Russian occupation officials are holding elections this week in four regions of Ukraine that Moscow has annexed. The voting is seen by Kyiv and its international allies as a fraudulent attempt by Moscow to tighten its grip on the territories.
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The area around one of Russia’s largest military hubs was rocked by explosions before dawn on Thursday, Russian officials said. The southern city of Rostov-on-Don, where the explosions occurred, is home to Russia’s southern military headquarters.
Some Ukrainian troops say U.S.-supplied cluster munitions are a powerful addition to a slew of weapons the West has sent for the counteroffensive against Russia. But the weapons, banned by most countries because of their devastating effects on children and other civilians, raise human rights concerns.