Russian President Vladmir Putin is expected to announce the annexation of four regions of Ukraine - just like he did with Crimea in 2014. But this isn’t total deja vu, because this time, he’s on the backfoot and he's in trouble. 

 

Following months of stalemate after his failure to take the capital Kyiv, Putin’s forces were surprised by a Ukrainian counteroffensive that either pushed his forces back, or made them flee.

 

And so now, he’s had to hold sham referendums and initiate a partial mobilisation to try to turn things around. But can he?

 

In today’s episode, we speak to our presenter and Europe editor Matt Frei in Kyiv about how this point in the war is arguably one of the most pivotal moments for all sides in this bitter conflict.

 

Produced by: Nina Hodgson, Heidi Pett 

 

Camera in Kyiv: Ray Queally