Our team is returning to Ukraine, in my case, for the fourth time since February and the third since Russia’s invasion. Each trip has taken on different characteristics – pre-war, there was the unease and disbelief that the Russians would actually invade. When I returned in early March, the fear was the capital Kyiv might fall and millions were fleeing the country. By April, the Russian troops had been defeated around Kyiv and the horrors of their occupation were being revealed. Mass graves, destroyed communities and shattered families were the focus of our stories. What will June bring ? My hunch is that Russia’s military offensive has reached its culmination – that is, after this, they will need to rest and regroup before trying another push. Will Ukraine be able to use some of the western weapons arriving to turn the tide and perhaps start re-capturing territory ? Or has Ukraine’s army suffered too many losses and the strategic situation is, essentially, a stalemate. Those I think will be the key storylines.
