The Russian Ministry of Defense said today, Monday, that within 4 days, Russian forces managed to advance two kilometers to the west along the front line in Ukraine.

The Russian news agency "Interfax" quoted the ministry's statement as saying that "the Russian soldiers broke the enemy's resistance and advanced at a depth of several kilometers in its gradual defense."

"Within 4 days, the front moved two kilometers to the west," the report said.

No details were provided about the part that moved from the broad front line that includes several Ukrainian regions in the south and east of the country.

The Donetsk region in southeastern Ukraine, parts of which Russia occupies and seeks to occupy completely, has seen some of the fiercest fighting in recent months.


Hardcore training

On the other hand, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said today, Monday, that it had received information that the US military was training what it described as Islamic militants to attack targets in Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union.

The agency, which is led by an ally of President Vladimir Putin, said it had information that 60 of those militants from groups affiliated with the Islamic State and al-Qaeda had been recruited and were undergoing training at a US base in Syria.

"They will be tasked with preparing and carrying out terrorist attacks against diplomats, civil servants, law enforcement personnel and the armed forces," the agency said in a statement.

The statement did not release the intelligence on which the device was based, which was part of the KGB during the Soviet era and is headed by Sergei Naryshkin, who met CIA Director William Burns in Ankara last year.


They left Russia immediately

In contrast, the United States advised its citizens to leave Russia immediately because of the war in Ukraine and the potential for arbitrary detention or harassment by Russian law enforcement agencies.

"US citizens residing in or traveling to Russia should leave immediately," the US embassy in Moscow said. "You should exercise extra caution because of the possibility of unlawful arrests."

"Do not travel to Russia," the embassy added, adding, "Russian security services have arrested US citizens on false accusations, targeted US citizens in Russia for arrest and harassment while depriving them of fair and transparent treatment, and issued convictions against them in secret trials or without providing credible evidence."

The FSB said in January that Russia had opened a criminal case against a US citizen on suspicion of espionage.

The United States repeatedly advises its citizens to leave Russia, and the last public warning came in September, after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization.


New penalties

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for more sanctions against Russia, including targeting Russia's nuclear energy sector.

In his daily evening video address, Zelensky indicated that imposing sanctions on Russian oil was difficult, but now the sanctions are in effect, explaining that the nuclear energy sector can also be targeted.

Earlier, the Ukrainian president announced the inclusion of 199 Russian personalities in the national sanctions list, including representatives of the Russian nuclear energy company "Rosenergo Atom".

He added that a Ukrainian citizen was also punished for allegedly siding with Moscow at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

The European Union is discussing in Brussels the tenth package of sanctions against Russia, which will include Russian financial institutions.

According to Al-Jazeera sources, the meeting that will be held this week will include a new list of 130 people and entities that include military leaders, officials, journalists and companies in Iran and Mali.

Sanctions will also be directed against 4 Russian banks, including the largest private Russian bank, and to prevent the presence of Russians in European companies.

The meeting will discuss an additional ban on importing Russian raw materials and exporting heavy equipment and electronic components used in weapons.