 Ukrainian Army breach Russian first defense lines. Ukraine said its troops had broken through Russia's first line of defenses in several places, though they then encountered even more heavily fortified Russian positions. Deputy Defense Minister Hannah Malier said Kiev's troops, in a much-vaunted counter-offensive against Russian forces, were advancing in the Zaparizhe region. There is an offensive in several directions and in certain areas. And in some places, in certain areas, this first line was broken through, Malier told. Malier said, however, that Kiev's troops who have been battling to advance through heavily mined areas for almost three months had now run into major defensive Russian fortifications. Our armed forces have to overcome a lot of obstacles in order to move forward, she said. Heavy fighting swept the villages around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, captured in May by Russian forces after months of battles, Malier said, but added it was difficult to determine whether any advances had been made. In the course of a single day, positions between the two sides can change several times. Over the past 72 hours, Washington has noted the noticeable progress made by the Ukrainian armed forces on the southern offensive line, including in the Zaparizhe region, as well as some success achieved in relation to the second line of Russian defenses, White House National Security Council coordinator John Kirby said. This does not mean, Kirby added, that Ukraine's forces do not realize that they have a tough fight ahead when they try to advance further south, or that Russia may launch countermeasures.