While the world focuses on what is happening in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine continues and there have been several significant developments over the past days. 

The Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is in North Korea thanking Kim Jong Un for the 1,000 containers of military equipment and ammunition that have enabled Russian forces to attack Ukrainian defences in the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, capturing some small areas as they try to encircle the Ukrainian defenders.

However, the attack seems to have stalled and the cost of equipment and personnel losses have been huge. Mr Lavrov will be seeking further and regular support from North Korea if possible.

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Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is in China for Beijing’s third instalment of the Belt and Road Initiative, but more importantly for talks with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping. He will be pleased to be back on the international stage. Mr Putin still covets Xi’s support.

Back in Ukraine, the counteroffensive continues across multiple fronts and new military capabilities are making a difference.

The confirmed first use of US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles in a strike on the Berdyansk airfield on the occupied southern Ukrainian coast destroyed a significant number of Russian helicopters and will have concerned their commanders greatly. Ukraine can hit Russian forces anywhere inside the occupied territories, including Crimea.

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Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations in eastern and southern Ukraine and reportedly continued to advance near Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast – albeit slowly, they retained the initiative.

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However, in a bold move, the Ukrainians have put additional forces across the Dnipro River on to the east (left) bank of Kherson Oblast advancing north of Pishchanivka and into Poym (both 11 to 14km east of Kherson City).

It is unlikely Ukraine will be able to get a significant force into this area and exploit their position. However, it gives the Russians a further headache, forcing them to have to utilise precious reserve forces to contain their opponents – adding to Russian pressures across the rest of the front lines.

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