Ukraine, Briefly

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• British intelligence officials warned that the Ukraine war is set to enter a new phase, saying the Russian military is “almost certainly” massing in the south in preparation for a Ukrainian counter-offensive, Sky News wrote. Long convoys of military trucks, tanks, and towed artillery have been heading southwest from the Donbas region in Eastern Ukraine, according to officials from the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

• The top officer at Amnesty International’s Ukrainian office announced her resignation over the weekend after the organization produced a report alleging that some of Kyiv’s troops were stationed in crowded residential areas, the Hill reported. According to the report, the Ukrainian military set up operations within schools and hospitals and executed strikes while close to residential homes.

• Turkey will convert a portion of its payments for Russian gas to rubles and plans to strengthen ties with Moscow by extending the use of Russia’s Mir payment system, Deutsche Welle noted. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the switch Saturday, a day after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia. The move puts Erdogan at odds with the US, which has spearheaded the international campaign to sanction Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in late February.