The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, reportedly travelled secretly to Moscow to tell Russia’s security chief that it should seek an agreement with Ukraine before its military and economic position deteriorates further. The reported intervention matters because US intelligence officials believe President Vladimir Putin may not be receiving a full account of the war’s costs and stalled progress.

Russia’s advances along the 745-mile front have largely slowed, while Ukraine’s drone warfare has reduced Moscow’s advantage in troop numbers, according to the article. It cites an estimate that around two million soldiers have been killed, wounded or gone missing since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, including 1.4 million Russians, though neither side publishes military casualty figures. The report also describes continued attacks on Kherson, where one man was killed and residents were urged to evacuate amid threats to critical infrastructure.