​Ukrainian troops are holding positions in the city of Bakhmut under constant fire from Russian troops, who are trying to win the first major victory in more than six months. Russian military commander Wagner said the enemy was drawing new reserves into a “bloody battle,” but a Ukrainian commander said the price for holding Bakhmut was “becoming increasingly difficult to pay.”

The latest on the war in Ukraine, day 372, LIVETEXT:

07:59Kremlin press: the US planned to strike and neutralize Russia / How Moscow says it is preparing against this aggression

07:17The US is seeking support from allies for possible sanctions against China over the war in Ukraine – Reuters sources

06:53 Russian presenter Solovyov threatens Italy: “Hold it, you bastards / Do you remember how you kiss the hands of Russian soldiers?”

01:10 VIDEO Volodymyr Zelenskyi: Winter is over. It was very difficult, but it was still possible to provide Ukraine with electricity and heat

00:32Russians fear that Lukashenko seeks independence from Moscow in China

A brief summary of recent events:

• Ukrainian troops are fiercely resisting the Russians’ attempt to capture the small town of Bakhmut and are throwing additional reserves into the bloody battle, Yevhen Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner’s mercenary group, said.
• Russia claims that the occupation of Bakhmut will pave the way for full control of the rest of the region, which borders Russia. Ukraine says Bakhmut is of limited strategic importance, but is resisting fiercely in order to inflict as many casualties as possible on the enemy and force Moscow to use its ammunition and resources.
• However, the price for keeping Bakhmut “is getting harder and harder,” said the Ukrainian commander.
• Ukrainians and Russians traditionally celebrate March 1 as the beginning of spring. The frozen ground at the front had already thawed, ushering in the season of black, sticky mud known in military history for its ability to inflict great damage on attacking forces.
• The war in Ukraine was in focus ahead of a meeting of G20 foreign ministers, with the EU’s foreign policy chief saying the success of the meeting in New Delhi will be measured by what it can do about the war and its impact. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that he does not plan to meet with the foreign ministers of Russia or China during the G20 meeting.
• Russia has stated that it will agree to extend the Black Sea grain agreement only if the interests of its own agricultural producers are taken into account.
• Doreen Rechan on the neutrality status of the Rep. Moldova: He did not use us when we negotiated peace on Dniester, but the population wants him. It is clear that Russia cannot reach the Republic of Moldova by military means. We are witnessing Moscow’s hybrid war.
• The countries of the European Union are calling for one billion euros to be allocated in March to fulfill obligations regarding the urgent supply of ammunition for the Ukrainian army, European diplomatic sources inform.
• The Federal Treasury of Russia has announced inspections of the Ministry of Defense in connection with the costs of the war in Ukraine.
• Russia insists that it will not return to the New SNO Treaty unless the US changes its position on Ukraine.
• The independent Russian-language press presented the tragic case of a 12-year-old girl from Russia who drew a pro-Ukrainian picture: she ended up in an orphanage, and her father was in the hands of the FSB.
• A recently released video shows a Ukrainian sniper unexpectedly killing two Russian soldiers as they tried to sneak up on their positions.
• Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova is making new accusations against Ukraine, saying that Moscow is “concerned about the possibility of transporting radioactive substances through the ports of Odessa and Chornomorsk” for “provocation in Transnistria.”

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• Information about the war was broadcast live on HotNews.ro on Wednesday