Moscow’s troops announced on Saturday that after nearly ten months of fierce fighting they had captured the town of Bakhmut, which was congratulated by Vladimir Putin, who promised them medals. Joe Biden announced new military aid to Kyiv’s military on Sunday morning and told Volodymyr Zelenskyi during a meeting in Japan that the United States is doing everything possible to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses.

Highlights of the war in Ukraine, day 452, LIVETEXT:

09:13 Zelensky appeared to confirm Russia’s loss of Bakhmut on Sunday, saying “I think not” when asked if it remained under Kiev’s control.

“I don’t think so,” he said before a meeting with Joe Biden in Japan. “For now, it’s only in our hearts,” he added. (Reuters)

08:45“Strange symptoms”: Two Russian women who fled the country may have been poisoned, the case is being investigated by Germany

08:12A large rally is held in Chisinau in support of the country’s European path / Maya Sandu: Moldovans are Europeans / Roberta Metzola also takes part in the event

A brief summary of recent events:

• Prigozhin claimed that Wagner’s mercenaries completely control the city of Bakhmut, but this information was denied in Ukraine. “It’s not true. Our units are fighting in Bakhmut,” said the spokesman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• Zelensky was warmly welcomed in Japan after arriving to attend the G7 summit, having already held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, among others.
• Ukraine is trying to include more ports and more goods in the Black Sea grain agreement and is ready to make concessions to Russia.
• Pope Francis asks the Italian cardinal to carry out a peacekeeping mission for Ukraine
• Russia has declared the environmental NGO Greenpeace “undesirable,” effectively banning its activities in a state that suppresses any critical voice.
• The Georgian airline Georgian Airways resumed direct flights to Russia on Saturday, which caused displeasure in Ukraine and the EU.
• From sunglasses to milking machines, the US is banning exports to Russia of various consumer goods that could help the Russian military.
• Western countries will take a “colossal risk” if they supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Hrusko said on Saturday.
• The Russians managed to strike again with the Zala Lancet kamikaze drone, one of the most advanced weapons Britain has sent to Ukraine.

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• The events of Saturday, the 451st day of Russian aggression, were broadcast LIVE on HotNews.ro