Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Fighting intensifies in 2023 war of attrition

By June, Ukraine was able to recapture some territory but failed to break through the Russian lines. The Western weapon supplies were too little, too late, says analyst Ian Bond.

"The delays in supplying this equipment meant that the Russians had a long time to build up their minefields and their fixed fortifications, so they're actually in a much stronger position than they were. And we've been asking the Ukrainians to launch their counteroffensive when they have very little air capability," Bond told VOA, adding that Ukraine had made remarkable progress in countering Russia's navy.

"They have effectively removed the Russian Black Sea fleet from most of the western Black Sea. The Ukrainians have been able to start exporting grain from their ports on the Black Sea more freely than they could before. And that's a remarkable achievement for a country that has no functioning navy," he told VOA.