President Putin completes the formal annexation of more than 15% of Ukraine, just as Russian forces battle to halt a Ukrainian counter-offensive
The US has announced more weapons for Ukraine's army, which claims sweeping gains along two major battlefronts in an offensive rush to beat the arrival of fresh Russian troops and the looming winter.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed four federal constitutional laws on the entry of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions into the Russian Federation," the lower house of parliament said.Russia declared the annexations after holding what it called referendums in occupied areas of Ukraine. Western governments and Kiev said the votes breached international law and were coercive and non-representative.
Some of the territory was taken back in the regions of Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk, he said, where the controversial referendums were held last week on being annexed by Russia. But Kirill Stremousov, a Russian-installed official in Kherson region, said on Wednesday that the Ukrainian army's advance there had stopped, state-owned news agency TASS reported.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Putin signs laws annexing 4 Ukrainian regionsEarlier this week, both houses of the Russian parliament ratified treaties making the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions part of Russia.
Read more »
Russia Fails Five Separate Times to Advance in Donetsk in Single DayUkraine repelled attacks in five cities in the region, the latest setback for Russia, officials said Monday.
Read more »
Putin signs laws annexing 4 Ukrainian regionsKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed laws absorbing four Ukrainian regions into Russia, a move that finalizes the annexation carried out in defiance of international law.
Read more »
Sweden sends special diving vessel to area of pipeline leaksSweden has sent a vessel capable of “advanced diving missions” to the Baltic Sea area where ruptured undersea pipelines leaked natural gas for days, the Swedish navy said Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused the West of sabotaging Russia-built natural gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea to Germany, a charge vehemently denied by the United States and its allies. Last week, undersea blasts damaged the pipelines off southern Sweden and Denmark and have led to huge methane leaks, with the Danish and Swedish governments saying that several hundred pounds of explosives was involved.
Read more »
Belarus TV guest hits back after being told country is 'part of Russia'The Russian State TV guest also insisted Russia needed to regroup as it is struggling against the well-equipped Ukraine.
Read more »
Russian anti-war TV protester listed as wanted fugitiveRussian TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of spreading fake news about Russia's armed forces. russia ukraine
Read more »