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Opinion
Hal Brands

Ukraine's Coming Attack Could Win or Lose the War

A successful offensive by the Kyiv government can keep Putin from consolidating victory and, more important, ensure continued support from the West.

Aim carefully.

Aim carefully.

Photographer: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images

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The Ukraine war is entering its third phase, and this one could well be decisive.

Phase one was Russia’s failed blitzkrieg, meant to destroy the Ukrainian state. Phase two, which continues in desultory fashion, was Moscow’s push to seize all the Donbas area along the Ukraine-Russia border.