Newest information from Russia and the conflict in Ukraine

Germany will provide two extra a number of rocket launchers to Ukraine, Protection Minister Christine Lambrecht stated.

“We’ve got determined to ship two extra MARS II a number of rocket launchers together with 200 rockets to Ukraine,” she informed a Bundeswehr convention.

The coaching of Ukrainian operators was anticipated to begin in September, she stated.

“On prime of this, we are going to ship 50 Dingo armored personnel carriers to Ukraine,” Lambrecht introduced, referring to an armored automobile that the German navy extensively used throughout NATO’s navy operation in Afghanistan.

She additionally stated a deal on a circle swap of infantry combating automobiles with Greece and Ukraine was virtually accomplished, that means Germany would quickly hand over 40 Marder IFVs to Greece whereas Greece, in flip, would move on 40 of its Soviet-built BMP-1 IFVs to Ukraine.

— Reuters

A new report from the watchdog group Battle Observatory finds that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has rendered roughly 15% of Ukraine’s crop storage services inoperable, both as a result of they’ve been seized by Russian troops or they’ve been broken past restore within the combating.

In a press launch highlighting the report, a U.S. State Division spokesman famous that the deliberate destruction of civilian meals storage services could represent a conflict crime. The USA “requires additional investigation by means of applicable mechanisms,” the discharge stated.

Ukraine’s standing as a serious world exporter of grain has helped flip its regional conflict with Russia into a world meals disaster.

A number of massive nations, together with Egypt, Malaysia and Indonesia depend on Ukraine for greater than 1 / 4 of their complete wheat imports.

— Christina Wilkie

New photographs have emerged from the village of Nova Husarivka in northeastern Ukraine, which was just lately liberated after months of Russian occupation. The pictures had been shot by Gleb Garanich for Reuters.

The photographs reveal an enormous quantity of harm to civilian properties and infrastructure. Additionally they reveal a number of items of Russian artillery that seem to have been deserted by Russian troops throughout their hasty retreat from the village throughout the first week of September.

Beneath, Nova Husarivka resident Vitali Orlov seems at a Russian a number of rocket launch system at his destroyed farm.

Right here, a destroyed Russian Armored Personnel Service (APC) might be seen deserted close to the village.

Beneath, Olena Kushnir seems at Russian shells close to her destroyed home.

Native resident Olha Nemashkina stands inside her destroyed home within the village of Nova Husarivka.

The Worldwide Atomic Power Company’s board of governors handed a brand new decision demanding that Russia finish its occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant, diplomats at at this time’s closed-door assembly stated.

The doc calls on Russia to “instantly stop all actions towards, and at, the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Energy Plant and some other nuclear facility in Ukraine.”

It was handed with 26 votes in favor, two towards and 7 abstentions, the diplomats stated.

Russia and China had been the nations that voted towards whereas Egypt, South Africa, Senegal, Burundi, Vietnam, India and Pakistan abstained, they added.

IAEA inspectors visited the nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, in late August, and stated they deliberate to depart two inspectors on the plant on a everlasting foundation so long as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.

— Reuters

President Joe Biden will meet Friday with the spouse of Brittney Griner and the sister of Paul Whelan, the 2 high-profile People at the moment detained in Russia, the White Home confirmed.

“He wished to allow them to know that they continue to be entrance of thoughts and his staff is engaged on this each day — ensuring that Brittney and Paul return residence safely,” stated White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

“As we’ve got stated earlier than, we imagine Russia is illegally detaining Brittney and Paul below insupportable circumstances,” she added.

Griner was sentenced in August to 9 years in jail after pleading responsible to drug fees. Whelan was convicted of espionage in June 2020 and sentenced to 16 years behind bars.

“We might like to be saying at this time that we’ve got information about Brittany and Paul coming residence at this time, sadly that isn’t the place the negotiations are presently,” Jean-Pierre stated.

The Biden administration just lately proposed a prisoner swap with Russia to safe Griner and Whelan’s launch, however Moscow rejected the deal.

“The Russians ought to settle for the provide that we’ve got placed on the desk,” stated Jean-Pierre.

— Emma Kinery

The Ukrainian navy is continuous its main counteroffensive advance on the Russian occupied metropolis of Kherson in Southern Ukraine, a spokesman for the Ukrainian navy reported in a Fb put up Thursday.

Vladyslav Nazarov, of the Southern Operation Command, stated artillery models of the Ukrainian Protection Forces executed over 140 fireplace missions prior to now day alone.

Dealing with Russian troopers within the south who’re higher ready to defend their positions than the Russians in retaken areas of the northeast had been, Ukrainians have targeted on isolating Russian models by bombing bridges and roads that the Kremlin must resupply the entrance traces.

The picture above and the one beneath present Ukrainian troops on Thursday in southern Ukraine firing a big artillery gun at Russian positions.

The Treasury Division issued first-time sanctions on the chief of considered one of Russia’s most infamous authorities companies, the so-called Presidential Fee for Kids’s Rights.

Maria Alexeyevna Lvova-Belova leads the company recognized by the United Nations as the first organizer of mass deportations of Ukrainian orphans and youngsters separated from their households to Russia.

At a latest U.N. assembly on the Russian deportation of Ukrainians, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield reported that within the month of July alone, “greater than 1,800 youngsters had been transferred from Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine to Russia.”

Most of the youngsters had been “separated from their households and brought from orphanages earlier than being put up for adoption in Russia,” she stated.

Based on the Treasury Division’s sanctions report, Lvova-Belova has spearheaded the “pressured adoption of Ukrainian youngsters into Russian households, the so-called ‘patriotic training’ of Ukrainian youngsters, legislative modifications to expedite the supply of Russian Federation citizenship to Ukrainian youngsters, and the deliberate removing of Ukrainian youngsters by Russia’s forces.”

— Christina Wilkie

“A lot has modified for the higher right here in Kyiv,” stated European Union Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen throughout a joint press convention with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the streets of Ukraine’s capital.

“We are going to by no means be capable of match the sacrifice that the Ukrainians are making,” von der Leyen informed reporters. “However what we will let you know is that you will have your European buddies by your facet so long as it takes.”

Von der Leyen praised the pace with which the EU and Ukraine have linked Ukraine’s electrical grid to the EU, a activity that was projected to take at the very least two years earlier than the conflict, however which was completed in two weeks.

“Ukraine is now delivering electrical energy to the EU, and this we need to enhance and enhance and thus create steadfast flows of revenue to Ukraine,” she stated.

Making her third journey to Ukraine because the begin of the conflict, von der Leyen emphasised the significance of smoothing out Ukraine’s financial integration into Europe.

She famous that 98% of tariffs on Ukrainian exports to the EU have now been lifted. However “there are a lot of non-tariff boundaries that we will take away.”

The European Parliament voted in June to simply accept Ukraine as a proper candidate for accession into the EU.

— Christina Wilkie

Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, a Ukrainian volunteer medic, testified earlier than the U.S. Helsinki Fee that she was tortured over three months in Russian captivity.

“After I was in captivity I used to be being tortured, they usually tried to make me give a confession some form about alleged crimes which I had by no means dedicated,” Paieyska stated in a listening to on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

“They did not care to know the reality. They simply wished me to confess guilt of for one thing I had by no means dedicated,” she stated.

Paievska additionally detailed the remedy of a few of her fellow prisoners, and described conditions that appeared to violate Geneva Conventions governing the remedy of prisoners and civilians in conflict.

“Prisoners in cells, screaming for weeks from the torture and lack of medical assist,” she informed the lawmakers.

“A fighter who was crushed for 3 hours after which thrown into the basement like a sack, and solely a day later somebody come to him,” she stated.

“Pregnant prisoners had been well-known to their family and to the state,” Paievska stated in an obvious reference to girls raped whereas in captivity.

“A useless youngster in its mom’s arms. A seven 12 months previous boy with bullet wounds, dying in my lap,” she stated.

Russia has denied committing atrocities throughout its months lengthy invasion of Ukraine. However worldwide investigators have documented a whole bunch of circumstances of obvious conflict crimes, from torture and rape to mass executions.

— Christina Wilkie

U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge is participating in worldwide coaching within the Baltic Sea amid Russia’s conflict in Ukraine and tensions within the area.

The Kearsarge is the primary ship of the Wasp class to participate in worldwide coaching within the Baltic in at the very least twenty years. Related Press journalists visited the ship final week.

“It is a first off for us in latest reminiscence and it has been very thrilling,” stated Capt. Tom Foster, the commanding officer of the Kearsarge.

With another U.S. Navy ships, the Kearsarge has been coaching for a number of months with the militaries of Sweden and Finland, which formally utilized to affix NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

The coaching mission is to advertise security and safety within the area.

“Up to now a number of months, we’ve got been working within the Baltics and within the Mediterranean,” stated Capt. Aaron Kelley, commander of the Kearsarge Amphibious Prepared Group.

— Related Press

U.S. lawmakers are listening to testimony this morning from Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, a Ukrainian volunteer medic who gained a following early within the conflict for her dramatic movies of emergency medical staff on the battlefield.

Paievska saved the lives of 700 folks throughout early days of the conflict, together with youngsters and Russian troopers.

In March, Paievska was captured in Mariupol and held prisoner by Russia for 3 months. Following her launch this summer season, she participated within the worldwide Invictus video games for injured veterans, the place she gained three medals.

“Within the first 20 days of this conflict I spent in Mariupol, which was hell. Then I spent three months in Russian captivity, which was hell, too” Paievska stated in her opening remarks at a listening to on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

“When my tormentors suggested me to commit suicide, I stated no,” she stated.

— Christina Wilkie

President Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine has come below repeated missile strikes during the last day.

Russian forces have launched a missile assault on Kryvyi Rih once more at this time after launching eight cruise missiles concentrating on a dam close to the town yesterday, inflicting the Inhulets River to rise and flooding to components of the town.

Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih navy administration, stated this on Telegram account Thursday morning that there had been one other strike as he suggested civilians to remain in shelters. A number of hours later, he reported one other cruise missile had hit an “industrial enterprise.”

“The destruction is critical,” he stated, with particulars across the strike and its influence being clarified.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated he understood China’s Xi Jinping had issues in regards to the state of affairs in Ukraine, a shock acknowledgement of friction with Beijing over the conflict after per week of beautiful Russian losses on the bottom.

Since Russia’s invasion, China has trod a cautious line, criticizing Western sanctions towards Russia however stopping in need of endorsing or helping within the navy marketing campaign.

“We extremely worth the balanced place of our Chinese language buddies in relation to the Ukraine disaster,” Putin informed Xi at their first assembly because the conflict started.

“We perceive your questions and concern about this. Throughout at this time’s assembly, we are going to after all clarify our place.”

Xi didn’t point out Ukraine in his public remarks, nor was it talked about in a Chinese language readout of their assembly, which happened in Uzbekistan on the sidelines of a regional summit.

Beijing’s assist is extensively seen as important for Moscow, which wants markets for its power exports and sources to import excessive tech items because it faces sanctions imposed by the West.

The final time the 2 males met they signed a “no limits” friendship settlement between their two nations. Three weeks later, Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Russian president’s feedback instructed a Chinese language shift in direction of a extra essential stance, in personal at the very least. Ian Bremmer, political science professor at Columbia College, stated they had been the “first public signal of Putin recognizing stress to again down.”

— Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the trail to retaking Russian-occupied components of the nation is getting clearer.

“The trail to the return of all our territories is getting clearer. We see the contours of restoration of our state’s territorial integrity. We all know it is a exhausting path, however it’s attainable to move it. And we’re doing that,” Zelenskyy stated on Telegram Thursday.

His feedback come after Ukraine’s successes within the northeast of the nation, the place it has retaken virtually all the Kharkiv area. Russia has launched a number of blistering assaults within the south and southeast of Ukraine, nevertheless, together with missile strikes on Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih continued at this time after strikes yesterday broken dam close to the town, inflicting flooding in some neighborhoods.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to satisfy his Chinese language counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday as each leaders attend a safety summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The leaders are set to debate the conflict in Ukraine in addition to Taiwan once they meet on the Shanghai Cooperation Group , in line with Yury Ushakov, President Putin’s overseas affairs advisor, in line with feedback reported by Russian state information company Ria Novosti on Tuesday.

The information company quoted Ushakov as stating that Beijing “has a balanced strategy to this situation” and understands the explanations for the “particular navy operation,” as Russia labels its invasion of Ukraine.

“If we’re speaking a few bilateral agenda, then a dialog on commerce and financial cooperation can be crucial throughout this contact. Within the present troublesome state of affairs, within the face of illegitimate Western sanctions, this cooperation demonstrates stability, continues to develop progressively, achieve momentum,” he stated.

It will be Xi’s first overseas go to because the begin of the Covid pandemic. China has tacitly supported Russia’s place concerning Ukraine however has additionally appeared eager to insulate itself from the worldwide geopolitical and financial fallout from the conflict, having known as for a cease-fire in Ukraine earlier this 12 months.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukrainian officers have launched extra particulars on the flowing within the metropolis of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine, which was focused by Russian missile strikes yesterday.

Kyrylo Timoshenko, deputy head of the workplace of President Zelenskyy, posted on Telegram that after the strikes by Russian missiles, which focused a serious dam on the Inhulets river, 112 homes had been flooded and rescuers needed to save 11 folks.

No deaths have been reported.

The native authorities organized 4 assortment factors for residents to evacuate to with a purpose to attain a secure zone, he added as he detailed how the river degree rose after the dam was broken.

“On account of such a breach, the water degree within the Ingulets River rose from 100cm to 190cm,” he stated, saying that with a purpose to decrease the water degree, it was essential to blow up a part of the hydraulic buildings downstream.

After what he described as “the exhausting work of this lengthy night time,” the water degree within the river has already dropped by 40cm, a element additionally famous by the top of Dnipropetrovsk Regional Army Administration Valentyn Reznichenko.

“The water degree within the Ingulets River has already dropped by 40 centimeters in the mean time and continues to fall. Thanks to the rescuers, emergency providers and everybody who labored by means of the night time and continues to work now. Every of you probably did an unimaginable job,” Reznichenko stated.

— Holly Ellyatt

European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen is in Kyiv on Thursday to debate how you can progress Ukraine’s membership bid to affix the European Union.

“In Kyiv, for my third go to because the begin of Russia’s conflict. A lot has modified,” von der Leyen stated on Twitter.

“Ukraine is now a candidate” for EU membership, she stated, including that she would maintain talks with President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal about progressing its membership software.

The Ukraine’s membership bid was formally accepted earlier this 12 months but it surely’s anticipated that it’s going to take years for it to affix the union.

— Holly Ellyatt

The style through which Russian forces withdrew, and fled, from the area of Kharkiv on northeastern Ukraine suggests a breakdown in command buildings, the U.Ok. stated in its newest intelligence replace Thursday.

“Ukrainian forces proceed to consolidate their management of newly liberated areas of Kharkiv Oblast. Russian forces have largely withdrawn from the world west of the Oskil River,” Britain’s Ministry of Protection stated on Twitter.

“The best way through which Russian forces have withdrawn within the final week has different. Some models retreated in comparatively good order and below management, whereas others fled in obvious panic,” it stated.

“Such abandonment highlights the disorganised retreat of some Russian models and sure localised breakdowns in command and management.”

Excessive-value gear deserted by withdrawing Russian forces included capabilities important to allow Russia’s artillery-centric fashion of warfare, the ministry famous, together with at the very least one Zoopark counter-battery radar and at the very least one IV14 artillery command and management automobile.

— Holly Ellyatt

De-occupied settlements within the area of Kherson in southern Ukraine are coming below Russian fireplace, a regional official warned on Thursday as he informed residents to evacuate.

“The state of affairs within the de-occupied settlements of the Kherson area is extraordinarily troublesome,” Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson Regional Army Administration, stated on Telegram, noting that one city had seen all of its homes broken or destroyed whereas one other had seen 80% of its properties destroyed.

Ukraine just lately launched a counteroffensive in southern Ukraine to reclaim Russian-occupied territories. In contrast to its counterattack in northeastern Ukraine, which has seen a lot of the area of Kharkiv de-occupied, a big a part of Kherson — the area above Russian-annexed Crimea — stays occupied by Russian forces though Ukraine has launched a collection of counterattacks there and has made some beneficial properties.

Yanushevych stated the very first thing Ukraine’s armed forces did once they liberated settlements from Russian occupation was to advise residents to depart instantly in expectation of Russian reprisals and assaults.

Yesterday Yanushevych stated the “state of affairs within the Kherson area stays extraordinarily troublesome, energetic hostilities proceed.” 

The area’s infrastructure was being subjected “to devastating destruction each day on account of shelling by the occupiers. Within the briefly occupied settlements, the Russians proceed to grab administrative premises and loot,” he stated. CNBC was unable to confirm the knowledge within the official’s put up.

— Holly Ellyatt

Video supply: Metin Aktas | Anadolu Company | Getty Photos

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited a key metropolis just lately liberated by Ukrainian troops and had a message for residents of Crimea: “We are going to arrive.”

Zelenskyy spoke to reporters after visiting scenes of destruction inflicted by Russian troops and serving to to hoist Ukraine’s flag at Izyum, which solely per week in the past was held by invading forces. A Ukrainian counteroffensive despatched Russian troops right into a retreat and reclaimed the town on Sept. 10.

“We are going to come,” Zelenskyy stated, addressing residents of Crimea. “I do not know when. And no one is aware of when. However we’ve got plans. So we’ll come, as a result of…it is our land, and it is our folks.”

Zelenskyy expressed concern in regards to the cumulative impact of televised Russian propaganda on Crimean youngsters who’ve by no means identified what it is prefer to be a part of Ukraine. Russia’s navy seized the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

“The knowledge conflict may be very sturdy, and Russia attacked [Crimeans] by tv, media … and naturally, it will likely be very troublesome for youngsters once we come,” Zelenskyy stated.

— Ted Kemp

Russians have shelled a dam on the Inhulets River close to Kryvyi Rih — President Zelenskyy’s residence metropolis — resulting in flooding in components of the town and residents being evacuated.

Oleksandr Vilkul, the top of the Kryvyi Rih navy administration, stated on Telegram final night time that Russian missiles had hit a “very massive hydrotechnical construction,” extensively reported as a dam close to the town.

“Pricey residents of Kryvyi Rih, Russia has dedicated one other terrorist act. They hit a really massive hydrotechnical construction in Kryvyi Rih with eight cruise missiles. The try is to easily wash away part of our metropolis with water. We’re monitoring the state of affairs, the response efforts are underway, all providers are concerned, everyone seems to be on the positioning. However the water degree within the Inhulets River has risen,” Vilkul stated.

He then named streets that residents had been being requested to evacuate as “the water within the Inhulets River has risen.”

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of Zelenskyy’s workplace, stated eight Russian cruise missiles had attacked Kryvyi Rih, calling it a “terrorist act.”

“In any case, rockets are aimed toward buildings which are critically essential for folks’s livelihood,” he stated in a put up on Telegram with a video displaying excessive water ranges on the river and partially submerged bushes on the banks.

“In the present day, the Russian troops directed the utmost variety of their weapons to hydrotechnical buildings. The objective is clear — an try to create an emergency state of affairs. It isn’t essential to them whether or not folks will stay with out water or whether or not the town can be flooded. They want us to panic so it might be troublesome for us to make choices. So let’s not panic,” he stated.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was concerned in a automobile accident in Kyiv final night time, the president’s workplace stated late final night time.

Zelenskyy was not injured within the incident, the circumstances round which at the moment are being investigated.

Presidential Press Secretary Serhii Nykyforov stated on Fb final night time that “a automobile collided with the automobile of the President of Ukraine and escort automobiles.”

“Medics accompanying the top of the state supplied the driving force of the automobile with medical help and transferred him to an ambulance. The president was examined by a physician, no critical accidents had been discovered. The legislation enforcement officers will discover out all of the circumstances of the accident.”

— Holly Ellyatt

The Pentagon hailed a collection of lightning advances Ukraine made towards Russian forces within the southern and jap components of the war-weary nation.

“Actually, because the starting of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, we have seen the Ukrainians display a exceptional adaptability and their means to make use of their warfighting capabilities to nice impact,” Pentagon press secretary Air Drive Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder informed reporters on the Pentagon.

“So, it isn’t shocking to us that they’ve pushed as rapidly as they’ve,” he added.

Ryder declined to substantiate Ukrainian authorities reviews that cited particular beneficial properties the nation had made, including that he wouldn’t communicate on behalf of a overseas navy.

He added that the U.S. would proceed to supply safety help to Kyiv and hailed Ukrainian forces’ “exceptional adaptability on the battlefield.”

— Amanda Macias

Estonian Protection Minister Hanno Pevkur informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that his authorities is making ready one other help package deal for the war-torn nation.

“The Ukrainian armed forces and other people have proven immense braveness. It’s a proud feeling to see reviews of success alongside Ukraine’s jap entrance – it’s a positive signal that our collective help has had a optimistic influence and that it should proceed,” Pevkur stated, in line with an Estonian readout of the assembly.

Estonia, considered one of NATO’s smallest member nations and a nation that borders Russia, has donated two subject hospitals to Ukraine since Russia’s conflict broke out in late February.

Pevkur additionally met with Ukrainian Protection Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

“I used to be interested by listening to from the Minister of Defence in regards to the specifics of help that’s wanted now – that would be the foundation for placing collectively our subsequent help package deal to Ukraine. As well as, we’re at the moment contributing in direction of coaching efforts,” he added.

— Amanda Macias

A former senior member of the British armed forces has informed Sky Information stated there’s a 30-40% likelihood that Russia’s armed forces might collapse and the conflict might be over by Christmas.

Retired RAF Air Marshal Edward Stringer, the ex-director-general of the Defence Academy and director-general of Joint Drive Improvement, Strategic Command, informed Sky’s Kay Burley he beforehand thought the conflict would go into subsequent 12 months, however issues have modified on the bottom.

He stated: “I don’t see that the Russians will be capable of rebuild their armed forces to have the ability to re-seize the initiative and retake the offensive once more.

“And so now we’re into seeing how this develops on the bottom and one hopes that Zelenskyy can be ready the place he can begin to negotiate beneficial phrases and even perhaps defeat all the Russian invasion of his nation

“Ultimately all conflicts finish in negotiation. One has to calibrate to what extent you need to hold channels open and to what extent you enable him (Putin) to assume that he is nonetheless a part of the household of countries.

“I at all times thought it might go into subsequent 12 months. I feel it’s attainable now, and one hates to be the individual that says it’s going to all be over by Christmas, however it’s attainable now that there might be a collapse within the Russian armed forces… it is a good 30-40%, and that calls into query the way forward for Putin, Putinism, and the West ought to assume very strongly now about what the world seems like post-Putin.”

Learn the unique put up right here from Sky Information.

— Sky Information

Vladimir Putin’s chief envoy on Ukraine informed the Russian chief because the conflict started that he had struck a provisional cope with Kyiv that may fulfill Russia’s demand that Ukraine keep out of NATO, however Putin rejected it and pressed forward along with his navy marketing campaign, in line with three folks near the Russian management who spoke to Reuters.

The Ukrainian-born envoy, Dmitry Kozak, informed Putin that he believed the deal he had hammered out eliminated the necessity for Russia to pursue a large-scale occupation of Ukraine, in line with these sources. Kozak’s suggestion to Putin to undertake the deal is being reported by Reuters for the primary time.

Putin had repeatedly asserted previous to the conflict that NATO and its navy infrastructure had been creeping nearer to Russia’s borders by accepting new members from jap Europe, and that the alliance was now making ready to deliver Ukraine into its orbit too. Putin publicly stated that represented an existential risk to Russia, forcing him to react.

However, regardless of earlier backing the negotiations, Putin made it clear when offered with Kozak’s deal that the concessions negotiated by his aide didn’t go far sufficient and that he had expanded his goals to incorporate annexing swathes of Ukrainian territory, the sources stated. The upshot: the deal was dropped.

Learn the entire story by Reuters right here

— Reuters