March 21, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine has moved here.

The deepening relationship between China and Russia was due in large part to their mutual interest in challenging the US’ global influence, John Kirby, National Security Council spokesperson, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour Tuesday.  

“Where they intersect is pushing back on the United States and our influence around the world,” Kirby said. “Where they intersect is pushing back on this thing we call the rules-based international order. Which I know sounds kind of like a wonky term, but it’s basically the rule of law and the foundational principles of the UN charter by which nations around the world are supposed to abide. And they’re pushing back against that.”

Kirby’s remarks come as Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin forge closer ties in Moscow in a show of unity that has heightened Western concerns that Beijing will provide cover for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“They’d like to change the rules of the game,” Kirby said. “And in each other they see a useful foil. They see a useful friend. But that’s what they’re doing. They’re basically trying to use each other here to challenge US leadership and the West — particularly in Europe — but elsewhere around the world.”

In a joint statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, Xi and Putin said their partnership is in the “fundamental interests” of both countries, adding that “Russia needs a prosperous and stable China, and China needs a strong and successful Russia.”

The United States defers to Ukraine’s leadership in its prioritization of the hard-fought battle for Bakhmut, and will continue to ensure the country’s president has “what he needs, wherever he chooses to fight, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Tuesday.

Asked by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour whether Kyiv was spending too much time in the fight for Bakhmut, Kirby said Ukrainians are still “bravely fighting” in the eastern city and the area is “very vicious.”

“So the Ukrainians are prioritizing this fight — the Russians have clearly prioritized this fight, and what we’re going do is stay focused on making sure that President [Volodymyr] Zelensky has what he needs, wherever he chooses to fight. That means intelligence. That means support. That means weapons. That means capabilities. That’s what we’re going to be focused on.”

Battles to come: Ukraine is preparing to launch a spring offensive against Russian forces, built largely around the more powerful and more advanced systems Western countries have agreed to send, including tanks and other armored vehicles.

Kirby said the coming weeks would be “critical,” in the war and the US expected Russian President Vladimir Putin would “try to mount another offensive and maybe along many different vectors.”

“We have got to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make sure Ukraine is ready for that,” he said.

Kirby said the US wants to ensure Ukrainians can defend themselves against any renewed Russian offensive while also having the flexibility to “conduct offensive operations of their own at a time and place and a size and a scale of their choosing.”

“That’s where we’re taking battalions out of Ukraine right now and putting them through combined arms maneuver training,” he said. “That’s why they’re ramping up training on things like the Patriot air defense system. We’re doing everything we can to make sure that they’re ready as best they can be before these critical weeks and months ahead.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed “serious concerns” about the security pact AUKUS grouping — comprised of Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States — and NATO, according to a joint statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry Wednesday.

China and Russia also voiced concern about the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation plan among the AUKUS and urged members to “strictly fulfill their obligations not to proliferate weapons of mass destruction.”

The leaders raised serious concerns about NATO’s “continuous strengthening of military-security ties with Asia-Pacific countries” and said they “oppose external military forces undermining regional peace and stability.”

In the statement, the countries emphasized their partnership is in the “fundamental interests” of both countries, adding that “Russia needs a prosperous and stable China, and China needs a strong and successful Russia.” The leaders also said they will develop a closer energy partnership and continue to strengthen their cooperation in the financial sector.

In regard to Ukraine, both sides pointed out in the statement that to resolve the crisis, “the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be respected, and camp confrontation and fueling the fire must be prevented.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held official joint events in the Kremlin Tuesday, where the two pledged to deepen China-Russia ties.

The show of unity has heightened concerns that Beijing will provide cover for Russia’s war in Ukraine. In fact, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday the alliance has “seen some signs” that Russia has likely requested lethal aid from China to bolster Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

During their joint events Tuesday, the two leaders also called for an end to actions that “increase tensions” and prolong the war in Ukraine, attended a state dinner and signed a joint declaration on deepening their partnership.

Here are other headlines:

Surveillance drones. The United States is flying surveillance drones further south above the Black Sea after a Russian jet collided with a US drone last week, according to two US officials. The drone flights have remained in international airspace, but since the collision, the US has moved its drone flights further away from airspace surrounding the Crimean peninsula and eastern portions of the Black Sea.

Russian strikes. Three people were injured in a Russian missile attack on the Odesa region on Tuesday, according to Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office in Ukraine.

The fight for Bakhmut. The eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut remains the focus of Russia’s attacks. A Ukrainian army major in the area said the situation remains extremely difficult in the city, but he believes the Russians are losing their “offensive potential.”

Military aid. The US has changed course and is now providing Ukraine with 31 M1-A1 Abrams tanks instead of the newer M1-A2 variants previously planned, Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Tuesday. Patriot missile defense systems are also set to be deployed to Ukraine faster than originally planned, and a group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers will complete their training on the systems at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the coming days, US defense officials said on Tuesday. But Ukraine has more requests: A senior Ukrainian air force official said the country needs modern combat aircraft as it squeezes the most out of its diminishing Soviet-era fleet.

The United States is flying surveillance drones further south above the Black Sea after a Russian jet collided with a US drone last week, according to two US officials

The drone flights have remained in international airspace, but since the collision between one of the Russian jets and the MQ-9 Reaper drone last Tuesday, the US has moved its drone flights further away from airspace surrounding the Crimean peninsula and eastern portions of the Black Sea.

One of the officials said the routes are part of an effort “to avoid being too provocative,” as the Biden administration remains careful to avoid an incident that could potentially escalate into a direct conflict between US and Russian forces.

The official said the drone flights would continue this way “for the time being,” but added there is already “an appetite” to return to the routes closer to Russian-held territory. The officials also said Russia may try to unilaterally declare a broader closure of airspace around southern and eastern Ukraine in an attempt to force US drone flights further out.  

On Tuesday, FlightRadar24, a commercial flight tracking website, showed a US RQ-4 Global Hawk — which is a remotely-piloted aircraft used for surveillance — remaining in the southern and southwestern portions of the Black Sea at an altitude of approximately 52,000 feet.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday the US was continuing to operate drones of the Black Sea, “flying in international airspace in accordance with international law.”

But he declined to say whether the US had changed its routes or mission profiles following last week’s encounter between a US spy drone and two Russian fighter jets. 

“I’m not going to, for operational security reasons, not going to get into the specifics of routes, missions, timelines, things like that,” Ryder said at a press briefing.

Memorial, a Russian human rights group, said one of its leading figures was arrested in Moscow on Tuesday and faces charges of discrediting the Russian armed forces.

A criminal case has been opened against Oleg Orlov, 69, co-chairman of Memorial Human Rights Defence Center, the group tweeted. He was later released on bail.

Memorial said Orlov’s case was opened under allegations he repeatedly discredited the Russian military.

A journalist asked Orlov why he was being detained, to which he responded: “It’s related to accusation against me that I support Nazism. An idiotic idea!”

Orlov had reposted an article he wrote for a French publication in November 2022 on his Facebook page. The article was entitled “They wanted fascism. They got it.”

Memorial was banned in Russia in late 2021. Last year it shared the Nobel Peace Prize for its “outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power.”

The White House rejected China’s claim to hold an impartial position in the war in Ukraine following a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Moscow.

Earlier, Xi said that Beijing held an impartial position in the war after lengthy talks with Putin in Moscow.

The United States held a skeptical view of the summit, particularly China’s stated goal of acting as a peacemaker. Kirby said if China wanted to play a constructive role, it would use its influence to urge Russia to end the war.

Biden “wants to keep the lines of communication open with China” and will speak with Xi “at the appropriate time,” Kirby said.

US officials are still digesting the language of the joint statement released following the Xi-Putin meeting, but Kirby said there was little optimism at the summit’s conclusions.

 “We haven’t seen anything that they’ve said, they put forward, that gives us hope that this war is going to end anytime soon,” he said.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office in Ukraine, said three people were injured in a Russian missile attack on the Odesa region on Tuesday.

Yermak posted on Telegram: “Russians struck Odesa with four missiles. Kh-59, according to preliminary reports.”

“Two missiles have been intercepted by air defence. Two more hit the city, unfortunately.”

He said a three-story building was damaged on the premises of a monastery.

Yurii Kruk, head of the Odesa district military administration said “the enemy” carried out a rocket strike in the region with SU-35 fighters launching missiles from the sea.

“Some rockets were intercepted thanks to our air defences. However, there was a strike that resulted in partial damage to civilian building. There are wounded. No one was killed, according to preliminary reports,” he said.

Unofficial social media reports indicate that the missiles were aimed at an airfield in the region.

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan said he believes Russia is treating children like “spoils of war.”

Last week, the ICC announced arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for their roles in allegedly illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.

The Rome Statute of the Geneva Conventions makes it clear “you can’t deport civilians to a foreign country,” Khan said.

Moscow has rejected the warrants, with a spokesperson for the ministry of foreign affairs previously saying that “Russia is not a member of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and bears no obligations under it.”

“You must look after them,” Khan said of Ukrainian children. “If they are not safe, you move them to a safe part of Ukraine. If that’s not possible, a neutral third country. And it seems to be not just deportation to Russian Federation, they’re met by strangers who now have suddenly become adopted parents. And the children are not property, they’re not the spoils of war.” 

The prosecutor said Russia does not seem to be denying the allegations against it but rather wearing it “like a badge of honor.”

“Children are not the property of a country to be dispatched based on politics or some ideological motives. It needs to be regulated by law, and that law needs to be enforced,” Khan said. 

He said the ICC has since reached out to Russia, but it has not heard back.

A Ukrainian army major in the Bakhmut area says the situation remains extremely difficult, but that he believes the Russians are losing their “offensive potential.”

Maksym Zhorin said on his Telegram channel that “the main task for the Ukrainian army is to hold the connection corridor, which allows for the supply and evacuation of the wounded.”

“Therefore the fighting around this corridor, in the area of Ivankivske and Bohdanivka, is the most difficult,” he said.

The two villages sit on routes west from Bakhmut toward the city of Kostiantynivka.

“One thing I can say for sure is that the enemy is gradually running out of offensive potential,” Zhorin said. “They have sustained significant losses while trying to advance in the South and in the North, as well as while trying to attack directly through urban areas. Nevertheless, the endless assault attempts continue.”
“The Russians have a goal to take Bakhmut at any cost. We have orders to hold the line. We are following our orders.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping has left the Kremlin following a state dinner on Tuesday evening with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to footage on Russian state media.

Talks between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin continued Tuesday as Western leaders closely monitored day two of Xi’s three-day Moscow visit.

Let’s catch up on what happened today:

The US has changed course and is now providing Ukraine with 31 M1-A1 Abrams tanks instead of the newer M1-A2 variants previously planned, Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Tuesday.

“[A]fter further study and analysis on how best to do this, DoD in close coordination with Ukraine has made the decision to provide the M1-A1 variant of the Abrams tank, which will enable us to submit significantly expedite delivery timelines and deliver this important capability to Ukraine by the fall of this year,” Ryder said at a press conference. 

He added that the US would also be providing Ukraine with “advances armor and weapons systems” that are “very similar capability” to the M1-A2, including a .50-caliber heavy machine gun and 120 mm cannon.

The UK Ministry of Defense said Russia is “deliberately trying to disinform” after President Vladimir Putin warned the UK against providing Ukraine with ammunition that contains depleted uranium.

Baroness Annabel Goldie, the UK Minister of State at the Ministry of Defense, announced the aid in a statement Monday.

“I would like to note that if all this happens, Russia will have to react accordingly,” Putin said during a news conference Tuesday alongside his Chinese counterpart. “I mean that the collective West is already starting to use weapons with a nuclear component,” referencing that the shells have depleted uranium.

In response, a UK MOD spokesperson said, “the British Army has used depleted uranium in its armour-piercing shells for decades. It is a standard component and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities. Russia knows this, but is deliberately trying to disinform.”

“Independent research by scientists from groups such as the Royal Society has assessed that any impact to personal health and the environment from the use of depleted uranium munitions is likely to be low,” the spokesperson stated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived at the state dinner in Moscow Tuesday, following the second day of talks between the two leaders.

“Russia-Chinese relations are at the highest point ever,” Putin said in an opening speech at the state dinner.

He added that the cooperation between the two counties has “limitless possibilities and prospects.”

Putin ended his speech by toasting to the “health” of Xi and the Chinese delegation, the “deepening of the Russian-Chinese partnership and strategic cooperation” and “the prosperity of the Russian and Chinese people.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are calling for an end to actions that “increase tensions” and prolong the war in Ukraine, according to a readout released by Chinese state media People’s Daily of the two leaders meeting in Moscow Tuesday.

According to the readout, Russia spoke positively about China’s “objective and fair” stance on Ukraine and both sides opposed any country or group of countries harming the “legitimate security interests of other countries in pursuit of military, political or other advantages.”

Russia reiterated its commitment to resuming peace talks as soon as possible, which China appreciated, according to People’s Daily. Russia also welcomed China playing an “active role” in finding a solution to the conflict in Ukraine through political and diplomatic means, including some of the measures China proposed in its 12-point peace plan.

Both leaders said that the “legitimate security concerns of all countries” must be respected when it comes to how to end the war and attempts that “add fuel to fire” as well as “confrontation between blocs” must be prevented, the readout said.

Both sides also opposed any unilateral sanctions unauthorized by the United Nations Security Council. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he has built a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past 10 years.

“I reviewed the results of relations between our two countries in the past 10 years with President Putin. We agreed that the relations between our two nations go way beyond ourselves. They are crucial to the world order and all mankind’s future and destiny,” Xi said during remarks in Moscow on Tuesday following the signing of a joint declaration of cooperation.

“Since last year, the Sino-Russian comprehensive pragmatic cooperation has achieved great results. It continues to show that this cooperation has a solid base, is very complimentary and very tough,” Xi continued, adding that trade volume between the two countries increased by 116% compared to a decade ago.

China’s proposal for a peace plan in Ukraine, “can be taken as the basis for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, when the West and in Kyiv are ready for it,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

“We believe in many of the points on the peace plan put forward by China,” he added.

Putin said he also discussed sanctions with his Chinese counterpart.

“When we discussed international problems, we stated that Russia and China’s views are converging and very close on a number of them,” Putin said. “Tension in a number of regions in the world is increasing, the conflict and crisis potential is growing, the practice of using illegitimate politically motivated sanctions and other restrictions is expanding.”

“China and Russia are against any states violating the interest of other countries for the sake of military, political or economic benefit,” Putin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he is “in constant contact” with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

This “enables us to find any solutions even in the most difficult situation to all problems,” Putin said, calling China a “stable trade partner.”

China is the “leading destination for import of Russian oil,” he added.

Putin also said cooperation with China in nuclear energy is increasing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off his speech to reporters following two days of meetings with his Chinese counterpart by calling Xi Jinping a “friend.”

The two leaders moments earlier signed a joint declaration on deepening partnership.

“The two key statements we have just signed fully reflect the nature of Russian-Chinese relations, which are at their highest level of development and are an exemplary of a true comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. Russia and China are bound by strong ties of good neighborhood, mutual assistance and support between our nations. We maintain an active bilateral dialogue at all levels,” Putin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have signed a joint declaration “on key aspects of the Sino-Russian economic cooperation plan by 2030,” according to Chinese state media on Tuesday.

The two leaders took part in the document signing ceremony in the Malachite Hall at the Grand Kremlin Palace

The leaders emphasized that the Ukrainian crisis should be solved through peace talks, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

Patriot missile defense systems are set to be deployed to Ukraine faster than originally planned, and a group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers will complete their training on the systems at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the coming days, US defense officials said on Tuesday.

The troops will then move on to Europe for additional training on the two Patriot systems—one American, and one built by the Germans and Dutch— that will be deployed to Ukraine in the coming weeks, the officials told reporters at Fort Sill.

US trainers at Fort Sill, where the 65 Ukrainians have been training since January 15, were able to significantly speed up the timeline of the course because of the Ukrainians’ baseline knowledge of air defense systems, the officials said.

The acceleration of Patriot deployments comes the same day it was reported that the US will accelerate the time it takes to ship Abrams tanks to Ukraine by sending older M1-A1 models of America’s main battle tank instead of the more modern version of the tank, according to two US officials.

“Our assessment is that the Ukrainian soldiers are impressive, and absolutely a quick study,” said Brig. Gen. Shane Morgan, the Fort Sill commander. “Due to their extensive air defense knowledge and experience in a combat zone, it was easier— though never easy—for them to grasp the Patriot System Operations and Maintenance concepts.” 

The US military had allocated 10 weeks for the training, but the Ukrainians completed it in about 8 weeks. The training schedule was “aggressive,” a Fort Sill official said, with the Ukrainians training daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.

Moscow is ready to support Chinese businesses in replacing Western companies that have left Russia since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday ahead of expanded talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

“We are ready to support Chinese business in replacing Western enterprises that left Russia,” Putin said.

Some background: Dozens of the world’s biggest companies abandoned or scaled back their operations in Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The exodus affected every corner of the economy, from its vast energy riches through autos, finance, retail, entertainment and fast food, starving Russia of new investment and removing products and services that had become popular in the decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Some high-profile exist were by Apple, Ford and BP. See the list here.

Ahead of the start of scheduled expanded negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the two leaders had “substantive” and “frank” discussions so far.

“Last night, we had a substantive conversation about the entire comprehensive agenda between our countries and the urgent international and regional problems,” Putin said in his opening statement.

“Having just met in a narrow circle we had a frank and full discussion and exchanged views on the future development of Russian-Chinese ties and the strengthening of coordination on the international scene,” he said.

Next, the two leaders are next going to have “a detailed examination of the practical aspects of our cooperation in various areas in extended meeting between our delegations,” Putin said, including a plan for the development of key areas of Russian-Chinese economic cooperation until 2030.

Additionally, Putin told Xi that Russia is “able to meet the growing demand of Chinese economy for energy resources.”

Russia and China are pushing for further cooperation and that the countries are seeing “early results” of their cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

“Our areas of cooperation continue to expand and our consensus continue to deepen. We are seeing early results of our cooperation and further works are under full implementation,” Xi said. 

According to a Chinese state media readout, in a meeting earlier Tuesday Xi told Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that China and Russia should enhance and expand economic and trade cooperation, and “jointly safeguard our two countries’ energy security.”

The US will dramatically accelerate the time it takes to ship Abrams tanks to Ukraine by sending older M1-A1 models of America’s main battle tank instead of the more modern version of the tank, according to two US officials. 

The switch will allow the tanks to arrive as early as the fall of this year, one of the officials said, shaving months off the previous timeline that could have taken a year or longer.

On Tuesday morning, the National Security Council’s strategic communications coordinator John Kirby said that the US was working to speed up the delivery of tanks to Ukraine. 

 “We’re working on that. There’s some changes that you can make to the process, to sort of speed that up,” Kirby said on MSNBC. “The Pentagon is working as fast as they can, and they’ll have more to say on adjustments they’re making.”

More on the tanks: The US had previously announced it would send the more modern M1-A2 version of the Abrams battle tank, but that would have required either building new tanks or modernizing existing older tanks, then training Ukrainian crews on the more advanced system. The M1-A2 has a newer digital targeting system that makes it a more capable tank, but it also required more training for Ukrainian troops to operate the more complex tank and to maintain the system. 

The decision to speed up the delivery of tanks comes as Ukraine is preparing to launch a spring offensive against Russian forces, built largely around the more powerful and more advanced systems Western countries have agreed to send, including tanks and other armored vehicles. 

The US still intends to send 31 M1-A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the same number as previously announced. The size of a complete Ukrainian tank battalion.  

What other US officials have said: In mid-February, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said these systems would “make a pretty significant difference” in Ukraine’s anticipated counteroffensive. Austin urged other countries last week to send tanks and other armored vehicles to Ukraine as soon as possible.

Last month, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth had said all of the options the US was considering to get tanks to Ukraine would take months.

“We’re looking at options for how to get the Ukrainians tanks and there are a variety of different ways that we could do that,” Wormuth told a group of reporters at the time. “We’re looking at what’s the fastest way we can get the tanks to the Ukrainians. It’s not going to be a matter of weeks.”

But she warned that even the faster options still involve “longer timelines” that may take more than a year.

Reuters first reported the decision to send the older Abrams tanks.

China and Russia should enhance and expand economic and trade cooperation, and also jointly safeguard both countries’ energy security, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in a meeting Tuesday, according to a Chinese state media readout. 

“We must fully utilize the spillover effects of major interconnecting projects, jointly safeguard our two countries’ energy security and expand our bilateral trade exchanges,” Xi said in a statement, adding that China and Russia should also enhance cooperation in scientific and technological innovation. 

What Moscow is saying: Russia, on the other hand, is ready for closer cooperation with China in various areas, including trade, energy, natural gas, “peaceful use” of nuclear power, space technology, technological innovation, cross-border transportation, food security and supply chain security, Mishustin said, according to the statement. 

Mishustin said he brought “almost all key cabinet members” to his meeting with Xi, adding that the fact that Xi chose Russia for his first foreign visit after he secured a precedent-shattering third-term as China’s head of state demonstrates the “special nature of Sino-Russia relations in the new era.” 

Xi went on to meet with Russian Vladimir Putin after this meeting with Mishustin. Western leaders have closely been monitoring Xi’s three-day Moscow visit for possible outcomes that could impact the conflict in Ukraine.

A senior Ukrainian air force official says that Ukraine needs modern combat aircraft as it squeezes the most out of its diminishing Soviet-era fleet.

Ukraine needs “modern multi-purpose aircraft capable to perform a wider range of tasks than the old Soviet equipment that is in service,” and Ukrainian pilots need to be trained up quickly on such planes, said Serhiy Holubtsov, Chief of Aviation of the Air Force Command.

“At the moment, we are not talking about a specific type, but rather focus on technical characteristics. We are considering aircraft that can use the same ammunition and have the same characteristics as, for example, the F-16,” Holubtsov said.

He added that Ukraine has the capability to store and protect its aircraft.

For now, Ukrainian pilots are skillfully using old Soviet aircraft and “squeezing the maximum out of that equipment,” Holubtsov said, adding that a recent test of Ukrainian pilots in the US showed that they can be trained in less than six months.

Some context: So far no western government has pledged F-16s to Ukraine, though several have said they would not object to Ukraine acquiring the plane. Sweden has not ruled out supplying Gripen fighters to Ukraine but has no firm plans to do so. Slovakia and Poland have announced plans to send Soviet-era combat planes to Ukraine. 

NATO has “seen some signs” that Russia has likely requested lethal aid from China to bolster Moscow’s war in Ukraine, the alliance’s secretary general said Tuesday.

“We haven’t seen any proof that China is delivering lethal weapons to Russia, but we have seen some signs that this has been a request from Russia, and that this is an issue that is considered in Beijing by the Chinese authorities,” Jens Stoltenberg told reporters at a news conference in Brussels.

“China should not provide lethal aid to Russia. That would be to support an illegal war,” Stoltenberg warned. 

The NATO chief’s comments come as China’s Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Beijing has claimed impartiality in the conflict, but echoed Kremlin rhetoric blaming NATO for the conflict, refused to condemn the invasion, and backed Moscow financially by significantly increasing purchases of Russian fuel.

Stoltenberg said Xi’s three-day state visit to Moscow signals the closer ties developing between China and Russia in recent years.

“We see how China and Russia are coming closer and closer in the military domain — joint exercises, joint patrols, naval and air patrols — in the economic domain and also in the political and diplomatic domain,” Stoltenberg said. “So the meeting in Moscow is part of that pattern where China and Russia are working more and more closely and building a stronger and stronger partnership.”

CNN’s Simone McCarthy contributed reporting to this post. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold official joint events in the Kremlin on Tuesday, including two rounds of Russia-Chinese negotiations, a ceremony for signing documents, statements for the press and a state dinner.

While we await those, here’s everything you need to know so far about Xi’s three-day state visit to Moscow:

“Thorough” exchange of views: The two presidents had a “thorough” exchange of views during a face-to-face meeting in Moscow on Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, though he refrained from commenting on the outcome of the first day of Xi’s visit to Russia.

China’s “peace plan”: Peskov confirmed that Putin and Xi discussed China’s “peace plan” during their first meeting of the visit, which lasted four and a half hours. He did not disclose any further details.

Deep skepticism: Western allies remain skeptical of any breakthrough over the war in Ukraine. Top US diplomat, Antony Blinken, said the Chinese leader’s visit provides “diplomatic cover” for Moscow.

China’s “strategic choice” to develop relations with Russia: On Monday at the Kremlin, the Chinese leader said developing relations with its “biggest neighbor” was a “strategic choice” on the basis of Beijing’s “own fundamental interests and the prevailing trends of the world.”

He called for the two countries to “strengthen coordination and collaboration on multilateral platforms such as the UN to boost their respective national development and rejuvenation,” according to a readout from China’s Foreign Ministry.

The meeting also provides an opportunity for China to further expand an economic relationship that has only grown more lopsided following Russia’s expulsion from the global financial system.

Fighting has raged around the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut for weeks as Russian forces and Wagner mercenaries have attempted to capture it, in the face of dogged Ukrainian resistance.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN that Russian troops would have an “open road” to capture key cities in eastern Ukraine if they seized control of Bakhmut.

In the last 24 hours, Russian forces have continued to focus their attacks in the Bakhmut direction, Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesman for the Eastern Grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on national television Tuesday. 

He added that “26 combat engagements and 1 air strike happened.”

In the area of the city of Bakhmut itself, 59 attacks and 13 combat engagements took place, Cherevatyi said. 

Heavy Russian artillery fire has also continued in the Lyman-Kupyansk direction, with “several hundred attacks per day, usually more than 300, sometimes more than 400,” he said, adding that there were 344 attacks and 17 combat engagements over the last 24 hours in the area.

“In that direction, the enemy also began to use armored vehicles more often, usually standard Soviet or Russian vehicles,” Cherevatyi said. “The only new weapon is a Lancet drone. This is something that they have not used on a m

assive scale before.”

Russian and Ukrainian forces are caught in a grinding battle for control of the eastern Donetsk region, in scenes of some of the most intense fighting during the invasion.

Read more on the fight for Bakhmut here:

Prigozhin at Bakhmut tank monument

Related article Battle for Bakhmut grinds down Wagner's mercenaries and cuts their notorious leader down to size | CNN

In a series of high-profile diplomatic trips, where Russia’s war on Ukraine is expected to be at the top of the agenda, Chinese President Xi Jinping continues his three-day trip to Moscow Tuesday, where he is holding talks and other joint events with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

And Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is in Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Here are the latest developments:

A senior Ukrainian official told CNN Tuesday that discussions are underway with China to organize a call between the Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss Beijing’s proposal for a peace plan for Ukraine. 

If the conversation does happen, it would be the first to take place between the two leaders. But the senior Ukrainian official added that “nothing concrete has been scheduled.” 

The Chinese leader is currently on his first trip to Russia since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday Putin and Xi had a “thorough” exchange of views during a face to face meeting Monday. Peskov confirmed Putin and Xi discussed China’s “peace plan” during their first meeting which lasted four and a half hours, without disclosing any more details.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has arrived in Ukraine’s capital as part of a “historic visit,” Emine Dzheppa, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said Tuesday. 

“Ukraine is happy to welcome Japan’s PM Kishida Fumio. This historic visit is a sign of solidarity and strong cooperation between Ukraine and Japan,” she said in a post on her official Twitter account, accompanied by a picture showing the arrival. 

“We are grateful to Japan for its strong support and contribution to our future victory,” she added. 

At least 8,317 civilians have been killed and at least 13,892 have been injured across Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement released Monday. 

The highest numbers of civilian casualties were recorded in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the OHCHR numbers show. 

The numbers are based on information collected up until March 19, 2023, OHCHR said, providing the following details:

Citing intense hostilities, OHCHR said the reports from some locations are delayed and many are still pending corroboration and so “the actual figures are considerably higher.”

Among those areas are the cities of Mariupol in Donetsk region, as well as Lysychansk, Popasna, and Severodonetsk in Luhansk region, “where there are allegations of numerous civilian casualties,” the agency said. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a “thorough” exchange of views during a face-to-face meeting in Moscow on Monday, the Kremlin said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refrained from commenting on the outcome of the first day of Xi’s visit to Russia, during which the presidents are expected to discuss Beijing’s proposition on resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

“A thorough exchange of views took place,” Peskov told reporters, saying that the leaders will elaborate during their press statements on Tuesday.

He also confirmed Putin and Xi discussed China’s “peace plan” during their first meeting of the visit which lasted four and a half hours, without disclosing any more details.

Putin and Xi are also expected to hold official joint events in the Kremlin on Tuesday, including two rounds of Russia-Chinese negotiations, a ceremony for signing documents, statements for the press and a state dinner.

However, senior officials in Kyiv and the United States have warned that they predict the meetings will have little impact on the conflict in Ukraine, where Russia’s invasion has prompted a mass humanitarian crisis and left tens of thousands dead.

CNN’s Simone McCarthy contributed reporting.

A Russian soldier who allegedly shot a civilian in an extraordinary attack caught on camera by a Ukrainian drone is being accused of war crimes in absentia by the Ukrainian police.

The dossier of evidence against him includes phone calls between the soldier and his wife and friend intercepted during a months-long investigation into the Russian attack near the city of Izium last June.

The audio files were shared exclusively with CNN in advance of a news conference in Kharkiv to announce the charges on Tuesday.

Police identified the soldier as Klim Kerzhaev – a 26-year-old commander from Moscow, who served in the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army in the Western Military District. He is accused of the attempted murder of a civilian – a war crime under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The attack was also captured on aerial footage by Ukrainian soldiers, who launched a unique rescue mission by attaching a piece of paper with the words “follow me” to a small drone – an operation which featured in a recent documentary by Ukrainian filmmaker Lyubomyr Levytsky.

Read the full story:

Related article 'I killed a man today': Russian soldier accused of war crimes in absentia after audio files intercepted

Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to travel to China later this year, as the two leaders hold talks in Moscow that Western allies caution may result in little diplomatic breakthrough on the war in Ukraine.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has already accepted Xi’s invitation, the Russian prime minister’s spokesperson was quoted saying by state news agency TASS.

Xi met with Mishustin on Tuesday and invited him to visit China as soon as possible to establish closer ties with China’s new Prime Minister Li Qiang, TASS reported.  

Xi’s three-day state visit to Russia comes as Beijing attempts to frame itself as a mediator in the conflict in Ukraine, having called for a ceasefire and peace talks in a vaguely-worded proposal last month.

But leaders in Kyiv and its Western allies remain skeptical of China’s position on resolving the war, based on concerns that nothing offered by Beijing so far supports Ukraine’s demand that all Russian troops retreat from its territory.

CNN’s Simone McCarthy contributed reporting.

Russian shelling has killed at least two civilians and wounded three others in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region over the last 24 hours, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration.

One person was killed and two wounded in the town of Avdiivka, he said in a Telegram post Tuesday. “The city suffered two shelling attacks and a rocket attack - houses on 4 streets, the territory of the Avdiivka Coke Plant and a food factory were damaged.”

In the direction of Horlivka, one person was killed and one wounded in Bakhmut, Kyrylenko said.

In Kostyantynivka, three private houses, a kindergarten, a gas pipeline and a water pipeline were damaged. Communities in the Soledar area also came under fire, he said.

In the Lysychansk direction, a kindergarten and houses on two streets in Siversk were damaged, Kyrylenko said.

Here’s a a map of the area and which areas are under Russian contrDonetsk region

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived at the Russian White House in Moscow for a meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin ahead of further talks at the Kremlin, state-run news agency Tass reported Tuesday.

Xi is on a three-day state visit to Russia framed by Beijing as a peacemaking project despite deep skepticism in Kyiv and the West.

The Chinese leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for four and a half hours on Monday and are expected to hold further talks on Tuesday before signing documents and holding a joint news conference ahead of a state lunch.

The Russian White House houses the offices of the country’s government.

Xi Jinping sits down for a second day of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday but Western allies remain skeptical of any breakthrough over the war in Ukraine with Washington saying the Chinese leader’s visit provides “diplomatic cover” for Moscow.

The first day in Russia for Xi was a carefully choreographed show of bonhomie with a brass band serenade, a photo op and lunch with his “dear friend” Putin — but it is the second day where the two leaders are set to get to work.

The key question of global interest hanging over the talks is whether any outcomes will impact the conflict in Ukraine, where Russia continues an onslaught that has triggered a mass humanitarian crisis and left tens of thousands dead.

China in recent weeks has attempted to portray itself as an aspiring broker of peace, calling for ceasefire and peace talks in a vaguely-worded position paper released last month.

Putin on Monday said Russia had “carefully studied” China’s proposals and promised “an opportunity to discuss this matter,” according to a Kremlin readout.

But there has been wide skepticism of China’s position on resolving the conflict, centered on concerns that nothing offered by Beijing so far reflects Ukraine’s demand that all Russian troops withdraw from its territory.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday hit out at Xi’s visit, remarking that it came just days after the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

“China feels no responsibility to hold the Kremlin accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine, and instead of even condemning them, it would rather provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit those very crimes,” Washington’s top diplomat said.
Any calls for a ceasefire “that does not include the removal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory would effectively be supporting the ratification of Russian conquest” as it would “allow President Putin to rest and refit his troops, and then restart the war at a time more advantageous to Russia,” he added.

Read more here.

A New Zealand citizen has been killed in action in Ukraine, a report from CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand (RNZ) confirmed Tuesday. 

The man, a former New Zealand Defense Force soldier, died in a frontline battle in eastern Ukraine, RNZ said, citing sources in the country.

New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the reports of his death, according to RNZ. 

The soldier is the third New Zealander to be killed in Ukraine since the war began last year, RNZ said. 

Taiwan’s foreign minister on Tuesday criticized China’s efforts to present itself as a peacemaker in the Ukraine conflict while it “threatens war” against the self-ruled island.

“The #PRC threatens war against #Taiwan & others, but wants to propose a peace plan to #Russia, who initiated the war against #Ukraine,” Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said on the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry’s Twitter account. “We ain’t no idiots. Want peace? Both autocrats should immediately stop their threats, aggression & expansionism.”

Wu’s apparent reference to Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin comes as Xi makes a three-day trip to Moscow that has been framed by Beijing as “a journey of peace.”

Putin said Monday that Russia is ready to study China’s proposal for resolving the situation in Ukraine but Western leaders have expressed skepticism about Beijing’s role as a peace broker.

Beijing’s claim to neutrality has been severely undermined by its refusal to acknowledge the nature of the conflict — it has so far avoided calling it an “invasion” — and its diplomatic and economic support for Moscow.

Taiwan under pressure: China’s ruling Communist Party has never controlled Taiwan but claims the self-ruled island democracy as its own and has repeatedly refused to rule out taking it by force. China has also increasingly exerted its military pressure on Taiwan by regularly sending aircraft and naval ships across the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Tuesday.

In a statement, the ministry said Kishida would express Japan’s “solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine” and “his respect for the courage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people standing up to defend their homeland.”

Kishida’s surprise trip comes as Chinese leader Xi Jinping holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

His visit will be the first time a Japanese prime minister has visited a country or region with ongoing fighting since World War II, according to public broadcaster NHK. It will also be the first visit to Ukraine by an Asian member of the G7 grouping and the first by a United States ally in the region.

The dual visits by Kishida and Xi underscore deep divisions in northeast Asia toward the war in Ukraine, with Japan pledging substantial aid for Kyiv, while China remains a lone voice supporting an increasingly isolated Putin — now a global pariah and suspected war criminal.

Kishida will travel to Poland on Wednesday, the ministry added in its statement.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making a surprise visit to Ukraine on Tuesday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to public broadcaster NHK.

His unexpected trip comes after Chinese leader Xi Jinping began a three-day visit to Moscow on Monday, his first since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Here are the latest headlines:

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making a surprise trip to Ukraine on Tuesday to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — a day after Chinese leader Xi Jinping met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Kishida has already left India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is now on his way to Ukraine, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

His trip is the first time a Japanese prime minister has visited a country or region with ongoing fighting since World War II, NHK reported.

It will also be the first visit to Ukraine by an Asian member of the G7 grouping and the first by a US ally in the region.

In the face of China’s growing assertiveness and global reach, Japan and the United States have moved closer in recent years, especially on regional security and intelligence cooperation. Japan is also a member of the Quad, the informal group focused on security that includes India, Australia and the United States.

Kishida has previously spoken out forcefully against Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor, warning last year that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow.”

Last month, on the eve of the invasion’s one-year anniversary, Japan pledged $5.5 billion in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, quadrupling Tokyo’s previous contributions.

Read more here.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said late Monday that a strike destroyed Russian “Kalibr” cruise missiles that were being transported by train in the town of Dzhankoi, in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian authorities did not directly claim responsibility for the strike but said it serves to further “demilitarize Russia and prepare the Crimean peninsula for de-occupation.”

Sergei Askyonov, the Russian-installed head of the annexed peninsula, confirmed there was a strike and the region’s air defense system was activated. One person was injured and two buildings were damaged, Askyonov said.

Amateur video geolocated by CNN shows a large explosion and resulting fireball. An individual is heard saying off-camera the strike hit the train station. However, the video did not clearly show what had been hit and CNN hasn’t been able to confirm the exact location of the strike.

Two of Russia’s most important military airfields in Crimea are located in Dzhankoi and Gvardeyskoye, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in 2022.

“Dzhankoi is also a key road and rail junction that plays an important role in supplying Russia’s operations in southern Ukraine,” it said.

Crimea also hosts an important port and a major naval base for Russia’s Black Sea fleet in the city of Sevastopol. Some of Russia’s most important warships have been docked there, including surface ships equipped with cruise missiles.

The US has previously accused Russia of using cruise missiles fired from ships in the Black Sea to hit civilian targets in Ukraine.

Read more here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said EU plans to accelerate the supply of ammunition to Ukraine gives him “confidence in our unity.” 

“This decision is worth 2 billion euros. It provides for both immediate delivery and production of ammunition. This is a strategic move,” he said in his nightly address on Monday.

“It gives us confidence in our unity, in the immutability of the progress towards victory over the terrorist state. I am grateful to all our partners in Europe. To all those who are truly committed to making Europe strong and free,” he added.

More on this: Earlier today, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that following a meeting in Brussels, European Union member states agreed on the joint procurement of 1 million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine. Seventeen EU member states and Norway agreed to jointly procure ammunition to “aid Ukraine and replenish national stockpiles,” the European Defence Agency (EDA) explained later in a news release.

In his nightly address, Zelensky also reiterated his thanks to the United States for its latest military aid package announcement. He called the $350 million package “all that is truly necessary to support our soldiers”.

The White House maintained its skeptical view of this week’s summit between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, suggesting there was little evidence the talks between the Chinese and Russian leaders could yield positive developments for Ukraine.

John Kirby, the National Security Council communications coordinator, told reporters the US remains concerned that Xi would reiterate calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine that would only benefit Russia by allowing Russian forces to remain inside Ukrainian territory.

He said there wasn’t evidence yet that Beijing was moving forward with providing Moscow with weapons, but he said the option hasn’t been taken off the table.

“We’ll see what they come out of this meeting talking about. I mean, we don’t know if there’s going to be some sort of arrangement, I would just tell you that we still don’t believe that China is taking it off the table,” he said.

He told CNN’s Phil Mattingly the US views Russia as China’s “junior partner.”

A prospective phone call between Xi and President Joe Biden remains in the cards, but will only occur at the “most appropriate time,” Kirby said.

In the meantime, the administration still hopes for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit Beijing and is working on arranging economic visits by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to China.

US President Joe Biden is interested in talking again with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to John Kirby, the National Security Council strategic communications coordinator.

Xi is currently in Moscow on a three-day visit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nothing has been scheduled between the US and Chinese leaders yet, Kirby said. US officials want to make sure “it’s at the appropriate time,” he added.

Biden met with Xi for three hours in November on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. It was their first in-person encounter since Biden took office. At the time, the president told reporters he was “open and candid” with Xi about the range of matters where Beijing and Washington disagree.

Kirby also said the US wants to reschedule Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Beijing. It was postponed in February in response to the flying of a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

Blinken intends to travel to China “at the earliest opportunity when conditions allow,” a State Department official said last month, though the official did not elaborate on what conditions the US is watching for.

Kirby also said the US is having “active discussions” with China about Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo visiting the country.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday in an open letter to the Russian defense minister that his forces control around 70% of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

A months-long battle is raging in the city and earlier this month, Prigozhin acknowledged that the situation in Bakhmut was “difficult, very difficult, with the enemy fighting each other for each meter.”

“At the moment, Wagner units control around 70% of the city of Bakhmut and are continuing operations to complete the liberation of the city,” Prigozin wrote Monday in the letter published on Telegram. 

Prigozhin asked Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to take measures to prevent a potential upcoming offensive by Ukrainian troops in late March or early April, which the Wagner boss said would cut off his forces from Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. 

What Ukraine is saying: Prigozhin’s comments come after Ukraine’s military on Saturday claimed Wagner mercenaries have suffered “colossal losses” in the battle for Bahkmut and have had to seek reinforcements from Russian paratroopers.

“According to what we see Bakhmut will be the last battlefield for the infamous military actions of PMC Wagner because of this extensive offensive, where they ‘throw in’ all of their mercenaries and then the ex-prisoners,” Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Eastern Grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on national television. “Now we see that they are reinforced by units of the regular army. First of all, the airborne troops.” 

CNN is unable to independently verify Prigozhin’s claims or Ukrainian claims of Russian casualties.

Meanwhile, Prigozhin announced on Saturday that he plans to recruit about 30,000 new fighters by mid-May, according to a voice message published on Telegram.

Seventeen EU member states and Norway have agreed to jointly procure ammunition to “aid Ukraine and replenish national stockpiles,” the European Defence Agency (EDA) said in a news release on Monday.

Earlier Monday, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that following a meeting in Brussels, European Union member states had agreed on the joint procurement of 1 million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine.

“The project opens the way for EU Member States and Norway to proceed along two paths: a two-year, fast-track procedure for 155mm artillery rounds and a seven-year project to acquire multiple ammunition types,” the European Defence Agency said.

The 18 nations are Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Norway.

The EDA said this project “sends a clear message to industry and strengthens the EU’s support for Ukraine following Russia’s war of aggression,” adding that more countries have expressed intent to join the initiative.