Private Russian army says it will start withdrawing from Bakhmut
03:15
What we covered here
Russia denied a fire broke out at the Ministry of Defense building in Moscow, according to state news agency TASS. The news agency had earlier cited emergency services, which said there was a fire on a balcony.
Meanwhile, US officials have picked up chatter amongst Ukrainian officials blaming each other for a drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month, contributing to a US assessment that a Ukrainian group may have been responsible, sources told CNN.
Russia’s defense minister called the cross-border raid near Belgorod a “terrorist act,” and warned Moscow will respond “extremely harshly” to any further attempts. The anti-Putin groups that claimed the incursion said their operation is “ongoing.”
A new “revolution” could rock Russia if its stuttering war effort continues, the chief of the private Wagner military group said in a scathing assessment of Moscow’s military readiness.
Russia denies that a fire broke out at the country's defense ministry building in Moscow, state media says
From CNN's Jonny Hallam
Russia is now denying that there was a fire at the Ministry of Defense building, according to state news agency TASS on Thursday.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) did not detect a fire at the MOD building, TASS quoted the Moscow City MES Department as saying.
“The presence of a fire has not been confirmed, as no fire was detected by the fire brigade upon arrival. Neither is there any information about victims,” the press service of the Moscow department said, according to TASS.
Video seen by CNN showed smoke surrounding the MOD building and a woman heard saying “the smell of burning is horrible.”
Earlier, TASS reported that a fire broke out at the Russian Ministry of Defense building in central Moscow, citing an emergency services source.
The news agency also noted emergency services were working at the scene.
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Russia says it will respond "extremely harshly" to future incursions. Here's what to know
From CNN staff
Nine people were hospitalized following drone attacks on the Russian region of Belgorod overnight, its governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Wednesday.
The attacks followed the earlier incursion claimed by the anti-Moscow groups known as Freedom for Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps.
Here’s what else to know:
What we know about the anti-Putin groups: The anti-Putin Russian groups that claimed responsibility for the attack on Belgorod said their operation is “ongoing.” Denis Nikitin, the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, said the group coordinates with the Ukrainian military on operations inside Ukraine, but not outside. The Ukrainian government has distanced itself from the Russian fighters, saying they are operating independently in Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the fighters who crossed the border on Monday were pushed back into Ukrainian territory.
Warning from Russia: Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the cross-border raid in Belgorod a “terrorist act” and warned that Russia will respond “promptly and extremely harshly” to any further attempts. Shoigu also claimed that more than 70 saboteurs were killed, as well as automotive and armored vehicles. CNN could not independently verify Shoigu’s claim.
F-16 jets: Norway will support the training of Ukrainian personnel on US-made F-16 fighter jets, the Norwegian Defense Ministry said. Over the weekend, US President Joe Biden gave his backing for Kyiv’s pilots to be trained to fly the US-made planes and signaled to allies that the US would allow exports of the jets from other countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the planned supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine is “one of the strongest signals from the world that Russia will only lose.”
New US aid: The Biden administration approved the $285 million sale of a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System to Ukraine, the State Department said. That means Ukraine will have a total of nine NASAMS when the delivery is completed. In November, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the NASAMS had a 100% success rate in intercepting Russian missiles.
NATO membership: Ukraine’s bid to become a member of the alliance while it is engaged in a war with Russia is “not on the agenda,” according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. He acknowledged that there are some “different views in the alliance” on the issue of NATO membership for Kyiv, but he added that all members are in agreement that Ukraine will become a member.
Potential prisoner swap: Lawyers for an accused Russian money launderer in US custody want their client to be considered for any potential US-Russia prisoner swap for detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a court filing said. The Russian man, Alexander Vinnik, is accused of running a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly did business with drug dealers and identity thieves.
Kremlin attack: US officials have picked up chatter amongst Ukrainian officials blaming each other for a drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month. This contributes to a US assessment that a Ukrainian group may have been responsible, sources familiar with the intelligence told CNN.
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Ukrainians may have launched drone attack on Kremlin, US intelligence indicates
From CNN's Natasha Bertrand and Zachary Cohen
US officials have picked up chatter amongst Ukrainian officials blaming each other for a drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month.
The intercepts include some members of Ukraine’s military and intelligence bureaucracy speculating that Ukrainian special operations forces conducted the operation.
The chatter, combined with other intercepted communications of Russian officials blaming Ukraine for the attack and wondering how it happened, has led US officials to consider the possibility that a Ukrainian group was behind the incident on May 3.
On that morning, two drones flew up toward the Kremlin’s Senate Palace and struck the top of the building.
However, the US has not been able to reach a definitive conclusion on who was responsible and only assesses with low confidence that a Ukrainian group may have been behind the incident, officials said.
They still have no definitive proof as to who launched the drones, and US officials still believe it is unlikely that senior Ukrainian government officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, ordered the attack or knew about it beforehand.
Recent US intelligence reports have assessed that Russian officials have speculated privately, as they have publicly, that Ukraine was behind the attack, leading officials to believe that the incident was likely not a state-sponsored false-flag operation intended to give Russia a pretext to further escalate its war on Ukraine.
The Kremlin has also made some internal security changes in response to the attack, one source familiar with the intelligence said, declining to go into detail.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said publicly following the episode that the city’s air defenses would be tightened.
The drones that hit the Kremlin appeared small, with a relatively light payload, which is probably why they didn’t trigger Russian air defenses, sources told CNN.
Russian forces using 3 power units in Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant as military base, Ukrainian intelligence says
From CNN’s Yulia Kesaieva in Kyiv
Russian forces are using three power units at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as a logistics and military base, Ukraine’s intelligence service claimed Wednesday.
“Despite numerous appeals from the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and world leaders, the occupiers do not reduce their presence at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said in a statement.
It accused Russian forces of using three power units as a staging ground for military equipment.
“Currently, the territory of power units 1, 2, 4 is actually used as a logistics and military base [by Russia],” the statement said. “Russian military personnel, armored vehicles and trucks are permanently stationed at these sites.”
The statement notes that the number of vehicles and military personnel at the plant are constantly changing to be near each power unit. “The rotation takes place covertly during the curfew (from 23:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time),” the statement said.
Moscow has previously said the only military equipment at the plant is related to guard duties.
The statement comes ahead of an expected update Thursday from the IAEA on the situation in the plant.
Three IAEA inspectors from Argentina, Ireland and Morocco will arrive for a new rotation, according to Russian state media.
Earlier this week Rafael Grossi, the IAEA chief said the Zaporizhzhia plant was “extremely vulnerable” after external power had been lost to the plant.
CNN’s Jo Shelley contributed to this report.
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Allies' supply of F-16 jets is a signal that Russia will lose, Zelensky says
From CNN's Yulia Kesaieva and Hira Humayun
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the planned supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine is “one of the strongest signals from the world that Russia will only lose.”
Speaking during his nightly address, Zelensky referenced an international coalition with the UK and the Netherlands. Both countries said in early May that they are working to help Ukraine procure US-made F-16 fighter jets.
On Wednesday, Norway said it would support the training and will consider different ways to do so.
“This will be a signal that Russian terror has lost, and our world, which is based on respect for independent nations and the right of peoples to choose their own path, has survived,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine will prepare all the necessary conditions to make sure the air transition takes place as quickly and efficiently as possible, the president added.
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5 foreign fighters to be tried in absentia in Russia for involvement in Ukraine, state media says
From CNN’s Florence Davey-Attlee, Josh Pennington, Sugam Pokharel and Jessie Gretener
Five foreigners who fought for Ukraine are to stand trial in absentia in Russia, according to state media.
They will stand trial at a court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on May 31 at 10 a.m. local time, according to RIA Novosti, citing the court’s press service.
The group all fought for Ukraine in the defense of the southern city of Mariupol.
Swedish citizen Matthias Gustavsson, Croatian citizen Vekoslav Prebeg, and British citizen John Harding have been charged with “forcible seizure or forcible retention of power” and “mercenary participation in an armed conflict or hostilities.”
Another two British citizens, Andrew Hill and Dylan Healy, were charged with “participating as a mercenary in armed conflict or hostilities” and “aiding and abetting in the recruitment of mercenaries for use in armed conflict,” respectively.
The three British citizens — Harding, Hill and Healy — were all released as part of a prisoner swap in September 2022, according to the UK government.
CNN has contacted the governments of the UK, Sweden and Croatia for a response.
CNN’s Mick Krever, Arnaud Siad, Vasco Cotovio and Olga Voitovych contributed to this report.
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Biden administration approves $285 million sale of air defense system to Ukraine
From CNN's Oren Liebermann
The Biden administration approved the $285 million sale of a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System to Ukraine, the US State Department announced.
NASAMS is an advanced medium-range air defense system that Ukraine has used effectively to repel and intercept Russian aerial attacks. Ukraine already has two such systems, and the US has committed to providing another six under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
This latest purchase would give Ukraine a total of nine NASAMS when delivery is completed.
In November, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the NASAMS had a 100% success rate in intercepting Russian missiles.
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State Department: US is "deeply concerned" over a UN official meeting with a wanted Russian official
From CNN's Michael Conte and Christian Sierra
The United States is “deeply concerned” that a senior UN diplomat met with Maria Lvova-Belova, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for an alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia, the State Department said Wednesday.
“We are deeply concerned that a senior UN diplomat met with a fugitive subject to an ICC arrest warrant for committing war crimes against children,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said, repeating the allegations that “Russia is forcibly deporting children from Ukraine.”
Some background: A report released in February by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, backed by the US State Department, found that Moscow attempted to relocate, re-educate, and sometimes militarily train or forcibly adopt out Ukrainian children. It also said the Russian government is operating an expansive network of dozens of camps where it has held thousands of Ukrainian children since the start of the war against Ukraine last year.
In March, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin and for Lvova-Belova, the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights, for their roles in the alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia.
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Anti-Putin Russian fighters who claim cross-border Belgorod raid say their operation is ongoing
From CNN’s Sam Kiley, Pierre Bairin and Florence Davey-Attlee
Fighters from the anti-Putin Russian groups that claim they made a cross-border attack into the southwestern Russian region of Belgorod on Monday heralded the raid, adding that their operation is “ongoing.”
A member of the Freedom for Russia Legion who goes by the call sign “Caesar” told reporters Wednesday that the “effect of this raid was amazing.”
The “whole internet [was] blowing up, boiling,” Caesar told CNN while speaking to journalists who met with the fighters in the Sumy region of northeastern Ukraine.
Denis Nikitin, the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, said their operation continues. “Phase one, we consider it a successful phase. It’s over now, but the operation is ongoing,” he said.
Nikitin also commented on his group’s relationship with the Ukrainian military.
“What we do, obviously, we can ask our, let’s say, comrades, friends, for their assistance in planning,” Nikitin said. “They will say ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ ‘this is a good idea,’ ‘this is a bad idea.’ So this is a kind of encouragement and help and aid.”
The Ukrainian government has distanced itself from the Russian fighters, saying they are operating independently in Russia.
Legion fighter Caesar told journalists that Russian forces were “too stupid and too slow” in their response to the cross-border attack. He claimed his fighters destroyed a Russian mechanized company.
“We bring them heavy casualties,” Caesar said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed in a daily briefing on Tuesday that its forces repelled attackers back into Ukrainian territory using air strikes, artillery fire and military units.
When asked if Monday’s operation was part of the much-touted Ukrainian counteroffensive, Caesar said, “I think it is kind of, yes.” He said the Ukrainian military provides the Freedom for Russia Legion with “small arms, artillery weapons, heavy vehicles, everything.”
Asked about the overall goals of their mission, Caesar said: “We want to free our country … live in, prosper in freedom, and have a capability to self-realization.”
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Norway will support training of Ukrainian personnel on F-16s, defense ministry says
From CNN’s Alex Hardie
Norway will support the training of Ukrainian personnel on US-made F-16 fighter jets, officials said Wednesday.
The Norwegian Defense Ministry said that while the country has not decided whether to donate any of its F-16s to Ukraine, it will consider different ways to contribute to training.
Push for fighter jets: Over the weekend, US President Joe Biden gave his backing for Kyiv’s pilots to be trained to fly the US-made planes. Biden’s comments at a summit with G7 leaders in Japan came days after Britain and the Netherlands said they were building an “international coalition” to help Ukraine procure F-16s as it seeks to improve its defenses against Russian air attacks.
The Biden administration has also signaled to European allies in recent weeks that the US would allow them to export F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine if there are formal requests, sources familiar with the discussions said. The US would have to approve any third-party transfers because of the jets’ sensitive US technology.
F-16s are single-engine, multi-role jet aircraft, meaning they can be used in air-to-air or ground-attack missions. The jets for Ukraine are expected to be older versions that have been in the fleets of US allies, especially those in Western Europe.
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Lawyers for accused Russian money launderer lobby for him to be included in potential US-Russia prisoner swap
From CNN's Sean Lyngaas
Lawyers for an accused Russian money launderer in US custody are lobbying for their client to be included in any potential US-Russia prisoner swap for detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, according to new court filing.
The Russian man, Alexander Vinnik, is accused of running a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly did business with drug dealers and identity thieves. He was extradited from France to California last year.
The effort to free Vinnik in a swap for Gershkovich, who was arrested in Russia in March on what US officials say are bogus espionage charges, shows how lawyers for detained Russians and Americans are making a full-court press to get their clients included in any potential exchange involving Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, another American detained in Russia.
Vinnik, who has pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges, should be “allowed to advocate publicly for his inclusion in a prisoner swap,” Vinnik’s lawyers argued in a May 19 court filing in a federal court in San Francisco. The motion asks a judge to reverse an order that forbids Vinnik from discussing his case publicly.
“Numerous” people with knowledge of the US-Russia prisoner swap negotiations have told Vinnik’s lawyers that they should lobby publicly for his inclusion in a prisoner swap “in order to maximize the chances of such an exchange,” Vinnik’s lawyers, Jodi Linker and David Rizk, wrote in the filing.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on the filing from Vinnik’s lawyer.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the motion.
Ukraine’s NATO membership "not on the agenda" during war, alliance's chief says
From CNN’s Alex Hardie
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrives for a meeting in Brussels, on May 23.
Virginia Mayo/AP
Ukraine’s bid to become a member of NATO while there is a war with Russia is “not on the agenda,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during an interview at the Brussels Forum event on Wednesday.
Asked whether the war in Ukraine makes it “easier” for the country to join the alliance, Stoltenberg said:
The NATO chief acknowledged that there are some “different views in the alliance” on the issue of NATO membership for Ukraine, but he added that all members are in agreement that Ukraine will become a member.
“We all agree that NATO’s door is open for new members and that it is for NATO allies and Ukraine to decide when they should join, not Moscow,” he said.
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Russia claims Ukraine made unsuccessful drone attack on its Black Sea reconnaissance ship
From CNN’s Uliana Pavlova and Yulia Kasaieva
The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine launched an unsuccessful drone attack on one of its Black Sea reconnaissance ships Wednesday.
“All the enemy’s boats were destroyed by fire from the Russian ship’s regular weapons 140 kilometers (about 87 miles) northeast of the Bosporus,” he added.
The Russian ministry said the reconnaissance ship had returned to its normal tasks Wednesday.
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Here's why a CNN anchor called Putin's comments about a 17th-century map "absurdity"
In a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Valery Zorkin, the chairman of Russia’s Constitutional Court, rolled out a French map from the 17th century that reportedly didn’t have Ukraine on it.
In the video released by the Kremlin, Putin says to Zorkin, “Soviet rule created Soviet Ukraine.”
“No Ukraine existed in the history of humankind until then,” Putin added.
Kyiv itself is more than 1,500 years old, home to such historical sites as St. Sophia Cathedral, St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and Monastery of the Caves, which all date back to the 11th century. Ukraine is clearly noted on various maps from the 17th century as well.
CNN’s Erin Burnett called Putin’s comments “absurdity.”
Kremlin comments on US military vehicles allegedly used in Belgorod cross-border raid
From CNN’s Anna Chernova, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Allegra Goodwin, Zahid Mahmood and Oren Liebermann
The Kremlin said it is “no secret” that increasing amounts of Western military equipment is being used by the Ukrainian armed forces, following reports that US-made military vehicles were utilized in Monday’s cross-border attack by anti-Putin Russian nationals.
“It is not a secret for us that the direct and indirect involvement of these Western countries in this conflict is growing every day,” spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday.
His comments follow reports circulating on social media that a number of vehicles used by the Russian groups who oppose President Vladimir Putin for their cross-border raid into the Belgorod region were US-made.
CNN has identified at least three different US-made MaxxPro MRAP vehicles in videos purportedly from the incursion by geolocating and analyzing markings on the vehicles, as well as comparing them to official images of the vehicles. CNN cannot verify the exact date of the videos but has confirmed they were published after the incursion.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary, said on Tuesday, “We’ve seen those reports, something that we obviously continue to monitor very closely.”
Kyiv has repeatedly denied that the Russian fighters who crossed the border on Monday were under Ukraine’s direction.
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Russia will respond "extremely harshly" to future incursions, defense minister says
From CNN’s Uliana Pavlova
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday called the cross-border raid in Belgorod a “terrorist act” and warned that Russia will respond “promptly and extremely harshly” to any further attempts.
Shoigu also claimed that more than 70 saboteurs were killed, as well as automotive and armored vehicles.
CNN could not independently verify Shoigu’s claim.
“During the counter-terrorist operation, the national formations were blocked and defeated,” Shoigu said during a televised meeting.
“We will continue to respond promptly and extremely harshly to such actions by Ukrainian militants,” he said.
Some context: A group of anti-Putin Russian nationals, who are aligned with the Ukrainian army, claimed responsibility for an attack in Russia’s southwestern region of Belgorod, which borders north-eastern Ukraine.
The Ukraine-based Freedom for Russia Legion has said its goal is the “complete liberation of Russia” after claiming a surprise attack in Belgorod.
CNN’s Rob Picheta and Nathan Hodge contributed to this post.
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2022 migration from Russia to Finland higher than after Soviet Union collapse: Finnish statistics authority
From CNN’s James Frater
A customs official is seen in Vaalimaa, Finland, on the border with Russia, in September 2022.
Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP/Getty Images
In the latest migration figures released Wednesday, 6,003 people emigrated from Russia to Finland in 2022, which is the highest number in more than 30 years, according to Finland’s national statistical institute.
Statistics Finland said 1,958 people immigrated to Finland from the Soviet Union in 1990 and 5,515 people did so in 1991.
“In the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, 1992-1995, there were approximately 1,700-2,600 emigrations from Russia per year,” according to the institution. And until 2021, “emigration from Russia has remained below 3,100” a year.
According to Statistics Finland, “there were a record 49,998 immigrations to Finland in 2022” total, compared to previous years, where there have been between 29,000 and 36,000 per year. The figures do not include Ukrainians staying in Finland under temporary protection and people seeking asylum.
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Belgorod governor lifts "counter-terrorist operation," claiming region was targeted by Ukrainian armed forces
From CNN's Seb Shukla
A view shows damaged buildings in the Belgorod region in an image released May 23.
Handout/Governor of Russia's Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov via Telegram/Reuters
The “counter-terrorist operation” that has been in place since an incursion into the southwestern Belgorod region of Russia by anti-Putin Russian nationals aligned with Ukraine has been lifted, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
In a post on Telegram, Gladkov also gave an update on a series of attacks that took place across the region overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.
Gladkov said that the city of Belgorod and its immediate surroundings were targeted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, “attacked by a drone at night,” and an explosive device was “dropped from a UAV.” He said that the city came under fire eight times over the past few days, with a drone also being shot down south of the city in Nizhny Olshanets, causing no damage.
Some background: The Freedom for Russia Legion said on Telegram early Tuesday that it and another group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, “continue to liberate the Belgorod region!” The post described the groups as “patriot volunteers” and claimed that Russia was vulnerable to attack as “Russia has no reserves to respond to military crises. All military personnel are dead, wounded or in Ukraine.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the fighters who crossed from Ukraine into Russia’s western Belgorod region on Monday were pushed back into Ukrainian territory.
Russia repelled the attackers using air strikes, artillery fire and military units, it said, adding, “The remnants of the nationalists were driven back to the territory of Ukraine, where they continued to be hit by fire until they were completely eliminated.”
Other impacted areas: In addition to the city, Gladkov said that six other districts of the Belgorod region were also targeted: Borisov, Volokonovsky, Grayvoron city, Krasnoyaruzhsky, Shebekinsky city and Yakovlevsky urban district.
There were no casualties in any of these events but some damage to houses and infrastructure like power grids and pipelines.
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It's mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know
From CNN staff
Kyiv was given advance warning about the cross-border raid in Belgorod, a Ukrainian defense source told CNN on Wednesday.
“Within Ukraine, international fighters are coordinated by the Defense Intelligence,” the source said. “As to this particular operation [in the Belgorod region], it was outside Ukraine, but Ukraine was warned about its intentions.”
Questions linger about the groups behind the cross-border attack that anti-Putin Russians say they launched from Ukraine earlier this week.
Here are the latest developments:
Nine people were hospitalized following drone attacks on Belgorod overnight, its governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Wednesday, adding that it was “not a calm night” in the southwestern Russian region. The drone attacks followed the earlier incursion claimed by the Freedom for Russia Legion and another group, the Russian Volunteer Corps.
China-Russia relations: China and Russia are willing to “firmly support” each other on matters concerning their respective “core interests,” Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Wednesday. Mishustin is currently visiting China and earlier predicted that bilateral trade would reach a new record level of $200 billion this year, as Beijing throws Moscow an economic lifeline amid its growing isolation and sanctions from the West.
Zaporizhzhia: The heads of Rosatom, the state-owned Russia atomic energy agency, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have met in Beijing and discussed the “issues related to the work of IAEA” at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. According to the statement, the meeting took place in Beijing as Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev was part of the delegation accompanying Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on his trip to the Chinese capital.
UN report: The war in Ukraine is disproportionately affecting older people, and undermining their human rights, according to a new UN report published Wednesday. “The hostilities, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and Ukraine’s ravaged economy have severely undermined the human rights of older people,” the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights finds in the report, which is based on the work of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).
Lukashenko: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will speak with Putin on the sidelines of Eurasian Economic Forum in Moscow, his press service said Wednesday. Belarus is one of Russia’s few allies in its war on Ukraine. While the country’s military isn’t directly involved in the fighting, Belarus helped Russia launch its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, allowing the Kremlin’s troops to enter the country from its territory.
