Russian irredentism

Prisoners from the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have been coerced into frontline combat roles in Ukraine, despite promises of pardons and release, reports from "Важные истории" reveal. These individuals, recruited from DPR colonies, were initially assured that their convictions would be expunged and they would be pardoned after six months of service.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, has firmly stated that Russia has no intention of halting its military operations in Ukraine at this stage.

Ukraine said Thursday its forces had withdrawn from a district in the key eastern town of Chasiv Yar, where Russian forces have recently claimed several advances.

The fall of the small hilltop town is a worrying prospect for Ukraine because it would likely accelerate Russian advances towards large civilian hubs in the wider eastern Donetsk region.

Russian warships from the Russian Black Sea Fleet have recently arrived in Venezuela, as reported by global news agencies citing the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Last night, the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk was attacked by surface drones, according to local authorities. Car traffic on the Crimean bridge, connecting the Russian-annexed Ukrainian peninsula with the Krasnodar region, was temporarily halted for about an hour. Local residents reported powerful explosions and a fire in a mountainous area above the city, as noted by UNIAN.

Russia warned the United States on Friday its reconnaissance drone flights over the Black Sea raised the risk of "direct confrontation" between Moscow and NATO, days after the Kremlin blamed Washington for a deadly missile strike on Crimea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Brigadier General Andriy Khnatov as the new commander of the combined armed forces defending the eastern region of Donetsk. This change follows the dismissal of Lieutenant General Yuriy Sodol, who faced criticism for significant military failures.

The defense ministers of Russia and the United States engaged in a telephone conversation for the first time in over a year, reported Reuters. The two sides presented starkly different accounts of the discussion.

Russia has expressed readiness to halt the conflict in Ukraine on the condition that Ukraine cedes control of four regions currently under partial occupation. Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin's aide on foreign affairs, conveyed this statement, as reported by Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, speaks during a joint press conference with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Mariinsky Palace in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.