Speaking at the European Parliament on Thursday, Stoltenberg remarked, "The Ukrainians are gradually gaining ground ... they are moving forward."
Despite facing fortified Russian positions and extensive minefields, Ukrainian forces have made advances, capturing small villages and land patches.
"No one ever said this was going to be easy," Stoltenberg added, referencing the historically high number of mines in the current conflict.
Ukrainian officials echoed these sentiments, reporting that while they've surpassed Russia's primary defenses, fresh obstacles await. Stoltenberg highlighted the significance of these achievements, stating, "The Russian army used to be the second strongest in the world. Now it's the second strongest in Ukraine. That's quite impressive by Ukrainians."
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Source: Reuters, IAR