The battles of Bucha and Irpin are key to the defence of Kyiv and with it the country’s battle for survival. If the Russians break out of Bucha, already captured, and take Irpin, they will stand at the outskirts of the capital. From the destroyed bridge, the first high-rises of Kyiv are just a five-minute drive through forest.

But, with every passing day, it is clear that the Russians will have to fight every inch of the way.