Big disappointment: 150,000 soldiers, to no avail?

Big disappointment: 150,000 soldiers, to no avail?

If Ukraine's allies were hoping for a breakthrough after Kyiv's forces launched a new attack in the southeast of the country last week, they were deeply disappointed, Politico writes.

The latest offensive, involving thousands of Western-trained fighters aimed at advancing south, has yet to yield significant results, US Defense Department officials said this week, with one noting that the "success" of the offensive is measured in hundreds of meters.

Ukraine now has 150,000 troops engaged in a three-pronged operation, including multiple Western-trained brigades, an unnamed Defense Ministry official said. But Kyiv still keeps a number of forces in reserve, while the remaining soldiers try to find weak points in Russian defenses.

"They are advancing slowly and gradually" in all three directions and are facing "strong Russian resistance – the second and third layers of defense," the official explained.

Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder estimated that the Ukrainians were in for a "difficult fight".

Even if the Ukrainian forces manage to clear the minefield and advance, Russia will use artillery and helicopters to catch them between the minefields, a person who advises the Ukrainian government told Politico.

Finally, the US-made "vampire" systems, a laser-guided missile launcher that can be quickly mounted on a truck, will give the front lines a small, mobile air defense that could potentially help protect that unit, the unnamed adviser added.

The U.S. administration's latest package of military aid to Ukraine amounts to $400 million for additional air defense, artillery and other munitions, as well as armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons. The Ministry of Defense expects another tranche to be made early next week.

Ukrainian forces are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the US Army's M1 Abrams main battle tank, which is expected at the beginning of September and which they hope will help them break through Russia's defense lines. But as the operation progresses, Defense Department officials expect the offensive to last at least into the fall and possibly into the winter. And the results are uncertain.