Russia-Ukraine War Live: As children evacuate from border areas, Putin threatens French troops in Ukraine

In a nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s “incessant” attacks on Sumy Oblast in northeastern Ukraine.

“Since the beginning of this month, Russian aviation has already dropped around 200 guided bombs on communities in the Sumy region,” he said. “Village, City, Civil Infrastructure.”

Sumy authorities announced that there were 30 shellings yesterday. One person was killed in the border area of ​​Velika Pisarivka, the center of the evacuation that began last week.

About 200 people have been evacuated from dangerous areas near Velika Pisarivka over the past week, local Ukrainian officials said.

Both sides deny that civilians have been targeted in the war, which has killed thousands and displaced millions since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. There is.

The development and use of drones and other aerial weapons is moving conflicts increasingly away from the battlefield and toward air attacks on each other’s military, energy, and transportation infrastructure.

U.S. officials said Tuesday that a newly approved bill providing billions of dollars in funding to three strategically important Pacific island nations is a significant sign of U.S. commitment and that China is actively He stressed that this was issued amid warnings that the United States is trying to pull these island countries out of its sphere of influence.

Russia has threatened to attack French troops as a “priority and legitimate target” if they are deployed on the ground in Ukraine.

“This means that the fate of every French person who has ever come to the territory of the Russian world with a sword awaits,” Russia’s foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin said, according to TASS news agency. Told.

This comes weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out the idea of ​​European troops being stationed in Ukraine.

In response to Naryshkin’s comments, France said: “We consider this kind of provocation irresponsible.”

The Russian military announced that it had repelled a number of air raids yesterday night and early today in heavy attacks on border areas, forcing the evacuation of civilians.

Russian officials said their air defense systems destroyed a missile and a drone fired by Ukraine over the Belgorod, Kursk and Voronezh regions bordering Ukraine. A drone was also shot down deep in Russia’s Saratov region.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced in a post on the messaging app Telegram that its air defense forces had intercepted more than a dozen rockets and missiles over the Belgorod region by 10pm yesterday. Shortly after, it announced it had intercepted two more missiles, including a US-made Patriot, over the neighboring Kursk region.

Early today, the governor of the Saratov region, Roman Busargin, announced that two Ukrainian-launched drones were intercepted near the city of Engels. Russia has a strategic bomber military base near the city.

No casualties or major damage were reported in the attack carried out by Ukraine.

On Tuesday morning, something surprisingly ordinary happened. The House and Senate appropriations committees and Congressional leadership announced they have finalized a deal to keep the government open for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Congress had already passed six legislative spending bills earlier this month. But passing the final six proposals will be more difficult than usual. In particular, the proposal includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security, allowing far-right Republicans to wrest demands from the White House and Democrats. controlled the Senate.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed yesterday that the United States will continue to support Ukraine’s war effort against Russia despite an impasse in Congress over funding to send additional weapons to the front lines.

“The United States will not let Ukraine fail,” Austin told more than 50 defense leaders from Europe and around the world meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. “This Union will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail.”

The meeting came a week after Pentagon officials found and used $300 million in contract savings to fund a new military aid package to Ukraine and pulled weapons from the Pentagon’s inventory.

During the session, other countries’ leaders pledged new aid to Ukraine. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters that Germany would provide about $542 million worth of ammunition, armored vehicles and transport vehicles.

“We are supporting Ukraine with what it needs most in its defense against Russian aggression,” Pistorius said, adding that the support includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition from the German Army (Bundeswehr). It added that it will be delivered to Ukraine soon. It also includes 100 armored infantry vehicles and 100 transport vehicles.

Asked whether he still considered the United States a reliable ally given continued delays in approving funds from Congress, Pistorius said: “There is no doubt about the reliability of the United States.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China in May for talks with Xi Jinping, which could be the Kremlin chief’s first overseas trip in his new presidential term.

Western governments on Monday condemned President Vladimir Putin’s re-election as unfair and undemocratic, while China, India and North Korea congratulated the veteran leader on extending his rule for another six years.

“President Putin will visit China,” one of the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The details were independently confirmed by four other sources, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, the news agency reported.

Another source said Putin’s visit to China would probably take place in the second half of May. Two of the sources said the visit is scheduled before Xi’s trip to Europe.

Asked about the Reuters report, the Kremlin said information about Putin’s visit would be released closer to the day.

“Several presidential visits and several high-level contacts are currently being arranged,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “I’ll let you know when it gets closer.”

Watch again as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin gave opening remarks at Ramstein Air Force Base on Tuesday, March 19th.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to vote on a bill that would provide an additional $60 billion to Ukraine, and the White House is seeking additional funds to help Kiev, which continues to fight Russian forces. I am busy trying to find a way to send it. than 2 years.

Askold Krushelnitsky speaks with soldiers on the front lines around the city of Kupiansk, which is facing increasingly heavy Russian attacks, including glide bombs that can destroy bunkers. Kiev’s military has fortified its defenses with razor wire, trenches and metal “dragon teeth” to trap tanks trying to break through.

The European Union’s top diplomat says it is moving ahead with plans to use profits from billions of euros of Russian assets frozen in Europe to help provide arms to Ukraine.