TUESDAY July 25, 2023: 'Is Ukraine's Counteroffensive On Hold?' by ZUMA Press photo-journalist Madeleine Kelly: Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia's invasion will soon enter its eighth week. It has already liberated more ground than Russia captured during its months long offensive, which took the eastern town of Bakhmut. The majority of Ukraine's brigades remain intact and uncommitted. But progress has been slower and harder than expected, ending any hopes of an early breakthrough. According to recently a leaked German intelligence assessment, Ukraine is not fully implementing the training it has received from the West. Ukraine's offensive has devolved into a protracted war of attrition, which could continue into the fall. Welcome to 'Is Ukraine's Counteroffensive On Hold?'
© zReportage.com Story of the Week #898: TUESDAY July 25, 2023: 'Is Ukraine's Counteroffensive On Hold?' by ZUMA Press photo-journalist Madeleine Kelly: Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia's invasion will soon enter its eighth week. It has already liberated more ground than Russia captured during its months long offensive, which took the eastern town of Bakhmut. The majority of Ukraine's brigades remain intact and uncommitted. But progress has been slower and harder than expected, ending any hopes of an early breakthrough. According to recently a leaked German intelligence assessment, Ukraine is not fully implementing the training it has received from the West. Ukraine's offensive has devolved into a protracted war of attrition, which could continue into the fall. Welcome to 'Is Ukraine's Counteroffensive On Hold?'

A cat peers into a Ukrainian trench position from the observation point. Laughing about the cat the soldiers joke, 'he must be a Russian watching us.'
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Along the frontline Ukrainian soldiers hold their positions against the continued Russian invasion. Located less than 1 kilometer away, soldiers defend against Russian forces.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

holding his weapon, a Ukrainian soldier stands outside his trench near the city of Toretsk. With Russian forces less than one kilometer away, the city has come under heavy shelling and artillery attacks.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

YUZIK, a Ukrainian soldier sits inside his position along the zero-line outside of Toretsk. With Russian positions sit only 1 kilometer away, this is the last point of Ukrainian defense.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Inside a frontline position, Ukrainian soldiers care for some area cats. 'He is very good at eating the mice', the troops boast about their trench cat.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Mechanical crews from the 214th Opfor work to repair damaged armored vehicles. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the 214th Battalion has been involved in some of the heaviest fighting in Ukraine.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Crews from the 214th Opfor work to repair damaged armored vehicles. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the 214th Battalion has been involved in some of the heaviest fighting in Ukraine.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Bringing out a damaged BMP (Soviet era amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle), crews take the armored vehicle for a test drive. The 214th Opfor group has worked to repair damaged vehicles in fighting around Bakhmut.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Ukrainian BMP crew members from the 214th Opfor Battalion work to repair their armored vehicles after months of fighting in Bakhmut. The 214th Opfor Battalion has been involved in signifiant battles from the beginning of the invasion.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Following the completion of combat training, Ukrainian soldiers play basketball in a local school. The Kyiv Territorial Defense members have recently been deployed to Donbas and will continue training for the frontlines.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Kyiv Territorial Defense Members receive training from a Major in the Ukrainian 214th Opfor forces. The 214th has taken part in significant battles since the beginning of the invasion, including repelling Russian forces from Kyiv.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A Ukrainian soldier makes a lay up shot following combat training in a Donbas School. The Kyiv Territorial Defense members have begun training after deployment to Donbas.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A soldier from the 2nd Battalion of the 68th Brigade fires at targets during field training. The 68th Brigade has taken part in the battle of Vuhledar in the past months.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Soldiers with the 68th Jaeger Brigade 2nd Battalion march through fields of grass during live fire training outside Vuhledar. The Brigade has taken part in the battle for Vuhledar for the past months.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A Ukrainian solider holds a cat along the frontline position. The pregnant cat is regarded as a 'colleague' by the mortar team.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A Ukrainian soldier from the 68th Jager Brigade walks through the flowering yellow mustard seed fields outside the city of Vuhledar.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Ukrainian soldier, STANISLAV stands at the base of a stairway in a frontline position. With Russian soldiers a couple hundred meters away, the Ukrainian soldiers continue to hold the position.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A young soldier watches for enemy movement along the zero-line in the Donbas region. Hiding from drones, Ukrainian soldiers stay under cover to prevent artillery fire.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A Ukrainian soldier dodges a 'dirt clod grenade' thrown at him by his comrades during training. Laughing as they worked, soldiers threw clumps of mud at each other to simulate grenades.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Ukrainian soldiers continue to hold the line outside the city of Vuhledar, despite continued Russian attacks. According to troops with the 68th Jaeger Brigade, mortars, grenade launchers and machine guns are often used by Russian forces.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A Ukrainian soldier fires an RPG at Russian lines a few hundred meters away. Shortly after Russian soldiers responded to the RPG with mortars and automatic grenade launchers.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Outside the city of Vuhledar a red traffic warning triangle rests on a destroyed Russian armored vehicle sitting in the middle of the road. Ukrainian soldiers stated the Russians tried to break through Ukrainian lines but were unsuccessful.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Positioned along the frontline in Kharkiv region, a Ukrainian solider observes enemy positions. Ukrainian positions often come under enemy shelling along the frontline.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Ukrainian soldier RUSLAN shows his artistic drawings depicting life in the Ukrainian military during the war. Before the full scale invasion, Ruslan was employed making toys for children.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

With hand outstretched, a Ukrainian soldier attempts to pick up the units pet bird, named 'Mavic.' The crow has become an iconic pet for the group, which they jokingly call their 'biological weapon.'
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A Ukrainian soldier displays his units RPG weapon, often used against Russian forces on the lines not far away. As the counteroffensive continues soldiers in the Kharkiv region have been tasked with holding the line and preventing Russian advances.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

A Ukrainian solider observes Russian positions along the frontline in the Kharkiv region. As fighting continues in the the south and east of Ukraine, soldiers in Kharkiv are tasked with holding the line and preventing Russian advances.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire

Yellow mustard flowers lean into Ukrainian trench positions along the frontline in the Kharkiv Oblast. As summer continues, Ukrainian fields are filled with the iconic yellow flowers.
© Madeleine Kelly/ZUMA Press Wire