Ukraine war live updates: Bakhmut ‘holding out in opposition to all odds,’ Zelenskyy says Russia backs banning maps disputing official ‘territorial integrity’

Russia’s authorities extended support to a legislative amendment that would classify maps that dispute the country’s formal “territorial integrity” as punishable extremist components, the condition-owned TASS news agency described on Sunday.

The modification to Russia’s anti-extremism laws stipulates that “cartographic and other files and illustrations or photos that dispute the territorial integrity of Russia” will be categorised as extremist elements, the agency described.

Russia’s sweepingly ambiguous anti-extremism laws — it applies to religious companies, journalists and their resources, as effectively as the exercise of organizations, amid others – has permitted the Kremlin to tighten its grip on opponents.

The new modification, TASS stories without citing resources, emerged following its authors pointed out that some maps distributed in Russia dispute the “territorial affiliation” of the Crimean Peninsula and the Kuril Islands.

Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 – a shift rejected by Ukraine and many international locations as unlawful. Ukrainians and their govt have given that typically objected to world maps demonstrating Crimea as element of Russia’s territory.

Russia and Japan have not formally ended Planet War Two hostilities since of their standoff above a group of islands just off Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido. The Soviet Union seized people islands – regarded in Russia as the Kurils and in Japan as the Northern Territories – at the close of the war.

The amendment should be proposed to the Condition Duma, Russia’s decrease dwelling of parliament, and following a evaluation go via a few readings. It is then despatched to the Federation Council, the upper household, and to President Vladimir Putin for signing.

— Reuters

Russia appears to be hesitant to deploy its new-technology stealth fighter jets in the war in Ukraine, fearing their prospective reduction, according to the latest intelligence update from Britain’s Ministry of Defense.

In a Twitter update, the ministry mentioned that considering the fact that at minimum June 2022, “Russian Aerospace Forces have almost definitely utilized Su-57 FELON [jets] to carry out missions against Ukraine.”

“FELON is Russia’s most superior fifth-technology supersonic combat jet, utilizing stealth technologies and very highly developed avionics,” the ministry included.

It explained that missions working with the jets have most likely been restricted “to traveling about Russian territory, launching long vary air-to-surface area or air-to-air missiles into Ukraine.”

It considered that was due to Russia “highly likely prioritising avoiding the reputational damage, minimized export prospects, and the compromise of sensitive technological know-how which would occur from any decline of FELON about Ukraine,” it mentioned.

“This is symptomatic of Russia’s continued possibility-averse strategy to employing its air force in the war.”

— Holly Ellyatt

The condition on the entrance line in jap Ukraine has not changed appreciably in the 1st week of the year, in accordance to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with “heavy preventing” continuing in the Luhansk and Donetsk areas, significantly around Bakhmut and Soledar.

“Bakhmut is holding out against all odds. And although most of the city is destroyed by Russian strikes, our warriors repel constant attempts at Russian offensive there. Soledar is keeping out. Whilst there is even a lot more destruction there and it is really tough,” Zelenskyy mentioned in his nightly address Sunday.

“There is no this kind of piece of land close to these two cities wherever the occupier would not have specified his life for the ridiculous suggestions of the masters of the Russian routine. This is 1 of the bloodiest places on the frontline,” he included.

Zelenskyy claimed extra units have been remaining deployed to the area in a bid to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses and intesify attacks on Russian forces.

— Holly Ellyatt