On the 1,708th day of a war that has reshaped the lives of millions, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the world that Ukraine's fortunes on the battlefield are the strongest they have been in some time, naming offensives in the northeast and north that he presents as a turn in the struggle. Those claims rest on his own account and remain unverified, even as the war's violence keeps arriving at the edges of everyday life: a bridge in Kyiv struck by ballistic missiles, cargo ships lost in the Black Sea, and sabotage accusations drifting across the borders of NATO states. Diplomats in Helsinki and Osl
Zelenskyy Claims Kyiv Is Retaking Ground as Russian Strikes Hit Bridges and Nordic Leaders Press Putin
At least 34 sailors reported dead or missing after at least eight cargo ships were hit near Romania and Bulgaria in three weeks; Russian strikes damaged a university campus in Ukraine.
Kyiv's position is the strongest it has been in some time
Mark
Zelenskyy says Ukraine's position is the strongest in some time. How much weight does that carry?
Mimi
It's a statement from the president, drawn from a report by senior commanders. He named operations: Veles in the northeast, Vivaldi further north, and an air assault in the east.
Luke
But those are his descriptions. The reporting here doesn't give us any independent confirmation of territory retaken, so it's a claim, not an established fact.
Mark
Meanwhile Russia hit the Southern Bridge in Kyiv. What do we actually know?
Mimi
Zelenskyy called it a serious escalation against logistics. A Ukrainian military source told Reuters four Iskander missiles hit the bridge, and 10 other regions were attacked too.
Luke
Note the missile count comes from one anonymous military source. And the damage to the bridge isn't described beyond that.
Mark
Kyiv is putting aside 1 billion hryvnias for Dnipro crossings. Why does that matter?
Mimi
The river splits the capital in two. Planning crossings shows the city expects bridge attacks to continue.
Luke
That's a reasonable reading, but the mayor's stated reason is the escalation. How the money will be spent isn't spelled out yet.
Mark
And Romania?
Mimi
It accuses a Russia-coordinated network of being behind a fire in Brasov County. Three people are under investigation and the ambassador was summoned.
Luke
Investigation is the key word. Russia calls it baseless, and no one has been shown to be guilty. The ship attacks and the 34 dead or missing sailors are reported, but the source doesn't say who is responsible.
Der Puls
- Russian Iskander missiles struck Kyiv's Southern Bridge, and Zelenskyy calls the attack a serious escalation aimed at Ukraine's supply lines.
- Strikes on energy, logistics and infrastructure in ten regions leave Ukrainian cities absorbing damage while a university campus is damaged too.
- At least eight cargo ships have been hit off Romania and Bulgaria in three weeks, with around 34 sailors dead or missing, and Bucharest has summoned Russia's ambassador over an alleged sabotage plot.
- Kyiv is moving to fund a billion hryvnias for new Dnipro crossings, France has sent a maritime patrol aircraft to Romania, and Nordic leaders are pressing Putin to end the war.
- Trump's agreement to buy Russian diesel has pushed US-Ukraine ties to an 18-month low, so the outcome of these diplomatic and military moves remains uncertain.
On the 1,708th day of a war that has reshaped the lives of millions, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the world that Ukraine's fortunes on the battlefield are the strongest they have been in some time, naming offensives in the northeast and north that he presents as a turn in the struggle. Those claims rest on his own account and remain unverified, even as the war's violence keeps arriving at the edges of everyday life: a bridge in Kyiv struck by ballistic missiles, cargo ships lost in the Black Sea, and sabotage accusations drifting across the borders of NATO states. Diplomats in Helsinki and Oslo have tried to speak to Moscow directly, a reminder that peace is still sought through phone calls and quiet pressure as much as through the front lines.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces are taking back ground through a series of offensives, and that Kyiv's position on the battlefield is the strongest it has been in some time. He named an operation called "Veles" for the first time, along with an air assault in the east and a northern operation called "Vivaldi" meant to halt Russian advances. These are his claims, drawn from a report by senior commanders, and no independent confirmation has been offered.
That same night, Russia struck Kyiv's Southern Bridge and damaged a university campus. A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that four Iskander ballistic missiles hit the bridge, and Zelenskyy said infrastructure in ten other regions was attacked as well. The city's response is practical: Kyiv's mayor plans to set aside 1 billion hryvnias, about $22 million, for new water crossings over the Dnipro.
In Europe, Finland's president and Norway's prime minister phoned Vladimir Putin and urged him to end the war, an attempt to shape diplomacy after Donald Trump's decision to buy Russian diesel strained ties with Kyiv. Further south, Romania says it has uncovered a Russia-coordinated sabotage network linked to a fire in Brasov County, with three foreign nationals under investigation. Bucharest summoned Russia's ambassador, who rejected the accusations as baseless.
The Black Sea grows more perilous. At least eight cargo ships have been hit off Romania and Bulgaria in three weeks, with about 34 sailors dead or missing, and France has moved a patrol aircraft to Romania to watch for navigation dangers. Poland, meanwhile, will host the only Patriot maintenance centre outside the United States, a support point for interceptors that Ukraine relies on heavily. On the humanitarian side, Pope Leo XIV's almsgiver began a three-day visit to Ukraine with winter supplies, as the pope continues to call for a ceasefire and safe evacuation from Oleshky.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces are taking back territory through a series of offensives, and that Kyiv's position on the battlefield is the strongest it has been in some time. He was citing a report from senior commanders, and for the first time he named an operation called "Veles," which uses pipelines in Ukraine's northeast. He also pointed to an air assault operation in the east and to a northern operation called "Vivaldi," designed to stop Russian advances in key areas. These are the president's claims; the source offers no independent confirmation of the gains.
The same night, Russia struck Kyiv's Southern Bridge and damaged a university campus. Zelenskyy called it "a serious escalation" aimed at Ukrainian logistics. A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that four Iskander ballistic missiles hit the bridge. Zelenskyy added that energy facilities, logistics and infrastructure in 10 other regions were also attacked overnight. A localised ceasefire appears to be holding in Ukraine's south.
The bridge attacks have prompted a response from the city. Kyiv's mayor said the capital plans to set aside 1 billion hryvnias, about $22 million, to build water crossings over the River Dnipro, which divides the city into two parts.
On the diplomatic front, Finland's president Alexander Stubb and Norway's prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere phoned Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and urged him to end the war. The call was an attempt to influence the diplomatic process after Donald Trump stunned allies by agreeing to buy Russian diesel, a move that pushed US ties with Ukraine to their lowest point in 18 months.
Further south, Romania is dealing with what it describes as Russian sabotage. President Nicusor Dan called an alleged plot last month a "grave violation" of the sovereignty and security of the Nato member. A day earlier, Romania's intelligence service said it had identified a Russia-coordinated "sabotage network" linked to a fire in central Brasov County that damaged the premises of several commercial entities. Three foreign nationals, two Belarusians and one Ukrainian, all living in EU countries, are under investigation. Romania's foreign ministry summoned Russia's ambassador in Bucharest, and the Russian embassy said the ambassador rejected the accusations as "baseless."
The Black Sea has become more dangerous too. At least eight cargo ships have been hit near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria in the past three weeks, with about 34 sailors reported dead or missing. France has temporarily moved a maritime patrol aircraft to Romania. Romania's defence ministry said its purpose is to identify dangers to navigation and increase the ability to protect critical infrastructure in its exclusive economic zone.
Elsewhere in Nato, Poland will host a maintenance centre for the US-made Patriot air-defence system, the only one outside the United States, according to deputy defence minister Sobkowiak-Czarnecka. Poland borders Ukraine and serves as a major logistics hub for allied military aid. Patriot interceptors are regarded as among Ukraine's most important air-defence assets as Russian missile and drone attacks escalate.
Also on Tuesday, Monsignor Luis Marín de San Martín, chief almsgiver to Pope Leo XIV, began a three-day visit to Ukraine, bringing several truckloads of winter clothes, blankets and food for distribution in Kyiv. Vatican News said he planned to visit Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Fastiv. Leo has called, in phone calls with both Putin and Zelenskyy, for a ceasefire and for food and medicine to reach Oleshky, along with safe and voluntary evacuation of its people.
This was day 1,708 of the war. Watch for how Kyiv funds its new Dnipro crossings, how France's Black Sea patrol develops, and whether the Nordic pressure on Putin changes anything in Moscow's position.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
A serious escalation against Ukrainian logistics.— Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the overnight strikes
A grave violation of Romania's sovereignty and security.— Romanian president Nicusor Dan, on the alleged sabotage plot
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