Ukraine continues to inflict “heavy losses” on Russia after some of the most “intense” fighting since the beginning of the war, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, France Presse reports.

“The Ukrainians managed to inflict heavy losses on the Russian occupiers, both in terms of soldiers and combat capabilities,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference, adding that these military losses occurred over the past few weeks.

Since Kyiv launched a counteroffensive in the spring, Ukrainian forces have not made any decisive breakthroughs, and some allied countries are concerned about this.

But according to the head of NATO, “although the front line has not moved”, Ukrainian forces continue to be very effective on the battlefield.

“It is necessary to distinguish between the fact that the front line is not moving significantly and the fact that there is very, very intense fighting,” he explained.

Ukraine continues to fight “wisely” and “we continue to support them”, the NATO leader emphasized, adding that in November, Germany and the Netherlands provided Kiev with, for example, ten billion euros in aid and that the countries of the Alliance, including the United States, are sending more air defense systems to protect the population .

The Ukrainians also claim that a few weeks ago they took positions on the eastern bank of the Dnieper in the south of the country. The Ukrainian bridgehead on this side of the Dnieper, confirmed by Russian bloggers and military experts, may be the most significant offensive of the Kyiv military in recent months.

Asked about the risk that Ukraine would be forced to negotiate with Moscow if Western military support were cut, Stoltenberg reiterated that it is Ukraine that “decides what is acceptable to end the war.”

“Our responsibility is to support Ukraine and allow them to liberate as much territory as possible and put them in the best possible position when or if negotiations begin,” he insisted.