A soldier of Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade on the frontline near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, September 4, 2023 (Libkos/AP)

I joined Channel News Asia on Tuesday to analyze the state of Ukraine’s 3 1/2-month counter-offensive in the east and south of the country.

George Barros, of the Institute for the Study of War, and I knock back the Russian propaganda — echoed in CNA’s introduction to our discussion — that the counter-offensive is making little progress and has already failed.

We evaluate the recent advances in the east and south of the country, while noting that the liberation of territory from Russian invaders is far from a quick process.

We point to the significance of continued international support for Kyiv, and consider when Russia — if not Vladimir Putin, who gambled his legacy on overwhelming Ukraine — might finally face defeat.