Bakhmut storming and Iran's nuclear program: today’s highlights

Situation at the frontline

Russian troops continue to advance in the Bakhmut direction and do not stop storming the city of Bakhmut. On March 1, Ukrainian defense forces repelled attacks in the areas of Bakhmut, Khromove, and Ivanivske in Donetsk Oblast.

The spokesperson for the Eastern military grouping, Serhii Cherevatyi, said that the occupiers had engaged the most trained units of the Wagner PMC to storm Bakhmut. These units are headed by military personnel who have experience in combat in Syria, Libya, and other hot spots.

He assured that Ukrainian defenders do not allow the occupiers to systematically break through the defense and quickly reach the rear and not allow them to surround Ukrainian troops. There was no decision to withdraw the Ukrainian military from Bakhmut.

Iran's nuclear program

The US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said that Iran could produce material for one nuclear bomb “in about 12 days”. It is not yet known whether Iran has mastered the technology to actually build a nuclear bomb.

Against the backdrop of this statement, it became known that the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, will visit Iran on Friday, March 3, for high-level meetings.

Is China helping the Wagner Group mercenaries?

The United States believes that the Chinese satellite company Spacety provided images to the Russian PMC Wagner. The company claimed that it was complying with international sanctions against Russia and had no ties with it after the sanctions were imposed. However, in January 2023, the United States added Spacety to its blacklist of trade transactions.

Speaking to journalists, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning avoided answering the question about the transfer of Spacety satellite images to the Wagner Group mercenaries and replied: “China strongly opposes the illegal unilateral sanctions of the United States.”

Discussions about the origin of the coronavirus

FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the coronavirus most likely originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. In response, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the US intelligence community of “making up stories” and turned the blame on the United States.

 “Many have raised questions and concerns about US biological military bases at Fort Detrick and around the world. The United States should cooperate with the WHO to invite experts from around the world to the United States as soon as possible to study the origin, and share the results of the study with the international community in a timely, open, and transparent manner,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Train collision in Greece

The death toll from the collision between a passenger and a freight train in Greece on the evening of February 28 has risen to 36. The Greek government has declared three days of national mourning.

Greek Transportation Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned over the accident and said he takes responsibility for the failures in the railroad's repair.

Russian shelling

On March 1, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine recorded 3 missile attacks by Russian troops on civilian targets in Kharkiv Oblast, 16 air strikes, including by Shahed-136 drones, and more than 20 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems.

In addition, the occupiers do not stop shelling civilian facilities and civilian homes, trying to destroy critical infrastructure.

For example, in Kherson Oblast, the occupiers shelled Chornobaivka with artillery, injuring a one-year-old boy. In the village of Zmiivka, two men were wounded in a Russian attack: A 54-year-old local resident sustained shrapnel wounds to his foot, and a 34-year-old volunteer from Kryvyi Rih sustained shrapnel wounds to his arm with incomplete amputation of the forearm, and complex fractures of the arm and leg.

On the evening of March 1, it became known about a missile attack on the Kremenchuk Raion of Poltava Oblast and the work of air defense in Sumy Oblast.

Other news:

• Almost all members of the Verkhovna Rada received a raise for “intensity of work” in January, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.
• The Pentagon has no evidence that American weapons are being stolen in Ukraine.
• Serbian President Aleksandar Vucić says that Serbian citizens fighting in the ranks of the Wagner PMC will be arrested upon their return to the country.
• The court of appeal granted ex-Naftogaz CEO Andrii Koboliev almost UAH 230 million in bail. He is charged with abuse of office by paying bonuses of $10 million.
• The rotation of IAEA experts at Zaporizhzhia NPP is delayed by more than 3 weeks.
• The European Commission has prepared a three-stage plan to significantly increase the production of ammunition in Europe, Spiegel reports.
• The court sentenced former UIA and Boryspil airport CEO Yevhen Dykhne to 5 years in prison. He is going to appeal the decision.