The news from Ukraine is grave – to echo Churchill’s speech on the fall of France in 1940. Today the talk among advisers and analysts is less of possible victory for Ukrainians, but how they can avoid defeat.
This October, Russian forces have gained more ground in a month than at any time since their invasion in February 2022. They are closing on strategic junctions and towns at Kupiansk, Chasiv Yar and Vuhledar – and only embattled Pokrovsk is holding out. They are also squeezing the pocket of Russian territory taken earlier this summer round Kursk.
