Russia-Ukraine War: Latest Development

Here’s a roundup of the latest:

On the ground

  • Ukrainian and Russian forces are locked in combat along a 300-mile (480km) frontline in eastern Ukraine
  • President Zelensky said the situation in embattled Mariupol remained “as tough as possible without any changes”, and the fate of tens of thousands of civilians remains unknown
  • In his latest video, the Ukrainian leader also said Russian fire had intensified in the Kharkiv direction, and in the Donbas and Dnipro regions, after Russia ramped up its eastern offensive
  • Zelensky again accused Russia of targeting civilians (something Moscow denies), saying this marked the Russian state as a “source of absolute evil”
  • The Ukrainian armed forces say they’ve come under bombardment in Kherson and elsewhere. But they claim to have sprung counter-attacks on their enemies, and say they’ve retaken the town of Maryinka near Donetsk
  • Russia has handed back 76 Ukrainians in a prisoners-of-war exchange, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said

In diplomacy

  • Western leaders have spoken by videolink about increasing support for Ukraine
  • The US pledged to send more artillery systems and military assistance to Kyiv
  • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was supplying Brimstone anti-ship missiles
  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Berlin would provide finance to help Ukraine buy German-made weapons
  • European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said sanctions against Russia would be tightened
  • The Czech Republic has offered to repair Ukrainian tanks damaged in combat

  • The Biden administration is planning to announce another $800m (£615m) military aid package for Ukraine, according to US media.

    Asked on Tuesday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, if he would send more artillery to Ukraine, President Biden responded: “Yes.”

    The White House last week announced it would sent an $800m package to Ukraine that includes 40,000 artillery rounds and 18 howitzers (155mm).