Russian invasion of Ukraine

The United States will back Ukraine until its security is "guaranteed", U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed on a trip to Kiev on Tuesday, after Russian forces claimed further advances in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

The military commander in charge of defending the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has been replaced amid the Russian offensive, as announced today by a spokesperson for the Ukrainian ground forces, as reported by Reuters.

At least 15 fatalities and 20 injuries were reported after a residential building in Russia's Belgorod collapsed, with the cause still being unclear. Some reports suggest the incident occurred following Ukraine's firing and Russia's subsequent interception of a Soviet-era missile in the border region between the two countries.

According to a report from TASS, Russian President Vladimir Putin is making a change in leadership by replacing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The news, shared on the official Telegram channel of the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament in Moscow, indicates that Andrey Belousov, a former deputy prime minister in previous Russian governments, is being proposed for the position.

Ukraine vowed Friday to quash a surprise Russian ground offensive, after troops launched a major cross-border assault in the Kharkiv region, looking to chalk up fresh battlefield gains with Ukraine on the back foot.

Amid escalating tensions between Russia and the West, in the context of the war in Ukraine, Moscow issued a stern warning to France, cautioning that any deployment of French troops to Ukraine would make them legitimate targets for the Russian military.

Reports from AFP and Reuters have revealed that Russia is set to conduct military exercises in the near future, involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons. The maneuvers, ordered by President Vladimir Putin, aim to test the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces and will include preparation and deployment drills.

The protracted nature of the war in Ukraine and the signal sent a few days ago by the US Congress of the continued bipartisan commitment to Ukraine, with a substantial aid package, are putting pressure on Europeans to continue the flow of weapons systems and ammunition to Ukrainian forces.

A German former soldier will go on trial on Monday accused of spying for Russia, as Berlin faces a surge in Moscow-linked espionage cases amid the Ukraine war.

The suspect, identified only as Thomas H. in line with German privacy laws, was arrested in August last year in the western city of Koblenz.

Reports confirm that Ukraine has deployed long-range ballistic missiles provided by the United States in secret, targeting Russian forces in occupied territories. The BBC cites US officials who disclosed this information.