Two years after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, the valiant defenders are holding on. With ammunition running scarce, an increasingly isolationist US withholding funds, and Europe seemingly too scared to step up in its place, Russia looks more confident of victory than ever before.
Russian forces threatened to shoot down a French surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea, highlighting Moscow s aggressive stance amid its Ukraine invasion. The incident, unprecedented for French pilots in the region, occurred in mid-November in international airspace. French defense minister Sebastien Lecornu described it as a return to Soviet-era aggressiveness, contrasting with Russia s behavior before the Ukraine invasion. French AWACS flights in the area aim to defuse tensions if intercepted by Russian planes, but encounters are rare.
The issue of military casualties is extremely sensitive in both countries. Russia has banned criticism of the conflict and no official figures have been released since 2022.