"Ukraine War: Putin Denies Cold War Alliances, Russian Soldier Toll Rises, and Ukrainians Mourn Losses"

Russian President Vladimir Putin insists that Russia and China are not building military alliances similar to those of the Cold War, as defense officials from both countries meet in Moscow to discuss increasing bilateral cooperation in the defense sector. Meanwhile, Ukraine's military intelligence agency claims to have conducted a special operation with resistance forces to kill a Russian-backed lawmaker in the Luhansk region. The UK's Ministry of Defence highlights ongoing sabotage of Russian railways by anti-war activists as a significant challenge for the Russian authorities. Additionally, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev accuses Ukraine of attempting to attack three nuclear power plants. NATO allies condemn Russia's withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and announce the suspension of its operation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposes extending the ban on Ukrainian natural gas exports for the whole of 2024.