Mr Zelenskyy Goes to Kupiansk. Putin Huddles in Moscow. Chinese Carrier Off Japan. The Big Five, 14 December edition.
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive
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The article centers on Zelenskyy's visit to Kupiansk and Ukrainian counterattacks there. Understanding the full history of this battle since 2022 provides crucial context for why this location remains strategically contested and what the recent Ukrainian gains actually mean.
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Wagner Group rebellion
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The article directly references Prigozhin's 'short-lived mutiny and advance on Moscow' in June 2023 and Putin's reaction. This Wikipedia article provides the full story of that extraordinary 24-hour crisis that exposed fractures in Russian military command.
The chance is considerable at this moment, and it matters for our every city, for our every Ukrainian community. We are working to ensure that peace for Ukraine is dignified, and to secure a guarantee – a guarantee, above all, that Russia will not return to Ukraine for a third invasion. President Zelenskyy, 14 December 2025
In the past week, we have seen a more joined up approach to the Ukraine peace process from the Trump administration, and a counter-proposal from the Ukrainian President. Ukraine and Russia have traded strikes on oil tankers and commercial cargo ships, and Ukraine conducted a series of successful counter-attacks around Kupiansk.
In the Pacific, a Chinese aircraft carrier strike group conducted operations in the western Pacific off the coast of Japan, Taiwan unveiled the design for its T-Dome missile defence system, and China continued its aerial incursions into Taiwanese and Japanese airspace.
Welcome to my regular update on modern war and strategic competition.
Ukraine
Mr Zelenskyy Goes to Kupiansk. Not long ago, the Russian President claimed that Kupiansk was under Russian control. If it ever was, it isn’t anymore (see frontline update below).
And to show Putin was lying - and demonstrate again to Trump that Putin lies - the Ukrainian president travelled to the front line around Kupiansk this week. There is even proof (see image at the top of the article).
These frontline visits have been a feature of Zelenskyy’s leadership since the beginning of the war. He has travelled all over his country, and visited soldiers in bunkers, trenches, training establishments, headquarters and hospitals.
When Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of his country in February 2022, Zelenskyy stayed put and asked for help.
Compare this with Putin.
In June 2023, when Prigozhin began his short-lived mutiny and advance on Moscow, Putin rabbited out of Moscow. Even though Prigozhin never got within 100km of the Russian capital, the Russian leader preferred to get out of town than stay and lead the counter-mutiny. As far as we know, Putin has never visited Russian frontline positions, probably because he fears his own troops more than the Ukrainians.
Zelenskyy is not a perfect President, and the recent corruption scandal has tainted him. But, no one can deny his courage.
That is something that will never be said about Putin.
Peace Negotiations. This week, Russia rejected Ukrainian proposals for a ceasefire and
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