JRL NEWSWATCH: “‘Russian Forces Strengthen Positions as Ukraine Braces for New Offensive” – WSJ
“… Ukrainian officials have warned Russia is preparing for a fresh offensive to coincide with the first anniversary of its full-scale invasion … Moscow began mobilizing roughly 300,000 additional men last September after Ukrainian forces drove Russia out of swaths of territory …. More than half … [reportedly] are likely to be deployed in any new offensive …. [with] [t]he primary objective … likely … the eastern Donetsk region and … wider Donbas industrial area …. [Meanwhile,] [i]n Ukraine, internal fissures have … come to the fore as [] Zelensky seeks to show … Western allies he is serious about tackling corruption. Ukrainian authorities have … charged high-profile officials with criminal offenses and launched raids on the homes of powerful business people …. Cracking down on corruption will be key to unlocking [EU] membership …. [Ukraine] won formal [EU] candidate status … in June, but … accession … could take … years. …”