China is reportedly planning to provide "kamikaze drones" to Russia for the Ukraine war, German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Thursday (February 24) without citing specific sources.

China is reportedly planning to provide "kamikaze drones" to Russia for the Ukraine war, German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Thursday (February 24) without citing specific sources. The report mentioned that the Russian military is apparently negotiating mass production of drones as they engaged in talks with Chinese drone manufacturer Xi'an Bingo Intelligent Aviation Technology. The negotiations will deepen the West's underlying concerns over the possibility of China supplying "lethal weapons" to Russia for the ongoing war. The report also mentions that the tech firm has reportedly agreed to manufacture and test 100 ZT-180 prototype drones. It is believed that the company will deliver the drones to the Russian Defence Ministry by April. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine war: A turning point, not a roadblock for Indian medical students Analysts and military experts have previously said that the ZT-180 is capable of carrying a 35- to 50-kg warhead. The report comes on the day when China said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the issue between Ukraine and Russia. Beijing also came up with a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a comprehensive ceasefire and a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations. The company denies the report However, a report today by VICE World News mentioned that the Chinese drone manufacturer has denied it has any commercial dealings with Russia. A contractor for Xi'an Bingo told the media outlet that the drone maker had no business relationships with Russia and also declined to comment any further. As quoted by VICE, the company said, "Bingo Intelligent has no commercial contact with Russia." ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine war anniversary: India's 'mature' geopolitical navigation amid pressure is in spotlight WATCH | WION reports from one of the cities hit by Russian missiles × Concerns over weapons supply to Russia The Western nations have provided military assistance to the war-ravaged Ukraine to help in its fight against Russia. But in recent days, the Ukrainian allies have also raised concerns over the supply of advanced weapons to Russia. Countries, including the US, and Germany have even warned China not to sell weapons to Moscow, saying that any such move would have severe consequences. Some experts have claimed that amid severe Western sanctions imposed on Russia, the nation is believed to have bought weaponry from Iran and North Korea, including drones from the former. However, there is no official confirmation. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Russian trade data showed that Chinese state-owned defence companies have exported technology such as navigation equipment and fighter jet parts to Russia during the war. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Is Chinese manufacturer negotiating with Russian military for supplying Kamikaze drones?

As Ukraine marks one year of a fierce fight against Russia's invasion, King Charles III sent a message for the war-torn nation on Friday (February 24). Ukrainians, he said, have suffered unimaginably from an unprovoked full-scale attack on their nation yet they "have shown truly remarkable courage and resilience in the face of such human tragedy". He recalled his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Buckingham Palace earlier this year when he could express his "personal support".&nbsp; The United Kingdom, he stressed, is doing "everything possible" to help Kyiv, along with its allies at this difficult time.

"I can only hope the outpouring of solidarity from across the globe may bring not only practical aid, but also strength from the knowledge that, together, we stand united," an official statement read.

More than 8,000 people have died in the conflict-struck nation and over 13,000 have been injured, according to figures revealed by the United Nations ahead of the first year anniversary of the war. Millions of people have been displaced due to the violence.

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With the conflict entering the second year, an emotional Zelensky on Friday held back his tears as he acknowledged efforts by the war heroes. "I want to say to all of you who are fighting for Ukraine...I am proud of you. We all, each and every one, are proud of you!" he was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.&nbsp; "...We are strong. We are ready for anything. We will defeat everyone. This is how it began on February 24, 2022. The longest day of our lives. The most difficult day in our recent history. We woke up early and haven't slept since," Zelensky further said.

Also read: Russia-Ukraine war: <a href="wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-a-turning-point-not-a-roadblock-for-indian-medical-students-565459">A turning point, not a roadblock for Indian medical students</a>

World leaders have condemned the violence on the first year anniversary. US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to the country earlier this week in a strong message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In retaliation, Putin suspended the only major remaining nuclear treaty with the US.

(With inputs from agencies)

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As Ukraine marks one year of a fierce fight against Russia's invasion, King Charles III sent a message for the war-torn nation on Friday (February 24). Ukrainians, he said, have suffered unimaginably from an unprovoked full-scale attack on their nation yet they "have shown truly remarkable courage and resilience in the face of such human tragedy".

As Ukraine marks one year of a fierce fight against Russia's invasion, King Charles III sent a message for the war-torn nation on Friday (February 24). Ukrainians, he said, have suffered unimaginably from an unprovoked full-scale attack on their nation yet they "have shown truly remarkable courage and resilience in the face of such human tragedy". He recalled his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Buckingham Palace earlier this year when he could express his "personal support". The United Kingdom, he stressed, is doing "everything possible" to help Kyiv, along with its allies at this difficult time. "I can only hope the outpouring of solidarity from across the globe may bring not only practical aid, but also strength from the knowledge that, together, we stand united," an official statement read. More than 8,000 people have died in the conflict-struck nation and over 13,000 have been injured, according to figures revealed by the United Nations ahead of the first year anniversary of the war. Millions of people have been displaced due to the violence. Also watch | One Year of Russia-Ukraine War: 12 months of war in 12 minutes Video Embed Code: × With the conflict entering the second year, an emotional Zelensky on Friday held back his tears as he acknowledged efforts by the war heroes. "I want to say to all of you who are fighting for Ukraine...I am proud of you. We all, each and every one, are proud of you!" he was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. "...We are strong. We are ready for anything. We will defeat everyone. This is how it began on February 24, 2022. The longest day of our lives. The most difficult day in our recent history. We woke up early and haven't slept since," Zelensky further said. Also read: Russia-Ukraine war: A turning point, not a roadblock for Indian medical students World leaders have condemned the violence on the first year anniversary. US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to the country earlier this week in a strong message to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In retaliation, Putin suspended the only major remaining nuclear treaty with the US. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Message by King Charles III on 1 year of Ukraine war: 'Remarkable courage...'

Meta has said that Russia is resorting to spammer tactics to spread Ukraine war propaganda. The social media company shared the observation after more sophisticated influence operations at Facebook and Instagram were thwarted. Meta said that Russia is using thousands of fake accounts to control online conversations about the war. It has even set up bogus versions of news websites at similar online addresses, Meta said in a threat report.

"This activity bears a closer resemblance to what you might see from a spammer's playbook rather than the more stealthy and sophisticated Russian influence operations we have disrupted in the past," Meta head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in a briefing.

Meta says that user engagement with Russian state news outlet misinformation dropped more than 80 per cent.

"While overt activity by Russian state controlled media on our platforms has decreased, attempts at covert activity have increased sharply," said Meta president of global affairs Nick Clegg.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/russia-ukraine-war-anniversary-indias-mature-geopolitical-navigation-amid-pressure-is-in-spotlight-565376">India's 'mature' geopolitical navigation amid pressure is in spotlight</a>

Gleicher said that Meta informs researchers and other social networks about such tactics to expose deception campaigns.&nbsp;

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Meta worked to ensure that state news outlets weren't using its platform to spread misinformation about the war, Gleicher recounted. The company also made sure that no one was using bogus reports about the war to make money.&nbsp;

Clegg says that Meta took down two Russian covert influence campaigns last year that were trying to hijack online exchanges about the war by deploying comments from several fake accounts.&nbsp;

"Rather than trying to build up convincing fake personas these campaigns resembled smash-and-grab operations that use thousands of fake accounts across social media, not just our platforms, in an attempt to overwhelm the conversation with their content," Clegg said.

The propaganda campaign targetted Telegram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, Meta reported,&nbsp;Gleicher added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Meta has said that Russia is resorting to spammer tactics to spread Ukraine war propaganda. The social media company shared the observation after more sophisticated influence operations at Facebook and Instagram were thwarted.

Meta has said that Russia is resorting to spammer tactics to spread Ukraine war propaganda. The social media company shared the observation after more sophisticated influence operations at Facebook and Instagram were thwarted. Meta said that Russia is using thousands of fake accounts to control online conversations about the war. It has even set up bogus versions of news websites at similar online addresses, Meta said in a threat report. "This activity bears a closer resemblance to what you might see from a spammer's playbook rather than the more stealthy and sophisticated Russian influence operations we have disrupted in the past," Meta head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in a briefing. Meta says that user engagement with Russian state news outlet misinformation dropped more than 80 per cent. "While overt activity by Russian state controlled media on our platforms has decreased, attempts at covert activity have increased sharply," said Meta president of global affairs Nick Clegg. Also Read | India's 'mature' geopolitical navigation amid pressure is in spotlight Gleicher said that Meta informs researchers and other social networks about such tactics to expose deception campaigns. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Meta worked to ensure that state news outlets weren't using its platform to spread misinformation about the war, Gleicher recounted. The company also made sure that no one was using bogus reports about the war to make money. Clegg says that Meta took down two Russian covert influence campaigns last year that were trying to hijack online exchanges about the war by deploying comments from several fake accounts. "Rather than trying to build up convincing fake personas these campaigns resembled smash-and-grab operations that use thousands of fake accounts across social media, not just our platforms, in an attempt to overwhelm the conversation with their content," Clegg said. The propaganda campaign targetted Telegram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, Meta reported, Gleicher added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia resorting to spammer tactics to control online conversations about Ukraine war, says Meta

It was nearly a year ago, on February 24, 2022, when tanks and armoured vehicles rolled into the Ukrainian territory along with nearly 200,000 soldiers. Russian President Vladimir Putin was brimming with confidence of an impending victory, and his forces progressed up to Kyiv without much resistance, but by April they had to retreat and shift focus to the separatist region of Donbas.

It was nearly a year ago, on February 24, 2022, when tanks and armoured vehicles rolled into the Ukrainian territory along with nearly 200,000 soldiers. Russian President Vladimir Putin was brimming with confidence of an impending victory, and his forces progressed up to Kyiv without much resistance, but by April they had to retreat and shift focus to the separatist region of Donbas. Putin’s dream triumph has been eluding him as the Ukrainian troops withstood the initial onslaught and came up with a strong counteroffensive with the help of arms and warfare inputs from the West. As a consequence, the war has stretched much beyond Putin’s calculations and imagination, turning out to be much costlier than anticipated, while measures like conscription bred discontent among Russians at home, further adding to his woes. Cutting the umbilical cord Cut to December 25, 2022, Ukrainians for the first time celebrated Christmas earlier, cutting their umbilical cord with the Russian tradition, venting their anger and resentment over the massive devastation in their homeland, loss of dear ones and livelihood, homes being reduced to rubble and suffering the vagaries of the extreme winter cold without power and heating. Pictures capturing the massive destruction, pain and agony send a chill down the spine and remind us about the grisly, despicable repercussions of war. It takes so much to build, and just a whim to destroy. It was a subdued Xmas celebration in Ukraine, but one that was marked by exceptional resilience, courage and indefatigability amidst suffering. Many had lost a family member, kin, friend, neighbour, or benefactor, in the massive waves of strikes by Russian missiles, rockets and kamikaze drones, but they still lit candles despite their hearts seething with pain, just to spite the enemy. ALSO READ | Russia slams Emmanuel Macron for his remarks, says Moscow remembers Napoleon’s fate Families of fallen Ukrainian soldiers decorated Christmas trees on their graves as heavens showered snow as if it were sharing their grief. Volunteers in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv made a Christmas tree out of camouflage nets that were donated to soldiers fighting on the frontline after the holidays. It was a poignant, pensive Christmas for Ukrainians. A fortnight later, Russia also celebrated Christmas, on January 7, since its Orthodox Church still follows the Julian calendar and not the Gregorian calendar in which Xmas falls on December 25. Going by the celebrations in Russia, there was not even the faintest inkling of the country being at war, but this picture is just superficial. Every war bleeds the economy within, during and afterwards. The so-called “special operations” have resulted in massive casualties for Moscow’s forces also, as Putin had to order a partial mobilisation. Loss of Russian men and machines Remember, Moscow had a strong army of 850,000 active troops before the invasion. When war gets extended to a year, the costs are obviously high and though Russians may be living a normal life now — as there is no war action on Russian soil — the costs of the war will pinch them sometime eventually. As per the estimates of UK intelligence officials, the Russian regular forces along with the Wagner troops may have suffered around 175,000-200,000 casualties. Ukraine has been using weapons supplied by several countries and managed to repulse the attack as Russia lost captured ground in a massive counter-offensive. Conscription of 300,000 recruits and the deployment of Wagner Group mercenaries revealed that casualties in the Russian army had been massive. And now, as the West is again lining up fleets of Challenger, Leopard and Abrams tanks, more fatalities would follow. Since the mobilisation call led to protests and Russian men used all possible ways to flee, there would be more reliance on the mercenaries and the Wagner group would further grow in stature and pose a challenge to the Russian army. Russia is estimated to have lost nearly 40% of its fleet of tanks in the Ukraine war, as per a count by the specialist think tank, the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS). It lost the missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black SeaFleet, in April when it was hit by Ukrainian missiles. Putin’s spending on war material has also gone up as he has been procuring Kamikaze drones and missiles from Iran and Pyongyang. WATCH | Macron: Russia should be defeated in Ukraine, not crushed at home × Fall from grace, dent in image The invasion has hit Russia in other ways as well, as it has also lost its position of pre-eminence in the comity of nations. Its image of a powerful country in the region in the post-Soviet space has been hit hard. Moreover, Putin is aligning with rogue nations and those looked at with a doubt as he builds a new axis, bringing Moscow into its closest ever relations with China, North Korea and Iran. Russia, Iran, and North Korea are facing restrictive economic sanctions and are tying up for trade to circumvent the punitive measures besides working together on tactical and strategic levels. The G-7 nations are weighing sanctions on Chinese, Iranian and North Korean firms for aiding Russia’s military. It’s not difficult to fathom what Putin wanted by invading Ukraine, but Russians definitely would not like seeing their country being clubbed with North Korea and Iran. Former comedian Vs leader flaunting macho image The war can make or mar image, there will be twists and turns as it progresses but providence seems to have been favouring Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former actor and comedian. The war has given him a grand entry on the stage of geopolitics all of a sudden, and he has been making the right moves. His leadership has won him acclaim and he has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance. Zelensky was named the Time Person of the Year for 2022. He shed suit and tie and switched to wearing army-green T-shirts and sweatshirts in public appearances since the onset of the war in solidarity with his troops fighting Russians, and the world has seen him wearing the same clothes for the past 10 months, even while visiting abroad. Commentators even drew a parallel between his attire and Winston Churchill's historic appearance at the White House during World War II in a siren suit. Putin, known to be fond of his macho image, has been presenting himself as a tough leader, while scolding a minister during a meeting that was captured live. The war has kept him away from his macho pursuits as he had been photographed shirtless while riding a horse, firing darts with a crossbow at a grey whale from a motorboat, flooring the opponent in a Sambo wrestling session. What will Russia and Putin gain and lose? Ukraine is devastated and may well take a decade or more to bounce back. Rebuilding Ukraine after the destruction caused by the Russian invasion will cost around $349 billion, said a joint assessment by the World Bank, European Commission and Ukraine government. The Russian economy, on the other hand, will contract further due to the price cap on its crude oil and the EU’s embargo on oil and petroleum products. The effect of sanctions will become more evident on the ground gradually as public finances will shrink, and domestic manufacturing will be under stress. The Munich Security Conference saw nations pledging all support for Ukraine, expediting weapons’ supply and imposing tougher sanctions on Moscow. It will also be held accountable for war crimes as leaders mentioned Bucha and Mariupol. The earlier the war ends the better for both Ukraine and Russia, and the world as well, since till then the possibility of the conflict escalating will keep lurking. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

If Ukraine does lose the war, will Putin really be the winner?

As Ukraine is all set to mark one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte landed in Kyiv on Friday to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.&nbsp;Netherlands prime minister is accompanied by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, Liesje Schreinemacher.&nbsp;Rutte on Friday morning visited the Wall of Memory in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital and laid a wreath to honour the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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This is the second time the prime minister is visiting Ukraine, the last being in July last year when&nbsp;he visited Borodjanka, Boetsja, and Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv.&nbsp;

In a joint conference with Rutte in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has a "common understanding with the Netherlands that there should not be any taboo on the supply and support of weapons to our army, to our Ukraine, because it supports and protects our sovereignty."&nbsp;

Earlier this month, some members of the Dutch Parliament visited the Ukrainian capital where they discussed the security situation with the government officials.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-poland-belarusian-president-invites-biden-to-minsk-instead-to-end-the-war-563028">'Why Poland?': Belarusian president invites Biden to Minsk instead, to 'end the war'</a>

Netherlands Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, in a statement last month, pledged cooperation with the US and Germany to support Ukraine with the Patriot defence system.&nbsp;

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He also added that a total of 65 Dutch soldiers will train Ukrainian soldiers on the system. The defence support to Ukraine was also vowed by Dutch PM Rutte at the time when he met US President Joe Biden at White House last month.&nbsp;

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As Ukraine is all set to mark one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte landed in Kyiv on Friday to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

As Ukraine is all set to mark one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte landed in Kyiv on Friday to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Netherlands prime minister is accompanied by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, Liesje Schreinemacher. Rutte on Friday morning visited the Wall of Memory in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital and laid a wreath to honour the fallen defenders of Ukraine. Also Read | The real reason why Microsoft-backed OpenAI developing customisable ChatGPT This is the second time the prime minister is visiting Ukraine, the last being in July last year when he visited Borodjanka, Boetsja, and Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv. In a joint conference with Rutte in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has a "common understanding with the Netherlands that there should not be any taboo on the supply and support of weapons to our army, to our Ukraine, because it supports and protects our sovereignty." Earlier this month, some members of the Dutch Parliament visited the Ukrainian capital where they discussed the security situation with the government officials. Also Read | 'Why Poland?': Belarusian president invites Biden to Minsk instead, to 'end the war' Netherlands Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, in a statement last month, pledged cooperation with the US and Germany to support Ukraine with the Patriot defence system. Watch | Japan: Rocket boosters fail to fire, resulting in cancellation of launch He also added that a total of 65 Dutch soldiers will train Ukrainian soldiers on the system. The defence support to Ukraine was also vowed by Dutch PM Rutte at the time when he met US President Joe Biden at White House last month. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Dutch PM visits Kyiv, meets Zelensky as Russia-Ukraine war nears one-year mark

Air raid sirens went off across much of Ukraine on Friday as Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Kharkiv and launched multiple strikes on energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia. Several explosions were also heard in Kyiv. Moscow has stepped up attacks in Ukraine’s south and east in the past few days.&nbsp;

Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatolii Kurtiev said the city had been hit 17 times in one hour, making it the most destructive and intense period of attacks since the invasion started in February last year.

The mayor of Kharkiv&nbsp;confirmed that an infrastructure facility in the area had been hit and warned of possible power outages as a result.

Ukraine had&nbsp;been anticipating a fresh offensive by Russia as the war approaches its one-year mark and now&nbsp;believes it has already begun. The eastern region of the country is witnessing fierce fighting and officials in the&nbsp;Donetsk and Luhansk regions say that escalation by Russian troops in their&nbsp;areas has already started.

Kyiv has been saying that Russia plans to strike heavily so that it can tout some achievements on the one-year anniversary of the war on February 24.

Asked on Ukrainian television if he agreed that the Russian offensive escalation had already begun, Pavlo Krylenko, governor of the eastern Donetsk region, said on Thursday: "Yes, definitely."

"Around eastern towns like Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Vuhledar, the enemy's forces and means are escalating there with daily intensity. They are trying to...seize these areas and key cities...to score new successes," he added.

Leader of the Luhansk region also said that the offensive has started, although without "much success".

“We can conclude that a certain escalation has already begun. And we can say de facto that this is part of the full-scale offensive that Russia has been planning,” Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk region military administration, said in a television interview posted on his Telegram channel.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-free-europe-without-free-ukraine-says-zelensky-at-eu-summit-560409">There's no free Europe without free Ukraine, says Zelensky at EU summit</a>

"Over the past week to 10 days, the frequency of shelling has increased. The daily number of attacks has increased," he said.

He added that there was a major new Russian assault around Russian-occupied city of Kreminna in northeast Ukraine.&nbsp;However, Hayday said that Moscow has had little success.

“There our soldiers constantly repulsed a large number of attacks by the occupation troops,” Hayday said. “They have not had much success. There is no breakthrough. The situation is difficult, but is still controlled by our defense forces.”

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was in Brussels on Thursday, said that several European leaders were ready to supply the country with military aircraft. He had attended an EU summit there and said that several European Union leaders told him at that they were ready to equip Ukraine with fighter jets.&nbsp;He is due to return to Kyiv on Friday.&nbsp;

Zelensky's surprise European tour began on Wednesday with a meeting with Britain Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London and dinner in Paris with France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Olaf Scholz.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Air raid sirens went off across much of Ukraine on Friday as Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Kharkiv and launched multiple strikes on energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia.

Air raid sirens went off across much of Ukraine on Friday as Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Kharkiv and launched multiple strikes on energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia. Several explosions were also heard in Kyiv. Moscow has stepped up attacks in Ukraine’s south and east in the past few days. Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatolii Kurtiev said the city had been hit 17 times in one hour, making it the most destructive and intense period of attacks since the invasion started in February last year. The mayor of Kharkiv confirmed that an infrastructure facility in the area had been hit and warned of possible power outages as a result. Ukraine had been anticipating a fresh offensive by Russia as the war approaches its one-year mark and now believes it has already begun. The eastern region of the country is witnessing fierce fighting and officials in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions say that escalation by Russian troops in their areas has already started. Kyiv has been saying that Russia plans to strike heavily so that it can tout some achievements on the one-year anniversary of the war on February 24. Asked on Ukrainian television if he agreed that the Russian offensive escalation had already begun, Pavlo Krylenko, governor of the eastern Donetsk region, said on Thursday: "Yes, definitely." "Around eastern towns like Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Vuhledar, the enemy's forces and means are escalating there with daily intensity. They are trying to...seize these areas and key cities...to score new successes," he added. Leader of the Luhansk region also said that the offensive has started, although without "much success". “We can conclude that a certain escalation has already begun. And we can say de facto that this is part of the full-scale offensive that Russia has been planning,” Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk region military administration, said in a television interview posted on his Telegram channel. Also Read | There's no free Europe without free Ukraine, says Zelensky at EU summit "Over the past week to 10 days, the frequency of shelling has increased. The daily number of attacks has increased," he said. He added that there was a major new Russian assault around Russian-occupied city of Kreminna in northeast Ukraine. However, Hayday said that Moscow has had little success. “There our soldiers constantly repulsed a large number of attacks by the occupation troops,” Hayday said. “They have not had much success. There is no breakthrough. The situation is difficult, but is still controlled by our defense forces.” Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was in Brussels on Thursday, said that several European leaders were ready to supply the country with military aircraft. He had attended an EU summit there and said that several European Union leaders told him at that they were ready to equip Ukraine with fighter jets. He is due to return to Kyiv on Friday. Zelensky's surprise European tour began on Wednesday with a meeting with Britain Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London and dinner in Paris with France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Olaf Scholz. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia hits critical infrastructure in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia; explosions heard in Kyiv