Russian invasion of Ukraine

Russia said Thursday that fresh U.S. aid for Ukraine will not change the dynamics on the battlefield, as Washington gears up for a crucial weekend vote on long-stalled military funding for Kiev.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday he would advance a $61 billion package of funding for Ukraine, stalled since last year amid political infighting in the Republican Party.

Tensions in the Black Sea region have escalated, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as NATO announces plans to bolster its military presence, with a new base set to be established in Bulgaria.

Civilians continue to die across Ukraine as analysts warned that delays in U.S. military assistance would see Kiev struggle to fight off Russian offensives.

Russian shelling killed four people in the eastern Ukraine region of Donetsk, authorities said yesterday, as Moscow's forces aim to push deeper into the war-battered industrial region.

In a continuation of its military offensive against Ukraine, Russia conducted airstrikes on two energy sites in southern Ukraine, causing temporary power outages in the region. Ukrainian officials reported that the strikes targeted a substation in Mykolaiv and production facilities in the Odesa region.

China's top diplomat said on Tuesday that Beijing would strengthen strategic cooperation with Moscow and that the two must stand on the side of "fairness and justice" as he met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

Lavrov arrived in China for a two-day official visit on Monday, with the two countries looking to strengthen diplomatic ties as Russia's war in Ukraine grinds on.

Russian strikes on Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region killed three people on Monday, in a second day of deadly attacks on the area, its governor said.

The strike on the rural area came a day after three people were killed in a Russian attack on the town of Gulyaipole.

The tension between Russia and NATO has escalated to a level of "direct confrontation," according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. He pointed out that the US-led alliance's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, coupled with its continued expansion toward Russia's borders, has exacerbated the situation.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported a significant increase in the number of individuals expressing willingness to join the war in Ukraine, citing the recent attack on Crocus City Hall in the Moscow region as a primary motivator.

Recent assessments from British military intelligence reveal a concerning trend: Russia is purportedly recruiting approximately 30,000 soldiers each month for its ongoing war against Ukraine.

Ukraine has been plunged into darkness as parts of the country experienced a widespread blackout following a series of devastating attacks on its power plants by Russia. The emergency blackout comes amidst escalating tensions between the two nations, with Russia intensifying its bombing campaign in response to alleged Ukrainian attacks on its border regions.