US says Ukraine has taken back 50% of territory seized by Russia

“About 50% of what was initially seized has already been taken back,” he added.

Washington:

Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said that Ukraine had recaptured half the territory that Russia initially seized in its invasion, with Kiev facing a “very uphill battle” to win back more territory.

“About 50% of what was initially seized has already been taken back,” he said in an interview with CNN on Sunday.

“It’s still relatively early days for retaliation. It’s tough,” he said, “It’s not going to happen in the next week or two. I think we’re still looking at several months.”

Hopes that Ukraine will quickly drive Moscow’s forces out of its territory after the summer counteroffensive begins are bleak, but as Kiev’s troops struggle to break through heavily fortified Russian positions in the country’s south and east.

President Volodymyr Zelensky was quoted late last month as saying that progress against Russian forces was “slower than desired” but that Kiev would not be pressured to speed it up.

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