| When will Ukraine’s counteroffensive come? |
| Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said yesterday that it needed more time to begin a counteroffensive against Russia because Ukraine’s forces are still waiting for military equipment promised by the West. “We’d lose a lot of people,” he said. “I think that’s unacceptable. So we need to wait. We still need a bit more time.” |
| For months, Ukraine’s political and military leaders have been signaling that they are preparing a major push to retake territory seized by Russia since it invaded last year, though they have not said precisely when or where the blow would come. |
| Analysts said that Zelensky’s remarks might be intended to pressure Ukraine’s allies to ramp up deliveries, to lower expectations for the counteroffensive or to confuse the Kremlin about Kyiv’s intentions. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner private militia, said that the Ukrainian counteroffensive was already underway in the Donbas. |
| The latest: Ukrainian forces have made gains around Bakhmut this week for the first time since March, commanders on both sides have said, but it is unclear whether those reflect opportunistic, small-scale attacks or the start of something bigger. |
| In other news from the war: |
| Britain pledged to send Ukraine long-range missiles that could allow the country to strike military targets in Crimea.The U.S. has accused South Africa of providing weapons and ammunition to Russia. |
