A Ukrainian delegation is in South Korea today amid reports that Russia is advancing at pace. Stephen Dalziel joins Christopher Cermak to discuss how much further the war might ramp up. Plus: Should displaced Lebanese citizens be returning so quickly? And how much more will tourists have to pay for their Japanese onsen? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You are listening to the Briefing, first broadcast on the 27th of November, 2024 on Monocle Radio.
Hello and welcome to the Briefing, broadcasting live from our studios here at Midori House in London.
I'm Chris Chermak.
Coming up on today's program, with Russia advancing in Ukraine, we ask whether the current pace of of the war is sustainable.
From there, too, internal European Union politics as the new commission is set to be voted into office by the European Parliament.
But what do Ursula von der Leyen and her new cabinet leading the EU hope to achieve after that?
Lebanon celebrates a ceasefire with Israel, but how much does this actually de escalate tensions in the region?
We'll also explore a new United nations report on press freedoms in Afghanistan and finally, why Japan is taxing tourists for the use of its beautiful hot springs.
All that right here on THE Briefing with me, Chris Termak.
The war in Ukraine appears to have reached a fever pitch in recent weeks with reports that Russia is advancing at its fastest pace since 2022 in the east, but also burning through resources at an unsustainable rate.
A Ukrainian delegation, meanwhile, is in South Korea, hoping that Seoul will do more to counter the arrival of North Korean troops on Russia's side.
Well, joining me to unpack some of this is here in studio is Stephen Dyao, Russia analyst and Monocle Radio regular.
Good afternoon, Stephen.
Good afternoon, Chris.
So there's only so much time we have, but in somewhat brief, how would you sum up the state of the.
War currently from the Ukrainian point of view, worrying, because as you mentioned in the lead in Russian forces have made some significant gains in eastern Ukraine.
And also a tactic, it seems, of the Ukrainians when they invaded the Kursk region of Russia back in August was that they hoped that would deflect some of those Russian troops.
That hasn't happened.
So Russia is still pushing on into Ukrainian territory and they're using other forces and indeed now North Korean forces to try and push the Ukrainians back out of the Kursk region.
And it's estimated that about 40% of the territory which Ukraine initially took in the Kursk region has now been taken back by Russia.