Ukraine sees a window of opportunity to push Russia back

ON MARCH 28TH Ukraine’s general staff warned that the Russian army, within striking distance of , still wanted to take the capital. A week later that army had largely evaporated from both sides of the Dnieper river north of the city. As Russian troops retreated to Belarus and Russia, pursued by Ukrainians, Kyiv began returning to normal. No shots, shells or missiles have been heard since March 30th. Non-essential shops are re-opening. Vitaly Klitschko, the mayor, has urged civilians to wait until the end of the week to return; not all are heeding his advice. But although the battle is won, the war is not.Russia says its war aim is now to “liberate” Donbas in eastern Ukraine; some think that , Russia’s president, wants to do so by Victory Day on May 9th, the date that commemorates Nazi Germany’s surrender in 1945. Before the war began in February Russia controlled a third of the territory; since February 24th it has taken a lot more, including some of , a port city.