Ukrainian officials said on Sunday that they were increasingly confident in their ability to fend off ground assaults on...Kyiv, but warned that a frustrated Russia may aim to split the country.

As the fighting entered its second month, the war has devolved into an unpredictable patchwork of contested spaces where even the smallest gains come at a shockingly high cost.

Ukrainian forces have gone on the offensive in areas where the Russian lines are stretched the thinnest. Having suffered heavy losses, a large formation of Russian soldiers has fallen back to regroup in an area around the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials said.

...Yet around the capital, Russian forces continued to shell towns and cities, including Bucha and Irpin, where they were working to set up fortified positions...

...Ukraine’s military — which has prevented the Russians from encircling the eastern city of Kharkiv...
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Ukrainian military’s intelligence chief said... Russia did not have the troops to “swallow” the country, he may try and divide it by consolidating territory in parts of Ukraine.

“There is a reason to believe that he is considering the Korean scenario for Ukraine."...

Russian forces have focused on combating Ukrainian counter offensives and holding gains...the city of Kherson...is now bitterly contested. In other cities, the Russians have continued a brutal campaign aimed at forcing civilians to capitulate or flee.

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Russian forces have now encircled Chernihiv, about 100 miles from Kyiv, according to the city’s mayor