well, curt volker is a former us ambassador to nato in a far more special representative to ukraine. we asked him, does he believe that the counter offensive is going well yes, i do. and i think people who had great expectations for swift recovery of territory didn't have their expectations in the right place. russia has created massive mind fields and tank traps and other forms of defensive a protections for their occupied areas and ukrainians are being very careful in this article. and going through this, they are protecting their people. they're not throwing people at the front line like cannon fodder. and as a result it is slow going, but it's very effective. ukrainians have increasingly attacked rushes, logistical support, chains, fuel food, ammunition rail lines, road lines, depots, and they are in fact advancing their through the 1st layer mines in some areas. and they're continuing to proceed. and they are doing this without their cover. they're doing this without the modern aircraft, they're doing this stuff along the strange artillery all things that we would have assessed