Russia said on Sunday that its armed forces had advanced in Pokrovsk, while Ukraine claimed to have repelled Russian attacks on the same day.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in its latest report that over the past 24 hours, its forces conducted operations in multiple directions, including Sumy and Kharkiv, striking targets in 143 areas in Ukraine. These targets included Ukrainian military-industrial complexes, fuel depots, and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries. The Russian air defense system also shot down 230 fixed-wing drones.
In Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Russian troops continued to advance into the eastern and northwestern areas of the city, repelling 10 breakout attacks initiated by Ukrainian forces.
Also on Sunday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that 271 battles occurred in the frontline areas, with Ukrainian forces repelling Russian attacks in multiple directions. The Ukrainian Air Force, missile troops, and artillery targeted four areas where Russian troops were gathered and two artillery systems.
Ukrainian President Zelensky on Sunday mentioned on social media that this week, Russian forces have used around 1,400 drones, 1,100 guided aerial bombs, and 66 missiles against Ukrainians.
In another development, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Sunday condemned recent Ukrainian attacks on two oil tankers and a port in the Black Sea, denouncing those who planned and carried out the strikes.
According to a statement released by the ministry, Zakharova said the two tankers sailing under the Gambian flag and en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk were attacked by unmanned surface vessels on Friday and Saturday. The port of Novorossiysk also came under attack on Saturday.
She added that Ukrainian intelligence services had claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The targeted civilian energy infrastructure plays a vital role in ensuring global energy security and has never been subject to any international restrictions or sanctions, the spokesperson said, adding that these attacks jeopardized the safety of navigation in this vital waterway.
Russia also calls on the international community to condemn these attacks and give a proper assessment of the destructive actions, Zakharova said.
Russia reports advances in Pokrovsk while Ukraine claims to repel Russian attacks
The Ecological and Environmental Code solidifies China's successful reform experiences in the form of law, transforming ecological conservation into a long-term national goal for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, said a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday.
Chinese lawmakers voted to adopt the Ecological and Environmental Code at the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing earlier in the day.
Lyu Zhongmei, also vice chair of the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee, who first proposed the drafting of the code, said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) that the adoption of the code represents a milestone in transforming the country's successful reform policies into a stable legal framework, with profound implications on both national ecological governance and people's daily lives.
"I think this actually sends a very strong signal to the world. Many of our past achievements in ecological civilization system reform were reflected through policies, with numerous reform measures introduced. This time, we are institutionalizing the successful experience of those reforms in the form of law, the most authoritative and stable way to solidify them. This shows that our efforts are not just a one-off campaign. Rather, ecological and environmental protection and the building of an ecological civilization are national goals that reflect the people’s aspiration for a better life and serve the ultimate purpose of ensuring the sustainable development of the Chinese nation," said Lyu.
Lyu highlighted that the code directly enshrines China's greenhouse gas pledge and dual-carbon goals into law, demonstrating the country's concrete actions to fulfill its international responsibilities and uphold its image as a responsible major country.
"We have directly written the commitment to fully meet greenhouse gas targets into the code, and incorporated pledges to use the 'dual carbon' goals as a driving force to advance a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. I think this reflects our concrete actions to honor our commitments and take responsibility to the international community, demonstrating China’s image as a responsible major country," she said.
On the topic of global trade, she explained how the code will help safeguard China's interests.
"On the one hand, we are raising standards for the green and low-carbon transition and adopting market-based measures. Some of the standards we have established based on China's actual situation and the methodologies we have created can contribute China's experience and expertise to the world. On the other hand, the Ecological and Environmental Code also includes provisions on extraterritorial application and establishes China’s own system of environmental protection standards," Lyu said.
Looking to the future, she discussed the code's role in the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, I believe our ecological and environmental protection will undergo fundamental changes. In the past, it relied more on strict administrative enforcement and control. But now, while not lowering strict control standards or reducing strict control measures, we must also introduce more incentive-based measures. Strict regulation will push enterprises to transform and encourage them to pursue environmental protection. The code will provide a clear, long-term and stable norm. In my view, the Ecological and Environmental Code is not only a 'tightening band' that constrains corporate behavior, but also an 'engine' that opens up new tracks for enterprises’ future development," she said.
China's ecological environmental code represents milestone in environmental rule of law
