Your Wednesday Summary: Russia Bombardment of the East

Good morning. We’re talking about Russia’s aggression to the east, catastrophic flooding in South Africa, and Myanmar’s crumbling health system.

Russia increases the scale of the offensive in the east

Moscow claims that its offensive to take control of eastern Ukraine is underway as it strikes hundreds of targets overnight across the country’s industrial heartland.

Ukraine says it is resisting the initial Russian push, but its disputed region is preparing for an all-out assault. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are still trapped there. This is the latest information.

The Pentagon estimates that Russia has sent 8,000 to 11,000 more troops to the east and has tens of thousands more in reserve. A widespread attack could reshape the conflict.

Analysis: Russia’s military campaign seems much more systematic than the ones it pursued in the early days of the war. Ukrainian and Pentagon officials say Russian forces appear to be engaged in “shaping operations,” which are smaller attacks that are often a precursor to larger troop movements or distractions. distraction from other fronts.

Tactic: Ukrainians are using internet memes and selling goods to mobilize support from the international public. It is working.

War status:

• At least 1,000 civilians are trapped at a major steel plant in Mariupol with Ukrainian forces waging what appears to be the city’s last defense.

• At least three more people were killed in Kharkiv as a result of a Russian artillery attack.

Other updates:

Disaster situation in South Africa

More than 440 people have died and nearly 4,000 homes have been destroyed after catastrophic flooding swept the Durban area last week. About forty people have yet to be found and survivors are struggling to find their lives.

“This is probably one of the worst things I’ve ever seen,” said one lifeguard. “Just the sheer scale of the devastation.”

On Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster. We are a nation united in our grief.

The government is planning to clean up and repair the area and seek to recover dozens of bodies believed to have been buried in the mud or drifted into the sea. Much of the death and devastation occurred in settlements in flimsy shacks run by people who could not afford stable housing.

Analysis: A series of powerful storms recently ravaged southern and eastern Africa, killing hundreds and destroying communities already struggling with poverty. For many people, floods have underscored the ramifications of climate change, especially for the most socioeconomically vulnerable communities.

The collapse of Myanmar’s healthcare industry

In recent weeks, security forces in Myanmar have stepped up their crackdown on doctors who oppose the military government, arresting them in their homes and hospitals. The soldiers revoked the licenses of famous doctors and searched the hospital for wounded resistance.

According to the reason, Myanmar is currently one of the most dangerous areas in the world for the sake of war. At least 140 doctors have been arrested since the coup; 89 of them are still behind bars, a human rights group said. Another human rights group said at least 30 doctors were killed.

Analysis: Myanmar is facing a health emergency, with a severe shortage of medical professionals and a chronic lack of resources. Many hospitals and clinics have closed. Anti-regime doctors estimate that hundreds of people die every week because emergency surgeries are not performed.

Can quote: Dr. Kyaw Swar was undergoing surgery when soldiers came looking for him. He hid in the operating room and kept walking. “If they find us, they will arrest us,” he said. “But I will not run away while operating on a patient. It’s not a crime for a doctor to treat a patient.”

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