Free Republic

Three days on, and Ukraine is still digesting the full implications of Operation Spider's Web, Sunday's massive assault on Russia's strategic aviation. On Wednesday, the agency which orchestrated the attack, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), released additional, vivid footage of the attacks in progress, as well as tantalising glimpses into how the whole complex operation was conducted. Satellite images that have emerged since Sunday, showing the wrecked outlines of planes sitting on the tarmac at the Olenya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo and Belaya airbases, also help tell the story of the operation's unprecedented success. For Ukrainian observers, the whole operation, a...

More than one million people in Ukraine have been left without power after Russia launched a "massive strike" on the country's energy grid overnight. The co-ordinated assault unfolded over several hours with waves of drones and missiles flying across the length and breadth of Ukraine - the second attack of its kind this month. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said cluster munitions were used specifically against civilian and energy infrastructure. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia launched 90 missiles and 100 drones in response to Ukraine's attacks with UK and US-supplied weapons last week. "We carried out a comprehensive strike," Putin...

Between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops have been killed and wounded in the battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut since it began last summer, Western officials say. The epic nature of the battle is out of all proportion to Bakhmut's strategic significance, they add. But after more than six months of grinding, horrific fighting, the future of Bakhmut still hangs in the balance. Since the fighting began, some 90% of its pre-invasion population has fled.

At least 13 people have been killed by Russian missile strikes on the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials say. Dozens more were wounded, and several residential buildings destroyed. The city is under Ukrainian control, but it is part of a region that Russia says it annexed last month. Zaporizhzhia has been hit repeatedly in recent weeks, as Russia hits back at urban areas after suffering defeats in the south and north-east of Ukraine. Parts of the Zaporizhzhia region, including its nuclear power plant - which is around 52km (30 miles) from the city - have been under Russian control...

By TREVOR KAVANAGH Political Editor THE BBC was last night sensationally condemned for “one-sided” war coverage — by its own front line defence correspondent. Paul Adams attacks the Beeb for misreporting the Allied advance in a blistering memo leaked to The Sun. And he warned the BBC’s credibility is at risk for suggesting British troops are paying a “high price for small victories”. On Monday, he wrote from US Central Command in Qatar: “I was gobsmacked to hear, in a set of headlines today, that the coalition was suffering ‘significant casualties’. “This is simply NOT TRUE. Nor is it true...