From his apartment in Kyiv, Yuriy Sak's attempts to give this interview are interrupted by constant pings on his phone.
asserted
attempts → give → phone
They're alerting the former advisor to Ukraine's defence minister another barrage of Russian drones and missiles are on their way.
asserted
barrage → alert → way
"It's a new reality we're living in," Mr Sak says, gesturing to an attack visible from outside his window.
asserted
Sak → live → window
It was mid-morning when the ABC spoke to Mr Sak, and he'd already been subjected to several air-raid alarms.
asserted
he → speak → alarms
The previous evening, he boarded an overnight train to Kyiv from western Ukraine.
asserted
he → board → Ukraine
At 3am, he says, the carriages ground to a halt and all passengers (including mothers with sleeping babies in their arms) were evacuated to a nearby field, because of an incoming swarm of drones.
asserted
passengers → say → drones
With territorial gains on the front lines almost non-existent, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has taken on a different complexion lately.
asserted
invasion → take → complexion
Moscow's offensive, in its fifth year, has turned its attention to its neighbour's skies.
asserted
offensive → turn → skies
Since the spring, Russia has intensified aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities, striking civilian targets and critical infrastructure.
asserted
Russia → intensify → targets
Analysts contend the Kremlin is attempting to exploit Ukraine's stretched air defences (it is running particularly short on the US-manufactured Patriot missile interceptors) in an attempt to make life unbearable for people there and pressure the country into accepting its maximalist demands for peace.
asserted
life → contend → peace
Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, a former commander general in Europe for the US Army, told the ABC "strategic bombing" like this "never achieves decisive effect".
"The allies did it against Germany and Japan in World War II.
asserted
allies → tell → II
The US did it against North Vietnam and North Korea.
asserted
US → do → Vietnam
The Germans tried it against Great Britain in World War II.
asserted
Germans → try → II
It didn't work," he said.
asserted
he → work → ?
"The populations don't quit.
asserted
populations → quit → ?
But that's what the Russians are trying to do now."
Starlink speed issue sparks concern
In the past two months, Russia has unleashed improved jet-powered drones on its neighbour.
asserted
Russia → try → neighbour
Some of the latest models can fly at speeds of up to 600 kilometres per hour, making them significantly more difficult to intercept than the first versions that appeared last year.
asserted
that → fly → versions
"Your human eye cannot detect them," Mr Sak said, adding soldiers often end up "randomly shooting in the sky, hoping that one of the bullets will accidentally, randomly hit the drone".
asserted
one → detect → drone
Mr Sak said Ukraine's jet-powered drone interception rate had improved to about 80 per cent in the past month.
asserted
rate → say → month
Overnight into October 14, the speed at which Elon Musk's Starshield internet terminals (the military version of Starlink) could move was capped without warning, according to Ukrainian officials.
uncertain
terminals → move → officials
When they reached speeds of more than 160km/h, connectivity began dropping out.
asserted
connectivity → reach → km/h
Ukraine relies on the technology to guide its attack drones and interceptors, and the new cap caused problems.
asserted
cap → rely → problems
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also accused his country's "partners" of failing to share intelligence about incoming Russian ballistic missile attacks during this period.
asserted
Zelenskyy → accuse → period
Kyiv relies on US intelligence to detect incoming missile attacks.
asserted
Kyiv → rely → attacks
US President Donald Trump has denied his country stopped sending information to Ukraine.
asserted
country → deny → Ukraine
On Sunday, Mr Zelenskyy said intelligence-sharing had been interrupted but later "de-blocked".
asserted
sharing → say → Sunday
Now it works," he told American broadcaster NBC.
asserted
he → work → NBC
Analysts have questioned whether last week's changes that took Ukraine by surprise could have been the White House flexing its muscles.
"I think this was a way of hinting to Ukraine, look guys, if you don't become more agreeable, this is what awaits you …
uncertain
what → question → you
we can pull the plug and you're stuffed," Mr Sak said.
asserted
Sak → pull → plug
Are the cracks in Ukraine's alliance with Washington that have appeared since Mr Trump re-entered the White House widening?
asserted
Trump → appear → House
For his part, Mr Musk denied any involvement in the Starshield changes.
asserted
Musk → deny → changes
He said any decision to restrict access was not his, because limits on speed and usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the US president.
asserted
limits → say → military
On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no-one at the White House ordered the speed to be throttled.
asserted
speed → say → House
Zelenskyy says 'we are losing a strong partner'
asserted
we → say → partner
This year, Kyiv has targeted Russian oil facilities with its drones and missiles, in a bid to hurt the country's economy by torching its largest export, and make life difficult for civilians there.
asserted
life → target → civilians
Ukraine's government describes this as "long-range sanctions" and the tactic has been effective.
asserted
tactic → describe → sanctions
Last week, Donald Trump demanded they stop doing it, as part of an "energy ceasefire".
asserted
they → demand → ceasefire
Mr Trump announced the ceasefire on October 11, although Ukraine said it knew nothing of the deal.
Mr Trump claims Ukraine's strikes have been pushing up global oil prices, although experts contend the largest rises are actually linked to the US president's war with Iran.
uncertain
rises → announce → Iran
"Ukrainians have the capability now to reach a refinery that is 3,000 kilometres from Ukraine.
asserted
that → have → Ukraine
That's incredible," General Hodges said.
asserted
Hodges → say → ?
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
