The latest war in Ukraine: Ukraine fires eight ballistic missiles at Russia in 24 hours, says Moscow

The war in Ukraine is “moving into two separate regions” – and a cessation of fighting for the winter is less likely than has been the case over the past two years, says our military analyst Sean Bell.

Discussing the situation on the ground, he says there is a “crushing war of attrition” going on in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are conducting an intense offensive to capture the key city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk Oblast.

“Russia hasn’t really gotten there, but it’s losing a huge number of lives,” Bell says. “Winter is coming. Natural leaves disappear. The whole battlefield becomes much more exposed and becomes a fight for survival.”

But away from eastern Ukraine, a “new battle” is taking place over the border region of Kursk with Russia, where “a lot of eyes are focused right now,” Bell adds.

Ukraine invaded the region in August and took part of Russian territory, but has since lost about 40% of that territory.

Bell says Moscow initially viewed the invasion as an attempt by Kiev to divert attention from its mission in eastern Ukraine.

“But now it seems that Russia has stepped up (in Kursk),” he explains.

“It looks like Russia has decided that as of January 20 (US presidential inauguration), President Putin will not want any Russian territory in Ukraine’s hands in this situation, so they are determined to push it out.”

The impending arrival of the Trump administration points to a normal cessation of fighting that won’t happen until early next year, despite the bitter cold, Bell says.