In the east, Ukrainian forces continue to hold their defensive lines while targeting key command-and-control centers and Russian troop strongholds deep behind Russian lines. Russia directed dozens of missiles at targets across Ukraine overnight into Thursday, including 25 fired from Belarus, according to the Ukrainian military, even as it moved soldiers and equipment to the southern region of Kherson. Ukraine expressed a heightened sense of urgency on Thursday over its looming counteroffensive in the south, saying Russia was racing to bolster its forces in the region and taking further steps to solidify its political hold in the territory it controls. Ukrainian soldiers in a bunker in the south of the country last week. Ukraine’s harvest is underway, swelling its grain backlog and adding to farmers’ troubles.Īrtifacts of war: Some Ukrainians are scouring battle zones for debris. Russia’s media regulator moves to revoke the license of Novaya Gazeta, an independent news outlet. In Kharkiv, powerful missiles hit central areas and plans for the future. Missile strikes in northern Ukraine add urgency to a debate over hitting targets in Russia.
There are no immediate signs of a speedy Brittney Griner deal in either Moscow or Washington. The Russian arms dealer at the center of a proposed swap for Brittney Griner has a notorious history. Ukraine pushes to retake ground in the south as Russia pours in reinforcements. offered to trade an imprisoned Russian arms dealer for Brittney Griner and another detained American. Russian troops around the southern city of Kherson are increasingly isolated after Ukrainian strikes disrupted key resupply routes. Follow live news updates on the Russia-Ukraine war.