On Tuesday, Russian mercenary forces fighting for the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine reported that they had taken full control of the eastern section of the city, though no evidence has been offered to support the claim. The Ukrainian administration, meanwhile, accused Russian troops of almost encircling the city in their ongoing attempts to reclaim it. As the situation in Ukraine continues to remain tense, new information has come to light regarding the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines last September.

The New York Times reported that, according to U.S. intelligence officers, a pro-Ukrainian group was likely behind the sabotage, though there was no evidence of the Kyiv government being involved. Questioning the reports, the Kremlin has requested an open investigation and called it an attempt to "divert attention". While the U.S. administration has noted that an investigation is still ongoing, Ukrainian President