Violence and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine and Russia.

The head of the Wagner Group of mercenaries fighting in Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine claimed that his units had technically captured the town, with the Russian flag raised over the city administration building. Meanwhile, the death of pro-war military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in an explosion in a cafe in St. Petersburg is being investigated as a "high-profile murder." Alcohol continues to be a blight on Russia's armed forces, with a significant minority of non-combat related deaths caused by drink. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit Poland this week to discuss security issues and economic cooperation.