"Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin strengthen ties amid Ukraine conflict"

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Moscow after a three-day visit to the Russian capital that seemed to produce mixed results for the tentative allies. Both Ukrainian and Russian officials claimed separately that Kyiv, and Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea, had been targeted by drone attacks Wednesday morning. The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone in eight to 10 months, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned China on Tuesday against supplying lethal weapons to Russia, as leaders of both countries were meeting in Moscow for talks. The head of Ukraine's armed forces said they have repelled Russian attempts to advance into the center of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where fighting continues to be intense.