The head of the Ukrainian army has warned that a final victory is still a long way off. Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky shared his thoughts on Friday, even after praising his troops for stopping recent Russian attacks.
Ukrainian soldiers have successfully blocked Russian forces along most of the front line over the past few months. Kyiv has also used long-range drones to strike oil factories deep inside Russia.
Because of these wins, many people in Ukraine and their allies believe that Kyiv now has the advantage. The war between the two nations has been going on for more than four years.
In an update on social media, Syrsky explained that the fighting has slowed down. He noted that Russian attacks have dropped by half compared to earlier in the year.
Syrsky stated that both armies are now moving at a similar pace, meaning neither side is gaining ground quickly. However, he warned that people should not underestimate Russia, adding that a big breakthrough has not happened yet.
Russia did manage to capture the eastern town of Kostyantynivka earlier this month. The town was an important defensive base for the Ukrainian army.
Even with that loss, Ukraine has won back territory in other places. Experts who study the war found that Ukraine reclaimed 403 square kilometres of land during April and May, showing that the Russian offensive has slowed down significantly.
To make up for their slow progress on the ground, Russia has increased its air attacks. Syrsky said that more missiles and drones are hitting towns where regular people live.
Government figures show that these air strikes have killed at least 93 people and injured over 500 others since the start of July.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about these attacks on Thursday. He told reporters that these strikes are the only advantage Russian President Vladimir Putin has left. Zelensky added that Ukraine is now much stronger on the ground and in the air.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is fighting back with its own long-range weapons. Syrsky confirmed that his forces successfully hit nearly 700 military targets inside Russia over the last six months.
