8:42 p.m. ET, March 21, 2023
Concerns continue to rise over China's potential aid to Russia. Catch up on today's headlines:
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held official joint events in the Kremlin Tuesday, where
the two pledged to deepen China-Russia ties.
The show of unity has heightened concerns that Beijing will provide cover for Russia's war in Ukraine. In fact, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday the alliance has "seen some signs" that Russia has
likely requested lethal aid from China to bolster Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
During their joint events Tuesday, the two leaders also called for an end to actions that “
increase tensions” and prolong the war in Ukraine, attended a state dinner and
signed a joint declaration on deepening their partnership.
Here are other headlines:
Surveillance drones. The United States is flying surveillance drones further south above the Black Sea after
a Russian jet collided with a US drone last week, according to two US officials. The drone flights have remained in international airspace, but since the collision, the US has moved its drone flights further away from airspace surrounding the Crimean peninsula and eastern portions of the Black Sea.
Russian strikes. Three people were injured in a Russian missile attack on the Odesa region on Tuesday, according to Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office in Ukraine.
The fight for Bakhmut. The eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut remains the focus of Russia's attacks. A Ukrainian army major in the area said the situation remains extremely difficult in the city, but he believes the Russians are losing their "
offensive potential."
Military aid. The US has changed course and is now
providing Ukraine with 31 M1-A1 Abrams tanks instead of the newer M1-A2 variants previously planned, Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Tuesday.
Patriot missile defense systems are also set to be deployed to Ukraine
faster than originally planned, and a group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers will complete their training on the systems at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the coming days, US defense officials said on Tuesday. But Ukraine has more requests: A senior Ukrainian air force official said
the country needs modern combat aircraft as it squeezes the most out of its diminishing Soviet-era fleet.