These maps show Ukraine’s latest victories against Russia
In less than a week, Ukraine’s military made startling gains against Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, potentially changing the tide of a war that has raged for more than half a year and changed the geopolitical fabric of Europe.
In a stunning counteroffensive, Ukrainian troops pushed east, seizing Balakliya on Thursday. Forces then continued toward Izyum and Kupyansk, areas which were under Russian control for months. By Sunday, Russian troops retreated, leaving more than 1,100 square miles back in the hands of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Commander in Chief Valery Zaluzhny. Russia’s defense ministry said troops were “regrouping.” In the last five days, Ukraine has recaptured more territory than Russia has taken since April, according to the Institute for the Study of War, which closely tracks the conflict.
Read the full story here.
In less than a week, Ukraine’s military made startling gains against Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, potentially changing the tide of a war that has raged for more than half a year and changed the geopolitical fabric of Europe.
In a stunning counteroffensive, Ukrainian troops pushed east, seizing Balakliya on Thursday. Forces then continued toward Izyum and Kupyansk, areas which were under Russian control for months. By Sunday, Russian troops retreated, leaving more than 1,100 square miles back in the hands of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Commander in Chief Valery Zaluzhny. Russia’s defense ministry said troops were “regrouping.” In the last five days, Ukraine has recaptured more territory than Russia has taken since April, according to the Institute for the Study of War, which closely tracks the conflict.
Read the full story here.
Putin, tone deaf and isolated, pursues war ‘goals’ and refuses to lose
Vladimir Putin’s definitive quality as president — his refusal ever to back down — helped him project Russian global power for years. But facing repeated setbacks in a catastrophic war in Ukraine, his inflexible approach is looking more like his great flaw.
As Russian forces fled in disarray in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region Saturday — dressing as civilians, stealing bicycles, abandoning tons of military equipment and ammunition — Putin sounded strikingly tone deaf as he opened a giant new Ferris wheel in Moscow. “There is nothing like that in Europe,” he boasted via video-link.
Within hours, the Ferris wheel had broken down, and tickets had to be refunded. Repairing what’s broken about Putin’s war strategy and, by extension, his presidency and reputation, will be far harder.
Read the full story here.
Vladimir Putin’s definitive quality as president — his refusal ever to back down — helped him project Russian global power for years. But facing repeated setbacks in a catastrophic war in Ukraine, his inflexible approach is looking more like his great flaw.
As Russian forces fled in disarray in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region Saturday — dressing as civilians, stealing bicycles, abandoning tons of military equipment and ammunition — Putin sounded strikingly tone deaf as he opened a giant new Ferris wheel in Moscow. “There is nothing like that in Europe,” he boasted via video-link.
Within hours, the Ferris wheel had broken down, and tickets had to be refunded. Repairing what’s broken about Putin’s war strategy and, by extension, his presidency and reputation, will be far harder.
Read the full story here.
‘The Russians are in trouble,’ U.S. official says of latest war analysis
A Ukrainian counteroffensive that has sent Russian forces into a hasty retreat could mark a turning point in the war and raise pressure on Moscow to call up additional forces if it hopes to prevent further Ukrainian advances, U.S. and Western officials said Monday.
Whether the gains are permanent depends on Russia’s next moves, especially whether President Vladimir Putin implements a military draft or orders reinforcements from elsewhere to offset heavy losses in Ukraine, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share recent intelligence analyses.
In mere days, Ukrainian military forces have retaken nearly all of the Kharkiv region that Russian forces occupied since the opening of the war. The rapidity of the pullback appears to have stunned Russian military troops and commanders, officials said.
Read the full story here.
A Ukrainian counteroffensive that has sent Russian forces into a hasty retreat could mark a turning point in the war and raise pressure on Moscow to call up additional forces if it hopes to prevent further Ukrainian advances, U.S. and Western officials said Monday.
Whether the gains are permanent depends on Russia’s next moves, especially whether President Vladimir Putin implements a military draft or orders reinforcements from elsewhere to offset heavy losses in Ukraine, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share recent intelligence analyses.
In mere days, Ukrainian military forces have retaken nearly all of the Kharkiv region that Russian forces occupied since the opening of the war. The rapidity of the pullback appears to have stunned Russian military troops and commanders, officials said.
Read the full story here.
Russia spent millions in secret global political campaign, U.S. official says
Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates in more than two dozen countries since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events beyond its borders, according to a new U.S. intelligence review.
Moscow planned to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more as part of its covert campaign to weaken democratic systems and promote global political forces seen as aligned with Kremlin interests, according to the review, which the Biden administration commissioned this summer.
A senior U.S. official, who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings, said the administration decided to declassify some of the review’s findings in an attempt to counter Russia’s ability to sway political systems in countries in Europe, Africa and elsewhere.
Read the full story here.
Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates in more than two dozen countries since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events beyond its borders, according to a new U.S. intelligence review.
Moscow planned to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more as part of its covert campaign to weaken democratic systems and promote global political forces seen as aligned with Kremlin interests, according to the review, which the Biden administration commissioned this summer.
A senior U.S. official, who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings, said the administration decided to declassify some of the review’s findings in an attempt to counter Russia’s ability to sway political systems in countries in Europe, Africa and elsewhere.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Kharkiv could mark a turning point in the war, Western officials said, while Moscow described its pullback as a decision to “regroup.”
- German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone for 90 minutes on Tuesday.
- Russia said its war in Ukraine will continue “until the goals that have been set are achieved,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said that all three backup power lines to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were restored over the last few days.
More live updates here.
- Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Kharkiv could mark a turning point in the war, Western officials said, while Moscow described its pullback as a decision to “regroup.”
- German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone for 90 minutes on Tuesday.
- Russia said its war in Ukraine will continue “until the goals that have been set are achieved,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said that all three backup power lines to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were restored over the last few days.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Moscow’s rapid loss of ground shows its military may be spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, military analysts say.
- Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates globally since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events, according to a U.S. intelligence review.
- Ukraine is calling on Germany to provide armored vehicles — including battle tanks and personnel carriers — but so far Germany has been unwilling to grant the request.
- Videos and photos posted on social media have provided a glimpse into what Russian troops left behind during their hasty retreat from the Kharkiv region.
More live updates here.
- Moscow’s rapid loss of ground shows its military may be spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, military analysts say.
- Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates globally since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events, according to a U.S. intelligence review.
- Ukraine is calling on Germany to provide armored vehicles — including battle tanks and personnel carriers — but so far Germany has been unwilling to grant the request.
- Videos and photos posted on social media have provided a glimpse into what Russian troops left behind during their hasty retreat from the Kharkiv region.
More live updates here.
Ukraine to Germany: Send armored vehicles now
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s ability to expel Russian forces from its country as soon as possible now depends largely on Germany and its willingness to send desperately needed armor, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday.
But Germany is balking, causing deep frustration in Kyiv. It is an echo of the earliest days of the invasion, when Berlin was derided for offering helmets when Ukraine needed heavy weapons.
“Germany needs to understand that the timeline for the end of the war is dependent on its position,” Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelensky, told The Washington Post in an interview on Tuesday.
A sweeping counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region has forced Russian soldiers into a hasty retreat and returned more than 1,100 square miles to Ukrainian control, a potential turning point more than six months into the war.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s ability to expel Russian forces from its country as soon as possible now depends largely on Germany and its willingness to send desperately needed armor, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday.
But Germany is balking, causing deep frustration in Kyiv. It is an echo of the earliest days of the invasion, when Berlin was derided for offering helmets when Ukraine needed heavy weapons.
“Germany needs to understand that the timeline for the end of the war is dependent on its position,” Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelensky, told The Washington Post in an interview on Tuesday.
A sweeping counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region has forced Russian soldiers into a hasty retreat and returned more than 1,100 square miles to Ukrainian control, a potential turning point more than six months into the war.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian offensive thwarted Russia’s annexation plans in Kharkiv
KYIV, Ukraine — As Ukrainian forces secretly prepared a counteroffensive that would expel occupying Russian soldiers from the northeastern Kharkiv region, Moscow was so sure of its hold on the territory that it began imposing Russian curriculum in the local schools.
With that land and those schools back under the Ukrainian military’s control after the lightning-fast advances in recent days, and with Moscow’s annexation plans foiled, for now at least, Ukraine said it had arrested Russian teachers left behind by the retreating Russian soldiers.
Moscow has acknowledged educators were arrested, but has claimed they were Ukrainian collaborators, not Russian citizens.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — As Ukrainian forces secretly prepared a counteroffensive that would expel occupying Russian soldiers from the northeastern Kharkiv region, Moscow was so sure of its hold on the territory that it began imposing Russian curriculum in the local schools.
With that land and those schools back under the Ukrainian military’s control after the lightning-fast advances in recent days, and with Moscow’s annexation plans foiled, for now at least, Ukraine said it had arrested Russian teachers left behind by the retreating Russian soldiers.
Moscow has acknowledged educators were arrested, but has claimed they were Ukrainian collaborators, not Russian citizens.
Read the full story here.
Rapid loss of territory in Ukraine reveals spent Russian military
Moscow’s rapid loss of more than 2,300 square miles of territory in northeastern Ukraine has raised the prospect that the Russian military is spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, which could limit Russian President Vladimir Putin to defending the Ukrainian territory he already holds while leaving him open to additional defeats, according to military analysts.
The situation is a sobering reality for Putin, whose forces barreled into Ukraine on Feb. 24 on a mission to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country but retreated from Kyiv just over five weeks later to concentrate on expanding control over Ukraine’s east through artillery warfare. As Ukrainian forces roll back those eastern gains, Putin faces obstacles in replenishing the battered ranks and degraded equipment of his military to any degree that would allow Russia to again take the initiative on the battlefield.
Read the full story here.
Moscow’s rapid loss of more than 2,300 square miles of territory in northeastern Ukraine has raised the prospect that the Russian military is spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, which could limit Russian President Vladimir Putin to defending the Ukrainian territory he already holds while leaving him open to additional defeats, according to military analysts.
The situation is a sobering reality for Putin, whose forces barreled into Ukraine on Feb. 24 on a mission to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country but retreated from Kyiv just over five weeks later to concentrate on expanding control over Ukraine’s east through artillery warfare. As Ukrainian forces roll back those eastern gains, Putin faces obstacles in replenishing the battered ranks and degraded equipment of his military to any degree that would allow Russia to again take the initiative on the battlefield.
Read the full story here.
Zelensky visits liberated Izyum as Ukraine seeks to keep Russia on the run
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold visit on Wednesday to the recently liberated city of Izyum, in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, where he participated in a flag-raising ceremony to mark the nation’s most important military victory since Russian invaders were repelled from the suburbs of Kyiv in late March.
Zelensky, striking a resolute tone, said that while Russia might temporarily occupy parts of Ukraine, “it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people.”
“The heroes are here,” Zelensky said, describing the significance of the blue-and-yellow banner. “It means that the enemy is gone, ran away.”
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold visit on Wednesday to the recently liberated city of Izyum, in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, where he participated in a flag-raising ceremony to mark the nation’s most important military victory since Russian invaders were repelled from the suburbs of Kyiv in late March.
Zelensky, striking a resolute tone, said that while Russia might temporarily occupy parts of Ukraine, “it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people.”
“The heroes are here,” Zelensky said, describing the significance of the blue-and-yellow banner. “It means that the enemy is gone, ran away.”
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit Wednesday to Izyum, where he thanked troops for liberating the area from Russian forces and vowed that the country’s blue-and-yellow flag would fly again “in every Ukrainian city and village.”
- The European Union will push ahead with emergency measures to tackle the energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, adding that she plans to visit Kyiv next week.
- Ukraine’s creditors agreed to defer debt service for the war-torn country, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said in a statement Wednesday, to allow the Ukrainian government “to direct additional resources toward its domestic needs and the welfare of the Ukrainian people.”
- Putin spoke with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the phone Wednesday, and said Russia would continue to “work on the Russia-UN line at various levels,” according to a Kremlin readout.
More live updates here.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit Wednesday to Izyum, where he thanked troops for liberating the area from Russian forces and vowed that the country’s blue-and-yellow flag would fly again “in every Ukrainian city and village.”
- The European Union will push ahead with emergency measures to tackle the energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, adding that she plans to visit Kyiv next week.
- Ukraine’s creditors agreed to defer debt service for the war-torn country, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said in a statement Wednesday, to allow the Ukrainian government “to direct additional resources toward its domestic needs and the welfare of the Ukrainian people.”
- Putin spoke with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the phone Wednesday, and said Russia would continue to “work on the Russia-UN line at various levels,” according to a Kremlin readout.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv on Thursday morning for her third visit since the start of the war. She is set to meet with Zelensky to discuss E.U. trade policies benefiting Ukraine, including the suspension of import duties on Ukrainian exports to the European Union and aid for the reconstruction of Ukrainian schools.
- Amid a sweeping Ukrainian counteroffensive, Putin did not give “any indication” during a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this week that his invasion of Ukraine may have been a mistake, Scholz said Wednesday.
- Zelensky was in a car crash Wednesday but did not sustain major injuries, press secretary Sergii Nykyforov said in a statement on Facebook. Nykyforov said the crash will be investigated.
- Zelensky made a surprise visit Wednesday to Izyum, a strategic city in the northeastern Kharkiv region, which he said was mostly recaptured from Russian control.
More live updates here.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv on Thursday morning for her third visit since the start of the war. She is set to meet with Zelensky to discuss E.U. trade policies benefiting Ukraine, including the suspension of import duties on Ukrainian exports to the European Union and aid for the reconstruction of Ukrainian schools.
- Amid a sweeping Ukrainian counteroffensive, Putin did not give “any indication” during a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this week that his invasion of Ukraine may have been a mistake, Scholz said Wednesday.
- Zelensky was in a car crash Wednesday but did not sustain major injuries, press secretary Sergii Nykyforov said in a statement on Facebook. Nykyforov said the crash will be investigated.
- Zelensky made a surprise visit Wednesday to Izyum, a strategic city in the northeastern Kharkiv region, which he said was mostly recaptured from Russian control.
More live updates here.
Republican senators push for faster spending of Ukraine funds
Republican senators are urging the Biden administration to move more quickly to spend funds authorized to blunt the global toll of the war in Ukraine, singling out the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid as a major bottleneck.
Nine senators, including the ranking Republicans on the chamber’s Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees, urged the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to spend humanitarian aid funds totaling $7 billion allocated in two aid packages related to the war in Ukraine.
Seeking to assist Kyiv following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Feb. 24 invasion and mitigate the global effects of the war, Congress has passed several large packages, including funds for defense, trade and humanitarian activities, in part directed at helping refugees and stanching widespread food insecurity.
Read the full story here.
Republican senators are urging the Biden administration to move more quickly to spend funds authorized to blunt the global toll of the war in Ukraine, singling out the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid as a major bottleneck.
Nine senators, including the ranking Republicans on the chamber’s Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees, urged the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to spend humanitarian aid funds totaling $7 billion allocated in two aid packages related to the war in Ukraine.
Seeking to assist Kyiv following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Feb. 24 invasion and mitigate the global effects of the war, Congress has passed several large packages, including funds for defense, trade and humanitarian activities, in part directed at helping refugees and stanching widespread food insecurity.
Read the full story here.
Xi and Putin meet and pledge to ‘inject stability’ in the world
Amid the global economic uncertainty triggered by Russia’s war on Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged Thursday to “inject stability into a turbulent world.”
In a rare admission, Putin said he was aware of China’s “questions and concerns” about the war, but assured Xi he would address them all in their first face-to-face meeting since the Feb. 24 invasion.
Meeting on the sidelines of a summit for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, Xi said that China is willing to work with Russia to “demonstrate the responsibility of a major country to play a leading role and inject stability into a turbulent world,” according to Chinese state TV.
Xi also said China would support Russia’s core interests — which include Ukraine — as the two countries test the boundaries of their friendship disrupted by Russia’s setbacks in the invasion.
Read the full story here.
Amid the global economic uncertainty triggered by Russia’s war on Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged Thursday to “inject stability into a turbulent world.”
In a rare admission, Putin said he was aware of China’s “questions and concerns” about the war, but assured Xi he would address them all in their first face-to-face meeting since the Feb. 24 invasion.
Meeting on the sidelines of a summit for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, Xi said that China is willing to work with Russia to “demonstrate the responsibility of a major country to play a leading role and inject stability into a turbulent world,” according to Chinese state TV.
Xi also said China would support Russia’s core interests — which include Ukraine — as the two countries test the boundaries of their friendship disrupted by Russia’s setbacks in the invasion.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
-Russia is warning the United States not to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, saying such an act would make Washington a “direct party to the conflict” and breach a “red line.”
- Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine was hit by Russian shelling overnight.
- Zelensky and von der Leyen discussed trade policy and Ukraine’s bid for membership in the European Union. The visit is her third since the start of the war nearly seven months ago.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin met with President Xi Jinping of China in Uzbekistan, where they are attending the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional security group.
- The United States announced further sanctions on Russian officials.
- Ukraine recorded its first case of monkeypox.
More live updates here.
-Russia is warning the United States not to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, saying such an act would make Washington a “direct party to the conflict” and breach a “red line.”
- Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine was hit by Russian shelling overnight.
- Zelensky and von der Leyen discussed trade policy and Ukraine’s bid for membership in the European Union. The visit is her third since the start of the war nearly seven months ago.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin met with President Xi Jinping of China in Uzbekistan, where they are attending the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional security group.
- The United States announced further sanctions on Russian officials.
- Ukraine recorded its first case of monkeypox.
More live updates here.
Short of soldiers to send to war, Russia’s mercenaries recruit in prisons
To address Russia’s shortage of soldiers to send to war in Ukraine, the Wagner mercenary group seems to be making an offer that it hopes convicted criminals can’t refuse: a get out of jail card.
“After six months [at war] you receive a pardon, and there is no option for you to return to prison,” a man dressed in tan-colored fatigues said, addressing a crowd of Russian inmates standing underneath a poster that read “Choose life.” “Those who arrive [at the front line] and say on Day 1 it’s not for them get shot,” the man added.
The recording pitch, captured on video, surfaced Monday night on Russian Telegram channels, and the man in fatigues making the offer appears to be Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the billionaire nicknamed “Putin’s chef” who is also the reputed financier of Wagner private military company.
Read the full story here.
To address Russia’s shortage of soldiers to send to war in Ukraine, the Wagner mercenary group seems to be making an offer that it hopes convicted criminals can’t refuse: a get out of jail card.
“After six months [at war] you receive a pardon, and there is no option for you to return to prison,” a man dressed in tan-colored fatigues said, addressing a crowd of Russian inmates standing underneath a poster that read “Choose life.” “Those who arrive [at the front line] and say on Day 1 it’s not for them get shot,” the man added.
The recording pitch, captured on video, surfaced Monday night on Russian Telegram channels, and the man in fatigues making the offer appears to be Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the billionaire nicknamed “Putin’s chef” who is also the reputed financier of Wagner private military company.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the discovery of the mass grave in Izyum during his nightly address Thursday, saying that an investigation is underway. A top police official for the Kharkiv region told Sky News that more than 400 bodies were discovered at the burial site.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency called on Russia to “immediately cease all actions against, and at” the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in a resolution passed by its Board of Governors on Thursday.
- The war in Ukraine is testing Russia and China’s “no limits” partnership. Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Thursday that China had “questions and concerns” about the situation in Ukraine, in remarks before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan.
- Despite startling gains by Ukrainian forces against Russia, the Biden administration anticipates months of intense fighting with wins and losses for each side.
More live updates here.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the discovery of the mass grave in Izyum during his nightly address Thursday, saying that an investigation is underway. A top police official for the Kharkiv region told Sky News that more than 400 bodies were discovered at the burial site.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency called on Russia to “immediately cease all actions against, and at” the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in a resolution passed by its Board of Governors on Thursday.
- The war in Ukraine is testing Russia and China’s “no limits” partnership. Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Thursday that China had “questions and concerns” about the situation in Ukraine, in remarks before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan.
- Despite startling gains by Ukrainian forces against Russia, the Biden administration anticipates months of intense fighting with wins and losses for each side.
More live updates here.
Analysis: As Ukraine advances, Putin backs further into a corner
The war in Ukraine may be entering a decisive new phase. The past week saw the stunning success of Ukrainian counteroffensive into the environs of the northeast city of Kharkiv, routing Russian forces across a vast stretch of territory extending as far as the Russian border. In addition to considerable casualties, Russian troops lost significant amounts of materiel, including dozens of tanks and armored vehicles. A resident of one liberated town described the Russian retreat to my colleagues as so hasty that “their pants were flying off.”
Not since the initial stages of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor — when dogged Ukrainian defenders repulsed Russian columns moving on the capital Kyiv — has there been this level of optimism surrounding Ukraine’s capacity for victory. On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky went to the retaken city of Izyum and hailed his compatriots on the front lines.
Read the full analysis here.
The war in Ukraine may be entering a decisive new phase. The past week saw the stunning success of Ukrainian counteroffensive into the environs of the northeast city of Kharkiv, routing Russian forces across a vast stretch of territory extending as far as the Russian border. In addition to considerable casualties, Russian troops lost significant amounts of materiel, including dozens of tanks and armored vehicles. A resident of one liberated town described the Russian retreat to my colleagues as so hasty that “their pants were flying off.”
Not since the initial stages of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor — when dogged Ukrainian defenders repulsed Russian columns moving on the capital Kyiv — has there been this level of optimism surrounding Ukraine’s capacity for victory. On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky went to the retaken city of Izyum and hailed his compatriots on the front lines.
Read the full analysis here.
U.S. expects months of intense fighting in Ukraine-Russia war
Despite Ukrainian forces’ startling gains in the war against Russia, the Biden administration anticipates months of intense fighting with wins and losses for each side, spurring U.S. plans for an open-ended campaign with no prospect for a negotiated end in sight.
The surprise success by Ukrainian forces in areas of the country occupied by Russian troops during the weekend generated euphoria among Ukrainians sapped by months of fighting. It also fueled hopes among many of Kyiv’s foreign backers that its scrappy military might be able to expel Russia’s larger, better-armed force.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, raising his country’s blue-and-yellow flag Wednesday over the liberated city of Izyum, promised it would be “definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people.”
Read the full story here.
Despite Ukrainian forces’ startling gains in the war against Russia, the Biden administration anticipates months of intense fighting with wins and losses for each side, spurring U.S. plans for an open-ended campaign with no prospect for a negotiated end in sight.
The surprise success by Ukrainian forces in areas of the country occupied by Russian troops during the weekend generated euphoria among Ukrainians sapped by months of fighting. It also fueled hopes among many of Kyiv’s foreign backers that its scrappy military might be able to expel Russia’s larger, better-armed force.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, raising his country’s blue-and-yellow flag Wednesday over the liberated city of Izyum, promised it would be “definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people.”
Read the full story here.
On war, Putin says Russia will ‘do our best to stop this as soon as possible’
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that Russia would strive to stop the war in Ukraine “as soon as possible” but then blamed Ukraine for refusing to negotiate, though Putin ordered the invasion and his troops are still occupying a large swatch of Ukrainian territory.
Putin’s remarks came during an appearance with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they are attending a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Russia has suffered steep military setbacks in recent days as a Ukrainian counteroffensive pushed Russian occupying troops out of the northeastern Kharkiv region.
Read more here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that Russia would strive to stop the war in Ukraine “as soon as possible” but then blamed Ukraine for refusing to negotiate, though Putin ordered the invasion and his troops are still occupying a large swatch of Ukrainian territory.
Putin’s remarks came during an appearance with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they are attending a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Russia has suffered steep military setbacks in recent days as a Ukrainian counteroffensive pushed Russian occupying troops out of the northeastern Kharkiv region.
Read more here.