- The new commander of Russian forces in Ukraine made a rare acknowledgment of the pressures they were under from Ukrainian offensives to retake southern and eastern areas that Moscow claims to have annexed just weeks ago.
- In another sign of Russian concern, the Kremlin-installed chief of the strategic southern region of Kherson on Tuesday (18 October) announced an “organised, gradual displacement” of civilians from four towns on the Dnipro River.
- Since Russian troops poured over the Ukrainian border on 24 February in what Putin termed a “special military operation”, the conflict has settled into a war of attrition fought mainly in the east and south.
New Russian commander admits situation is ‘tense’ for his forces in Ukraine
