It has been 175 days since Russia launched an invasion on Ukraine back in February.

On Thursday (18 August), the UN human rights office said that more than 5,500 civilians have been killed so far in the conflict. More detailed figures can be found here.

When Vladimir Putin re-focused his war in Ukraine on the country's east,  he did so bruised by the failures of his initial lunge towards Kyiv and desperate for a face-saving success.

After a slow and bloody march through Luhansk was finalized with the capture of the city of Lysychansk, the Russian President might consider himself halfway there.  But the war has arrived at another crossroads and fighters on both sides are steeling themselves for a third act of fighting that could tip the balance of the conflict.

"It's a very attritional struggle," said Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow for Airpower and Technology at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), describing the tone of the war after four months of fighting in Donbas. It's a struggle between two armies, both of whom have taken huge losses and are very close to exhaustion."

The recent provision of longer-range weapons by the US and UK seems to have changed the course of the war in Ukraine’s favour.  Over recent days, there have been missile strikes on bases, bridges and key Russian infrastructure in Kherson Oblast, Zaporizhzhya Oblast and Crimea, which historically would have been untouchable.  This has hampered Russian supply routes and created a growing risk that their troops in the Kherson area could be trapped. 

There has been a mass exodus of Russian families and personnel from Crimea who had thought that it was safe.  Russian military leaders are reported to have relocated on the East side of the Dnipro River following the taking out of bridges. 

However, there has been some positive news regarding blocked grain exports from Ukraine, bringing a hopeful end to the standoff that had exposed millions to the risk of starvation.

Turkey, brokered a deal, mid-July that included joint controls for checking grains in ports and Turkey ensuring the safety of Black Sea export routes for Ukrainian grain.  Turkey also set up a coordination centre with Ukraine, Russia and the United Nations for grain exports.

Several ships have now left Ukraine, the most recent destined for Ethiopia.

Twenty million tonnes of grain are stuck in the country, as a result of the blockade imposed by Russia on Ukrainian ports. If the deal holds, Ukraine expects to export up to three million tonnes of grain per month.

Ukrainian authorities say there are good signs that the grain exports are safe, and have urged companies to return to the country's ports. The hope is that the exports will help ease the global food crisis while bringing in much needed foreign currency.

More: RFERL  CNN  BBC  

Pray:

God of all peoples and nations,
Who created all things alive and breathing,
United and whole,
Show us the way of peace that is your overwhelming presence.
We hold before you the peoples of Ukraine and Russia,
Every child and every adult.

We long for the time
When weapons of war are beaten into ploughshares
When nations no longer lift up sword against nation.
We cry out to you for peace;
Protect those who only desire and deserve to live in security and safety
Comfort those who fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones
Be with those who are bereaved.

Change the hearts of those set on violence and aggression
And fill leaders with the wisdom that leads to peace.
Kindle again in us a love of our neighbour,
And a passion for justice to prevail and a renewed recognition that we all play a part in peace.
Creator of all hear our prayer
And bring us peace. Make us whole.
Amen.