>>> In Ukraine officials are
claiming new gains against
Russian forces even as Kremlin
soldiers are unleashing drone
attacks.
CNN's Ben wedeman has our
report.
>> Reporter: Ukraine's
counteroffensive now well into
its fourth week.
The front lines evermore
intense.
But the gains so far are small
and incremental.
Ukrainian forces are pushing
forward in the south, liberating
just over 150 square kilometers.
That's only 60 square miles.
As Ukraine advances, the
country's deputy defense
minister says Russia is stepping
up attacks in the east.
The enemy is trying to force our
troops out of their positions,
but is receiving a worthy
rebuff, she said in her latest
update.
On several fronts Russian forces
moving forward, now in the
luhansk region.
Back in Moscow, rush's military
leaders continued to project
strength even the recent mutiny
by Wagner mercenaries.
>> These plans failed primarily
because the forces showed
loyalty to their oath and
military duty.
The provocation did not have
impact on the actions of the
groupings of troops.
The servicemen courageously
continue to solve the tasks
assigned to them.
>> Reporter: Russia's assault on
Ukraine also continues further
from the front lines, hammering
civilian infrastructure.
Monday four Russian drones were
launched at the northeastern
city of Sumi hitting two
residential apartment blocks and
a local administrative building.
That attack killed two people
and injured at least 19.
Rescuers are determined to
quickly clear up the aftermath,
just as Ukrainian forces tell
CNN they're determined to keep
inching forward.
Just to put in perspective the
challenge facing the Ukrainian
army, today we heard from the
spokesman for Ukrainian forces
in eastern Ukraine on national
TV saying that along the eastern
front, the Russians have
deployed 180,000 troops, that's
more than twice the size of the
entire British army.
There are 50,000 Russian troops
alone in and around the town of
bakhmut.
Alex.
>> Our thanks to Ben wedeman for
that report.
>>> Now to a new and exclusive
CNN interview with Ukrainian
president volodymyr zelenskyy.
He spoke at length with our Erin
Burnett about the Russian
mutiny, the state of the war and
the prospects for peace.
Listen to zelenskyy link a
potential end of the conflict to
the fate of crimea and
discussing his recent talks with
the head of the CIA.
>> Translator: We cannot imagine
Ukraine without crimea.
While crimea is under the
Russian occupation, it means
only one thing, war is not over
yet.
>> To be clear, in victory, in
peace, is there any scenario
where crimea is not part of
Ukraine?
>> Translator: It will not be
victory then.
>> I know the U.S. CIA chief
bill burns has come and visited
you regularly.
He was here recently.
What did you tell him about your
plans to take back territory in
the counteroffensive?
>> Translator: To be honest with
you, I was surprised to see the
information in some media both
in the U.S., Ukrainian and
European media.
My communication with the CIA
chief should always be behind
the scenes because we discuss
important things, what Ukraine
needs.
We don't have secrets from CIA
because we have good relations.
Our intelligence services talk
with each other.
I don't know what were other
contacts.
I don't really remember which
media I read it in.
The situation is pretty
straightforward.
We have good relations with the
CIA chief.
I told him about all the
important things related to the
battlefield which we need.
>> You can see the full
interview with president
zelenskyy on "Erin Burnett
outfront" on Wednesday night at
7:00 eastern here on CNN.
>>> Let's get more on this
former national security council
official, retired lieutenant
colonel vin man.
You heard president zelenskyy
saying his talks with bill burns
should remain behind the scenes.
What message does that send to
the Kremlin?
>> Thanks, Alex for having me.
Happy Independence day.
We're seven hours ahead.
I met with officials and they're
deeply frustrated that our
government apparatus leaks like
a save.
This is a constant theme.
The Ukrainians have been doing
an excellent job of keeping
their secrets close.
But also --
>> It appears we've lost colonel
vindman -- can you hear me?
>> I've got you loud and clear.
>> What message do you think
this meeting between burns and
zelenskyy is sending to the
Russians?
>> First, let me pass deep
frustration from the Ukrainians
for a U.S. Government that seems
to leak like a save.
That's coming from a lot of
reporters.
The message that comes through
is really that this is a razor's
edge.
What's happening on the
battlefield is a razor's edge,
that the Ukrainians are burning
through enormous amounts of
ammunition and need additional
support.
This was never going to be an
easy operation.
This was going to be a months'
long struggle to liberate
territory, deplete Russia's
forces like they did last year,
and then after that achieve some
territorial gains.
The way the Russians are going
to interpret it is that the U.S.
Is there to support them.
>> The officials you've been
speaking with over the past few
days in Kyiv, how do they think
this counteroffensive is going
so far?
>> They're still cautiously
optimistic.
I think they're also
frustrated -- that was the
interview with the chief of the
general staff about how there's
misconceptions about this war,
how quickly it should happen.
The expectation is U.S. Military
defeating the Iraqis in desert
storm, like it's some sort of
lightning strikes.
That's not what this war is.
This is heavy formations, very
fortified positions, and this is
always going to play out over
the course of months.
There's some frustration that
there's a misperception about
how quickly this is going to go.
At the same time there remains
cautious optimism that the
Ukrainian armed forces will
receive their operational
objectives when all is said and
done by fall and be in quite a
good position to compel Putin to
a negotiating table or mobilize,
which is extremely dangerous for
him.
>> We are just a few days out
from a nato summit.
Ukraine obviously has designs on
eventually joining the alliance.
What are officials telling you
about their immediate hopes for
this summit in terms of
commitment and the timeline for
joining nato?
>> The population overwhelmingly
supports nato.
There was a recent report where
almost 90% of the population
supports nato.
I think the leadership is a
little cautiously optimistic.
I've come around 180 degrees
from being deeply reluctant
about Ukraine joining nato
during the war.
At this point I see no other
choice.
Joining nato would put an end to
Putin's indefinite war,
perpetual war, with this idea
that the longer he waits, he can
wait out the west.
There's absolutely a path to
Ukraine joining nato, but
immediately they need