Watch: Ukrainian special forces go from trench to trench, killing Russians

Special Forces soldiers wore head-mounted cameras and recorded their encounters in Russian trenches

Russia dug a vast system of trenches backed by minefields and anti-tank traps in attempt to stop the Ukrainian counteroffensive. These defenses make progress difficult. Ukrainian forces are still several miles from the main line of fortifications, which they will have to break through to achieve a breakthrough.

On Monday, Mr. Sunak said that the Ukrainian counter-offensive is «good progress».

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“He told President Zelensky that the UK is firmly behind Ukraine as it continues to repel invading Russian troops. Small steps forward will bring success, the Prime Minister added.»

Ukrainian troops involved in Monday's offensive claimed to have captured the village of Paytykhaty in the Zaporozhye region.

Ukrainian servicemen of the 28th separate mechanized brigade on the front line near Bakhmut, Donetsk region. Photo: ANATOLY STEPANOV/AFP

Units of the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade and the 2nd Separate Rifle Battalion demonstrated the flags of their units in a video allegedly from the village, published by the Ukrainian authorities.

“During the two-week offensive operations in the Berdyansk and Melitopol directions, eight settlements,” Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar said in a Telegram message about the capture of the village.

She added that Ukraine advanced 7.3 km and liberated 44 square meters. miles of land since the offensive began.

Pyatykhaty is at the extreme western end of the southern front, where the Ukrainians are advancing in four main directions.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said it repelled a Ukrainian attack on the village of Novodonetskoe , about 70 miles (112 km) east, near the town of Bolshaya Novoselka.

The Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, said on Monday that Ukraine may have paused its offensive temporarily to take stock.< /p>