Russia intensifies military actions in Ukraine

A Russian official has accused Ukraine of shelling a border town in Bryansk region for the third time in three days, but has not provided any evidence. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military says it is locked in a “positional struggle” as fierce fighting rages in Bakhmut, adding it has been able to push back Russian forces after a series of counterattacks. The Biden administration estimates that Russia has suffered more than 100,000 casualties since December, and the US is defining the term “casualty” as both wounded and killed. Ukraine has denied any knowledge of a peace mission involving the Vatican to resolve the conflict with Russia. A former US Marine, Cooper “Harris” Andrews, 26, was killed on the outskirts of Bakhmut last week, according to his mother and colleagues in Ukraine.