Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Moscow keeps up pressure as EU leaders visit Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged EU leaders during

talks in Kyiv to slap more sanctions on Russia, as Moscow's forces pressed their offensive in eastern Ukraine and fired missiles into the city of Kramatorsk near the front line.

CONFLICT * Rescuers

combed debris in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk where an overnight Russian missile strike destroyed an apartment building and damaged nine others, killing at least three people and wounding 18.

* Russia, determined to make progress before Ukraine receives newly promised Western battle tanks and armoured vehicles, has picked up momentum on the eastern front and it announced advances north and south of Bakhmut, which has suffered persistent Russian bombardment for months. Russian forces are pushing from both the north and south to encircle Bakhmut, using superior troop numbers to try to cut it off from re-supply and force the Ukrainians out, Ukrainian military analyst Yevhen Dikiy said.

* Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russian forces would respond to the delivery of longer-range Western weapons to Kyiv by trying to push Ukrainian forces further away

from its borders to create a safe buffer zone. * Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Russia's arms suppliers would "significantly" increase their deliveries in 2023 to help its forces inflict a "crushing defeat" on Ukraine.

* Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said a fresh Russian offensive could begin around Feb. 24, which will be the first anniversary of Russia's invasion. * Reuters could not verify battlefield reports.

* With the United States expected to send a new longer-range weapon to Ukraine, it has answered President Zelenskiy's plea for rockets that can strike deep behind the front lines of the conflict with Russia. Now Russian forces will need to adapt

or face potentially catastrophic losses. * A former commander of Russia's Wagner mercenary group who fled to Norway told Reuters he wanted to apologise for fighting in Ukraine and was speaking out to bring the perpetrators of atrocities in the conflict to justice.

* President Vladimir Putin said Russia's military must stop Russian regions being shelled from Ukrainian territory, which he said had left many people homeless or without power. ARMS, AID, DIPLOMACY

* Over a dozen top European Union officials visited Kyiv to promise military, financial and political aid and show support for Ukraine before the first anniversary of Russia's invasion. But unwilling to admit a country at war, the EU is set to dash Ukraine's hopes of being swiftly allowed membership, underlining the need for more anti-corruption measures. * Germany needs to order new Leopard tanks quickly to replace those going to Ukraine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, adding that he did not care where the money came from.

* EU countries will seek a deal on Friday on a European Commission proposal to set price caps on Russian oil products amid divisions between member states, diplomats said. * Olympic officials are working behind the scenes to contain growing opposition to plans for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the Paris Olympics as the Ukraine war threatens to rekindle Cold War-era sporting friction.

CORRUPTION CRACKDOWN * Ukrainian authorities raided an influential billionaire's home, part of what Zelenskiy said was a drive to root out corruption - seen as an effort to boost Kyiv's prospects of joining the European Union.

(Compiled by Robert Birsel, Himani Sarkar and Mark Heinrich)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)