Ukraine, Briefly

Listen to Today's Edition:

• The US Treasury Department announced new penalties against Russian companies and individuals associated with Vladimir Putin, including a famous former Olympic gymnast, Alina Kabaeva, whom the US government believes to be the Russian president’s girlfriend, the Wall Street Journal reported.

• The Russian Army looks to be preparing for an attack along the same southern battlefront where Kyiv’s troops are planning one, according to the New York Times. The warning from Ukraine’ Operational Southern Command highlighted the prospect of a more intense, see-sawing conflict in southern Ukraine than had been anticipated in the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which has been pressing toward the Russian-occupied city of Kherson.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has paved the way to legalizing same-sex civil partnerships in the country in response to a petition, CNN wrote. However, Zelenskyy cautioned that legalizing same-sex marriage would be difficult while the country was at war because as it stands it would violate the constitution.