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Russian forces on Friday appeared close to capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol, a development that would be a significant victory for Moscow after a series of setbacks this week, including a tentative but looming European Union ban on Russian oil and the loss in the Black Sea of its flagship vessel, which... Read more

Russian forces on Friday appeared close to capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol, a development that would be a significant victory for Moscow after a series of setbacks this week, including a tentative but looming European Union ban on Russian oil and the loss in the Black Sea of its flagship vessel, which Ukraine said it struck in a missile attack. If confirmed, the strike on the Russian guided missile cruiser Moskva would be a serious blow to Moscow both militarily and symbolically — proof that its ships can no longer operate with impunity, and another damaging blow to Russian morale.