Though Russia has refocused its offensive on the eastern Donbas region, the rest of the country remains in danger
Russia’s war on Ukraine has entered a new phase with the launch of its punishing offensive on the eastern Donbas region yesterday. But this next stage, the result of its utter failure to quickly capture Kyiv and overthrow the government as Vladimir Putin planned, is set to be as brutal and dangerous.
Almost 5 million Ukrainians have now fled their country. Yet on Friday and Saturday, for the first time since Mr Putin’s troops invaded on 24 February, more people crossed into Ukraine from Poland than left that way. Some of those will have been aid workers; many were Ukrainians who hoped that the withdrawal of Russian forces from central areas of the country late last month allowed at least a temporary return to their homes or a brief reunion with husbands, fathers and sons.
