There are two things that are happening in a conflict that has been raging for more than six months: Kyiv, obviously buoyed by fresh western military supplies, has started a counter offensive with a view to re-claiming territories it has lost in the South; and a high level team of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is all set to arrive to begin crucial inspections of the largest nuclear plant in Europe, currently in the midst of a war zone.
As usual there have been competing claims on Kyiv’s counter-offensive with Ukraine maintaining that it has been a success and its forces have “unquestionably” weakened the invading Russian army; but Moscow even while acknowledging a new offensive has said that it has been a failure with significant casualties. The truth is perhaps somewhere in between. But one thing is certain: the new fighting has led to large scale destruction of civilian property in all the shelling that is taking place.
