Russia’s vaunted second offensive is a damp squib

For months Ukrainian officials had warned that Russia was getting ready to launch a big new offensive. It was mustering forces “beyond the Urals”, said General Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s army chief, in December, and could even once again target Kyiv. had gathered half a million fresh troops and would “try something” around the anniversary of , suggested the defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov. In fact, Russia’s offensive began weeks ago. It has underwhelmed.