The girlfriend of a Ukrainian soldier fighting on the front lines is shocked Kyiv residents are partying while the war grinds on

• A Ukrainian soldier's girlfriend said she was shocked by Kyiv residents partying while the war goes on.
• Paltseva told The Washington Post her boyfriend was at the front and would be fighting near Bakhmut.

The girlfriend of a Ukrainian soldier told The Washington Post she was shocked that Kyiv residents are partying and socializing while the war against Russia rages on.

Yulia Paltseva, a receptionist in Kyiv, told the Post: "All those dancing and smiling people should remember that there are those soldiers like my boyfriend in the trenches without any rotations and being shelled every day."

Paltseva, 36, said her boyfriend is currently at the front line and will be fighting near the war-torn city of Bakhmut soon.

Some had hoped Ukraine's counteroffensive would have led to a breakthrough, but Kyiv's troops have been held up by Russia's defenses. But they've been disappointed.

"Our expectations were higher. If it's going on, it's going slow," she told the Post.

Ukraine is locked in a slog against Russia's extensive defenses, which includes miles of deep trenches, minefields filled with explosives and booby traps, and anti-tank ditches that stop Kyiv's soldiers from using their prized Western-provided Leopard tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles.

Despite growing concerns about how successful the counteroffensive will be, Ukraine has had some wins.

Its fleets of exploding unmanned surface vessels — particularly its drone boats — have taken Russian warships in the Black Sea by surprise, causing massive damage and helping throw off critical sea supply lanes.