Free Republic

Communiqués from the Ukrainian General Staff indicate that Russian forces are tightening their grip around Bakhmut. Enemy subunits are being held back on the north-western outskirts of the town (Krasna Hora, Paraskoviivka, Yahidne) and south of the Bakhmut-Kostiantynivka road, including on the western side of the Donets-Donbas canal (Predtechyne, Stupochky), which they have now crossed. The Russians are also expanding the area of their assault to the northwest of Soledar, where they have crossed the Bakhmut-Siversk road at Vasyukivka. The aggressor’s offensive is being contained south and east of Siversk, in the Avdiivka area, and in an arc west of...

“As the war has dragged on, it has become harder to find meaningful ways to penalize Russia,” said Richard Gowan, U.N. director at the independent International Crisis Group.In some cases, Western countries are shying away from some specific moves, fearing tepid support, as rising vote abstentions have signaled a growing unwillingness to publicly oppose Moscow, diplomats and observers said.The European Union mulled a plan in June to appoint a U.N. expert to investigate human rights violations in Russia, according to diplomats, but it shelved the idea over fears nearly half the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva might oppose...