Notes and Essays -- John Brown

By Olena Harmash KYIV, April 3 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the frontline situation for Ukraine was the best since the middle of last year, adding that Kyiv's troops had foiled a Russian ‌offensive in March. With the war in its fifth year, the fighting is raging along more than ‌1,200 km (745 miles) of the frontline. Russian troops are grinding down Ukrainian defences, but Kyiv is also counterattacking. Zelenskiy said that taking into account ​both the occupation and the liberation of the territories, Kyiv was "slightly in the positive", liberating about 20 sq km. He did not specify a time frame for the gains. "The offensive they were planning for March was thwarted by the actions of our armed forces. That is why the Russians will now simply step up their assault operations," Zelenskiy said, in ‌remarks released by his office on ⁠Friday. "At this point, we do not see a large-scale threat." RUSSIAN TROOPS GATHER NEAR POKROVSK Russia co...