Russia-Ukraine warfare information: Kyiv says troops combating round Bakhmut; detention of U.S. journalist prolonged three months
Ukrainian officials say troops are still battling around Bakhmut, after Russia claimed to have seized the eastern city that has been a focal point of the war for months. Ukraine’s armed forces and its deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, said fighting continues to rage on the embattled city’s outskirts.
Across the border, Russia said it launched an investigation Tuesday into an alleged attack in its Belgorod region, after it accused pro-Ukrainian fighters of targeting the area. The Kremlin said it expelled the perpetrators from the region and blamed Ukraine; Kyiv denied any direct involvement.
A Moscow court on Tuesday approved a three-month extension of the detention of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich. The Wall Street Journal reporter was arrested in March by Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, on accusations of spying, which he, his employer, rights groups and the U.S. government have strenuously denied. Russian authorities have not presented evidence to support their claim. The U.S. State Department says Gershkovich is “wrongfully detained.” He is facing trial, for which a date has not yet been set.
Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe:
Most of its 70,000 residents have fled. Before-and-after satellite images from Maxar Technologies show scorched landscapes, they write.
Isobel Koshiw contributed to this report.