The Ukrainian Air Force said that it shot down two Russian fighter jets in the east of the country, and the armed forces said they held off a series of Russian attacks in the southeast.
Meanwhile, amid growing international concern about Ukraine’s dwindling supplies of weaponry, Sweden said it would provide a record aid package to Kyiv.
And, in Russia, a US-Russian dual citizen was arrested by security services on treason charges, according to authorities.
Here are the latest headlines:
- Ukraine downs 2 Russian jets: The Ukrainian Air Force shot down two Russian fighter jets — an Su-34 and an Su-35S — in the eastern part of the country, it reported Monday.
- Ukraine repels attacks: Ukraine’s armed forces said they held off Russian attacks toward the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia during a “difficult” night, repelling 11 attacks near Malynivka and Robotyne.
- Sweden pledges $683 million to Ukraine: Sweden announced its largest support package to Ukraine. “As global military stocks dwindle we will focus more on donations,” Defense Minister Pål Jonson said, outlining Sweden’s commitment to “stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
- US dual citizen arrested in Russia: The FSB security service arrested a dual US-Russian citizen on charges of treason for collecting funds for Ukrainian organizations and openly supporting Kyiv. FSB said the 33-year-old Los Angeles resident was detained in the city of Yekaterinburg.
- Kremlin hits back at Navalny accusations: The Kremlin dismissed Yulia Navalnaya’s accusation that Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the death of her husband Alexey Navalny. The opposition leader’s mother on Tuesday issued an appeal to Putin to release his body.
- US journalist to remain in Russian jail: The Moscow City Court upheld a decision to keep US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russian detention until March 30. Gershkovich, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, was arrested in Russia in March 2023 on spying charges.
“Let me finally see my son.” Mother of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny addresses Putin in video
From CNN’s Anna Chernova
Lyudmila Navalnaya, Alexey Navalny’s mother, has released a video appealing directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin to “let me finally see my son.”
Navalnaya filmed the video standing outside the penal colony in Siberia where her son died.
“Behind me is the IK-3 “Polar Wolf” colony, where my son, Alexey Navalny, died on February 16. I haven’t been able to see him for five days. They won’t give me his body. They don’t even tell me where he is,” she says, directly staring at the camera.
“I am addressing you, Vladimir Putin. The solution to the issue depends only on you. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexey’s body be immediately handed over so that I can bury him humanely.”
Some context: The opposition figure died while serving a sentence in a Russian penal colony. The cause of his death remains unclear, and a Navalny spokesperson said Monday that the body won’t be released to the family for at least 14 days.
Russia arrests dual US-Russian citizen on charges of treason for collecting funds for Ukraine
From CNN’s Sebastien Shukla, Nathan Hodge and Anna Chernova
Russia’s FSB security service has arrested a dual US-Russian citizen on charges of treason for collecting funds for Ukrainian organizations and openly supporting Kyiv.
FSB said Tuesday that a 33-year-old Los Angeles resident was detained in Russia’s city of Yekaterinburg for “providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country.”
The funds raised were used to “purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” the FSB said.
The FSB said the US citizen took part in public actions that supported what it called the “Kyiv regime.”
“Operational search activities and investigative actions continue. The court chose a preventive measure in the form of detention for the accused,” the statement said.
The statement did not specify her alleged actions in support of Kyiv.
CNN has reached out to the US Embassy in Moscow for comment.
Moscow court rejects US journalist Evan Gershkovich’s appeal against extending his detention
From CNN’s Anna Chernova
US journalist Evan Gershkovich, appears inside a defendants’ cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended pre-trial detention, at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, Russia, on February 20. Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images
The Moscow City Court has upheld a decision to keep US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russian detention until March 30.
Gershkovich, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, was arrested in Russia in March 2023 on spying charges.
The FSB, Russia’s main security service, accused him of trying to obtain state secrets – a charge Gershkovich, his employer and the US government have strenuously denied.
The Moscow City Court said it considered the appeal but would support the decision made earlier by the Lefortovo District Court to extend Gershkovich’s period of detention.
Already, he has had his pre-trial detention extended twice since his arrest, once in May and again in August.
If convicted of spying, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Kremlin says Yulia Navalnaya’s accusations that Putin killed Navalny are unfounded
From CNN’s Anna Chernova and Radina Gigova
Alexey Navalny, center, his wife Yulia, center right, and other demonstrators march in memory of murdered Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov in downtown Moscow, Russia, on February 29, 2020. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images
The Kremlin has dismissed Yulia Navalnaya’s accusation that Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the death of her husband Alexey Navalny as “absolutely unfounded” and “boorish.”
Navalny, Russia’s highest-profile opposition leader, died in prison on Friday. Days later, Navalnaya released a video message in which she said “Vladimir Putin killed my husband.”
CNN asked Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to comment on her statement during a call with journalists Tuesday.
“No, we leave this without comment,” he said.
“Of course, these are absolutely unfounded, boorish accusations against the head of the Russian state. But given that Navalnaya became a widow just a few days earlier, I will refrain from commenting,” Peskov said.
CNN also asked Peskov to comment on Navalnaya’s comments that her husband’s body hasn’t been returned to his family because “they are waiting for the traces of Putin’s next ‘Novichok’ to disappear there.”
Peskov responded: “This is nothing more than unfounded accusations.”
“To be honest, I am not familiar with this speech, but if it contained such words, then again this is nothing more than unfounded accusations,” he said.
“Because they are not linked to anything, not confirmed by anything. In this case, only for ethical reasons, I cannot assess these words as they should be,” Peskov added.
Navalnaya later responded.
“I don’t care how the killer’s press secretary comments on my words. Give back Alexey’s body and let him be buried with dignity, don’t stop people from saying goodbye to him,” she posted on X.
“And I strongly ask all journalists who can still ask questions: don’t ask about me, ask about Alexey.”
Remember: Novichok is a poison used on Navalny in August 2020.
Source:https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-02-20-24/index.html
