Ukraine Counteroffensive and Russia’s Grain Strikes Push War Into New Phase

  • Zelenskiy cites ‘good news’ as major battlefield thrust begins
  • Russian cruise missile campaign seen as longer term threat

A Ukrainian artilleryman fires at Russian position near Bakhmut, Ukraine.

Photographer: Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images
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Ukraine’s long-awaited assault against Russian troops in the occupied south kicks off a new stage in the war as Kyiv seeks to persuade its allies that it can take back lost territory.

With Moscow also stepping up a long-range missile campaign, both sides are intensifying their attacks as Kyiv seeks a decisive breakthrough on the ground and Russia aims to cripple Ukraine’s economy.