Hello everyone and welcome to Amampur. Here's what's coming up. A tipping point for Ukraine

we get a grim report from the front lines and Russia expert Fiona Hill tells me why this is so much more than just

about Ukraine. Then to kill a tiger actor Dev Patel and director Nyshupuja

joined me to discuss their chilling documentary on sexual violence in India.

Plus, the New Yorker's Masa Gessen talks to Michelle Martin about the politics of memory. Oh, Welcome to the program everyone. I'm Christina Montpur in London.

Ukraine is entering its second long hard winter at war in the wake of the stalled summer counter-offensive

troops are digging in for a frozen war of attrition while Putin appears

increasingly emboldened about Russia's prospects on the battlefield and beyond.

President Zelensky's recent trip to Washington didn't yield the result he wanted,

with the Senate deferring any vote on more aid

until the new year.

Correspond Nick Payton Walsh has this report

from the front lines, showing just how grim things have gotten.

And a warning, it is war, and it can be disturbing to watch.

This was where the billions were meant to spell a breakthrough but where the counter-offensive was supposed to have kicked Russia to the sea this summer,

now it is mud, death, deadlock, and the remnants of American help vanishing. It's a notably different mood here, dark frankly.

In the summer they were boied, feeling like they had the world at their back moving forwards.

Now, it's slow, dangerous and a real sense of despair to be honest.

Forty Russian drones swarmed one Ukrainian trench here in a day.

Down here, in this tiny basement, the rule is do not get seen.

The other side are not so lucky.

Two Russians spotted moving a load. They guide in a mortar

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