Ukraine Loses Another Front-Line Position

The world's attention may be elsewhere, but the Russia-Ukraine war goes on, and it appears to be trending in Vladimir Putin's favor:

• Front-line position lost: Ukraine's army has pulled out from the village of Urozhaine in the eastern Donetsk region, surrendering another front-line position under a relentless Russian onslaught. The village was reduced to rubble, which "made it impossible to hold the positions there," a Ukraine military spokesperson told the AP in a written message. Control of the village has changed hands at least three times since the Russian invasion began.

• River position lost: Elsewhere, Ukraine troops lost a strategic position on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River near the southern city of Kherson, reports the New York Times. Ukrainian forces pulled out of the nearby village of Krynky, which is also described as being in ruins. The river divides the armies in the south, and Ukraine was trying to establish a position on the Russian-controlled eastern side.
• Strategy: Kyiv is employing a bend-but-don't-break strategy to buy time until it can get more Western weapons and ammunition to the front, per the AP. By ceding some territory, Ukraine has been able to fight from better defended positions, army officials and analysts say. Leaders from across Europe met in England on Thursday to discuss European security and more help for Ukraine.

(More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)