A Russian reckoning

Ukraine scores unexpected military successes

The 200th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has offered a moment of reckoning for President Vladimir Putin’s ill-judged revanchist project. For hard-pressed Ukrainians this grim anniversary offers crucial consolation in terms of a rapid advance of its military in the Kharkiv region in the north-east and the unexpectedly precipitous flight of Russian formations, abandoning all manner of defence equipment, including tanks and rocket launchers. Having recaptured the strategic town of Izyum, which was once a critical jumping-off point for the Russian military, Ukraine’s lightning counter-offensive has brought its forces to less than 50 km from the Russian border. All