 Kiev, preparing for second stage of counter-offensive in Azov direction. Positional warfare continues in the military operation zone in Ukraine, as Russian troops repel attacks by Ukrainian forces while anticipating that more of Kiev's strategic reserves units will enter the fray, Russian Nezavisimaya-Dazeta writes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukrainian forces should show results on the battlefield in time for the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 11th to the 12th. The Pentagon does not appear, however, to be expecting any quick wins from the Ukrainian armed forces. US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley said recently that Kiev's counter-offensive was taking longer than expected. At the same time, he did not rule out supplying Ukraine with cluster bombs and other new weaponry, including long-range missiles capable of hitting targets up to 300 km away like Army tactical missile systems, ATACMS and fourth-generation US fighter jets. Kiev's attempts to launch a large-scale counter-offensive without a sufficient number of aircraft have resulted in heavy losses among their personnel. Retired Russian colonel Nikolay Shulgin, a military expert, told the newspaper adding that the Pentagon's intention to provide Kiev with US-made cluster bombs, ATACMS missiles, and F-16 fighter jets could lead to an even greater escalation of the conflict. Russia will be able to respond to such challenges, but additional casualties and losses will be difficult to avoid if such weapons are deployed, the expert added. Shulgin emphasised that cluster bombs are prohibited under a relevant treaty signed in 2008.