Russia claims a breakthrough in key region
Russia said Wednesday that its military made breakthroughs in a highly contested region in Ukraine.
Hi, I'm Julius, with an update on Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its troops broke through two Ukrainian defensive lines in the eastern Luhansk region and pushed Ukrainian forces back two miles, forcing them to leave behind equipment and the bodies of those killed.
It wasn't possible to independently verify Moscow’s claim, and Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment.
Russian artillery, drones and missiles have relentlessly pounded Ukrainian-held areas in the country's east for months, hitting civilian targets and wreaking destruction as the war largely slowed to a grinding stalemate in the winter.
A new Russian offensive is beginning to show gains in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces that make up the Donbas region.
With the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaching, followed by spring weather, Western officials and analysts say the fighting could be nearing a critical phase when both sides look to launch offensives.
More on the Russia-Ukraine crisis:
- U.S planes intercepted four Russian aircrafts flying near Alaska airspace earlier this week, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement. "This Russian activity in the North American ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat, nor is the activity seen as provocative," the statement said.
- Most Americans favor some role in supporting Ukraine's war effort, but support for supplying weapons or funds is declining, according to a new survey conducted by the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center.
- Ninety-seven percent of the Russian army is now in Ukraine, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.