U.S. says Putin ‘failing’ to reach war goals, looks for Moscow to be weakened militarily

MARIUPOL, Ukraine — Officials in the embattled Ukrainian city of Mariupol say a new mass grave has been identified north of the city.

Mayor Vadym Boychenko said authorities are trying to estimate the number of victims in the grave about 6 miles north of Mariupol.

Satellite photos released over the past several days have shown what appear to be images of other mass graves.

Mariupol has been devastated by fierce fighting over the past two months. The capture of the city would deprive Ukraine of a vital port and allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said weapons supplied by Western countries “will be a legitimate target,” adding that Russian forces had already targeted weapons warehouses in western Ukraine.

“Everyone is reciting incantations that in no case can we allow World War III,” Lavrov said in a wide-ranging interview on Russian television. He accused Ukrainian leaders of provoking Russia by asking NATO to become involved in the conflict.

By providing weapons, NATO forces are “pouring oil on the fire,” he said, according to a transcript on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.

Regarding the possibility of a nuclear confrontation, Lavrov said: “I would not want to see these risks artificially inflated now, when the risks are rather significant.”

“The danger is serious,” he said. “It is real. It should not be underestimated.

LONDON — The British government says it believes 15,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion two months ago.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said 25 percent of the Russian combat units sent to Ukraine “have been rendered not combat effective” and that Russia had lost more than 2,000 armored vehicles and more than 60 helicopters and fighter planes.

Russia has acknowledged 1,351 military casualties.

Wallace said Russia had failed in most of its military objectives so far. He told British lawmakers that “we anticipate this next phase of the invasion will be an attempt by Russia to occupy further the Donbas in order to connect it via Mariupol” to Russian-controlled Crimea. He said international aid and weapons are crucial to help Ukraine withstand the expected onslaught.

Wallace said Britain had sent more than 5,000 antitank missiles, as well as air-defense systems and anti-air missiles, and would soon send “a small number” of Stormer armored vehicles equipped with missile launchers.

As the war in Ukraine enters its third month, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday the country had shown the world its grit.

"A month ago, we still had to convince different countries that betting on Ukraine means winning. And now ... now everyone knows it," Zelenskyy said.

He said Russian forces had used more than 1,000 missiles in its attack.

“In two months they used over 1,100 missiles on us, numerous bombs, artillery. They tortured, looted, fired, they put mines on our land, turned peaceful cities and villages into hell," he said. "A big part of Ukrainian cities they destroyed to the ground, but still did not achieve anything, and they won’t." 

Zelenskyy credited Ukrainian troops with being able to reclaim towns and communities that had been taken over by Russians.

“We were able to de-occupy 931 towns," he said. "Many more communities are currently under the temporary control of the Russian army. But I have no doubts that it is only a matter of time before we free our land.”

Zelenskyy said history is on Ukraine's side.

"The lessons of history are well known. If you are going to build a millennial Reich, you lose. If you are going to destroy the neighbors, you lose. If you want to restore the old empire, you lose. And if you go against the Ukrainians, you lose."

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court’s prosecution office is joining a joint investigation team set up by Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland to probe atrocities committed during the war in Ukraine.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan signed an agreement Monday to participate in the multinational effort, which aims to facilitate investigations and cooperation.

Eurojust, the European Union’s judicial cooperation agency, said the agreement sends “a clear message that all efforts will be undertaken to effectively gather evidence on core international crimes committed in Ukraine and bring those responsible to justice.”

Khan said last month that he was opening an investigation in Ukraine and that he has sent investigators there and visited crime scenes himself.

In an interview on local TV, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov spoke about the impact more modern and longer-range weapons supplied by the U.S., France and others will have on the conflict.

“Today our artillerymen are already learning .... already studying in the respective places where they are taught to use this equipment," he said. "The same applies to our tank men and other specialists.”

Reznikov called the ability to use longer-range weapons a “paradigm shift.”

Asked why Ukrainian allies are only now supplying heavier weapons, he said, “I will be honest with you — our partners did not believe that Ukraine could win.”

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Russia will not host an event on figure skating’s Grand Prix circuit next season because of its war on Ukraine.

The International Skating Union said Monday it is looking for a replacement host for the Nov. 25-27 event after its ruling council took the Rostelecom Cup off the schedule because of Russia’s military invasion.

Last season, the Rostelecom Cup was held at Sochi, Russia. The women’s event was won by Kamila Valieva, 15, whose later doping case dominated the sport at the Beijing Olympics.