US journalist Seymour Hersh reported on Thursday, citing a US official, that the US and Ukrainian military have refrained from making forecasts about future victories in the counteroffensive because Russia has a clear upper hand on the ground. 

"The American and Ukrainian military are no longer making any predictions," the US official was quoted by Hersh as saying. "The Ukrainian army has not gotten past the first of three Russian defense lines. Every mine the Ukrainians dig up is replenished at night by the Russians."

Omg this is horrible

AFU assault with BMPs ends in complete destruction. pic.twitter.com/fJOH6s0XdN

— ayden (@squatsons) July 27, 2023

The fact of things "is that the balance of power in the war is settled. Putin has what he wants," the official noted. Ukraine is not in the capacity to retake Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporozhia.

The Ukrainian President has "no plan, except to hang on," he added.  

Last month, Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive with the aim of recapturing the liberated territories of Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporozhia.

The Russian Defense Ministry has on several occasions reported that Ukrainian forces have suffered heavy losses in manpower and armored equipment.

Read more: West clearly disappointed with Kiev counteroffensive results: Putin

On July 23, The Telegraph issued a report saying that Ukraine has had no meaningful breakthrough in its counteroffensive in the last six weeks.

Richard Kemp wrote in the newspapers that compared to the alleged victories last year of Kherson and Kharkov, the Russian forces this time "aren't going anywhere," having mobilized their troops and prepared vast defense lines.

Kemp believes that Zelensky faces one option, which is causing him concern. Launching full frontal strikes against well-fortified locations, similar to the Western Front in World War I, where trench lines lasted from Switzerland to the sea for four years, with no decisive breakthrough. This, he notes, would leave Kiev exposed to changes in Western support, particularly if Trump were re-elected or if Europe grew tired.

The author questions if Ukrainian troops are truly prepared to attack in this manner "militarily, politically, and financially" for months or years. 

Earlier today, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US knew that Ukraine lacked military capabilities, including the necessary training and weapons, to carry out a successful counteroffensive.

However, this did not stop it from greenlighting the campaign.

The report reveals that Kiev lacks "the mass, training, and resources" to take on the offensive military campaign.

Daniel Larison, a writer for Responsible Statecraft, asks why the US did "not do more to discourage the effort that now appears to be stalling."

The writer suggests that the US should now "be actively seeking a ceasefire to help Ukraine lock in the gains that it has already made before Ukrainian forces suffer more losses in an effort that will achieve little."

Read more: Counteroffensive, F-16s delivery may take 'several months': Blinken