Ukraine's Troops Break Russian Lines, Facing Tougher Defences Ahead

Ukraine claims that its troops have breached Russia's first line of defenses in several places during a counteroffensive, but they have now encountered heavily fortified Russian positions. The United States has acknowledged Ukraine's notable progress on the southern front in the last 72 hours. However, Ukraine's advances have not yet recaptured any major settlements, and Russia already considers the push a failure. Ukraine argues that it is advancing slowly to minimize losses and lacks the air power of its Western allies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to attend the United Nations gathering in New York this month, and a senior presidential adviser stated that negotiations with Russia would currently amount to "capitulation."