Helmet cam footage from a Ukrainian assault team shows an aggressive offensive operation into Russian-held territory in the vicinity of Tverdohlibove, in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region.

The Ukrainian troops can be seen without the usual brightly-colored identifying arm bands, suggesting they placed the element of surprise on an echelon of precedence equal to speed and violence of action.

While the counteroffensive grinds steadily forward in the south of Ukraine, the Ukrainian military has simultaneously given up ground and faced heavy fighting further north in Luhansk. Russian operations there are forcing Ukraine to reroute troops to this area rather than fully supporting counter offensive ops. It's a balancing act that Ukraine may not have the bodies for if Russia is able to break through.

About the Author

Will Killmore

Will Killmore is a US Army combat infantry veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He has deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with the 172nd Stryker Brigade and 173rd Airborne Brigade. Following his time in service, he successfully pursued a certificate of journalism and has been a blogger for Funker530 since 2014. Follow Will’s bad takes on Twitter