As the war in Ukraine continues into its 902nd day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces were advancing in the Russian region of Kursk, claiming control of 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory. However, Moscow disputed this claim, stating that the area under Ukraine’s control was only half of what Kyiv reported. The conflict escalated with Ukraine launching airstrikes on Russian military airfields in Voronezh, Kursk, and Nizhny Novgorod.
On the political and diplomatic front, Germany issued a European arrest warrant for a Ukrainian diving instructor accused of sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022. Meanwhile, hackers linked to Russian intelligence have been targeting Kremlin critics and Western diplomats with phishing emails. Russia has also launched over 10,000 cases against individuals accused of discrediting the army since the invasion of Ukraine began.
In other developments, two medics were killed in a Russian drone attack in northeastern Ukraine, while two people were injured in a missile strike on port infrastructure in Odesa. Polish prosecutors indicted Pavel Rubtsov, also known as Pablo Gonzalez, on charges of espionage. China and the Vatican discussed the conflict in Ukraine during a phone call between their special envoys.
Overall, the situation in Ukraine remains tense, with ongoing fighting, political turmoil, and diplomatic tensions exacerbating the already dire situation in the war-torn country.
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