- Ukrainian forces will “have to be withdrawn” from the mostly Russian-occupied battleground city of Severodonetsk, the governor of Luhansk says, a day after he announced that troops had left areas around Lysychansk.
- The United States is sending $450m more in military aid to Ukraine, including another four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the EU’s decision to grant Ukraine candidacy status is one of the most important developments since it gained independence.
- Germany is heading for a gas shortage if Russian supplies remain as low as they are now, the economy minister has warned.
Here are the latest updates:
Russia sends coupon payment in roubles on dollar-denominated Eurobond: Ministry
Russia’s finance ministry says it has sent a coupon payment of 8.5 billion roubles ($159 million) on a dollar-denominated Eurobond issue to the National Settlement Depository, as the prospect of a sovereign default draws ever closer.
“Obligations on servicing the state securities of the Russian Federation were fulfilled by the finance ministry in full,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Eurobond in question matures in 2028. Similar coupon payments were made on Thursday on bonds maturing in 2027 and 2047.
Russia has been struggling to make payments on its $40bn of international bonds since being hit with sweeping sanctions after sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on February 24.
