Isabelle Khurshudyan

• The Discord Leaks

THE DISCORD LEAKS | Intercepts reveal Zelensky's aggressive instincts, a marked contrast to his image as the stoic statesman weathering Russia’s onslaught.

• Europe

Ukraine is readying an assault to seize back territory occupied by Russia but Kyiv worries any gains could fall short of Western expectations and undercut support

• National Security

The rate at which Russian forces are being killed or wounded in Ukraine has spiked in recent months, according to estimates disclosed by the White House this week, underscoring how ferocious the combat has become and suggesting the carnage could get even worse with Kyiv’s long-planned counteroffensive to retake occupied territory.

• War in Ukraine

Half the Russian soldiers killed belonged to Wagner, the Kremlin-backed mercenary group involved in the heavy fighting in Bakhmut, U.S. officials said.

• The Discord Leaks

In an interview with The Washington Post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the leak of classified U.S. intelligence as deeply damaging to his country.

• War in Ukraine

Chinese leader Xi Jinping said he would send a special representative to Ukraine for talks on resolving the crisis, state media outlets reported. Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners Wednesday.

• Europe

The phone call Wednesday was the first conversation between the Ukrainian president and the Chinese leader since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

• The Discord Leaks

Kyiv’s head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, planned bold strikes deep behind enemy lines that unnerved officials in Washington.

• The Discord Leaks

It is a marked departure from public statements about the vitality of Ukraine’s army and is likely to embolden critics calling for negotiations to end the war.