Putin will plant Russian tactical nukes in Belarus: NPR

An aerial view of Bakhmut, the site of heavy fighting with Russian troops in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Sunday.

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An aerial view of Bakhmut, the site of heavy fighting with Russian troops in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Sunday.

Libkos/AP

Here’s a preview and roundup of the main developments from the past week.

What to watch

The United Nations Security Council is due to convene an emergency meeting, called by Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to plant tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Russia assumes the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council in April.

The United States is hosting the Democracy Summit this week, including a virtual rally with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Hungarian parliament is expected to vote to ratify Finland’s application for NATO membership. Turkey has also declared that it will start the process of Finland’s ratification.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi plans to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine to assess the security situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on Wednesday. Lavrov is also due to meet on Thursday with the foreign minister of another Russian-friendly country, Nicaragua.

Ukraine has been pushing for phone talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week.

what happened last week

The Chinese Xi paid a three day tour in Russia. Putin said the Chinese government’s peace plan could form the “basis” for an eventual agreement “when the West and Ukraine are ready”.

Putin announced his intention to station tactics nuclear weapons in Belarusa Kremlin ally wedged between the two warring countries who served as a launching pad for Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a surprise visit to ukrainehours after Xi arrived in Russia.

International Monetary Fund the staff accepted with Ukraine on a financing package of 15.6 billion dollars. If the IMF board approves, it would be Ukraine’s biggest loan since Russia invaded a year ago.

Russian drone strikes hit Kyiv regionincluding an educational facility, killing at least four people and injuring 20. Russia then struck a humanitarian support center in Kostiantynivka, killing at least three displaced women.

Ukraine said Russian cruise missiles were destroyed during a strike in Crimea, but did not claim responsibility for the attack. The head of the city of Dzhankoi, installed by the Russians, reported drone attacks there.

The situation in Bakhmut could stabilizeUkrainian army chief General Valery Zaluzhny said on the social app Telegram, speaking of a city that Russia fought to take over for months as it tried to capture the entire Donbass region in eastern Ukraine.

In depth

The leaders of China and Russia have completed the talks. Here are some takeaways.

A rambling Kiev newscast aimed at Russians thwarts Putin’s propaganda machine.

On the border with Belarus, Ukrainian troops are preparing for a long war and the front line.

The $15.6 billion IMF loan to Ukraine will be the first granted to a country at war.

Russian drone strikes in Ukraine kill at least 4 people and injure 20 others.

A shrinking reservoir signals that Ukraine and Russia are engaged in a dangerous water war.

China sees itself as a mediator in the Russian-Ukrainian war, but many countries disagree.

Special report

Russia’s war in Ukraine is changing the world: check out our updated report on its ripple effects around the globe.

Previous developments

You can read past recaps here. For context and more in-depth stories, you can find more NPR coverage here. Also, listen and subscribe to NPR Ukrainian state podcast for updates throughout the day.