In case you’ve been appreciating our Ukraine protection right here at Each day Kos, right here’s an opportunity to listen to each me and Mark Sumner focus on that protection on Each day Kos’ The Temporary, our weekly podcast about politics. I really imagine we’ve supplied among the greatest warfare protection within the biz, and this shall be an opportunity to listen to us increase on a few of that protection.
You’ll be able to watch the present stay proper right here on Tuesdays at 1:30 PM PT/4:30 PM ET, whereas the podcast model goes stay Wednesday mornings in any respect the same old locations, together with Apple Podcasts and Spotify. A full record of locations to obtain the present is accessible right here.
In the meantime, let’s marvel at these maps. One week in the past:
Yesterday:
Every week in the past, Ukraine was on the defensive as Russia engaged in yet one more “strategic pause” to refuel, rearm, and reconsolidate for “additional offensive actions.” Nobody needed to imagine that Russia was merely simply caught within the mud. 5 days in the past Ukraine took the initiative, and we’re seeing the outcomes: retaking territory round Kyiv and Mykolaiv. Evaluating the 2 maps, we even see some motion across the japanese Donbas axis. Russia has consolidated some territory north of their pre-war Donbas borders, however one tendril making an attempt to encircle them from the north was rolled again by Ukraine. Russia has nothing else to brag about. They nonetheless can’t even declare Mariupol as their very own.
Right this moment’s motion is generally in that Ukrainian offense northwest of Kyiv:
If Ukraine liberates Borodyanka (that top-left arrow), Russia’s spearhead components in Bucha, the Irpin entrance line, and Hostomel airport shall be lower off. That white space on the map is assessed as “vital Russian army presence,” however at the very least one city in that zone, Moschun, was confirmed to be in Ukrainian fingers right this moment. Some reports declare the encirclement is full, however there isn’t any official affirmation, and by all accounts, fierce combating is raging in that neighborhood.
Nonetheless, Ukrainian success appears fairly inevitable at this level. So as soon as Ukraine finishes the encirclement, what then? Hopefully negotiations ensue, corresponding to this one during which a Russian solider turned in his tank for $10,000 and Ukrainian citizenship.
Russian troops in that pocket round Bucha are going to have a alternative: give up and gather a bounty for no matter gear they flip over, or die for no good purpose. If all goes properly, Ukraine may have a couple of new battalions’ price of armored automobiles to assist dislodge Russians to the east and south of Kyiv.
