Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, has told the Guardian in an interview that Ukraine's main force had not engaged in fighting yet.
Ukrainian troops are probing for weak points in the Russians' defenses, he said.
Since the launch of the counteroffensive on June 8, Ukraine has liberated eight settlements in the south, proceeding at a slow pace for now.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expects the pace to pick up in the future.
Russia's General Staff had anticipated where Ukraine’s forces were at their most dangerous, according to Syrskyi.
Ukraine war latest: Kyiv reports new gains in the south, Prigozhin accuses Russian army of attacking Wagner
Kate Tsurkan
