>>18880420

Zelenskyy denies Ukrainian city of Bakhmut occupied by Russian forces

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russian forces weren’t occupying Bakhmut, casting doubt on Moscow’s insistence that the eastern Ukrainian city had fallen.

Responding to a reporter’s question about the status of the city at the Group of Seven summit in Japan, Zelenskyy said: “Bakhmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation as of today.”

“We are not throwing people (away) to die,” Zelenskyy said in Ukrainian through an interpreter. “People are the treasure. I clearly understand what is happening in Bakhmut. I cannot share with you the technical details of what is happening with our warriors.”

The fog of war made it impossible to confirm the situation on the ground in the invasion’s longest battle, and a series of comments from Ukrainian and Russian officials added confusion to the matter.

Zelenskyy’s response in English to a question earlier at the summit about the status of Bakhmut suggested that he believed the city had fallen to Russian forces, and he offered solemn words about its fate.

https://apnews.com/article/who-controls-bakhmut-ukraine-russia-war-6c3b7e40730e574a074c9a45d4db9eb4

Six arrested at Nebraska state capitol during a debate about abortion and transgenderism

Social media videos show police clashing with other protesters outside the chamber.

Six people were arrested at the Nebraska state capitol on Friday as lawmakers debated and later passed a bill that bans abortions after 12 weeks and bans gender transition surgeries for people under 19, with few exceptions.

After the debate stopped around 2:40 p.m. on Friday, some arrests were made on the chamber balcony after someone allegedly threw what appeared to be a bloody tampon onto the legislative floor. The balconies were cleared for the remainder of the debate.

Nebraska State Patrol told Fox News Digital that two women were arrested for allegedly obstructing a government operation and disturbing the peace.

A man was arrested for resisting arrest and trespassing after officers said he didn't comply with orders when asked to leave the premises.

Social media videos show police clashing with other protesters outside the chamber. Many of them were chanting "Shame, shame!"

Nebraska GOP Gov. Jim Pillen plans to sign the bill into law.

https://justthenews.com/nation/states/6-arrested-nebraska-state-capitol-during-debate-about-abortion-and-transgenderism

Moscow warns of fallout from F-16 deliveries to Kiev

Western countries “are sticking to the escalation scenario,” which comes with enormous risks, the deputy FM has said

If Western countries decide to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, it could backfire on them, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko warned on Saturday.

Speaking to TASS news agency, Grushko noted the West’s continual “movement up the escalation ladder,” following reports by several US media outlets that Washington would not stop its allies from sending modern fighter jets to Kiev, which remains locked in conflict with Moscow.

“We see that Western countries are sticking to the escalation scenario. It is fraught with colossal risks for themselves,” he said.

Grushko noted that despite the assistance of Western countries, Russia “has all the necessary means to achieve its goals” with regard to the military operation in Ukraine.

On Friday, NBC reported that the US and its allies plan to provide Ukraine with F-16s, though this does not mean that the aircraft would be supplied directly by Washington. Several other outlets also claimed that the administration of US President Joe Biden would not block its allies from transferring the jets to Kiev.

https://www.rt.com/russia/576652-russia-f16-ukraine-warning/