Russia has seen key changes in its national security leadership as President Vladimir Putin appointed Sergei Shoigu as secretary of Russia’s national security council, replacing Nikolai Patrushev. This reshuffle comes as Putin begins his fifth presidential term and amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. This change follows the arrest of Russian Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov on bribery charges.
As thousands of civilians flee Russia’s latest ground offensive in Ukraine’s northeast, the town of Vovchansk has become a focal point in the intense battles. Russian forces have been advancing in the region, using heavy weaponry like tanks and launching intense fire and infantry assaults to exhaust Ukrainian troops and firepower. The Kremlin’s tactics aim to pin down Ukrainian forces in the northeast while gaining ground in other areas of the country.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prioritizes halting Russia’s offensive in the northeast, the Russian Defence Ministry claims to have captured several villages in the Kharkiv region. The dynamic fighting and constant heavy shelling have likely made these areas poorly defended, facilitating the Russian advance. Ukrainian officials confirm that some villages are under Russian occupation and note similarities to previous battles in other regions of Ukraine.
In the midst of these developments, a 10-story apartment building in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border collapsed, leading to casualties. Russian authorities attribute the collapse to Ukrainian shelling, though Ukraine has not commented on the incident. As the conflict continues, both Russia and Ukraine are intensifying their military operations in different parts of the country.
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