US Secretary of State: "Ukraine Recovers 50% of Russian-Occupied Territory... Very Difficult Battle Expected"

Zelensky "Hampered by Mine Clearance"
Putin "Counteroffensive Occurred but Failed"

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken stated that Ukraine has reclaimed more than half of the territory initially occupied by Russia at the start of the war, and that counteroffensive operations will continue for several months. This remark is interpreted as a response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s characterization of Ukraine’s counteroffensive as a "failure."

The Ukrainian military explains that the counteroffensive is progressing slowly due to supply delays caused by mines planted by Russian forces. Experts warn that too much time and resources are being consumed in the initial reconnaissance phase, which could risk losing the opportunity for a successful counterattack.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On the 23rd (local time), Secretary Blinken said in an interview with CNN, "Ukraine has already reclaimed more than 50% of the territory lost to Russia at the beginning of the war," and emphasized, "The counteroffensive is still in its early stages, and it is expected to take at least several months rather than being decided within the next one to two weeks." However, he added, "The fight to recover additional territory is expected to be very difficult."

This statement is seen as a response to President Putin’s remarks dismissing Ukraine’s counteroffensive as a failure. Earlier on the 23rd, during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Konstantinovsky Palace near Saint Petersburg’s Strelna area, Putin said, "The counteroffensive (by Ukraine) existed but failed."

In reality, the Ukrainian military launched a large-scale counteroffensive earlier this month but has struggled to make breakthroughs. Since September, Russian forces have planted mines along key frontlines and fortified their defenses, including missile defense bases. Ukraine’s ground forces, supported by Western-supplied tanks, have attempted to break through the frontlines, but repeated attempts have failed due to Russian defensive lines and failure to secure air superiority.

The Ukrainian government is also frustrated with the sluggish frontline situation. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky participated via video in the Aspen Security Forum on the 21st, explaining, "We originally planned to launch a major counteroffensive in the spring, but due to shortages of ammunition and personnel, it was delayed. The removal of mines planted by Russian forces is taking a long time, but once all are cleared, the pace of the counteroffensive will accelerate."

Experts warn that the Ukrainian military is struggling to break through Russian defenses and is stuck in reconnaissance operations, which could lead to early depletion of forces and make a major counteroffensive difficult. Michael Clarke, former Director General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told CNBC, "Ukraine’s counteroffensive consists of reconnaissance and troop deployment phases, but too much time is being spent on reconnaissance. If troop losses continue during reconnaissance, there may not be enough forces for a meaningful counteroffensive."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.