Here's the latest from Ukraine:
- At least 100 people were arrested in Russia’s southwestern region of Dagestan on Sunday, according to the human rights group OVD-Info, as protesters gathered in the regional capital of Makhachkala to condemn the war.
- In a speech Sunday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the protests by urging Russians to “fight to ensure that your children are not sent to die.” Zelensky also said Kremlin-backed forces in Crimea have begun mobilizing Tartars, a group of Turkic-speaking peoples, for their war effort in the Ukrainian port city of Kherson.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that annexed parts of Ukraine would be under Russia’s “full protection.” His comments at a U.N. news conference came amid global outcry over staged referendums by Russia, designed to take control of occupied parts of Ukraine. Lavrov also did not rule out the use of nuclear weapons to defend annexed areas.
More live updates here.
- At least 100 people were arrested in Russia’s southwestern region of Dagestan on Sunday, according to the human rights group OVD-Info, as protesters gathered in the regional capital of Makhachkala to condemn the war.
- In a speech Sunday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the protests by urging Russians to “fight to ensure that your children are not sent to die.” Zelensky also said Kremlin-backed forces in Crimea have begun mobilizing Tartars, a group of Turkic-speaking peoples, for their war effort in the Ukrainian port city of Kherson.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that annexed parts of Ukraine would be under Russia’s “full protection.” His comments at a U.N. news conference came amid global outcry over staged referendums by Russia, designed to take control of occupied parts of Ukraine. Lavrov also did not rule out the use of nuclear weapons to defend annexed areas.
More live updates here.
Blinken: Conversation about supplying weapons to Ukraine ‘ongoing’
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the conversation with Ukraine over the supply of U.S. weapons to aid the country’s war efforts is “ongoing,” including a request from Kyiv for Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, as the long-range missiles are commonly known.
“Whatever they put on the table is something we’re going to look at, to consider, and we’re going to give them our best judgment about what can be effective for them,” Blinken said in an interview with “60 Minutes.”
The United States so far has made 20 transfers of defense equipment valued at billions of dollars, Blinken said, including antitank and antiaircraft weapons that helped repel Russian forces during their attempt to seize the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Read the full story here.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the conversation with Ukraine over the supply of U.S. weapons to aid the country’s war efforts is “ongoing,” including a request from Kyiv for Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, as the long-range missiles are commonly known.
“Whatever they put on the table is something we’re going to look at, to consider, and we’re going to give them our best judgment about what can be effective for them,” Blinken said in an interview with “60 Minutes.”
The United States so far has made 20 transfers of defense equipment valued at billions of dollars, Blinken said, including antitank and antiaircraft weapons that helped repel Russian forces during their attempt to seize the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Read the full story here.
Putin grants citizenship to Edward Snowden, who disclosed U.S. surveillance
Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship on Monday to Edward Snowden, the former security consultant who leaked information about top-secret U.S. surveillance programs and is still wanted by Washington on espionage charges.
Snowden, 39, was one of 72 foreigners granted citizenship in a decree signed by Putin.
Snowden, who considers himself a whistleblower, fled the United States to avoid prosecution and has been living in Russia, which granted him asylum in 2013.
Snowden was granted permanent residency in 2020, and his lawyers said at the time that he was applying to obtain a Russian passport without renouncing his U.S. citizenship.
Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told the state-run news agency RIA Novosti on Monday that Snowden’s wife, Lindsay Mills, is also now applying for Russian citizenship. Mills joined Snowden in Moscow in 2014. They were married in 2017 and have a son together.
Read the full story here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship on Monday to Edward Snowden, the former security consultant who leaked information about top-secret U.S. surveillance programs and is still wanted by Washington on espionage charges.
Snowden, 39, was one of 72 foreigners granted citizenship in a decree signed by Putin.
Snowden, who considers himself a whistleblower, fled the United States to avoid prosecution and has been living in Russia, which granted him asylum in 2013.
Snowden was granted permanent residency in 2020, and his lawyers said at the time that he was applying to obtain a Russian passport without renouncing his U.S. citizenship.
Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told the state-run news agency RIA Novosti on Monday that Snowden’s wife, Lindsay Mills, is also now applying for Russian citizenship. Mills joined Snowden in Moscow in 2014. They were married in 2017 and have a son together.
Read the full story here.
Gunman attacks Russian military recruiter as thousands flee mobilization
A young man shot and wounded the chief recruitment officer at a military enlistment station in Russia’s Irkutsk region on Monday, local authorities said, as thousands of fighting-age men continued to flee the country to escape President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
The alleged shooter in the attack on the military commissariat in Ust-Ilimsk, a small town in Irkutsk, was apparently distraught that his close friend had been called for duty despite having no prior military service.
When Putin announced a “partial mobilization” last week, he said only experienced servicemen would be summoned. “In other words, only military reservists, primarily those who served in the armed forces and have specific military occupational specialties and corresponding experience, will be called up,” he assured Russians in a national address.
Read the full story here.
A young man shot and wounded the chief recruitment officer at a military enlistment station in Russia’s Irkutsk region on Monday, local authorities said, as thousands of fighting-age men continued to flee the country to escape President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
The alleged shooter in the attack on the military commissariat in Ust-Ilimsk, a small town in Irkutsk, was apparently distraught that his close friend had been called for duty despite having no prior military service.
When Putin announced a “partial mobilization” last week, he said only experienced servicemen would be summoned. “In other words, only military reservists, primarily those who served in the armed forces and have specific military occupational specialties and corresponding experience, will be called up,” he assured Russians in a national address.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship on Monday to Edward Snowden, the former security consultant who leaked information about top-secret U.S. surveillance programs and is still wanted by Washington on espionage charges, The Washington Post’s Mary Ilyushina reports.
- A gunman was detained after he shot and severely wounded an official overseeing Russia’s military mobilization at a commissariat in the Irkutsk region in Siberia, the area’s governor, Igor Ivanovich Kobzev, said Monday on Telegram.
- The Kremlin acknowledged that some Russians who do not meet the current criteria for military mobilization have received summons, and it pledged to rectify any errors.
- Protesters blocked a highway on Sunday and took to the streets in Dagestan, a largely impoverished Russian republic that borders Georgia and Azerbaijan, to oppose the call-up of reservists to Russia’s armed forces.
More live updates here.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship on Monday to Edward Snowden, the former security consultant who leaked information about top-secret U.S. surveillance programs and is still wanted by Washington on espionage charges, The Washington Post’s Mary Ilyushina reports.
- A gunman was detained after he shot and severely wounded an official overseeing Russia’s military mobilization at a commissariat in the Irkutsk region in Siberia, the area’s governor, Igor Ivanovich Kobzev, said Monday on Telegram.
- The Kremlin acknowledged that some Russians who do not meet the current criteria for military mobilization have received summons, and it pledged to rectify any errors.
- Protesters blocked a highway on Sunday and took to the streets in Dagestan, a largely impoverished Russian republic that borders Georgia and Azerbaijan, to oppose the call-up of reservists to Russia’s armed forces.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The staged referendums in four Ukrainian territories held by Kremlin-backed officials will end today. The votes are not free and fair, and are illegal under international law and could set the stage for Russian President Vladimir Putin to use a speech to Russian lawmakers on Friday to announce the accession of the occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia, British intelligence officials say.
- At least 2,386 arrests have been made since Sept. 21, when a wave of demonstrations broke out against a partial military mobilization announcement, according to rights group OVD-Info. Thousands of fighting-age men have fled.
- Japanese officials condemned Russia’s detention of its consul in Vladivostok. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Russia carried out a “coercive interrogation” that included blindfolding and physical restraint, and called it “extremely regrettable and unacceptable.” The diplomat has since been released, and is in good health.
More live updates here.
- The staged referendums in four Ukrainian territories held by Kremlin-backed officials will end today. The votes are not free and fair, and are illegal under international law and could set the stage for Russian President Vladimir Putin to use a speech to Russian lawmakers on Friday to announce the accession of the occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia, British intelligence officials say.
- At least 2,386 arrests have been made since Sept. 21, when a wave of demonstrations broke out against a partial military mobilization announcement, according to rights group OVD-Info. Thousands of fighting-age men have fled.
- Japanese officials condemned Russia’s detention of its consul in Vladivostok. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Russia carried out a “coercive interrogation” that included blindfolding and physical restraint, and called it “extremely regrettable and unacceptable.” The diplomat has since been released, and is in good health.
More live updates here.
Putin to declare annexation of Ukraine regions within days, U.K. says
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to declare Russia’s annexation of four partially occupied regions in eastern Ukraine shortly after staged referendums organized by Kremlin proxies are concluded, the British Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
There is “a realistic possibility” that Putin will use an address to the Russian parliament, which Russian state media have reported will take place on Friday, to formally announce his intention to absorb the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, despite international condemnation, the Defense Ministry said in its daily intelligence report on the Ukraine war.
With Putin’s impending announcement, and fears that it could be accompanied by a declaration of martial law, the exodus of fighting-age Russian men trying to flee military mobilization appeared to be reaching critical levels, with worsening traffic jams and huge queues at border crossings.
Read the full story here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to declare Russia’s annexation of four partially occupied regions in eastern Ukraine shortly after staged referendums organized by Kremlin proxies are concluded, the British Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
There is “a realistic possibility” that Putin will use an address to the Russian parliament, which Russian state media have reported will take place on Friday, to formally announce his intention to absorb the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, despite international condemnation, the Defense Ministry said in its daily intelligence report on the Ukraine war.
With Putin’s impending announcement, and fears that it could be accompanied by a declaration of martial law, the exodus of fighting-age Russian men trying to flee military mobilization appeared to be reaching critical levels, with worsening traffic jams and huge queues at border crossings.
Read the full story here.
Photos show 10-mile line at Russian border as many flee mobilization
A traffic jam at Russia’s border with Georgia has stretched for nearly 10 miles after President Vladimir Putin’s partial military mobilization order, satellite images show.
The line of cars and trucks trying to leave formed at a crossing point on the Russian side of the border, according to U.S.-based firm Maxar Technologies, which released the photos on Monday. “The traffic jam likely continued further to the north of the imaged area,” the U.S.-based firm said. Aerial photos from the company show vehicles snaking into another long line near Russia’s border with Mongolia.
Cars have also lined up at Russia’s borders with Finland and Kazakhstan since last week, when Putin announced a call-up of hundreds of thousands of reservists to fight in the Kremlin’s faltering war in Ukraine. It marks Russia’s first military mobilization since World War II.
Read the full story here.
A traffic jam at Russia’s border with Georgia has stretched for nearly 10 miles after President Vladimir Putin’s partial military mobilization order, satellite images show.
The line of cars and trucks trying to leave formed at a crossing point on the Russian side of the border, according to U.S.-based firm Maxar Technologies, which released the photos on Monday. “The traffic jam likely continued further to the north of the imaged area,” the U.S.-based firm said. Aerial photos from the company show vehicles snaking into another long line near Russia’s border with Mongolia.
Cars have also lined up at Russia’s borders with Finland and Kazakhstan since last week, when Putin announced a call-up of hundreds of thousands of reservists to fight in the Kremlin’s faltering war in Ukraine. It marks Russia’s first military mobilization since World War II.
Read the full story here.
Nord Stream operator decries ‘unprecedented’ damage to three pipelines
European officials on Tuesday launched investigations into three mysterious leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines, built to carry Russian natural gas to Europe, after the system operator reported “unprecedented” damage to the lines in the Baltic Sea.
The leaks had no immediate impact on energy supplies to the European Union, since Russia had already cut off gas flows. But gas had remained in the pipes, raising concerns about possible environmental harm from leaking methane — the main component of natural gas and, when in the atmosphere, a major contributor to climate change. Images supplied by the Danish military showed gas bubbles reaching the surface of the water.
Read the full story here.
European officials on Tuesday launched investigations into three mysterious leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines, built to carry Russian natural gas to Europe, after the system operator reported “unprecedented” damage to the lines in the Baltic Sea.
The leaks had no immediate impact on energy supplies to the European Union, since Russia had already cut off gas flows. But gas had remained in the pipes, raising concerns about possible environmental harm from leaking methane — the main component of natural gas and, when in the atmosphere, a major contributor to climate change. Images supplied by the Danish military showed gas bubbles reaching the surface of the water.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Western leaders have condemned the staged referendums that concluded in parts of four Ukrainian regions under Russian control this week, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken accusing Moscow of engaging in a “diabolical scheme” to annex Ukraine’s territory.
- The votes were illegal under international law, with reports of residents being coerced into voting. Russian state media claimed that initial results show 98% of those voting in Donetsk and Luhansk support joining Russia.
- Several European leaders said the explosions at the gas pipelines appeared to be sabotage, as the E.U. put out a statement vowing to respond. Five European officials with direct knowledge of security discussions said there was a widespread assumption that Russia was behind the incident. Russia has denied responsibility for the damage.
More live updates here.
- Western leaders have condemned the staged referendums that concluded in parts of four Ukrainian regions under Russian control this week, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken accusing Moscow of engaging in a “diabolical scheme” to annex Ukraine’s territory.
- The votes were illegal under international law, with reports of residents being coerced into voting. Russian state media claimed that initial results show 98% of those voting in Donetsk and Luhansk support joining Russia.
- Several European leaders said the explosions at the gas pipelines appeared to be sabotage, as the E.U. put out a statement vowing to respond. Five European officials with direct knowledge of security discussions said there was a widespread assumption that Russia was behind the incident. Russia has denied responsibility for the damage.
More live updates here.
The Russian men fleeing mobilization, and leaving everything behind
To escape fighting in Ukraine, the 42-year-old Russian construction worker flew through two countries in four days, spending so much on tickets, so quickly, he lost track of it all. Finally, he ended up in Turkey, where it was safe. As he stopped to breathe Tuesday, on plastic seats in the airport arrival hall, he conceded he had no idea where to go next.
But maybe it didn’t matter.
“The main task is to save your life,” he said.
The Post interviewed some of the men who have fled Russia since Putin's announcement of a military mobilization of reservists for his war in Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
To escape fighting in Ukraine, the 42-year-old Russian construction worker flew through two countries in four days, spending so much on tickets, so quickly, he lost track of it all. Finally, he ended up in Turkey, where it was safe. As he stopped to breathe Tuesday, on plastic seats in the airport arrival hall, he conceded he had no idea where to go next.
But maybe it didn’t matter.
“The main task is to save your life,” he said.
The Post interviewed some of the men who have fled Russia since Putin's announcement of a military mobilization of reservists for his war in Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- A new U.S. weapons package for Ukraine, worth $1.1 billion, will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, a “core component of Ukraine’s fighting force in the future,” a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon.
- European countries and companies said they were increasing security around oil and gas infrastructure after apparent explosions targeted pipelines that once carried Russian natural gas to Germany.
- As Moscow is set to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine, the White House said Wednesday that it was working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia” and others that supported the staged referendums in those areas.
More live updates here.
- A new U.S. weapons package for Ukraine, worth $1.1 billion, will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, a “core component of Ukraine’s fighting force in the future,” a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon.
- European countries and companies said they were increasing security around oil and gas infrastructure after apparent explosions targeted pipelines that once carried Russian natural gas to Germany.
- As Moscow is set to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine, the White House said Wednesday that it was working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia” and others that supported the staged referendums in those areas.
More live updates here.
Pentagon will double powerful HIMARS artillery for Ukraine
The United States will more than double its commitment of long-range rocket artillery systems for Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday, part of a long-term strategy by the United States and its partners to ramp up weapons production in response to Russia’s invasion.
The $1.1 billion package will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, the weapons that have wreaked havoc on command posts and logistical hubs behind Russian lines. The United States already has delivered 16 of the systems, capable of delivering precision munitions from up to 50 miles away, from existing stocks.
This new tranche will take a “few years” to build and deliver, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters, underscoring efforts to provide for Ukraine’s long-term defense infrastructure while allies and partners speed tailored packages of equipment and ammunition for the most urgent needs.
Read the full story here.
The United States will more than double its commitment of long-range rocket artillery systems for Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday, part of a long-term strategy by the United States and its partners to ramp up weapons production in response to Russia’s invasion.
The $1.1 billion package will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, the weapons that have wreaked havoc on command posts and logistical hubs behind Russian lines. The United States already has delivered 16 of the systems, capable of delivering precision munitions from up to 50 miles away, from existing stocks.
This new tranche will take a “few years” to build and deliver, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters, underscoring efforts to provide for Ukraine’s long-term defense infrastructure while allies and partners speed tailored packages of equipment and ammunition for the most urgent needs.
Read the full story here.
Violating international law, Putin to sign annexation of Ukrainian regions
Russian President Vladimir Putin will formally move Friday to seize four Ukrainian regions by signing documents that the Kremlin is calling “accession treaties.”
The signing ceremony, to take place in the Grand Kremlin Palace, marks Putin’s attempt to annex the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, even though Russia does not fully control them militarily or politically.
The move, in defiance of stern international warnings including from President Biden, potentially slams the door on diplomacy for years to come and almost certainly assures further escalation of the war in Ukraine. Kyiv insists it will fight to reclaim all of its lands, and Western allies are promising to send more weapons and economic assistance.
Read the full story here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will formally move Friday to seize four Ukrainian regions by signing documents that the Kremlin is calling “accession treaties.”
The signing ceremony, to take place in the Grand Kremlin Palace, marks Putin’s attempt to annex the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, even though Russia does not fully control them militarily or politically.
The move, in defiance of stern international warnings including from President Biden, potentially slams the door on diplomacy for years to come and almost certainly assures further escalation of the war in Ukraine. Kyiv insists it will fight to reclaim all of its lands, and Western allies are promising to send more weapons and economic assistance.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign treaties claiming to annex four areas of Ukraine on Friday.
- Separatist leaders from Russian-occupied portions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are in Moscow to complete the procedure of Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory, Kirill Stremousov, a Russian-installed official from Kherson, said in a Telegram post.
- The White House has said it is working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia,” should annexation go ahead.
- United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said Russia’s annexation plans “cannot be reconciled with the international legal framework.”
- A total of four leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines have been reported, after the Swedish coast guard confirmed Thursday that there were two leaks in Sweden’s economic zone and two in Denmark’s.
More live updates here.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign treaties claiming to annex four areas of Ukraine on Friday.
- Separatist leaders from Russian-occupied portions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are in Moscow to complete the procedure of Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory, Kirill Stremousov, a Russian-installed official from Kherson, said in a Telegram post.
- The White House has said it is working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia,” should annexation go ahead.
- United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said Russia’s annexation plans “cannot be reconciled with the international legal framework.”
- A total of four leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines have been reported, after the Swedish coast guard confirmed Thursday that there were two leaks in Sweden’s economic zone and two in Denmark’s.
More live updates here.
Here’s the latest from Ukraine.
- President Putin will formally move Friday to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine. In a grand ceremony at the Kremlin, he is expected to sign so-called “accession treaties” to absorb parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
- The U.S. and others have denounced the staged votes as a “sham” and warned of further diplomatic, economic and military consequences. “The United States will never, never, never recognize Russia’s claims on Ukraine sovereign territory,” President Biden said Thursday.
- Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the country to avoid conscription after Putin declared a partial military mobilization.
More live updates here.
- President Putin will formally move Friday to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine. In a grand ceremony at the Kremlin, he is expected to sign so-called “accession treaties” to absorb parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
- The U.S. and others have denounced the staged votes as a “sham” and warned of further diplomatic, economic and military consequences. “The United States will never, never, never recognize Russia’s claims on Ukraine sovereign territory,” President Biden said Thursday.
- Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the country to avoid conscription after Putin declared a partial military mobilization.
More live updates here.
U.S., allies to increase pressure on Russia following annexation
On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intention to formally annex four Ukrainian regions, the United States and its allies put the finishing touches on their plans to respond with measures designed to significantly increase the military, diplomatic and economic pressure they believe will eventually box Putin into an intolerable position.
New sanctions are to be announced on entities inside Russia, and those on the outside that contribute to its war effort, according to U.S. and European Union officials. Long-term commitments are being made to ensure the continued flow of Western weapons to Ukraine. Fence-sitting nations are being cajoled and pressured to take a stand against Moscow.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday repeated that “the United States does not, and will never, recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham referendums or Russia’s purported annexation of Ukrainian territory.”
Read the full story here.
On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intention to formally annex four Ukrainian regions, the United States and its allies put the finishing touches on their plans to respond with measures designed to significantly increase the military, diplomatic and economic pressure they believe will eventually box Putin into an intolerable position.
New sanctions are to be announced on entities inside Russia, and those on the outside that contribute to its war effort, according to U.S. and European Union officials. Long-term commitments are being made to ensure the continued flow of Western weapons to Ukraine. Fence-sitting nations are being cajoled and pressured to take a stand against Moscow.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday repeated that “the United States does not, and will never, recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham referendums or Russia’s purported annexation of Ukrainian territory.”
Read the full story here.
Putin illegally proclaims annexation of four Ukrainian regions
Russian President Vladimir Putin is moving toward illegally annexing four regions in Ukraine, after staging referendums that were widely denounced.
In a grand ceremony that began in the Kremlin on Friday, he will sign so-called “accession treaties” for parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Read the full story here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is moving toward illegally annexing four regions in Ukraine, after staging referendums that were widely denounced.
In a grand ceremony that began in the Kremlin on Friday, he will sign so-called “accession treaties” for parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Read the full story here.