If Ukraine’s Armed Forces cause big losses to Russians, their defense line won't be important – military expert Serhiy Zgurets 

Armed Forces' counteroffensive is expected to be tough and prolonged

According to Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the US Department of Defense believes that the Ukrainian army's progress is part of a counteroffensive, but they acknowledge that it will be a challenging and lengthy struggle. The United States will continue supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary. While specifics about F-16 fighter jets and Atacms long-range missiles haven't been discussed yet, another military aid package from the US is expected to be announced soon.

Regarding the assessment of a long and difficult counteroffensive, it doesn't come as a surprise to those who understand the battlefield situation, where there's a dynamic balance between the Ukrainian army and the enemy. The progress of the Ukrainian army deep into Russian defense is not the only crucial factor. What truly matters is changing the balance of power in Ukraine's favor during the counteroffensive. If the Ukrainian forces can cause significant losses to the occupiers, the strength of the Russian army will be depleted, making it difficult for them to defend their fortifications. The ongoing events in the East and the South align with this strategy.

Update on Defense Forces' advancement towards Bakhmut

Yesterday, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported that our troops are continuing offensive operations south of the city of Bakhmut. The enemy has been pushed back south of Andriivka due to pressure from Ukrainian units. However, the enemy attempted to regain lost positions west of Klishchiivka and northwest of Kurdyumivka, resulting in ongoing heavy fighting in the area.

Commander Mykola Volokhov of the Terra air reconnaissance unit mentioned some positive developments in the Bakhmut direction. Ukrainian units are gradually making progress, sometimes at a slower pace, but there are periods of swift advancement and territorial clearing. This positive trend has been observed for about a month, and the Armed Forces now hold the initiative in the Bakhmut direction, according to Volokhov.

Volokhov's unit plays a crucial role in destroying enemy equipment that approaches Ukrainian positions. They achieved significant success, even hitting enemy equipment from distances as far as 8 km, compared to their previous record of 4 km. This improvement is attributed to changes in the operation of FPV drones. However, there are some challenges faced by air reconnaissance units. The ammunition for drones has never been a problem, but sometimes the detonators on ammunition fail to work. Most explosives are produced by proactive volunteer organizations, and the electronic part of the blaster can sometimes encounter issues. Mechanical blasters are found to be more reliable and predictable. Even though every electronic blaster is checked before use, occasional problems with these types of blasters arise.

Ukrainian-made anti-drone guns and EW systems

Yuriy Momot, from the company Piranha-TECH, mentioned that they have upgraded the anti-drone gun with five channels, giving it more functions. The modernization is almost done, and soon our military can use the gun to protect against drones and electronic warfare. They will test the alarm on the gun in a week, and after that, it will be ready for use. This anti-drone gun, made in Ukraine, can spot drones from 1.5 km away and stop them with antennas. It can detect and counter enemy drones effectively. Momot also shared that all the guns already given to the Defense Forces can be upgraded with a signaling device.

He also mentioned that they developed and are currently testing EW devices for heavy armored vehicles to protect them from FPV drones. These devices are being considered for approval to be installed on equipment used by the Armed Forces. The developers can now determine the distance at which this system can stop FPV drones. The testing phase is almost complete, and very soon, these EW systems will safeguard Ukrainian armored vehicles.