Ukraine's counter-offensive, Operation Vivaldi, has reportedly liberated 277 sq km (106 square miles) in the eastern Donbas region in recent months. Ukrainian commanders state the operation blunted a Russian pincer movement that threatened to encircle key Fortress Belt cities.
Kyiv claims to have inflicted heavy losses, with 8,000 Russian casualties in Vivaldi alone and close to 50,000 along the front in September. Pro-Russian military bloggers have acknowledged Ukrainian advances, according to the Institute for the Study of War, though no Russian official has publicly confirmed these gains.
Despite these advances, concerns have been raised regarding the Starshield satellite communications network, a military version of Starlink. Ukraine stated this week, as Operation Vivaldi concluded, that the system had restrictions imposed without warning, limiting their capabilities. Media reports and Elon Musk suggest the order for these restrictions may have originated from the White House.
Relations between Kyiv and Washington are described as being at an all-time low. President Zelensky reportedly feels "betrayed" by Donald Trump, who in turn stated he was "not a fan" of his Ukrainian counterpart. Trump attributes rising oil prices to Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries, while Ukraine points to the US and Israeli war against Iran as the cause.