The battle for the besieged, Ukrainian-held city of Bakhmut has intensified, with a top Ukrainian military commander saying Tuesday that Russian forces had deployed specialized Wagner mercenary units to break through the eastern city’s defenses. In comments shared by Ukrainian outlets, Ukrainian Col. Gen Oleksandr Syrskkyi described the situation in Bakhmut — a top symbolic target for Moscow — as “extremely tense.”
Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko — one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies — has embarked on a three-day trip to China. He is due to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of the state visit, which comes as Washington and Beijing exchange tense messages over China’s position over the war. State Department spokesman Ned Price accused China of being anything “but an honest broker” over the conflict and its assistance to Russia.
Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe.
China, saying it can mediate on Ukraine, hosts Putin’s ally Lukashenko: In Beijing Xi and Lukashenko are expected to sign agreements deepening cooperation between their two countries, just days after China positioned itself as a potential mediator in the Ukraine war by releasing a 12-point proposal for peace, Meaghan Tobin reports. The three-day meeting kicks off amid warnings in Washington that China is contemplating direct military aid to Russia, which Beijing vehemently denied Monday, accusing the United States of “blatant bullying and double standards.”
Natalia Abbakumova and Mary Ilyushina contributed reporting.
Rachel Pannett
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