David French

MORE: ISW is no longer prepared to forecast when Russian forces might seize Donetsk, including the Fortress Belt, since the slowing rate of Russian advances and the challenging nature of the Ukrainian-held terrain in Donetsk makes it unclear that Russia is capable of seizing the territory at all. ⬇️ Russia’s exaggerated territorial ambitions and aggressive territorial demands run completely counter to battlefield reality. Anonymous sources in contact with Putin and additional sources familiar with the matter as well as a Ukrainian intelligence assessment shared with FT indicate that senior Russian commanders have convinced Putin that Russian forces could seize all of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts by Fall 2026. ISW has observed evidence to assess that Russian forces have only advanced 349.89 square kilometers in Donetsk Oblast since the start of 2026, an advance rate of 2.63 square kilometers per day. Strong Ukrainian fortifications, the area’s challenging human and physical geography, and Ukrainian counterattacks and mid-range strike campaign that are already inhibiting Russian offensive operations across the theater make the prospects for a Russian seizure of the rest of Donetsk dim. Russian forces first infiltrated into Kostyantynivka (the Fortress Belt’s southernmost city) in October 2025 and have failed to make any significant tactical gains in the city over the last six months. Ukrainian counterattacks in southern Ukraine since early 2026 have also forced Russia to choose between defending against Ukrainian counterattacks and allocating manpower and resources to priority sectors of the frontline, including the Fortress Belt. Ukraine’s recent successes are accomplishing tactical, operational, and strategic battlespace effects that undermine Putin’s narrative that the Ukrainian frontlines are on the verge of collapse. Two people involved in back-channel negotiations over ending the war told the FT that Putin’s ambitions are still to control all the Ukrainian territory between Russia and the Dnipro River, and possibly farther into Kyiv City and the port of Odesa, despite Russia’s stalling offensive. Putin’s thinking thus appears to be further and further removed from battlefield realities, likely resulting in the issuance of orders to the Russian military to make gains that it is not capable of making.

CRIMSON TIDE was released 31 years ago today. Denzel Washington accepted the role because he wanted to “joust with a master” like Gene Hackman. The result was one of the most explosive acting pairings of the 90s.

One of the worst things Donald Trump ingrained into American politics is the idea that if your base likes you enough, you never have to back down or apologize for anything. Does it matter whether Abdul ever got his medical license, or treated patients, or had a residency? In the context of a Senate run, not especially, if we're being real. But it seems indisputable that he was deliberately deceptive about using titles like 'physician', playing up his doctor credentials, talking about how he 'healed people', etc. And even if you want to say that's a gray area rather than a straight up lie, people used to be embarrassed by that kind of deception. It used to be normal for politicians to apologize for things, scandals used to matter. Trump has taught everyone that you never need to apologize, ever. Double down. Triple down. Caught lying, or doing something immoral or shady? Mock the people criticizing you. Rally the base around you, attack rather than defend. You're actually PROUD of whatever they're mad at. Trump proved that as long as your base is rabid enough, this tactic works. And I hate to use overly dramatic cliches, but this kind of thing is poisonous to the soul of the country.

Honestly was not expecting Eric Church to give one of the best commencement speeches of all time. Chief CRUSHED this 🫡

in 2019 we headed to Summer League, and the kid out of Gonzaga they drafted 21st overall won the MVP. He became beloved from literally the first time he wore the uniform. Look up and 7 years later he is gone. Still can’t believe it. So intensely sad. RIP BC 😢