This is CBSI in the world. I'm John Batchel. My colleague and friend, Bill Rajo,

Senior Fellow Foundation for the Defense of Democracy, joins me as my co-host. We're very pleased to

welcome John Hardy of the FD, who has helped us these last months, watch the battle space of Ukraine, never more

important than now as the multiple players enter into negotiations over a ceasefire and a way forward

that does not involve bloodletting. However, all of the negotiators, whether in Moscow or Kiev or Brussels, will be dealing

with a battle space map. It's going to be right in front of them as they talk about a ceasefire

and guarantees of peacekeeping along the frontier. So what is the frontier? How do the Russian forces display

themselves? Where are the Ukrainian forces in Kursk-Salian? John, a very good evening to you.

The big picture here, the Russians are looking at a spring campaign. We've heard this for some time.

How generally would you say the Russians are deployed now

in the two provinces that have been at the center of your reporting for years?

Lujanskin-Dinnetsk.

What does the Russian deployment look like to you, John?

Good evening to you.

Well, hey, John.

Hey, Bill.

Thanks for having me back on the show.

Right now, the Russian rate of advance remains pretty slow,

especially relative to the pace they were at in, say, November and early December.

The two areas that have seen some movement in recent weeks are mainly the area north of Rilke and Nova Silka.

This is a small city in Donetsco Blas.

If listeners remember, this is a city Russia took in late January.

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