict remains uncertain, but Ukraine remains committed to achieving victory.