Also, Ukrainian forces attempted cross-border raids that were repelled in Belgorod and the Kursk region, according to local authorities. Putin has sought to persuade Russians to keep him in power against a backdrop of what he says are foreign threats to the country and as the Ukraine war stretches into its third year. Sam Greene, with the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, called Russia's election “a sham.”“The Kremlin controls who’s on the ballot. That bodes badly for Ukraine once Putin has likely cemented his grip on power, the think tank said in a report Wednesday. ___Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Source: ABC News March 14, 2024 22:51 UTC