Ukraine and Israel Conflicts Remain Active, Global Politics and Military Advances Impact Their Courses

Ukraine makes minor territorial gains and successful strategic attacks as Israel division deepens global tensions; advances in military technology and shifting political alliances complicate conflict progress.

Ukrainian forces make minor territorial advances, including small gains south of Bakhmut and in the Zaporizhzhia region, despite bulk of the territory remaining unchanged. Worsening winter weather may halt the country's counteroffensive.
Ukraine achieves strategic success with the withdrawal of much of Russia's Black Sea fleet from key port Sevastopol due to increasing missile and drone attacks. Ukrainian special operations troops also conduct bold raids into Crimea.
Ukraine receives military technology support from the US, including long-range ATACMS missiles which are used to destroy Russian helicopters. This American backing is significant but uncertain due to shifts in political will in Washington.
In response to Ukraine's counteroffensive, Russia escalates its activity, launching a major assault on Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, and causing heavy Russian losses. Russia is also expected to increase missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
The Israel-Gaza conflict intensifies global tensions and diversifies political alliances. The conflict links to the Ukraine war as entities such as US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy draw parallels between Russia's actions in Ukraine and Hamas's attacks on Israel.
Russia receives roughly 1,000 containers of weapons from North Korea and announces that it no longer needs to comply with U.N. security council restrictions on providing or receiving missile technology from Iran.