Western officials describe sobering assessments about Ukrainian forces ability to retake significant territory . The primary challenge for Ukrainian forces is the continued difficulty of breaking through Russias multilayered defensive lines in eastern and southern parts of the country which are marked by tens of thousands of mines and vast networks of trenches . Ukrainian forces have incurred staggering losses there leading Ukrainian commanders to hold back some units to regroup and reduce casualties . The approach of fall when weather and fighting conditions are expected to worsen gives Ukrainian forces a limited window to push forward . Some officials fear the widening gap between expectations and results will spark a blame game among Ukrainian officials and their western supporters which may create divisions within the alliance which has remained largely intact nearly two years into the war . Ukraine’s armed forces chief Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi told US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley that Ukrainian forces are step by step creating conditions for advancing. The initiative is on our side. The enemy is doing their best, according to a senior US military official said. The Russian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Milley. Zelenskopopopapapapakopakopopkopakapkopkapakkop’s military chief General Valeriy Zalushenkopki told Milsey that he had told him that he is doing his best. We are doing our best. He added that he has told him. The information is consistent and that the initiative is consistent. It is clear that our soldiers are doing its best. Our soldiers are conducting their best. It was clear that the enemy is not succeeding. We did plan to start the counteroffensive in spring but we didn’t
Western allies receive increasingly ‘sobering’ updates on Ukraine’s counteroffensive . Western
