Kremlin welcomes call between Xi and Zelenskiy amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The situation in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating, as Russia launched air strikes on Ukrainian cities, killing at least 17 people.
The Ukrainian government stated that they are preparing a large-scale ground assault to retake occupied land. Meanwhile, Russia’s President Putin has signed a law allowing the stripping of citizenship from naturalized citizens deemed to be a threat to national security.
A UN committee expressed concern about human rights violations by Russian forces in Ukraine, including enforced disappearances, torture, rape, and extrajudicial executions. Despite this, the Kremlin downplayed the possibility of a nuclear weapons test by Russia.
Ukraine is wrapping up preparations for a counteroffensive against Russian forces, while the EU agreed to extend the suspension of duties and quotas on imports from Ukraine for another year.
