Russia abandons meat-grinder tactics to try four-man ambushes, as losses revealed | Ukraine war news

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Are Russia’s mounting losses changing the balance of the war in Ukraine? Today, we assess the reported scale of Russian military losses since 2026 and examine the new battlefield infiltration tactics Moscow has developed in an attempt to break through Ukrainian positions. We also take a closer look at the impact of Kyiv’s strikes on Russian oil refineries and investigate whether there is more behind London’s apparent easing of sanctions on Russian oil than meets the eye. We then explore how Vladimir Putin’s latest visit to Beijing is viewed in China, and ask whether the evolving relationship between Moscow and Beijing resembles a genuine strategic partnership – or something closer to vassalage. And later, we hear from a former Fox News insider about living in Ukraine and why they came to see the war differently from many in the MAGA movement. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). Sophia_yan on X. Alex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist). With thanks to Joseph Lindsley. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: The secret Chinese surveillance programme tracking people like me (Sophia Yan in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/leaked-secret-chinese-surveillance-programme-tracks-foreign/ I’ve reported on war, but I’ve never seen it told like this (Francis’s fashion piece in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/people/ukraine-fashion-show-london-war-francis-dearnley/ Russia abandons ‘meat-grinder’ tactics to try four-man ambushes (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/01/russia-abandons-meat-grinder-tactic-ukraine-war/ Exclusive: Russians covertly trained by China return to fight in Ukraine, sources say (Reuters): https://www.reuter