First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Tass, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM
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Russia attacks in east Ukraine as Putin celebrates land grab, by Vladyslav Smilianets | Reuters * Russia deploying reserves near Luhansk, governor says * Putin says Sea of Azov is now Russia’s “internal sea” * Russia says shoots down drone near Crimea * Putin compares himself to Peter the Great | NEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine — Russian forces are pressing forward with air and ground attacks on several settlements in eastern Ukraine, officials said on Wednesday, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated seizing territory during the nine-month war. Near the city of Lysychansk, Russia deployed . . . READ MORE . . .
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Scrutiny of Ukraine church draws praise, fear of overreach, by Peter Smith and Vasilisa Stepanenko | AP The Ukrainian government is putting increased pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with its centuries-old ties to Moscow, as the brutal Russian invasion slogs into the 10th month of a war that has had religious dimensions from the start. READ MORE . . .
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Conflict in Ukraine ‘can end tomorrow’ if Kiev so wishes – Kremlin spokesman. From Tass. MOSCOW — The conflict in Ukraine can end at any moment if Kiev shows the political will, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters today. “In this case, we could speculate when all this will end until we are blue in the face,” he said, commenting on Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s remark that the conflict might end in 2023. “Zelensky knows . . . READ MORE . . .
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Olexandra Matviichuk is fighting for accountability for war crimes in Ukraine. From NPR. Nobel Peace Prize winner and Ukrainian human rights lawyer Olexandra Matviichuk speaks with NPR’s Morning Edition about Russian war crimes and accountability. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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A chance meeting in war-torn Ukraine helps reconnect friends half a world away. Kat Lonsdorf of NPR checks in on a woman in Ukraine six months after her town was liberated from Russian occupation. Click HERE to listen and read.
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TO BE CONTINUED