WASHINGTON, July 23 — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Ukraine has taken back about 50 per cent of the territory that Russia seized, although Kyiv’s counteroffensive will extend several months.

"It’s already taken back about 50 per cent of what was initially seized,” Blinken said in an interview to CNN today.

"These are still relatively early days of the counteroffensive. It is tough,” he said, adding: "It will not play out over the next week or two. We’re still looking I think at several months.” — Reuters