The slow Ukrainian counteroffensive is causing problems for Kyiv and its allies

The Kyiv offensive can be considered completely exhausted, as the Armed Forces of Ukraine have not achieved significant progress in five months.

This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Ukrainian troops are exhausted and suffering significant losses, while Russian forces have intensified their offensive operations on several fronts.

During the counteroffensive, they were unable to break through enemy defenses and achieve significant successes. Now, international attention has shifted to the conflict in the Middle East.

Last month, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had hope for a decisive breakthrough. However, this did not happen. Instead, in the fifth month of the counteroffensive, Ukrainian infantry is still slowly advancing along tree lines filled with Russian trenches and minefields, enduring artillery fire and drone kamikaze attacks.

“We are advancing,” said one officer fighting in the southeast of Ukraine, “but it doesn’t look like a breakthrough.”

Meanwhile, Russia itself has launched an offensive this month in an attempt to gain control of the eastern city of Avdiivka. Moscow believes that the Ukrainian counteroffensive has run out of steam.

Ukraine’s failure and its inability to make progress in retaking lost territory create numerous political and military challenges for Kyiv and its Western sponsors, who want to avoid a deadlock.

Ukraine needs to recruit and train additional troops without easing the pressure on the Russian army to prevent it from further fortifying its defensive positions. Supporters of Ukraine will have to gather financial and military aid in unfavorable political conditions in the United States and in the midst of the renewed conflict in the Middle East, which demands attention and resources.

According to European diplomats, Western countries may become distracted and react more slowly to events in Ukraine. Israel’s military actions may also force the U.S. and its allies to redirect ammunition supplies, potentially denying aid to Ukraine, especially if Israel becomes involved in a war with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

President Biden has stated that the U.S. will be able to support both countries. Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, he attempted to link aid to Ukraine and Israel, stating that the world is at a “moment of profound historical change.”

Biden has submitted a request to Congress for additional funding, including $14 billion in aid for Israel and $61 billion for Ukraine. However, in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, there is still no Speaker to pass this bill amid friction over further aid to Ukraine. A leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump, is against this assistance.

In his speech, Biden referred to a recent statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that without Western support, Ukraine would not last more than a week.

“But we are not giving up on support,” Biden declared.

Ukraine and its supporters had hoped that thousands of Western-trained and equipped soldiers, along with Western armored vehicles, could make significant progress in the southeast. In hopes they could split the Russian group in half and decisively altering the course of the conflict in favor of Kyiv. However, attempts for a lightning-fast breakthrough were met with formidable Russian defenses and dense minefields south of the town of Orehova.