The Russo-Ukrainian war has entered its third year.
New Delhi:
Ukraine’s devastating conflict with Russia marks a grim milestone in two years as prospects for peace look bleak. Satellite images vividly depict the war-torn landscape, telling the story of the widespread destruction caused by Russia’s relentless bombing.
Despite initial setbacks for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the winter of 2022, recent developments point to a resurgence of Moscow’s military ambitions. Once-promising signs of talks appear distant, and Putin’s recent comments suggest any talks will be conducted on Moscow’s own terms, leaving little room for compromise.
The relentless bombing was a horrific incident in Russia’s offensive, which has recently led to Vladimir Putin’s troops seizing the war-torn industrial center of Avdievka, 30 kilometers (20 miles) to the east.
The town of Avdievka, recently occupied by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, has experienced some of the fiercest fighting of the war. The image on the right shows black scorch marks across the town, indicating widespread bombardment of civilian areas and other areas.High resolution pictures here
After Ukraine withdrew its troops, Russia declared full control of Avdievka. Moscow acknowledged that Ukrainian troops were still entrenched inside a massive Soviet-era coking plant, marking the aftermath of one of the fiercest battles of the war.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said recently: “Measures are being taken to completely clear the town of militants and blockade Ukrainian troops who have left the town and entrenched themselves at the Avdievka coking plant.”
Near Avdievka, especially near the village of Progres, the Ukrainian army is actively building new defense lines. The fortifications will become the latest obstacle for Russian forces trying to penetrate Ukraine’s defenses.
After Ukraine withdrew its troops, Russia declared full control of Avdievka. Before and after satellite images show the scale of the damage to the city.High resolution pictures here
Analysts and diplomats agree that 2024 could be another year of conflict, with Ukraine’s determination to regain lost ground clashing with Putin’s insistence on Kyiv’s unconditional surrender. Fyodor Lukyanov, chairman of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, a Kremlin-linked think tank, dismissed the possibility of talks in the near future, claiming that Moscow and Kiev had nothing to negotiate.
Although Ukraine successfully fought off a more powerful adversary during the first year of the invasion, cracks began to appear in Kiev’s resolve. The exhaustion of Ukrainian troops, delays in U.S. military aid and political tensions within Kyiv have raised concerns about the sustainability of its resistance.
Bakhmut is considered a strategic foothold by Moscow. Satellite images show destroyed schools, colleges and residential buildings.High resolution pictures here
Satellite images vividly depict the widespread destruction in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, where much of the conflict has unfolded since the war began.
Bakhmut, which had a population of about 70,000 before the Russian invasion, is seen by Moscow as a strategic foothold in its quest to control the wider industrial Donbas region to the east, which borders Russia.
Images posted by Maxar showed extensive damage to schools, university buildings, apartment buildings and broadcast towers in the city.
In December, the Kremlin formally acknowledged that a Ukrainian attack had caused damage to a warship docked in the occupied Crimean port of Feodosia, a development that Ukraine and its Western allies described as the Russian Navy’s major setback. Ukraine reported that its air force successfully destroyed the Novocherkassk landing ship.
President Zelensky struck a lighter note on social media, quipping that the ship was now part of “Russia’s Black Sea underwater fleet.”
Russia formally acknowledged in December that a Ukrainian attack had caused damage to a warship docked in the Crimean port of Feodosia.High resolution pictures here
Putin revealed Moscow’s intentions in a recent interview with right-wing American talk show host Tucker Carlson. While Putin has expressed a willingness to negotiate, his terms appear to be non-negotiable for Kyiv, making any meaningful dialogue elusive. The Russian president’s strategic considerations have been influenced by eroding Western support for Ukraine, U.S. policy that has failed to provide swift aid, and rising far-right sentiment in Europe.
Delays in U.S. military aid due to political disputes and Europe’s difficulty in providing enough weapons have added to Ukraine’s sense of uncertainty. Russia, on the other hand, has withstood Western sanctions, mobilized its economy for war, and suppressed internal opposition, as exemplified by the sudden death of Alexei Navalny.
As the U.S. election approaches, its outcome could further influence the trajectory of the conflict.
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