Zelensky says 'deterioration of the weather' linked to fewer attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared during his nightly address that close to 400 shelling incidents were recorded in eastern Ukraine on Sunday. This number is "unfortunately, extremely high," he added, but would have been worse if not for the "deterioration of the weather."
The winter weather is forcing both Ukraine and Russia to reconfigure their tactics and plans. Last week, Zelensky described the fighting in the Donetsk region as "hell," and on Sunday said "the fiercest battles" are still happening there. In the Luhansk region, "we are moving forward little by little with battles," Zelensky continued, adding that in the southern part of Ukraine "we are holding the line, consistently and very calculatedly destroying the potential of the occupiers."
Russian forces withdrew from the southern port city of Kherson earlier in November, and Britain's defense intelligence agency said on Friday some of those troops will likely be moved to the town of Bakhmut in Donetsk. That's where the Wagner Group, a private Russian military force, is on the offensive. The agency also said Russian troops are digging new trenches near the Siversky Donets River between Donetsk and Luhansk, indicating they are preparing "in case of further major Ukrainian breakthroughs."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The launch of the world’s first weight-loss pillSpeed Read Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have been racing to release the first GLP-1 pill
-
Maduro’s capture: two hours that shook the worldTalking Point Evoking memories of the US assault on Panama in 1989, the manoeuvre is being described as the fastest regime change in history
-
Six sensational hotels to discover in 2026The Week Recommends From a rainforest lodge to a fashionable address in Manhattan – here are six hotels that travel journalists recommend for this year
-
What would a UK deployment to Ukraine look like?Today's Big Question Security agreement commits British and French forces in event of ceasefire
-
Would Europe defend Greenland from US aggression?Today’s Big Question ‘Mildness’ of EU pushback against Trump provocation ‘illustrates the bind Europe finds itself in’
-
Is conscription the answer to Europe’s security woes?Today's Big Question How best to boost troop numbers to deal with Russian threat is ‘prompting fierce and soul-searching debates’
-
Trump peace deal: an offer Zelenskyy can’t refuse?Today’s Big Question ‘Unpalatable’ US plan may strengthen embattled Ukrainian president at home
-
The Baltic ‘bog belt’ plan to protect Europe from RussiaUnder the Radar Reviving lost wetland on Nato’s eastern flank would fuse ‘two European priorities that increasingly compete for attention and funding: defence and climate’
-
How should Nato respond to Putin’s incursions?Today’s big question Russia has breached Nato airspace regularly this month, and nations are primed to respond
-
What will bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table?Today’s Big Question With diplomatic efforts stalling, the US and EU turn again to sanctions as Russian drone strikes on Poland risk dramatically escalating conflict
-
The mission to demine UkraineThe Explainer An estimated quarter of the nation – an area the size of England – is contaminated with landmines and unexploded shells from the war
