Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

A top Russian official and close ally of President Vladimir Putin claimed Thursday that the West wants to tear Russia apart, Russian news agencies reported.

Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev told Russian media Thursday that the West’s “desire is very simple – to destabilize the political situation, divide the country into several parts that would be large enough, make agreements with each of these parts, denuclearize and demilitarize all of them and then offer its [security] services,” state news agency Tass reported.

Medvedev, who has been associated with Russian nationalist rhetoric and saber-rattling during the war in Ukraine, has — like other Russian officials including President Putin — claimed that the West’s real motive in helping Ukraine is to see Russia destroyed, without presenting any evidence of this. Ukraine’s Western allies say they are helping Kyiv to defend itself from Russia’s unprovoked aggression and to restore its territorial sovereignty.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Medvedev claimed that once the West divides Russia, the separate parts would then “even have a chance to join NATO, particularly if they give away our national resources.”

“They [Western countries] don’t want to have an equal partnership with us because they don’t need it,” Medvedev said, adding that the same goes for the West’s attitude to China.

Medvedev is widely seen as a stooge for Russian President Vladimir Putin, having served as both president and prime minister in Russia in the last 20 years, swapping roles with Putin to circumvent constitutional rules banning leaders from serving more than two terms in office consecutively.

While this so-called “tandemocracy” played out, Medvedev was seen as always subordinate to Putin no matter what role he had.

— Holly Ellyatt

The “tempo” of the Russian offensive in Bakhmut “appears to be slowing,” said the Institute for the Study of War Wednesday in its latest update. Ukrainian officials have reported fewer combat clashes in the city in recent days, the think tank noted.

However, Russian forces are currently increasing the tempo of operations around Avdiivka aiming to encircle the town, the Institute added. Ukraine said earlier this week the town could soon become a “second Bakhmut,” according to Reuters.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense also noted in its update Wednesday that the Russian forces’ offensive potential in Bakhmut is decreasing.

Although the Russian assault in Bakhmut is possibly “losing the limited momentum it had obtained,” there is still a danger that the Ukrainian garrison in Bakhmut could be surrounded, the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense said Wednesday.

— Audrey Wan

The White House downplayed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s presentation of an award to one of the pilots involved in the downing of a U.S. drone over the Black Sea.

“I don’t know of another military in the world that would award a pilot for ramming into a drone,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

“I gotta throw the flag on this one, I don’t know why they would throw a bravery award at a pilot who was at best, an idiot,” Kirby added.

Last week, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said its two fighter aircraft did not come in contact with the U.S. drone.

— Amanda Macias

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that the federal department she oversees has imposed more than 2,500 Russia-related sanctions following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.

“We have degraded the Kremlin’s ability to replace more than 9,000 pieces of heavy military equipment that it has lost on the battlefield. We have also stabilized global energy markets and cut into the Kremlin’s revenues by implementing innovative caps on the price of Russian oil,” Yellen said in opening remarks before the Senate’s Financial Services and General Government subcommittee.

Yellen also referenced her visit to Kyiv in February, where she met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials.

“As part of a broad coalition, we are responsibly disbursing vital economic assistance to Ukraine,” Yellen said. She added that “in my visit to Kyiv a month ago, Ukrainian officials told me firsthand about the critical impact of our work.”

— Amanda Macias

A Utah-based drone system developed and manufactured by Fortem Technologies is helping Ukrainian forces capture drones used by Russia on the battlefield.

The counter-unmanned aerial system, dubbed Drone Hunter F700, was initially donated to Ukrainian forces at the start of the war and then made its combat debut on the battlefield in May.

In Ukraine, Drone Hunter, as its name implies, captures Russian surveillance and reconnaissance drones by shooting a net around them to either ground or tow the system away from the battlefield.

“The Ukrainians love the system because they are able to reuse some of the drones that they capture. They are actually getting additional assets out of this,” Jon Gruen, chairman and CEO at Fortem Technologies, told CNBC.

Warren Brown, Fortem Technologies vice president of marketing, echoed Gruen and said that in some cases, Ukrainian forces have been able to fingerprint the captured drones.

“If you explode the drone then you don’t have any reconnaissance of where it came and what it’s mission is,” Brown added.

Gruen explained that Fortem Technologies has developed the Drone Hunter system after receiving specific feedback from Ukrainian forces.

The counter-unmanned aerial system, which can be used completely autonomously, has recently been modified to help counter Iranian-made drones being used by Russian forces in Ukraine.

Gruen said that Ukraine has about 10 of Fortem’s drones currently in operation, but that more are on the way.

“From start to finish it takes about three days to learn how to operate the system,” Gruen added.

— Amanda Macias

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said the last remaining backup power line at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant still needs to be repaired.

“Without the backup line, any damage to the 750 kV line [main external power line] will result in total loss of all off-site power to the plant,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement.

Grossi said that the backup power supply line has been disconnected and damaged since the beginning of March, and that the overall situation at the plant “remains perilous.”

“I once again call for a commitment from all sides to secure nuclear safety and security protection at the plant,” he said.

— Amanda Macias

At least seven people have died following a Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Head of Kyiv’s regional police Andriy Nebytov said on Telegram that “a total of 12 drones were shot down by security and defense forces in the Kyiv region during the attack by the occupiers.”

Nebytov said that nine people so far have been injured from the attack, which was carried out by Iranian-made drones.

— Amanda Macias

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visit Ukrainian soldiers on the Bakhmut frontline in eastern Ukraine.

-Ukrainian Presidency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images