After a brutal Russian assault near Siversk, Ukraine, left three of his comrades dead and him wounded, Andriy believed he wouldn’t make it out alive. With no vehicle, no backup, and a bleeding wound, his only option was daring and desperate: a bicycle.
#UkraineWar #AndriyEscape #Siversk #UkrainianHero #RussiaUkraineConflict #WarSurvival #BikeEscape #UkraineFrontline #TrueWarStory #UkrainianSoldier #news18
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He cycled out. The Ukrainians had tried to ensure the skies were free of Russian drones, but that wasn’t enough. Andre hit a landmine. The drone operator’s heart sank. Had it all come to nothing? But then this tiny figure emerged, limping out of the smoke, somehow alive, walking on, his bandaged leg visible, greeted by a Ukrainian and helped into another bunker where he had to wait two more days for rescue. Necessity is the mother of invention in Ukraine, but nothing can beat luck. Nick Payton Walsh, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine. Well, let’s get some perspective on Russia’s next steps. We’re joined by Jill Doy, CNN’s former Moscow bureau chief and current Georgetown University professor. Great to see you, Jill. Hey, Linda. So, President Trump is growing increasingly frustrated uh with the lack of progress towards any sort of deal. He gave Russia a 50-day deadline to to get to a peace deal. Then he reduced that even further. It’s now just days away. Is Kremlin taking this ultimatum seriously? You know, I think one of the problems here is that President Trump has used unpredictability um to his advantage sometimes, but sometimes it backfires. And I think right now the Kremlin is looking at this and alternately I mean if you look at lower officials who some sometimes give a more full explanation of how they’re looking at this they’re saying it’s theatrical bombastic rhetoric and the so on the one hand I think they say well he’s done this before he set a deadline then he changed then he went back then he changed and on the other hand I think they are taking it seriously ly. But the the point, Linda, here is what is serious. If you look at the two threats, tariffs on Russia mean almost nothing because the United States essentially does not really do much trade at all with Russia. So that’s really not effective. Number two, these secondary tariffs as Nick was talking about on India and China. India and China at this point are indicating that they’re just kind of going to go ahead and try to uh do what they think is in their interest, which is at this point as they proceed it, continuing to get energy from Russia. So those threats that President Trump had are weaker than they were before. And that’s where we’re kind of in this dilemma and then the drama of having Steve Whit going to Moscow and we don’t really know will it be an you know an ultimatum or could it be a new deal for for Putin? It’s unclear. Of course Steve Wickoff uh went to Russia back in April and was criticized for uh pretty much uh mirroring some of the Kremlin talking points. I just want to play some sound from that last visit. The two sides have we’ve narrowed the differences between them and now we’re sitting at the table. Uh I was with the president all day yesterday. I’ll be with him today. We’re sitting with him discussing how to how to narrow it even further. As the president said, he really expects there to be some sort of uh some sort of deal in the uh coming weeks maybe. Uh and I believe that that’s the case. So, he was speaking that there might be a deal within a few weeks of that last meeting, and it hasn’t even got close to that. Um, is it likely with just a few days to go until this sanctions deadline that Wickoff will potentially move the needle? Well, it depends on what President Trump has said he is supposed to say to President Putin. I mean, you know, I think one of the problems for Wickoff is the last time he was in Moscow, and he’s been there several times, he’s usually very complimentary of Putin. He has said he’s, you know, a a a smart person, a kind person, etc. And now he has to go where in a situation where his president, Mr. Trump, is saying the complete opposite that he doesn’t trust Putin. So diplomatically for Witoff, this is difficult. But the Russians understand that Wickoff is a messenger. So what is Trump thinking today? What’s the message? And that’s what the Kremlin will have to be prepared for. It could be, you know, more pressure or it could be something else. There’s a lot of unpredictability here. And Trump is finally conceding that Russia is pretty good at dodging sanctions as you have also noted. Can the US actually close the loopholes, especially when it comes to oil? It’s very very difficult, Linda. Uh there are a lot of ways and I think President Trump was correct. There are a lot of ways and loopholes that can be used. There are a lot of um indirect ways of selling oil, selling energy, getting money, evading sanctions. I mean that is what Russia does. They are sanction busters because they feel that that is in their interest. And so you it’s extremely hard. But I think secondary sanctions if they were carried out could be effective. But again, you have this change by or maybe lack of change from China and India who say we need the oil. We’re going to continue to buy it. And of course, Ukraine’s leader Zilinski has repeatedly said that he wants direct talks with Vladimir Putin. Is he likely to get them? Well, now that’s another wrinkle because that is one indication that’s coming from the Kremlin that yes, President Putin could be open to a direct meeting. However, and that’s a big however, there would have to be preparation and uh agreements and things before that would happen. So, in other words, everything is open at this point. But in the same breath and this is I think the bottom line. Putin has said that he is going to prosecute this war to the point that he wanted to you know three and a half to four years ago uh achieve and he insists he’s going to stick with that goal. So what does President Trump do to jar that move it? So far nothing has worked. And Jill, in the midst of our conversation, President Trump has uh just taken to social media about this issue, saying India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then for much of the oil purchase selling it on the open market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter, President DJ Trump. So, we will continue to see how this plays out over the coming days in the leadup to that meeting when Steve Wickoff goes to Moscow. Jill Doy, we’ll leave it there for now, but thanks so much. President Donald Trump’s foreign envoy, Steve Wickoff, is expected to travel to Russia this week. That’s according to the US president and now backed up by Russian state media citing anonymous sources. If Wickoff visits midweek, it would come just ahead of Trump’s Friday deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine says it hit Russian fighter jets and a weapons depot in a night a nighttime drone operation in Russia occupied Crimea. Drones have played a vital role on the battlefield for both sides. And as CNN’s Nick Pton Walsh reports, that includes the incredible rescue of an injured Ukrainian soldier pinned down by Russian attacks. This Russian assault, brutal, even throwing landmines into the bunkers, had left all three of his fellow soldiers dead in the trench next to him. And Andre with his leg wounded, unable to run, thought, like so many Ukrainian soldiers in tiny isolated positions pinned down by Russian drones that he was done. But back at his command bunker, watching on drones, they had an idea. Maybe Andre had the strength to cycle out. So they attached an electric bicycle to a drone like this, moving it slowly, perilously in pieces to the front. It was dropped to Andre Hull and then remarkably he cycled out. The Ukrainians had tried to ensure the skies were free of Russian drones, but that wasn’t enough. Andre hit a landmine. The drone operator’s heart sank. Had it all come to nothing? But then this tiny figure emerged, limping out of the smoke, somehow alive, walking on, his bandage leg visible. Greeted by a Ukrainian and helped into another bunker where he had to wait two more days for rescue. Necessity is the mother of invention in Ukraine, but nothing can beat luck. Nick Fton Walsh, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine. Well, let’s get some perspective on Russia’s next steps. We’re joined by Jill Doy, CNN’s former Moscow bureau chief and current Georgetown University professor. Great to see you, Jill. Hey, Linda. So, President Trump is growing increasingly frustrated uh with the lack of progress towards any sort of deal. He gave Russia a 50-day deadline to to get to a peace deal. Then he reduced that even further. It’s now just days away. Is Kremlin taking this ultimatum seriously? You know, I think one of the problems here is that President Trump has used unpredictability um to his advantage sometimes, but sometimes it backfires. And I think right now the Kremlin is looking at this. And alternately, I mean, if you look at lower officials who some sometimes give a more full explanation of how they’re looking at this, they’re saying it’s theatrical, bombastic rhetoric. And the so on the one hand, I think they say, well, he’s done this before. He set a deadline, then he changed, then he went back, then he changed. And on the other hand, I think they are taking it seriously. But the the point, Linda, here is what is serious. If you look at the two threats, tariffs on Russia mean almost nothing because the United States essentially does not really do much trade at all with Russia. So that’s really not effective. Number two, these secondary tariffs as Nick was talking about on India and China. India and China at this point are indicating that they’re just kind of going to go ahead and try to uh do what they think is in their interest, which is at this point as they perceive it, continuing to get energy from Russia. So those threats that President Trump had are weaker than they were before. And that’s where we’re kind of is in this dilemma and then the drama of having Steve Witkoff going to Moscow and we don’t really know will it be an you know an ultimatum or could it be a new deal for for Putin? It’s unclear. Of course Steve Wickoff uh went to Russia back in April and was criticized for uh pretty much uh mirroring some of the Kremlin talking points. I just want to play some sound from that last visit. The two sides have we’ve narrowed the differences between them and now we’re sitting at the table. Uh I was with the president all day yesterday. I’ll be with him today. We’re sitting with him discussing how to how to narrow it even further. As the president said, he really expects there to be some sort of uh some sort of deal in the uh coming weeks maybe. Uh and I believe that that’s the case. So he was speaking that there might be a deal within a few weeks of that last meeting and it hasn’t even got close to that. Um is it likely with just a few days to go until this sanctions deadline that Wickoff will potentially move the needle? Well, it depends on what President Trump has said he is supposed to say to President Putin. I mean I you know I think one of the problems for Witoff is the last time he was in Moscow and he’s been there several times he’s usually very complimentary of Putin. He has said he’s you know a a a smart person a kind person etc. And now he has to go where in a situation where his president Mr. Trump is saying the complete opposite that he doesn’t trust Putin. So diplomatically for Witoff, this is difficult. But the Russians understand that Witovoff is a messenger. So what is Trump thinking today? What’s the message? And that’s what the Kremlin will have to be prepared for. It could be, you know, more pressure or it could be something else. There’s a lot of unpredictability here. And Trump is finally conceding that Russia is pretty good at dodging sanctions as you have also noted. Can the US actually close the loopholes especially when it comes to oil? It’s very very difficult, Linda. Uh there are a lot of ways and I think President Trump was correct. There are a lot of ways and loopholes that can be used. There are a lot of um indirect ways of selling oil, selling energy, getting money, evading sanctions. I mean that is what Russia does. They are sanction busters because they feel that that is in their interest. And so you it’s extremely hard but I think secondary sanctions if they were carried out could be effective but again you have this change by or maybe lack of change from China and India who say we need the oil we’re going to continue to buy it. And of course uh Ukraine’s leader Zalinski has repeatedly said that he wants direct talks with Vladimir Putin. Is he likely to get them? Well, now that’s another wrinkle because that is one indication that’s coming from the Kremlin that yes, President Putin could be open to a direct meeting. However, and that’s a big however, there would have to be preparation and uh agreements and things before that would happen. So, in other words, everything is open at this point. But in the same breath and this is I think the bottom line. Putin has said that he is going to prosecute this war to the point that he wanted to you know three and a half to four years ago uh achieved and he insists he’s going to stick with that goal. So what does President Trump do to jar that move it? So far nothing has worked. And Jill, in the midst of our conversation, President Trump has uh just taken to social media about this issue, saying India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then for much of the oil purchase, selling it on the open market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter, President DJ Trump. So, we will continue to see how this plays out over the coming days in the leadup to that meeting when Steve Wickoff goes to Moscow. Jill Doy, we’ll leave it there for now, but thanks so much. President Donald Trump’s foreign envoy, Steve Wickoff, is expected to travel to Russia this week. That’s according to the US president and now backed up by Russian state media citing anonymous sources. If Wickoff visits midweek, it would come just ahead of Trump’s Friday deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine says it hit Russian fighter jets and a weapons depot in a night nighttime drone operation in Russia occupied Crimea. Drones have played a vital role on the battlefield for both sides. And as CNN’s Nick Payton Walsh reports, that includes the incredible rescue of an injured Ukrainian soldier pinned down by Russian attacks. This Russian assault, brutal, even throwing landmines into the bunkers, had left all three of his fellow soldiers dead in the trench next to him. And Andre with his leg wounded, unable to run, thought, like so many Ukrainian soldiers in tiny isolated positions pinned down by Russian drones that he was done. But back at his command bunker, watching on drones, they had an idea. Maybe Andre had the strength to cycle out. So they attached an electric bicycle to a drone like this, moving it slowly, perilously in pieces to the front. It was dropped to Andre Hull and then remarkably he cycled out. The Ukrainians had tried to ensure the skies were free of Russian drones, but that wasn’t enough. Andre hit a landmine. The drone operator’s heart sank. Had it all come to nothing? But then this tiny figure emerged, limping out of the smoke, somehow alive, walking on, his bandaged leg visible, greeted by a Ukrainian and helped into another bunker where he had to wait two more days for rescue. Necessity is the mother of invention in Ukraine, but nothing can beat luck. Nick Fton Walsh, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine. Well, let’s get some perspective on Russia’s next steps. We’re joined by Jill Doy, CNN’s former Moscow bureau chief and current Georgetown University professor. Great to see you, Jill. Hey, Linda. So, President Trump is growing increasingly frustrated uh with the lack of progress towards any sort of deal. He gave Russia a 50-day deadline to to get to a peace deal. Then he reduced that even further. It’s now just days away. Is Kremlin taking this ultimatum seriously? You know, I think one of the problems here is that President Trump has used unpredictability um to his advantage sometimes, but sometimes it backfires. And I think right now the Kremlin is looking at this and alternately I mean if you look at lower officials who some sometimes give a more full explanation of how they’re looking at this they’re saying it’s theatrical bombastic rhetoric and the so on the one hand I think they say well he’s done this before he set a deadline then he changed then he went back then he changed and on the other hand I think they are taking it seriously But the the point, Linda, here is what is serious. If you look at the two threats, tariffs on Russia mean almost nothing because the United States essentially does not really do much trade at all with Russia. So that’s really not effective. Number two, these secondary tariffs, as Nick was talking about, on India and China, India and China at this point are indicating that they’re just kind of going to go ahead and try to uh do what they think is in their interest, which is at this point, as they proceed it, continuing to get energy from Russia. So those threats that President Trump had are weaker than they were before. And that’s where we’re kind of in this dilemma and then the drama of having Steve Whit going to Moscow and we don’t really know will it be an you know an ultimatum or could it be a new deal for for Putin? It’s unclear. Of course Steve Wickoff uh went to Russia back in April and was criticized for uh pretty much uh mirroring some of the Kremlin talking points. I just want to play some sound from that last visit. The two sides have we’ve narrowed the differences between them and now we’re sitting at the table. Uh I was with the president all day yesterday. I’ll be with him today. We’re sitting with him discussing how to how to narrow it even further. As the president said, he really expects there to be some sort of uh some sort of deal in the uh coming weeks maybe. Uh and I believe that that’s the case. So, he was speaking that there might be a deal within a few weeks of that last meeting, and it hasn’t even got close to that. Um, is it likely with just a few days to go until this sanctions deadline that Wickoff will potentially move the needle? Well, it depends on what President Trump has said he is supposed to say to President Putin. I mean, you know, I think one of the problems for Wickoff is the last time he was in Moscow, and he’s been there several times, he’s usually very complimentary of Putin. He has said he’s, you know, a a a smart person, a kind person, etc. And now he has to go where in a situation where his president, Mr. Trump, is saying the complete opposite that he doesn’t trust Putin. So diplomatically for Witoff, this is difficult. But the Russians understand that Wickoff is a messenger. So what is Trump thinking today? What’s the message? And that’s what the Kremlin will have to be prepared for. It could be, you know, more pressure or it could be something else. There’s a lot of unpredictability here. And Trump is finally conceding that Russia is pretty good at dodging sanctions as you have also noted. Can the US actually close the loopholes, especially when it comes to oil? It’s very very difficult, Linda. Uh there are a lot of ways and I think President Trump was correct. There are a lot of ways and loopholes that can be used. There are a lot of um indirect ways of selling oil, selling energy, getting money, evading sanctions. I mean that is what Russia does. They are sanction busters because they feel that that is in their interest. And so you it’s extremely hard. But I think secondary sanctions if they were carried out could be effective. But again, you have this change by or maybe lack of change from China and India who say we need the oil. We’re going to continue to buy it. And of course, Ukraine’s leader Zilinski has repeatedly said that he wants direct talks with Vladimir Putin. Is he likely to get them? Well, now that’s another wrinkle because that is one indication that’s coming from the Kremlin that yes, President Putin could be open to a direct meeting. However, and that’s a big however, there would have to be preparation and uh agreements and things before that would happen. So, in other words, everything is open at this point. But in the same breath and this is I think the bottom line. Putin has said that he is going to prosecute this war to the point that he wanted to you know three and a half to four years ago uh achieved and he insists he’s going to stick with that goal. So what does President Trump do to jar that move it? So far nothing has worked. And Jill, in the midst of our conversation, President Trump has uh just taken to social media about this issue, saying India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then for much of the oil purchase, selling it on the open market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter, President DJ Trump. So, we will continue to see how this plays out over the coming days in the leadup to that meeting when Steve Wickoff goes to Moscow. Jill Doy, we’ll leave it there for now, but thanks so much. President Donald Trump’s foreign envoy, Steve Wickoff, is expected to travel to Russia this week. That’s according to the US president and now backed up by Russian state media citing anonymous sources. If Wikov visits midweek, it would come just ahead of Trump’s Friday deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine says it hit Russian fighter jets and a weapons depot in a night a nighttime drone operation in Russia occupied Crimea. Drones have played a vital role on the battlefield for both sides. And as CNN’s Nick Payton Walsh reports, that includes the incredible rescue of an injured Ukrainian soldier pinned down by Russian attacks. This Russian assault, brutal, even throwing landmines into the bunkers, had left all three of his fellow soldiers dead in the trench next to him. And Andre with his leg wounded, unable to run, thought, like so many Ukrainian soldiers in tiny isolated positions pinned down by Russian drones that he was done. But back at his command bunker, watching on drones, they had an idea. Maybe Andre had the strength to cycle out. So they attached an electric bicycle to a drone like this, moving it slowly, perilously in pieces to the front. It was dropped to Andre Hull and then remarkably he cycled out. The Ukrainians had tried to ensure the skies were free of Russian drones, but that wasn’t enough. Andre hit a landmine. The drone operator’s heart sank. Had it all come to nothing? But then this tiny figure emerged, limping out of the smoke, somehow alive, walking on, his bandaged leg visible. greeted by a Ukrainian and helped into another bunker where he had to wait two more days for rescue. Necessity is the mother of invention in Ukraine. But nothing can beat luck. Nick Payton Walsh, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine. Well, let’s get some perspective on Russia’s next steps. We’re joined by Jill Doy, CNN’s former Moscow bureau chief and current Georgetown University professor. Great to see you, Jill. Hey, Linda. So, President Trump is growing increasingly frustrated uh with the lack of progress towards any sort of deal. He gave Russia a 50-day deadline to to get to a peace deal. Then he reduced that even further. It’s now just days away. Is Kremlin taking this ultimatum seriously? You know, I think one of the problems here is that President Trump has used unpredictability um to his advantage sometimes, but sometimes it backfires. And I think right now the Kremlin is looking at this and alternately I mean if you look at lower officials who some sometimes give a more full explanation of how they’re looking at this they’re saying it’s theatrical bombastic rhetoric and the so on the one hand I think they say well he’s done this before he set a deadline then he changed then he went back then he changed and on the other hand I think they are taking it seriously ly. But the the point, Linda, here is what is serious. If you look at the two threats, tariffs on Russia mean almost nothing because the United States essentially does not really do much trade at all with Russia. So that’s really not effective. Number two, these secondary tariffs, as Nick was talking about, and India and China, India and China at this point are indicating that they’re just kind of going to go ahead and try to uh do what they think is in their interest, which is at this point, as they perceive it, continuing to get energy from Russia. So those threats that President Trump had are weaker than they were before. And that’s where we’re we’re kind of in this dilemma and then the drama of having Steve Whit going to Moscow and we don’t really know will it be an you know an ultimatum or could it be a new deal for for Putin? It’s unclear. Of course Steve Wickoff uh went to Russia back in April and was criticized for uh pretty much uh mirroring some of the Kremlin talking points. I just want to play some sound from that last visit. The two sides have we’ve narrowed the differences between them and now we’re sitting at the table. Uh I was with the president all day yesterday. I’ll be with him today. We’re sitting with him discussing how to how to narrow it even further. As the president said, he really expects there to be some sort of uh some sort of deal in the uh coming weeks maybe. Uh and I believe that that’s the case. So, he was speaking that there might be a deal within a few weeks of that last meeting, and it hasn’t even got close to that. Um, is it likely with just a few days to go until this sanctions deadline that Wickoff will potentially move the needle? Well, it depends on what President Trump has said he is supposed to say to President Putin. I mean I you know I think one of the problems for Wickoff is the last time he was in Moscow and he’s been there several times he’s usually very complimentary of Putin. He has said he’s you know a a a smart person a kind person etc. And now he has to go where in a situation where his president Mr. Trump is saying the complete opposite that he doesn’t trust Putin. So diplomatically for Witoff, this is difficult. But the Russians understand that Witovoff is a messenger. So what is Trump thinking today? What’s the message? And that’s what the Kremlin will have to be prepared for. It could be, you know, more pressure or it could be something else. There’s a lot of unpredictability here. And Trump is finally conceding that Russia is pretty good at dodging sanctions as you have also noted. Can the US actually close the loopholes especially when it comes to oil? It’s very very difficult, Linda. Uh there are a lot of ways and I think President Trump was correct. There are a lot of ways and loopholes that can be used. There are a lot of um indirect ways of selling oil, selling energy, getting money, evading sanctions. I mean that is what Russia does. They are sanction busters because they feel that that is in their interest. And so you it’s extremely hard but I think secondary sanctions if they were carried out could be effective but again you have this change by or maybe lack of change from China and India who say we need the oil we’re going to continue to buy it. And of course Ukraine’s leader Zalinski has repeatedly said that he wants direct talks with Vladimir Putin. Is he likely to get them? Well, now that’s another wrinkle because that is one indication that’s coming from the Kremlin that yes, President Putin could be open to a direct meeting. However, and that’s a big however, there would have to be preparation and uh you know agreements and things before that would happen. So in other words, everything is open at this point. But in the same breath and this is I think the bottom line. Putin has said that he is going to prosecute this war to the point that he wanted to you know three and a half to four years ago uh achieve and he insists he’s going to stick with that goal. So what does President Trump do to jar that move it? So far nothing has worked. And Jill, in the midst of our conversation, President Trump has uh just taken to social media about this issue, saying India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then for much of the oil purchase selling it on the open market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter, President DJ Trump. So, we will continue to see how this plays out over the coming days in the leadup to that meeting when Steve Wickoff goes to Moscow. Jill Doy, we’ll leave it there for now, but thanks so much. President Donald Trump’s foreign envoy, Steve Wickoff, is expected to travel to Russia this week. That’s according to the US president and now backed up by Russian state media citing anonymous sources. If Wickoff visits midweek, it would come just ahead of Trump’s Friday deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine says it hit Russian fighter jets and a weapons depot in a night a nighttime drone operation in Russia occupied Crimea. Drones have played a vital role on the battlefield for both sides. And as CNN’s Nick Pton Walsh reports, that includes the incredible rescue of an injured Ukrainian soldier pinned down by Russian attacks. This Russian assault, brutal, even throwing landmines into the bunkers, had left all three of his fellow soldiers dead in the trench next to him. And Andre with his leg wounded, unable to run, thought, like so many Ukrainian soldiers in tiny isolated positions pinned down by Russian drones that he was done. But back at his command bunker, watching on drones, they had an idea. Maybe Andre had the strength to cycle out. So they attached an electric bicycle to a drone like this, moving it slowly, perilously in pieces to the front. It was dropped to Andre Hull and then remarkably he cycled out. The Ukrainians had tried to ensure the skies were free of Russian drones, but that wasn’t enough. Andre hit a landmine. The drone operator’s heart sank. Had it all come to nothing? But then this tiny figure emerged, limping out of the smoke, somehow alive, walking on, his bandage leg visible, greeted by a Ukrainian and helped into another bunker where he had to wait two more days for rescue. Necessity is the mother of invention in Ukraine, but nothing can beat luck. Nick Fton Walsh, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine. Well, let’s get some perspective on Russia’s next steps. We’re joined by Jill Doy, CNN’s former Moscow bureau chief and current Georgetown University professor. Great to see you, Jill. Hey, Linda. So, President Trump is growing increasingly frustrated uh with the lack of progress towards any sort of deal. He gave Russia a 50-day deadline to to get to a peace deal. Then he reduced that even further. It’s now just days away. Is Kremlin taking this ultimatum seriously? You know, I think one of the problems here is that President Trump has used unpredictability um to his advantage sometimes, but sometimes it backfires. And I think right now the Kremlin is looking at this. And alternately, I mean, if you look at lower officials who some sometimes give a more full explanation of how they’re looking at this, they’re saying it’s theatrical, bombastic rhetoric. And the so on the one hand, I think they say, well, he’s done this before. He set a deadline, then he changed, then he went back, then he changed. And on the other hand, I think they are taking it seriously. But the the point, Linda, here is what is serious. If you look at the two threats, tariffs on Russia mean almost nothing because the United States essentially does not really do much trade at all with Russia. So that’s really not effective. Number two, these secondary tariffs as Nick was talking about on India and China. India and China at this point are indicating that they’re just kind of going to go ahead and try to uh do what they think is in their interest, which is at this point as they proceed it continuing to get energy from Russia. So those threats that President Trump had are weaker than they were before. And that’s where we’re kind of in this dilemma and then the drama of having Steve Whit going to Moscow and we don’t really know will it be an you know an ultimatum or could it be a new deal for for Putin? It’s unclear. Of course, Steve Wickoff uh went to Russia back in April and was criticized for uh pretty much uh mirroring some of the Kremlin talking points. I just want to play some sound from that last visit. The two sides have we’ve narrowed the differences between them and now we’re sitting at the table. Uh I was with the president all day yesterday. I’ll be with him today. We’re sitting with him discussing how to how to narrow it even further. as the president said, he really expects there to be some sort of uh some sort of deal in the uh coming weeks maybe. Uh and I believe that that’s the case. So he was speaking that there might be a deal within a few weeks of that last meeting and it hasn’t even got close to that. Um, is it likely with just a few days to go until this sanctions deadline that Wickoff will potenti