There is good news from the war in Ukraine. Politico.eu reports the Russians have been pushed back.
Over the past days, Ukrainian troops have made unexpectedly rapid gains in a counteroffensive to the east of the city of Kharkiv, attacking key strategic towns such as Balakliia, Kupiansk and Izyum, which are vital to supply and logistics for Russian forces based in the eastern Donbas region.
After several weeks in which the conflict appeared to be heading for a stalemate over winter, the NATO-armed Ukrainians are now seeking to seize the momentum, with a two-pronged attack in Kharkiv to the east and Kherson to the south.
Igor Girkin, one of the leaders of the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014-2015, said that the Russian army faces “an acute operational crisis in a wide sector of the front, which has already escalated into a major defeat.”
“Now, all that is left for our side [Russia] is to consider how to prevent further setbacks and the escalation of an operational defeat into a strategic one,” he said. He added that Ukraine had already won “the battle for initiative.”
One wonders when (or if) Russians will tire of this self-inflicted 'open sore' on the body politic and select a new leader with a more realistic national vision.
