Fighting has intensified in western Russia months after Zelenskyy hinted that holding territory in Kursk could embolden his plans for victory. This weekend has seen resurgent battles as Ukraine launched a new offensive in Kursk. Ukrainian forces mounted their renewed push, advancing from their occupied territory of Sudzha towards the villages of Berdin and Bolshoye Soldatskoye on the way to the city of Kursk. Oleg Ignatov, a senior analyst at Crisis Group, said that Ukraine needs “new successes on the ground” before the administration of United States President-elect Donald Trump begins, a moment many expect will shift the trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine war, possibly towards a ceasefire.

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