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Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, said during his end-of- year press conference in December that the circumstances are drastically altering. “ Movement throughout the whole front line exists. Daily.
Moscow’s war engine is progressively whirling mile by mile across the vast open plains of the Donbas, encircling and overpowering towns and villages in eastern Ukraine.
Before the conflict finds them, some people are leaving. Others pack what they can carry and take trains and busses to safety further west until the shells begin exploding all around them.
Despite Kyiv’s outstanding record of well-publicised asymmetric warfare against its strong neighbor, Russia is acquiring terrain faster than it has ever done since it started its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Though lately Ukraine has shown some progress, the nation seems to be losing:
Ukraine seems to be losing as the invasion marks the end of its third year and at an estimated cost of a million people, murdered or injured.
Meanwhile in far-off Washington, the erratic Donald Trump — not known for his affection of Ukraine or its leader — is poised to occupy the White House.
It has the sensation of a turning moment. If so, what may the finale look like? 2025 could really be the year this terrible European battle at last ends.
Talk of negotiations is an illusion:
Though it is a usually bombastic claim…
