As President Vladimir Putin celebrates Russia’s National Unity Day holiday today, he faces a looming humiliation: the potential loss of part of Ukraine that he’s declared to be “forever” united with Russia. Ukraine’s forces are steadily closing in to reclaim Kherson, the southern city that was the first to fall to Putin’s invasion. A Russian occupation official said Moscow’s troops will “most likely” retreat from the city to the other side of the Dnipro river after Ukrainian attacks cut off bridges used for supply and reinforcement. Key reading: The loss of Kherson would mark another serious reverse for Putin, one that’s harder to explain away to Russians who’ve grown increasingly anxious about a war now in its ninth month. Only five weeks ago, he signed orders formally annexing Kherson and three other Ukrainian regions as part of Russia at a glittering Kremlin ceremony. It would also boost morale among millions of Ukrainians enduring widespread blackouts and power rationing as Russian missiles strike the country’s energy, water and heating networks with winter approaching. Outrage at attacks on civilian infrastructure has done nothing to deter Moscow from pursuing the strategy as its military falters on the battlefield. Alongside Ukrainian appeals to its US and European allies for more air defenses, Russia’s blitz that partly involves Iranian-made drones is starting to change Israel’s calculations on providing military aid to Kyiv after months of reticence. Increasingly viewing Iran’s support for the invasion as a threat to its own security, Israel has begun to share intelligence with Ukraine. By restricting gas supplies to Europe, threatening Ukrainian grain exports, and raising the possibility of a nuclear strike, Russia has repeatedly sought to international fracture support for Kyiv to undermine supplies of weapons. Instead, as his forces lose ground, Putin so far appears only to be strengthening unity among Ukraine’s allies to face down his invasion. | 
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