Should 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 talk about that protection on Each day Kos’ The Transient, our weekly podcast about politics. I actually imagine we’ve provided a number of the greatest battle protection within the biz, and this will likely be an opportunity to listen to us increase on a few of that protection.
You possibly can watch the present dwell proper right here on Tuesdays at 1:30 PM PT/4:30 PM ET, whereas the podcast model goes dwell Wednesday mornings in any respect the standard locations, together with Apple Podcasts and Spotify. A full record of locations to obtain the present is available 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 jap Donbas axis. Russia has consolidated some territory north of their pre-war Donbas borders, however one tendril trying 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.
At this time’s motion is generally in that Ukrainian offense northwest of Kyiv:
If Ukraine liberates Borodyanka (that top-left arrow), Russia’s spearhead parts in Bucha, the Irpin entrance line, and Hostomel airport will likely be reduce off. That white space on the map is assessed as “important Russian army presence,” however not less than one city in that zone, Moschun, was confirmed to be in Ukrainian palms as we speak. Some reports declare the encirclement is full, however there is no such thing as a 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, similar to this one through 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 selection: give up and accumulate a bounty for no matter tools they flip over, or die for no good purpose. If all goes nicely, Ukraine may have a number of new battalions’ price of armored automobiles to assist dislodge Russians to the east and south of Kyiv.
