First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Tass, Agence France-Presse, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Zelenskyy to meet Biden, address Congress as war rages on, by Zeke Miller, Lisa Mascaro and E. Eduardo Castillo | AP  WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was making his way to Washington today for a summit with President Joe Biden and to address Congress in his first known trip outside the country since Russia’s invasion began in February. Zelenskyy said the visit was “to strengthen resilience and defense capabilities” of Ukraine and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy goes to Washington seeking ‘weapons, weapons and more weapons’, by Tom Balmforth, Pavel Polityuk and Steve Holland | Reuters  * U.S. package for Ukraine of nearly $2 bln to be announced * Zelenskiy’s first trip abroad since Russian invasion began * Says trip meant to boost Kyiv’s ‘defence capabilities’ * U.S. Patriot missile battery part of new aid * Zelenskiy gave medals to troops in war-torn frontline town | KYIV/WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy headed to Washington today to meet President Joe Biden, address Congress and seek “weapons, weapons and more weapons” in his first overseas trip since Russia invaded Ukraine 300 days ago. Zelenskiy said the visit . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin points to Russia’s security buffer in military field. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russia has a certain margin of safety in the military field, President Vladimir Putin said today. “The state of our armed forces, as well as the fact that we have advanced weapons and equipment that other countries don’t have create a certain margin . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine conflict ‘shared tragedy’ but not Russia’s fault: Putin. From AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin today described the conflict in Ukraine as a “shared tragedy” but placed blame for the outbreak of hostilities on Ukraine and its allies, not Moscow. “What is happening is, of course, a tragedy — our shared tragedy. But it is not the result of our policy. It is the result .   . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy leaves Ukraine for an unexpected and high-profile visit to the U.S. Reported by Leila Fadel and Asma Khalid | NPR Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House and address Congress — in a trip aimed at underscoring U.S. support for the country in its war with Russia. Click HERE to listen.

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Zelenskyy aims to shore up support with White House, Congress and American people. A Martínez of NPR talks with Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, about what President Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington means for the war in Ukraine and U.S.-Ukrainian relations. Click HERE to listen.

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Despite sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine, the war continues. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  The international community has slapped an unprecedented number of sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine. What impact have they had? (Story first aired on Weekend Edition Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022.) Click HERE to listen.

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to articles from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Tass, and Reuters; others are accessble by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Wartime Ukraine erasing Russian past from public spaces, by Jamey Keaten  | AP  KYIV — On the streets of Kyiv, Fyodor Dostoevsky is on the way out. Andy Warhol is on the way in. Ukraine is accelerating efforts to erase the vestiges of . . . READ MORE . . .

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German president tells Xi to ‘use influence’ on Putin to end Ukraine war. From AFP. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier today urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a telephone call to use his influence on Russia to stop the war in Ukraine, his office said. “The president underlined the common interest of China and Europe in . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin says all special op’s participants are heroes. From Tass. MOSCOW — All the participants of Russia’s special military operation are heroes who are on the cutting edge of solving the most difficult and dangerous tasks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today. He said the servicemen risked their lives every second. “The vast majority of citizens . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s grim battle for Bakhmut may yield pyrric victory at best, by Andrew Osborn and Felix Light | Reuters  * Small city is, however, useful for Ukrainian supply lines * Much of city has been flattened, most residents have fled * Unquantified but heavy losses reported on both sides | — The nearly five-month battle for the small city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine has ground on for so long and wrought so much death and destruction that, even if Russia does prevail, it will be a pyrrhic victory, military experts say. Wrecked . . . READ MORE . . .

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First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Tass, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then a link to a report from Sunday’s New York Times. — MCM

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Nighttime drone attack hits Kyiv as Putin heads to Belarus, by Hanna Arhirova and Vasilisa Stepanenko | AP  KYIV — Explosive drones attacked Ukraine’s capital before dawn today, local authorities reported, as Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to visit ally Belarus. The attack came three days after what Ukrainian officials described as one of Russia’s biggest assaults on Kyiv since the war started and as Moscow presses on with its effort to torment Ukraine from the air amid a broad battlefield stalemate. Russia launched . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian ‘kamikaze’ drones hit Kyiv, Putin arrives in ally Belarus, by Tom Balmforth and Valentyn Ogirenko | Reuters  * Ukraine shoots down 30 drones * Putin arrives in Belarus to meet ally Lukashenko * Russian troops in Belarus to conduct exercises – Interfax * China and Russia to hold annual naval drills | KYIV — Moscow launched a “kamikaze” drone attack today, hitting key infrastructure in and around Kyiv, hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Belarus, fuelling fears he will pressure his ally to join a new . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine warns Russia is preparing for a major ground offensive this winter. A Martínez of NPR talks with retired Marine Col. Mark Cancian, senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about a possible major Russian ground offensive in Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Russian air defenses intercept six HIMARS, Uragan rockets in Ukraine operation – top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian air defense forces shot down eight Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and intercepted six HIMARS and Uragan rockets in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov said today. “In the past 24 hours, air defense . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian Jailed 12 Years in Crimea for Sharing Naval Info With Ukraine. From the Moscow Times. A court in Moscow-annexed Crimea has sentenced a Russian citizen to 12 years in prison on charges of sharing details about the Russian Navy with Ukrainian intelligence prior to the invasion of Ukraine, Russian security services announced today. Yevgeny Petrushin collected and transmitted information . . . READ MORE . . .

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This isn’t war. It’s the destruction of the Russian people by their own commanders, by Michael Schwartz, Anton Troianovski, Yousur Al-Hlou, Masha Froliak, Adam Entous, and Thomas Gibbons-Heff | The New York Times They never had a chance. Fumbling through cratered farms, the troops from Russia’s 155th Naval Infantry Brigade had no maps, medical kits or working walk-in-talkies, they said. Just a few weeks earlier they had been factory workers and truck drivers, watching an endless showcase of Russian victories at home on state television before . . . READ MORE . . .

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First, links to reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Tass, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Heating restored in freezing Kyiv, Mayor Klitschko says. From Reuters. KYIV — Heating has been fully restored to Kyiv after the latest Russian bombardment that targeted water and power infrastructure, the capital’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko said today. “All sources of heat supply work normally.” Ukrainian officials said Russia fired more than 70 missiles on Friday in one of its heaviest barrages . . . READ MORE . . .

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One dead, several others injured in strikes on Russian region: Governor. From AFP. MOSCOW — Strikes on the Russian region of Belgorod that borders Ukraine killed one person and injured five others on Sunday, the regional governor said, two days after attacks by Moscow battered Ukraine’s energy grid. In the regional capital Belgorod, “there are four wounded (with injuries) of moderate . . . READ MORE . . .

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Pope slams conflict in Ukraine as world war. From Tass. MADRID — Pope Francis believes that the conflict in Ukraine is a “world war” and will not end soon, according to his interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC published today. “Now [Ukrainian President] Vladimir Zelensky is sending one of his religious advisers to me for the third time,” the pontiff reported, “I’m in touch, accepting, helping”. “I don’t see the end . . . READ MORE . . .

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Is Russia Receiving Weapons From North Korea? by James Beardsworth | The Moscow Times Washington claimed last month that Russia was buying weapons from North Korea and using those weapons in Ukraine. The allegations . . . READ MORE . . .

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First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Tass, Agence France-Presse, Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Italiana, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. — MCM

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Russia fires scores of missiles in one of its biggest attacks on Ukraine, by Tom Balmforth and Olena Harmash | Reuters  * Major new missile barrage forces blackouts nationwide * Ukraine defence chiefs: Russia planning new offensive * Zelenskiy again urges west to provide more air defences | KYIV — Russia fired more than 70 missiles at Ukraine on Friday in one of its biggest attacks since the start of the war, knocking out power in the second-biggest city and forcing Kyiv to implement emergency blackouts nationwide, Ukrainian officials said. Three people . . . READ MORE . . .

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Dead boy pulled from rubble of latest Russian hit on Ukraine, by Jamey Keaten | AP  KYIV — Emergency crews pulled the body of a toddler from the rubble in a pre-dawn search today for survivors of a Russian missile strike that tore through an apartment building in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih. The missile . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian Armed Forces hits base of foreign mercenaries in DPR – Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Russian Armed Forces hit a base of foreign mercenaries in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said today. “A temporary base of foreign mercenaries was hit near . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU slams Russia’s ‘indiscriminate terror’ in Ukraine. From AFP / ANSA  BRUSSELS — The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday condemned the “indiscriminate terror” that Russia’s latest missile attacks were inflicting on Ukraine. “These cruel, inhumane . . . READ MORE . . .

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Are sanctions on Russia working? Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR   The international community has slapped an unprecedented number of sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine. What impact have they had? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Via YouTube, a British member of Parliament suggesting this week a complete halt to policy requiring Covid-19 vaccine injections. — MCM

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MP calls for complete suspension of mRNA jab in extraordinary British Parliamentary speech. Addressing a nearly empty chamber of the House of Commons, Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen calls for complete suspension of mRNA jab, claiming unprecedented harms and close to “non existent” benefit. Click HERE to watch and listen.

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Tass, the Spectator, teleSUR, Agence France-Presse, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. — MCM

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Russia launches another major missile attack on Ukraine, by Hanna Arhirova, Vasilisa Stepanenko and Jamey Keaten | AP  KYIV — Ukraine’s capital came under one of the biggest attacks of the war today as Russia’s invading forces fired dozens of missileS across the country, Ukrainian officials said, reporting strikes in at least four cities that triggered widespread emergency power outages. The attack took place after the United States this week agreed to give a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine to further . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kissinger says it’s time to resolve Ukraine conflict through talks. From Tass. LONDON — Henry Kissinger, the former U.S. secretary of state and national security adviser, has said the world could be at a turning point in the conflict in Ukraine and called for talks to achieve peace. He laid out his thoughts in a guest essay published by the Spectator, a UK weekly, on its website toiday. Kissinger wrote . . . READ MORE . . .

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How to avoid another world war, by Henry Kissinger | The Spectotor The first world war was a kind of cultural suicide that destroyed Europe’s eminence. Europe’s leaders sleepwalked – in the phrase of historian Christopher Clark – into a conflict which none of them would have . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU leaders greenlight 9th sanctions package against Russia. From teleSUR. On Friday, the European Union (EU) approved a new package of sanctions against Russia and 18 billion euros that will be transferred to Ukraine to meet its most urgent financial needs. Previously, the European Council (EC) had discussed how to . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kyiv metro to remain offline due to power cuts: City Hall. From AFP. Ukraine said today the metro system in the capital would remain out of service for the rest of the day after Russian strikes targeted electricity infrastructure. “Due to damage to the . . . READ MORE . . .

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A century and counting: Ukraine’s ongoing fight to free itself from Russia. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  The past century in Ukraine has been packed with monumental events — wars, famines, political upheavals. Yet there’s a recurring theme that can be boiled down to a single sentence: Ukraine tries to break free from Russia, and Russia refuses to let it go. “The Russian empire . . .  Click HERE to listen and read.

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First, links to reports from the Associated Press, teleSUR, Tass, Politico, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Russia warns ‘consequences’ if U.S. missiles sent to Ukraine, by Jamey Keaten | AP  KYIV — Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned today that if the United States confirms reports that it plans to deliver sophisticated air defense missiles to Ukraine, it would be “another provocative move by the U.S.” that could prompt a response from Moscow. Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said “the U.S. has effectively become a party” to the war in Ukraine, following reports that it will provide Kyiv with Patriot surface-to-air missiles, the most advanced the West . . . READ MORE . . .

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What can the Patriot missile do for Ukraine? by Tara Copp and Lolita Baldor | AP  WASHINGTON — Patriot missile systems have long been a hot ticket item for the U.S. and allies in contested areas of the world as a coveted shield against incoming missiles. In Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific, they guard against potential strikes from Iran, Somalia and North Korea. So it was a critical turning point when news broke this week that the U.S. . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine carries out ‘most massive attack’ on Donetsk since 2014. From teleSUR. On Thursday, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) denounced that the Ukrainian army launched over 40 rockets from MLRS Grad against civilian areas of the city of Donetsk. “Ukrainian fascists have committed another war crime,” Mayor Alexei Kulemzin said. “At exactly 7.00 am, they subjected downtown Donetsk to the most massive attack since . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU, NATO expected to issue joint declaration on Ukraine soon – Politico. From Tass. BRUSSELS — The European Union and NATO are about to formally issue a joint call for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine, and to pledge their full support to authorities in Kiev, Politico reported on Wednesday. According to a draft declaration seen by Politico, the document has been in the works for more than a year. It also includes a separate section addressing China, which was added at Germany’ initiative, one of the diplomats told . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU and NATO near long-delayed joint pledge to back Ukraine, by Jacopo Barigazzi | Politico After months of delays, the EU and NATO are expected to soon formally issue a joint call for Russia to stop its war and leave Ukraine, and to pledge full support to Kyiv. The declaration, a draft of which . . . READ MORE . . .

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The global supply trail that leads to Russia’s killer drones, by Stephen Grey, Maurice Tamman and Maria Zholobova | Reuters — The hundreds of Russian drones hovering ominously over the Ukrainian battlefield owe their existence to an elastic, sanctions-evading supply chain that often runs through a shabby office above a Hong Kong marketplace, and sometimes through a yellow stucco home in suburban Florida. The “Sea Eagle” Orlan 10 UAV is a deceptive, relatively low-tech and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian refugee sells food and horseradish schnapps at a German Christmas market. Reported by Rob Schmitz | NPR  An 18th century Baroque Palace on the edge of Berlin is home to one of Germany’s many Christmas markets. There are a variety of food stalls — not to mention a special kind of Ukrainian schnapps. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Tass, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Russian strikes thwarted, wreckage hits buildings, by Hanna Arhirova and Jamey Keaten | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian authorities said they thwarted a Russian attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region today as their air defense system intercepted and destroyed 13 explosive-laden drones, although wreckage from some of them damaged five buildings. The attacks highlighted Ukraine’s claims of increasing efficiency in intercepting weapons — something that Patriot missiles from the U.S. may soon help boost. Ukrainian President . . . READ MORE  . . .

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No Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine, Russia says, as prisoner swap frees American, by Tom Balmforth and Pavel Polityuk | Reuters  * Missiles, rockets hit Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia * American among dozens freed in Ukraine-Russia swap * U.S. citizen among dozens of detainees handed to Ukraine * No plans for Christmas ceasefire, Kremlin says | KYIV — Moscow today said no “Christmas ceasefire” was on the cards after nearly 10 months of devastating war in Ukraine, even as the release of dozens more prisoners including an American showed that some contacts between the two sides remain. Russia and Ukraine are not currently engaged in talks to end the fighting, which is raging in the east and south and reached Kyiv again today. Tens of thousands . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin’s annual State of the Nation Address likely to be held in 2023 – source. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s State of the Nation Address to the Russian Federal Assembly is likely to be arranged next year, a source in the parliament said today.  In line with the Constitution of Russia, the president delivers his address annually to the Federal Assembly focusing on . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kyiv says 64 Ukrainians, U.S. citizen released in prisoner swap with Russia. From AFP. Ukraine said today that it had secured the release of Suedi Murekezi, a U.S. citizen “who helped our people” as well as 64 Ukrainian members of the military in its latest prisoner swap with Russian forces. “Sixty-four soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who fought in Donetsk and Lugansk . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky urges Europe to back war tribunal for Russian leaders. From AFP. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today urged Europe to help set up a tribunal to try Russia’s leadership for the “crime of aggression”, as he accepted the EU’s top rights award. “I call on all of you, your . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin says Russia has no plans for holiday ceasefire in Ukraine. From AFP. The Kremlin said today that it had not received any proposals from Kyiv to halt fighting in Ukraine during the upcoming holiday period and that a ceasefire was not on Moscow’s agenda. Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7, and public holidays in the country usually extend from New Year’s Day until . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Tass, National Public Radio, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on AP, Tass, NPR, or AFP below. — MCM

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Cornered in Ukraine, Putin ditches annual news conference. From the Associated Press. President Vladimir Putin has ditched his annual marathon news conference following a series of battlefield setbacks in Ukraine — a tacit acknowledgment that the Russian leader’s war has gone badly wrong. Putin typically uses the year-end ritual to polish his image, answering a wide range of questions on domestic and foreign policy to demonstrate . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops wipe out seven military command posts in Ukraine operation – top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces destroyed seven Ukrainian army command posts in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported today. “Operational-tactical aircraft, missile and artillery troops struck seven command posts in the areas of the settlements of . . . READ MORE . . .

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A month after Ukraine liberated it, Kherson is still getting bombarded daily. First heard on Weekend Edition Sunday two days ago. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | NPR  A month after being liberated, the Ukrainian city of Kherson is getting bombarded daily from Russian troops less than a mile way. Meanwhile, authorities are searching for Kremlin collaborators. Click HERE to listen and read.

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A Russian recruit, mobilized for the war in Ukraine, is fighting to avoid the fight. Reported by Charles Maynes  | NPR  A Russian recruit, mobilized for the war in Ukraine, is fighting to serve his country in a different way: alternative service as a conscientious objector. Click HERE to listen and read.

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1 bn euros pledged for Ukraine at Paris aid conference. From AFP. Countries gathered at an aid conference for Ukraine in Paris have pledged aid worth around one billion euros to help the war-hit country this winter, France’s foreign minister said today. Catherine Colonna said these were “new commitments, thanks to the holding of this conference. It is aid, or gifts in kind. It is not loans.” She said the aid . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED