Ukraine war: Russia's new defences in northeast, Polish waterway opened, 'war crimes' tribunal
Russia's troops are setting up a new defensive line in northeastern Ukraine as Kyiv's troops press on with their offensive.
In a daily intelligence update, Britian's Defense Ministry (MoD) said the line will probably be between the Oskil River and Svatove, some 150 kilometers from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
"Russia likely sees maintaining control of this zone as important because it is transited by one of the few main resupply routes Russia still controls from the Belgorod region of Russia," the MoD said.
"Russia will likely attempt to conduct a stubborn defence of this area, but it is unclear whether Russia's front line forces have sufficient reserves or adequate morale to withstand another concerted Ukrainian assault," it added.
Russian forces new defensive position comes after a rapid Ukrainian counteroffensive, which punched a hole through the old front line in the war, allowing Kyiv to recaptured large swaths of land in the northeastern Kharkiv region bordering Russia.
Ukraine is continuing to press into territory once held by Russia, having launced the offensive a week ago.
Kharkiv was captured by Russia early on in the war and has remained in Russian hands ever since.
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The Czech Republic, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, called for an international war crimes tribunal on Saturday, following the discovery of hundreds of tortured bodies in Ukraine.
Around 450 graves were discovered on the outskirts of Izium, a town in eastern Ukraine, recaptured from Russian forces last week.
Nearly all of the bodies showed signs of violent death, while some of those exhumed from mass graves were found with ropes around their neck, according to Ukrainian authorities.
"In the 21st century, such
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