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Wladimir Putin
Photo: GRIGORY SISOYEV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL / EPA
This article will be continuously updated.
Ukraine reports further territorial gains
8.54 a.m .:
According to President Volodymyr Selenskyj, dozens of towns have been liberated from Russian occupation in the past few days as the Ukrainian army advanced.
There is good news, said Zelenskyj in a video message distributed in Kyiv on Tuesday evening.
"The Ukrainian army is advancing fairly quickly and powerfully in the current defense operation in the south of our country." Villages in the Kherson, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk regions have been brought back under Ukrainian control.
In particular, in the Cherson region in the south, localities were liberated.
The Ukrainian armed forces spoke of a total of eight settlements in the evening.
“Our soldiers don't stop.
And it's only a matter of time before we expel the occupiers from our country,” Zelenskyy said.
Putin signs annexation of Ukrainian territories
8:53 a.m .:
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed laws on Wednesday to incorporate four Ukrainian regions into Russia, thereby completing the illegal annexation.
Earlier this week, both chambers of the Russian parliament ratified treaties making the Donetsk, Luhansk, Cherson and Zaporizhia regions part of Russia.
Internationally, the forcible annexation of the Ukrainian regions is not recognized.
Japan reopens embassy in Kyiv
8.49 a.m .:
According to the Foreign Ministry, Japan will reopen its embassy in Kiev on Wednesday.
The diplomatic mission was temporarily closed on March 2 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
asa/asc/dpa/Reuters/AFP/AP