Latest news about Russia and the war in Ukraine

Russian forces have captured several villages in the Donbass northwest of Popasna, where they have made incremental progress in their efforts to besiege Severodonetsk and Lysichansk, the British Ministry of Defense wrote in its daily intelligence update on Twitter.

“Russia is pressing the Severodonetsk enclave even though Ukraine retains control of multiple defensive sectors, depriving Russia of full control of the Donbass islands,” she wrote.

It is also possible that the invading forces have taken the 50-year-old T-62 tanks out of storage, the UK ministry wrote, in order to support forces in the south tasked with occupying parts of southern Ukraine.

“The T-62s will almost certainly be particularly vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and their presence on the battlefield highlights Russia’s lack of modern combat-ready equipment,” the publication said.

– Natasha Turak

The United States is preparing to boost military aid to Ukraine by Sending advanced long-range missile systemsaccording to CNN, which quoted several officials.

The Biden administration is considering sending the systems as part of a larger package of military and security assistance to Ukraine, which could be announced as soon as next week, CNN reported.

Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, have asked the United States and its allies to supply them with multiple launch missile systems.

These systems can launch many missiles from a great distance — far beyond any system Ukraine already has, CNN reported. Ukraine says it can change the rules of the game in its war against Russia, according to the report.

CNN, citing officials, said the Biden administration had been reluctant to send the systems over the National Security Council’s concerns that Ukraine might use the systems to launch offensive attacks on Russia.

The officials also added that the administration was concerned that sending heavy weapons to Ukraine might be seen by Russia as a provocation that could lead to retaliation from the United States, CNN reported.

– Chelsea Ong

Russia is making “incremental progress” in Donbass after making little progress with its previous tactics, a Said a senior US defense official in brief.

“We appreciate that Russia made some incremental gains in its push towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk; not many but, but some incremental gains,” he said, referring to two cities in the northern part of Donetsk Oblast.

Donbass region refers to two eastern regions of Ukraine, Luhansk and Donetsk – Two People’s Republics Supported by Russia. Russian officials said their new main target is “full liberation” of t Luhansk and Donetsk.

A defense official said that Russia is trying to encircle the Donbass region by putting pressure on the regions of the Far East of Ukraine. The official added that the Russian forces did not make any new progress in the Donetsk region.

– Chelsea Ong

White House Press Secretary Karen Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration expects Russia to default on its sovereign debt.

She said Moscow would “likely fail to meet its obligations and face defaults, a permanent sign of its pariah status in the global financial system”. Jean-Pierre added that the White House expects a “little” impact on the global economy because Russia is “already financially isolated” by a wave of sanctions.

When the US imposed sanctions on the Russian Central Bank earlier this year, it allowed an exception for Russia to pay its bondholders through US banks. The Treasury raised the cut this weekwhich increases the chances of default.

Jacob Bramock