Russian and Ukrainian forces are locked in fierce fighting for Bakhmut, an embattled city in the eastern Donetsk region. The city has been under siege by Russian fighters for months and has inspired a national rallying cry for Ukrainians: “Bakhmut holds!”
Russia’s defense minister said Tuesday that military operations in the Bakhmut area are “developing successfully” — but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stressed that Ukrainian forces still hold the city and are “countering” Russian attempts to surround them.
Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, continued to call for fighter jets and other advanced equipment from Western allies, describing the situation on the front lines as “very precarious.”
Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe.
4. From our correspondents
Russia ends disclosure rules for officials, citing wartime secrecy needs: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a bill exempting Russian lawmakers from disclosing details of their income, expenses and property, reports Francesca Ebel. The new law, which will take effect March 1, passed Russia’s legislature with a large majority. Only 24 of 450 lawmakers voted against it.
The move stands in contrast to Zelensky’s aggressive anti-corruption drive in recent days that aims to reassure Ukraine’s foreign backers that billions in economic and military aid won’t be mismanaged.
Andrew Jeong
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