Russian air strikes continue in Ukraine as Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia appears to have stalled.
Here are three updates about what is going on in the Russia-Ukraine War.
1. Air strikes hit Ukrainian towns while counteroffensive stalls
A Russian missile strike hit during a Ukrainian medal ceremony Friday, killing at least 19 soldiers in the attack, The New York Times reported. Criminal proceedings are underway over the attack against Ukrainian military officials who had authorized the ceremony that took place in the open when Ukraine’s military typically holds ceremonies of this nature “in basements or far from battlefields.”
Another explosion took place during a birthday party — an aide to the commander-in-chief was killed after he received a live grenade as a birthday present, which “was immediately detonated by his 13-year-old son,” according to CNN. Maj. Gennadiy Chastyakov and another guest at the party were killed by the explosion. His son was seriously injured and is being treated.
During investigation following the detonation, authorities discovered five more unexploded grenades in the apartment, per CNN.
2. Ukraine’s 2024 elections pushed back due to wartime
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced there would not be an election held this coming spring for president. He was elected for a five-year term in March 2019 and had previously avoided making a definitive declaration on whether elections would take place or not.
“Now, in wartime, when there are so many challenges, it is absolutely irresponsible to throw the topic of elections into society in a lighthearted and playful way,” Zelenskyy said in a video address, per The Associated Press.
Some political infighting has also increased tension between Ukraine’s senior leaders, leading Zelenskyy to make a public comment.
“Everyone should be concentrating their efforts right now on defending the country,” Zelensky said Monday in his nightly address, per The Washington Post. “Put themselves together and do not rest; do not drown in infighting or other issues.”
He added, “The situation is now the same as it was before — if there is no victory, there will be no country.”
3. Russia backs out of post-Cold War treaty
Russia withdrew from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, which served as a crucial post-Cold War treaty. In response, NATO allies decided to suspend operations of the treaty “for as long as necessary,” NATO said in a statement, CNBC reported.
“Allies condemn Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), and its war of aggression against Ukraine which is contrary to the Treaty’s objectives. Russia’s withdrawal is the latest in a series of actions that systematically undermines Euro-Atlantic security,” NATO said, per the statement from CNBC.
The treaty limited key categories of conventional armed forces and Russia placed blame on the U.S. “for undermining post-Cold War security with the enlargement of the NATO military alliance,” per CNBC.