Ukraine: Operation to End the War & Attacks
Ukraine is preparing a new operation that, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is intended to force Russia to end the war. The plan involves exerting direct pressure on the Kremlin (the Russian authorities), coinciding with overnight drone attacks on the "Azot" chemical plant in Russia's Tula region. Local residents reported a strange smell following the explosions, and the strikes caused damage to industrial infrastructure.
The intensification of hostilities is also affecting the situation in occupied Crimea, from which Russian civilians are departing en masse, creating massive traffic jams on exit roads. At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko announced that Ukrainian representatives visited Minsk (the capital of Belarus) to discuss the terms of a potential agreement, although Kyiv has not officially confirmed these reports.
Outside the region, the United States announced significant changes, completely closing its borders to asylum seekers. American authorities announced the commencement of deportation procedures for individuals who do not meet the new entry criteria.
More on the course of the conflict, American missile shield tests, and an incident on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz can be found in the News section.