Russia’s Southern Gains Expose Dangerous Weaknesses in Kyiv Amid Expanding Conflict

Russia's recent capture of three settlements in Ukraine's strategic Zaporizhzhia region reveals a troubling reality: Kyiv’s defenses are stretched thin and vulnerable to Moscow's persistent military pressure. Ukrainian forces, facing dense fog and overwhelming assaults, are locked in brutal battles just as their front lines expand dangerously close to critical areas. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi’s admission that Russian troops have infiltrated Ukrainian positions underlines how tactical setbacks on the ground pose serious questions about Kyiv’s readiness and resilience. While the fiercest fighting rages in Donetsk’s besieged city of Pokrovsk, where Russia deploys special forces and elite drone operators, key northern cities...