Day 136 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Russia accuses the US in Trying to Prolong the Conflict at Any Cost

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Ukraine again asked for more weapons from allies

Ukraine has called on its allies to send more weapons as its forces try to slow Russia's military advance through the eastern Donbas region.

Zelensky thanked his American colleague Joe Biden for providing more HIMARS missile systems to Ukraine. In a message on Twitter, he said the systems and the 155 mm projectiles promised in Washington's new aid package were essential. And in his traditional address that night, Zelensky noted:

"Yesterday I made the 24th address to the parliaments of the EU countries and the first made near the front line. I hope that the other three EU countries will also feel that these calls of mine are not about politics, but about protecting our common freedom and therefore we will get to the point where I can say one day: all 27 parliaments of the European Union hear the fight for freedom better than any Russian manipulations."

Russia is preparing for a big offensive

Russia is preparing for a major offensive in Ukraine, reports the American Institute for the Study of War in its regular assessment of the course of the conflict. Russian armed forces continue to conduct more limited offensive actions to prevent the Ukrainian military from seizing the initiative, the US think tank said. According to its data, the Russian group in the eastern Luhansk region is restoring its combat capability and gathering forces for a further offensive. The assessment of the development of military operations said that Russian forces made minor gains southeast of the city of Seversk, in the Bakhmut district of the Donetsk region, and continued...