The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has requested access to areas of Russian territory affected or invaded by Ukrainian forcesincluding the Kursk regionwhere Kiev’s troops have been advancing for several days.
“The UN Human Rights Office has sent a request to the Russian authorities to facilitate the Office’s access to areas of the Russian Federation affected by hostilities, including the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, as part of our human rights monitoring and assessment mandate,” spokeswoman Liz Throssell said.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin spoke by phone to discuss Ukrainian defense priorities to counter the Russian invasion. The two ministers wrote this on their respective X accounts, which were also reported by Ukrainian media.
“Today I spoke with my Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, about the priorities of security assistance and battlefield operations in Ukraine. The United States remains committed to helping Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression,” the Pentagon chief wrote on his X account.
“I had a productive conversation with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, briefing him on the situation at the front and the needs of our defense forces. I am grateful to Secretary Austin and the American people for their continuous and comprehensive support (to Ukraine) since the large-scale Russian invasion began,” Umerov wrote in X.