Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

Tensions continue to rise between Russian military leaders and Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner private military company. Prigozhin accused the Kremlin of deliberately bombing Wagner troops. The Russian Ministry of Defense denied the accusations, calling the mercenary chief’s messages on Telegram ‘informational provocation.’

Earlier, Prigozhin alleged that the Kremlin’s justification for invading Ukraine was based on lies.

Ukraine’s military said it shot down 13 Russian cruise missiles headed for a military airfield in the western region of Khmelnitskyi. In the areas of intense combat, Ukraine reported its forces advanced in the south and stopped a Russian offensive toward the eastern cities of Lyman and Kupiansk.

Russian authorities denied the claims of Ukrainian progress, and Russia’s forces still hold a large amount of territory in Ukraine’s east and south. Ukrainian military leaders admit that the most difficult fighting is yet to come as the country’s long-awaited counteroffensive has yet to make significant gains.

“We still have the main events ahead of us,” Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar told media. “And the main blow is still to come. Indeed, some of the reserves – these are staged things – will be activated later.”

Meanwhile, the EU has adopted its 11th sanctions package against Russia.