Russia-Ukraine war live: Putin says situation in illegally annexed parts of Ukraine ‘extremely difficult’

Russian leader makes rare admission while in Belarus; Chinese-Russian naval drills to ‘further deepen’ ties

China says Chinese-Russian naval drills beginning on Wednesday aim to “further deepen” cooperation between the sides whose unofficial anti-western alliance has gained strength since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, AP reports.

The drills will be held off the coast of Zhejiang province south of Shanghai until next Tuesday, according to a brief notice posted Monday by China’s eastern theatre command under the ruling Communist party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army.

“This joint exercise is directed at demonstrating the determination and capability of the two sides to jointly respond to maritime security threats … and further deepen the China-Russia comprehensive new-era strategic partnership of coordination,” the notice said.

Setting aside decades of mutual distrust, China and Russia have stepped up such drills as part of their aligning of foreign policies. China has refused to criticise Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations, or even to refer to it as such, has condemned western sanctions against Moscow and has accused Washington and Nato of provoking Vladimir Putin into taking action.

China declared a “no limits” friendship with Russia weeks before the invasion and remains a major customer for Russian oil and gas bought at a heavy discount, although it is not known to have sold military hardware to Moscow.

Asked about Putin’s comment dismissing the prospect of Russia “absorbing” Belarus, US state department spokesperson Ned Price said it should be treated as the “height of irony”, given it was “coming from a leader who is seeking at the present moment, right now, to violently absorb his other peaceful nextdoor neighbour”.