Is it a turning point? After weeks of warning of a counter-offensive in the south, Ukraine has caught the Kremlin off guard with the reclaiming of vast swathes of the north, pushing the front away from the country's second city of Kharkiv. We ask what just happened, if there's more to come or if Kyiv is going to struggle to consolidate its gains.
Then of course, there is Russia's response. Already, the Ukrainians are accusing Moscow of targeting civilian power and water installations as retribution for its stunning setback. What will Vladimir Putin do to reverse course and keep his promise to leave most Russians out of a so-called special military operation now in its 200th day? Will he stick to his pledge to spare fighting-age citizens from conscription? More broadly, how does the master of the Kremlin keep a lid on it all?
Produced by Charles Wente, Juliette Laurain and Imen Mellaz.
