Ukraine bides its time in its counteroffensive, trying to stretch out the Russian forces before attacking.

The first phase of UkraineRussia’s counteroffensive to recapture Russian-occupied territory began weeks ago without fanfare. Other than stating that its troops are advancing, kyiv has not offered many details on how it is doing.

The fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine, which is taking place largely out of sight of impartial observers, pits troops equipped with new Western-supplied weapons against Kremlin forces that have spent months digging out formidable defenses and perfecting tactics.

Here’s a look at what’s happening after more than 16 months of war:

WHAT ARE THE TACTICS OF UKRAINE?

Fighting has intensified at multiple points along the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line. Ukrainian forces are advancing steadily along the northern and southern flanks of the destroyed city of Bakhmut, which Russian forces have been occupying since May.

Battles are also taking place along the southern front in Zaporizhzhia, where Ukrainian forces are making minimal gains and facing formidable Russian fortifications.

Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, recently claimed that Kiev forces had destroyed six Russian ammunition depots in the space of 24 hours, a comment that hinted at Ukrainian tactics.

“We inflict effective, painful and precise blows and bleed the occupant, for whom the lack of ammunition and fuel will sooner or later be fatal,” he said.

Britain’s top military official says that is Ukraine’s first goal: to deprive Russian units of supplies and reinforcements by attacking logistics and command centers in the rear, including with UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Ukraine is also trying to stretch Russia’s resources by simultaneously harassing multiple points along the front line, Admiral Tony Radakin, the UK’s chief of defense staff, said earlier this month.

Ukraine’s full-scale offensive will come, he said, when a point on the front line collapses. kyiv’s reserve troops can break through the gap.

“I would describe it as a policy of hunger, stretch and strike,” Radakin told a British parliamentary committee.

He noted that Ukraine lacks vital air cover for his attacks. kyiv has gotten promises from its Western allies for F-16 fighter jets, but they are not expected to be seen on the battlefield until next year. Ukraine is also asking for long-range weapons and more ammunition.

The United States sent cluster munitions to Ukraine this week to help bolster its offensive. President Joe Biden He said he hoped the controversial bombs would provide a temporary solution to help stop Russian tanks because “the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.”

WHAT ARE RUSSIA’S TACTICS?

Kremlin forces are using a large number of anti-tank mines to slow down Ukrainian armored counteroffensive operations in southern Ukraine. That puts the Ukrainian attackers at the mercy of Russian drones, helicopters and artillery.

Even when entrenched behind many kilometers (miles) of trenches, anti-tank ditches and other obstacles, reportedly up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) deep in places, Russian forces face many difficulties.

Attrition on the battlefield has diminished Moscow’s military weight. The war has also exposed incompetence and lack of initiative in the Russian ranks, as well as poor coordination.

Radakin, Britain’s commander-in-chief, said Russia has lost about half its fighting force since its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Also, Russian factories cannot supply enough munitions to replace those lost in the field. of battle, he said.

For example, Russia has used about 10 million shells in Ukraine, while producing only 1 million new shells, according to Radakin. Similarly, it has lost more than 2,000 tanks but made only 200 replacements, he said.

The Russians are reportedly conducting offensive operations and making minimal gains in the northern Kreminna forest area.

WHATS NEXT?

The Ukrainian counteroffensive will be “very long” and “very bloody,” US Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said recently.

Ukrainian soldiers say the sheer weight of the Russian bombardment on their positions has been staggering and is slowing kyiv’s advance.

In the open fields of Zaporizhzhia in particular, where finding cover is difficult, commanders expose fewer soldiers to limit the number of casualties from heavy artillery.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged last week that the counter-offensive “is not going fast.”

It started later than many expected, apparently as kyiv awaited the delivery of Western weapons and the arrival of Western-trained soldiers. That delay meant that the operation began in the summer instead of the spring.

Military planners should keep in mind that the Ukrainian winter brings with it muddy conditions that bog down armor and troops. The famous season of mud even has its own name – “rasputitsa”.

Once the weather deteriorates, the warring sides will have to take stock and prepare for what could be another round of attrition warfare this coming winter.

Western analysts say the counteroffensive, even if successful, will not end the war. But it could turn out to be a decisive episode and strengthen kyiv’s hand in any negotiations. Ukraine also wants to show the West that sending aid was worth it.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine