It's been described as a frozen conflict but Ukraine's civil war has suddenly heated up. So why now? Some point to the flare-up following the first phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Is Moscow testing the West's resolve, or - as pro-Kremlin media suggest - did Kiev trigger the fighting to rally support in Washington?
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A US flag flies off the stern of a tour boat at the Port of Los Angele in California on July 31, 2025. (Getty Images)