The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have made advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region and continued offensive operations around the city of Bakhmut in Donbas, as a chorus of advocates urged Germany to approve the delivery of battle tanks that Kyiv says are crucial to fighting entrenched Russian forces.
The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based think tank, made note of Russia’s claimed gains in Zaporizhzhia in its latest report but said any suggestion of a major territorial capture there is “likely part of a Russian information operation.” However, it noted that Russian forces are probably making incremental gains around Bakhmut. The Ukrainian military on Saturday acknowledged in a situation update that Russian offensives are ongoing in the Bakhmut and Zaporizhzhia areas and that there had been an increase in air raids.
Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe.
4. From our correspondents
The United States bought 14 percent of its uranium from Russia in 2021, writes Steven Mufson, but any action against Rosatom shouldn’t result in significantly higher electricity costs because American utilities have already started seeking more natural uranium supplies. Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, said that, “at worst, some long-term Russian supply contracts could not be executed, and that would perhaps raise the price of electricity one or two percent.”
He added: “Given that we’re spending $100 billion plus to help Ukraine out, it would be a rounding error.”
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