March 8, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is inviting House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to visit Ukraine to see the situation on the ground firsthand – an invitation that comes as the Republican Party faces a divide over whether the United States should continue to provide aid to the country under attack from Russia.

“Mr. McCarthy, he has to come here to see how we work, what’s happening here, what war caused us, which people are fighting now, who are fighting now. And then after that, make your assumptions,” Zelensky told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in an interview.

But when told of the invitation on Tuesday, McCarthy told CNN that he does not plan to visit Ukraine, and argued that President Joe Biden has not acted quickly enough to aid the country. McCarthy, a California Republican, has said he supports Ukraine but does not support “a blank check,” a position he repeated on Tuesday – even though there is federal oversight of all the dollars that are spent there.

As speaker, McCarthy must navigate competing views within his party over sending additional assistance. There is widespread bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress, but some House Republicans are calling for an end to further military and financial aid to the country.

“When the Democrats and Republicans come to us, they see the supply roots – every shell, every bullet, every dollar,” Zelensky said.

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Fighters of private military company Wagner are the predominant forces in the Bakhmut area "with occasional support from Russian regular forces, and that appears to be dwindling down at the moment,” western officials said.

Death rates among Wagner fighters "have been significantly higher than of the Russian Armed Forces,” they added.

Officials also said Bakhmut “doesn’t hold any operational strategic significance" for either Russia or Ukraine, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's trip to Bakhmut in December has politicized it.

They acknowledged that Russia has "taken territory," but said that the said area is "open ground — wasn’t an urban area or built-up area. And there were no Ukrainian defensive lines there.”

The Western officials said Ukraine "conceded ground to the Russians” and is “surrounded by three sides because they traded that space for time.”

Discussing a timeline, they said Ukraine can still get forces in and out of Bakhmut. “It may well last another month, or the Ukrainians could decide to leave within a week. They could withdraw to prepare defensive lines which they have to the west of Bakhmut.”

“They have shown previously that they are very adept to withdrawing when they need to, or when they feel they need to,” the officials later added.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Wednesday his country needs 1 million rounds of ammunition "as soon as possible" to deter Russian forces and launch a counteroffensive.

Speaking to reporters before a European Union defense ministers meeting in Stockholm, Reznikov said Ukraine requires 1 million 155-millimeter as well as 105-millimeter shells that would cost about 4 billion euros ($4.22 billion).

Reznikov said he supports a plan proposed by Estonia for EU countries to jointly secure those rounds of ammunition. Ukraine needs 90,000 to 100,000 artillery rounds per month, he said.

The defense minister also said air defense systems, tanks and ammunition are among the priorities he will discuss with the EU defense ministers during Wednesday's meeting. 

Reznikov said time is a decisive factor that can save lives, therefore "we need to move forward as soon as possible."

Russian and Ukrainian troops continue to fight fiercely in the eastern city of Bakhmut.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed the eastern part of Bakhmut is now under his fighters' control. Ukraine hasn't address the claims, but has said that Russian forces incurred heavy losses.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities have denied any involvement in sabotaging the Nord Stream gas pipelines after a media report cited new intelligence that a "pro-Ukrainian group" may have been behind September's attack.

Here are the latest developments:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said there is no identified perpetrator of the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines which were damaged last September.

Stoltenberg’s comments come after a report by the New York Times Tuesday citing new intelligence reviewed by US officials, which suggested a group loyal to Ukraine but acting independently of the government in Kyiv was involved in the operation.

The pipelines, a crucial source of revenue for Russia, were closed at the time of the attack, which occurred months after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

The leaders of Russia and Ukraine both issued statements marking International Women's Day on Wednesday amid the war between the two countries.

Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin directly addressed women involved in the conflict.

Putin said he wanted to honor Russian women who have chosen "the highest mission — defending the Motherland."

Zelensky said it was "important to express gratitude today" to the women who fight for Ukraine and have given their lives for the country.

Zelensky expressed gratitude toward the women in his life, including his wife and mother, and those who work with him. He also stressed the importance of gender equality in the workplace.

"It is very important that we are equals as colleagues," Zelensky said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated his claims that Russia is facing "direct threats" to its security, and praised those who are ready to "protect the people and the very future of our state," during an event at the Kremlin marking International Women's Day on Wednesday.

Among the women being honored were female doctors and medical workers who had served in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas.

More than 100 Russian soldiers have been killed in the past 24 hours around the city of Bakhmut, the spokesman for the Ukrainian military in the east of the country has said.

Serhiy Cherevatyi told Ukrainian television Wednesday that 102 Russian shellings and 72 combat assaults took place Tuesday in and around Bakhmut, but that the enemy was "not allowed to move on and achieve any tactical victories."

Referring to the leading role of private military company Wagner in the Russian attack, Cherevatyi said that "in connection with the heavy losses of the Wagnerians, they were reinforced by units of airborne troops, mechanized units and artillery and aviation."

The head of the Russian private military company Wagner has issued a video message from inside the city of Bakhmut, standing in front of a tank monument situated in the eastern part of the city.

Yevgeny Prigozhin dismissed Ukrainian claims that Wagner was taking heavy losses in the fight for Bakhmut and was close to finished as a fighting force.

"We will conquer this frontier with dignity," he said.

"The [Russian] Defense Minister has told you that after capturing Bakhmut, the operational space will open. And the world has not yet faced the Russian army, which is well prepared, with those units that have not yet entered into battle, with all possible modern weapons, intelligence, ideally prepared," he added.

"They are waiting for their time. Right after the opening of the operational space by PMC Wagner after Bakhmut. Then the whole world will shudder."

Prigozhin also addressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with an appeal. 

"The only request — take out the elderly, children. And (send) here normal combat-ready units." 

"We need to deal with you here now," he said.

Some background: Prigozhin shared an audio clip on Telegram earlier Wednesday, claiming that the eastern part of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut is now under Wagner's control. CNN cannot independently confirm Prigozhin’s claim. While the Ukrainian military did not address his claims, it said that Russian attacks in the Bakhmut area continue, but described them as unsuccessful and incurring heavy losses.