Ukraine has lost over 40 percent of the territory it previously gained in Russia's Kursk Oblast due to Russian counterattacks, Reuters reported on Nov. 23, citing a source in Ukraine's General Staff.

Moscow has previously pulled mercenaries into its war effort in Ukraine and now appears to be recruiting much further afield.

This past week has seen the most significant escalation in hostilities Ukraine has witnessed since Russia’s full-scale invasion and marks a new chapter in the nearly three-year war.

Russia has removed a senior general in Ukraine for giving misleading reports about the progress of the war as Defence Minister Andrei Belousov tries to clear out poor commanders, pro-Russian war bloggers and Russian media said.

Russia has removed a senior commander from his post for making false claims about the progress of the war in some parts of eastern Ukraine, according to military bloggers and Russian media.