The Ukrainian military were "kind of shocked" by the extent of Russian defenses when it launched the offensive against Russian-held territories in early July, Ukrainian Sgt. Heorhiy Volkov told The Wall Street Journal.
"It was simple stuff, but when it's all combined, it's a big defensive system," Volkov was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
After encountering stiff Russian resistance, Ukrainian commanders have largely held off sending Western tanks and large infantry formations into battle, focusing instead on making targeted strikes with the help of drones, the report said.
Ukraine's much-touted offensive kicked off after months of delays over a lack of military supplies from Western donors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that progress was "slower than desired." Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, conceded on Wednesday that a military campaign was "not a walk in the park."
The Russian Defense Ministry says Ukrainian troops have been trying — but failing — to advance in the South Donetsk, Bakhmut and Zaporizhzhia sectors. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Ukraine had lost 259 tanks and 780 armored vehicles since the start of the ground assault.