Putin sounds out military commanders on Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin has sought proposals from the commanders of his armed forces on how they think Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine should proceed, during a visit to the operation’s headquarters, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

A series of defeats in 10 months of fighting, resulting in Russian withdrawals from areas around the capital Kyiv and Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv and most recently from the city of Kherson, has forced Putin to call up reservists and generated rare public criticism from military bloggers and some allies.