Ukraine latest: Russia likely to be behind document leak, US says

Russia or pro-Russian elements are likely behind a leak of classified US military documents that offer a partial snapshot of the war in Ukraine, three US officials told Reuters, while the justice department said it was investigating the leak.

FIGHTING

• Russian forces have likely seized the centre of the fiercely contested city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and are threatening a key supply route for Ukrainian forces to the west, British intelligence said. A Ukrainian military command spokesperson said the situation was difficult but Russia was not having “strategic success”.

• Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports.

DIPLOMACY, POLITICS

• Evan Gershkovich was charged with espionage in Russia but the Wall Street Journal reporter denied the charges and said he was working as a journalist, Russian news agencies said on Friday.

• Ukraine's leaders discussed ways to prevent leaks of military information after the leak of the secret documents detailing US and Nato efforts to help the country plan a counteroffensive against Russia's invasion.

• Russian legislators on Friday proposed tougher sentences for those convicted of terrorism, high treason and sabotage, domestic news agencies reported.

• Turkey has agreed to stop the transit of sanctioned Western goods to Russia after pressure from the G7, a US official told Reuters, cautioning that Washington will monitor Ankara's trade data with Moscow in anticipation of a drop.

• Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is to visit Canada in the coming weeks, a spokesperson for Canada's prime minister said.

ECONOMY, TRADE

• Ukraine can resume exporting electricity after a six-month gap, given the success of repairs carried out after repeated Russian attacks, energy minister Herman Halushchenko said on Friday.

• The coalition that has imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine has found effective ways to communicate with China about not providing material support, a senior US treasury department official said on Friday.

• Russia threatened to bypass a UN-brokered grain deal unless obstacles to its agricultural exports were removed, while talks in Turkey agreed removing barriers was needed to extend the agreement beyond next month.

• Ukraine's first deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova is due to visit India on Monday and will seek humanitarian aid and equipment to repair energy infrastructure damaged during Russia's invasion, The Hindu newspaper reported on Saturday.