National

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the occupied port city of Mariupol this weekend, marking his first trip to Ukrainian territory that Russia annexed in September.

Why it matters: Mariupol became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance last year as it endured a devastating and sustained siege by Russian forces.

State of play: Putin flew into Mariupol for the unscheduled trip via helicopter and then drove around several parts of the city, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Sunday, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Putin's trip extended from late Saturday into Sunday, Peskov said, state news agency TASS reported.

The big picture: The visit comes just days after International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes charges and ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow this week.

"The criminal always returns to the crime scene," Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, tweeted Sunday in response to the visit, adding that, "the murderer of thousands of Mariupol families came to admire the ruins of the city & graves."

International Criminal Court (ICC) issued

Putin makes surprise visit to Ukrainian city of Mariupol

Mariupol became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance last year as it endured a devastating siege by Russian forces.

Vladimir Putin speaks with Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin as they look at reconstruction illustrations while he visits Mariupol on March 18. Photo: Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Russia

Ukraine

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over his alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children and teenagers. 

Why it matters: The arrest warrants for Putin and another Russian official represent some of the first international charges issued since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children’s rights, over similar allegations.

More than 40 countries that are party to the ICC had requested its intervention, according to the New York Times, which first reported on forthcoming war cases and arrest warrants.

The Kremlin has previously said it does not recognize the ICC or its jurisdiction, according to state-run media agency TASS.

State of play: Russia systematically relocated at least 6,000 children from Ukraine to Russia since the start of the war, a Conflict Observatory report published in February found.

Many of the children, who were taken to camps or other facilities, engaged in pro-Russia reeducation efforts, per the report. Some of the facilities were used for foster care or adoption in Russia and Crimea.

Karim Khan, the ICC's chief prosecutor, previously indicated that the alleged abductions were a priority for his investigators.

Russian missile strikes have frequently targeted energy facilities, water supplies, and residential buildings.

The forced deportation or forcible transfer of populations from land they lawfully occupy by occupying power is outlawed by the Rome Statute, which established the ICC.

Russia signed the statute but later withdrew its support in 2016.

Ukraine is not a state party to the Rome Statute but has twice accepted the ICC's jurisdiction in response to alleged crimes occurring on its territory.

What they're saying: "This is an important moment for the process of justice before the ICC," Judge Piotr Hofmański, president of the ICC, said on Friday.

Hofmański said the contents of the arrest warrants are secret in order to protect the identities of victims.

"Nevertheless, the judges of the chamber decided with this case to make the existence of the warrants public in the interest of justice and to prevent the commission of future crimes."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba applauded the ICC's action, saying Putin and Lvova-Belova "will be held accountable for stealing children."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian-state media on Friday that Russia considers the ICC's warrants "null and void" because it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction.

Peskov did not comment on the crimes the court alleged against Putin and Lvova-Belova, nor did Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Lvova-Belova praised the arrest warrant against her, framing it as the international community recognizing her work of rescuing children from a war zone, according to Russian-state media.

Lvova-Belova has been personally sanctioned by the European Union, the and Japan, U.S., Switzerland, Australia, Canada and the U.K.

The big picture: It's unlikely that either of the cases will make it to trial, since the ICC cannot conduct a trial unless the relevant people are in custody, and Russia is unlikely to turn over its own people over.

The New York Times reported earlier this month that the Pentagon was blocking the Biden administration from sharing U.S. intelligence with the ICC about Russian war crimes in Ukraine for fear that it could set a precedent for prosecuting Americans.

The ICC launched an investigation into allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide in Ukraine in the early days of the war.

Go deeper: What counts as a war crime and why they're so hard to prosecute

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional background and reporting.

U.S., Switzerland, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom

What counts as a war crime and why they're so hard to prosecute

International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Putin

The cases allege Russia has abducted Ukrainian children and teenagers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on March 16.

UN: Russian forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine

"Human losses and the general disregard for the life of civilians ...  are shocking."

Chair of the Independent international commission of inquiry on Ukraine Erik Mose (C) and Commission's members Jasminka Dzumhur (L) and Pablo de Greiff (R) attend a news conference

Members of the independent international commission of inquiry on Ukraine at a news conference in Geneva on March 16. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. military releases video of Russian jet intercepting drone

The Pentagon released declassified footage Thursday that it says shows a Russian jet conducting "an unsafe and unprofessional intercept" with a U.S. drone over the Black Sea earlier this week.

Driving the news: The 42-second video shows a Russian Su-27 jet approaching the MQ-9 Reaper drone and releasing fuel as it neared the U.S. aircraft on Tuesday.

A jet is then seen approaching the drone for the second time and colliding with it before the feed cuts out.

The footage appears to show damage to the drone's propeller.

The big picture: The collision led to the "complete loss" of the drone, the U.S. European Command said

The incident followed a "pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace," it added.

A top Russian official on Wednesday said that Russia would attempt to recover the remains of the drone.

But Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley noted at a press conference that the remains had likely broken apart and sunk, adding that had been taken measures to prevent the loss of sensitive intelligence.

"There's probably not much to recover, frankly," he added.

U.S. releases footage of Russian jet intercepting drone

A Russian jet can be seen approaching a U.S. drone in a still from a video released by the U.S. military.

Tel Aviv

Axios from Tel Aviv

Israel recently approved the export licenses for the possible sale of anti-drone jamming systems that could help Ukraine counter Iranian drones used by Russia during the war, three Israeli and Ukrainian officials said.

Why it matters: It's the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine more than a year ago that Israel has approved defense export licenses for possible weapons sales to Ukraine.

Israel has been careful not to give military assistance to Ukraine, fearing such a move could create tension with Russia and harm Israeli security interests in Syria.

Driving the news: After Russia started using Iranian-made attack drones during the war, the Ukrainian government increased its pressure for Israeli military assistance.

Ukrainian officials have claimed that providing weapons systems to Ukraine is in Israel's best interest because Iran is able to gain information about how the drones perform and then make improvements. 

Iran has acknowledged it delivered some drones to Russia before the war started, but denies doing so after the invasion began. Russia denies using Iranian-made drones during the war, despite growing evidence to the contrary. 

Behind the scenes: The approval of the export licenses by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen came in mid-February as Israel was conducting a Netanyahu-ordered review of its policy toward the war, the Israeli and Ukrainian officials said. That review has been completed but no new decisions have been made, according to Israeli officials. 

Cohen notified Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the approval during his trip to Kyiv on Feb. 15.

The licenses were approved for two Israeli companies — Elbit and Rafael — that develop anti-drone systems, Israeli and Ukrainian officials said.

A Ukrainian official told Axios that a delegation from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense visited Israel recently to get a presentation on the anti-drone systems. No deal has been signed yet.

The systems Israel proposed that Ukraine buy use electronic warfare to jam and down drones. The systems have a range of around 25 miles and can be positioned near power plants or other critical sites to protect them from drones. 

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry is interested in the systems, but they are viewed as less critical because Ukraine has been able to intercept the drones between 75–90% of the time, the Ukrainian officials said. 

"What we really need is a defensive system against ballistic missiles," a Ukrainian official told Axios.

What they're saying: Israeli officials claim the approval of the export licenses is not a shift in policy because the systems are defensive in nature and do not use any live fire that can kill Russian soldiers.

“Israel is assisting Ukraine in the defense and civilian fields. Every request is being reviewed according to the defense export policy to Ukraine. We don’t elaborate on that for national security and foreign policy considerations,” the Ministry of Defense said. 

Between the lines: A senior Israeli official told Axios one of the reasons Israel approved the licenses was to possibly see how the defense systems perform against Iranian drones. 

Scoop: Israel approves export licenses for anti-drone systems for Ukraine

Israel has been careful not to give military assistance to Ukraine, fearing such a move could create tension with Russia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hold a press conference in Kyiv on Aug. 19, 2019. Photo: Sergey/Xinhua via Getty Images

Israel

A top Russian official said Wednesday the country will attempt to recover the remains of the U.S. drone that was downed over the Black Sea after an encounter with Russian fighter jets, according to state news agency TASS.

Driving the news: The U.S. military said it was forced to bring down an MQ-9 Reaper drone on Tuesday after a Russian Su-27 jet struck its propeller.

"I don't know if we'll be able to get it or not, but it has to be done. And we will definitely do it," Nikolai Patrushev, the head of Russia's security council, said on Russian TV, TASS reported.

“I hope, of course, for success,” he added.

State of play: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley confirmed at a press briefing later Wednesday that they had both spoken to their Russian counterparts earlier that day.

Milley said that the U.S. knew where the drone had landed in the Black Sea and that the remains had likely broken apart and sunk, but that they had taken measures to prevent the loss of sensitive intelligence.

The big picture: The U.S. said the incident was part of a "pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace."

Kirby told "CNN This Morning" Wednesday that the drone had not yet been recovered and may never be recovered.

"We did the best we could to minimize any intelligence value that might come from somebody else getting their hands on that drone," Kirby noted.

Russia will attempt to recover debris from downed U.S. drone

The U.S. military said it was forced to bring down an MQ-9 Reaper drone after a Russian jet struck its propeller.

An MQ-9 Reaper drone with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) awaits a mission

An MQ-9 Reaper drone awaits a mission in November 2022 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Photo: John Moore/Getty Images

A Russian jet crashed into a U.S. drone above the Black Sea on Tuesday,  forcing the U.S. to bring the drone down.

Driving the news: The incident is part of a "pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace," U.S. European Command said in a press release.

Zoom in: The collision occurred when one of two Russian Su-27 jets struck the propeller of the MQ-9 Reaper drone, resulting in a “complete loss” of the unmanned aircraft, U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker said in the press release.

Before the crash, the jets had “dumped fuel on and flew in front” the drone, in a manner the U.S. military described as “reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional.”

The big picture: When asked about the collision at a press briefing Tuesday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said President Biden had already been briefed on the matter.

Such intercepts between U.S. and Russian aircraft over the Black Sea are not uncommon, but Tuesday's collision was unique because of how "unsafe and unprofessional" it was, Kirby noted.

"I want to stress that this MQ-9 was operating in international airspace over international waters, and posed a threat to nobody," he said, adding that the incident would not deter the U.S. from operating in international airspace over the Black Sea.

Worth noting: State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on a call Tuesday that the U.S. would summon Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to Washington, in the wake of the incident, Reuters reported.

Antonov said in a statement on Telegram that the U.S. drone had been moving "deliberately and provocatively towards the Russian territory" but denied that the Russian jets had "come into contact" with the drone.

"We perceive any actions involving the use of American weapons and military equipment as openly hostile," he added.

State of play: The U.S. has been flying MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are capable of intelligence collection and surveillance, over the Black Sea since before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, CNN reported.

Russia did not immediately respond to news of the collision, though it has voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights near the Crimean peninsula in the past, per AP.

Kirby told "CNN This Morning" Wednesday that the drone had not yet been recovered and may never be recovered. 

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct that just one jet collided with the drone. It has also been updated with additional details throughout. 

Russian jet collides with U.S. drone over Black Sea

The incident is part of a "pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace," U.S. European Command said.

An MQ-9 Reaper drone in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, in November 2022. Photo: John Moore/Getty Images

Military

Axios World

Countries with the largest share of global arms exports

Data: SIPRI; Map: Madison Dong/Axios Visuals

U.S. dominance in the global weapons trade increased dramatically over the past five years, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The big picture: Russia slipped to an increasingly distant second place, while China’s share of global exports stayed relatively flat.

By the numbers: The U.S. accounted for 40% of total exports from 2018-2022, up from 33% in the previous five years, while Russia declined from 22% to 16%.

The U.S. provided more than half of the weapons purchased by 13 of the top 17 arms importers, with Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia buying the most from the U.S.

The world’s top arms importer, India, reduced its purchases of Russian weaponry by 37% from 2018-2022 vs. 2013-2017, though Russia remained India's top supplier.

France was the No. 3 exporter over the last five years, thanks largely to contracts to sell combat aircraft, followed by China and Germany.

Other major exporters include Italy, the U.K., Spain, South Korea and Israel.

What to watch: Ukraine accounted for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of global arms imports until recently, but the flow of arms to Ukraine is now starting to reshape the global defense industry.

Both the U.S. and EU are contemplating how to build up their defense industrial bases to keep up with the demands of the war, replenish their stockpiles and prepare for future conflicts.

Russia, meanwhile, will likely play a smaller role in the global arms trade in the coming years both because its weapons are needed for the war and due to sanctions aimed at reducing its capacity to produce more.

U.S. dominates global arms sales, with Russia falling far behind

The U.S. accounts for 40% of all exports, and 2.5x as much as Russia

Russia's military launched a large-scale missile attack on Kyiv and cities across Ukraine on Thursday, killing at least six civilians, according to Ukrainian officials and multiple reports.

The big picture: Local officials reported blackouts and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure in cities including Kharkiv and Odessa, while Ukrainian operator Energoatom said the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost power due to the biggest Russian missile assault on Ukraine for some three weeks.

Photo: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko/Twitter

Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said in a Facebook post that Russian shelling had been reported at facilities in the Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odessa, Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr regions.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a Telegram post that 40% of the capital's residents were without heating following a missile strike. 

In Lviv, the head of the regional military administration said on Telegram that three men and two women were confirmed to have died after a rocket fell in a residential area.

Russian strikes in the Dnipropetrovsk region killed one more person and injured two others, Gov. Serhii Lysak wrote in a Telegram post. The strikes also damaged energy infrastructure and industrial facilities, he said.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov told the Ukrainian public broadcaster that the missile strikes had left the city without heat or running water, AP reported.

State of play: Russia launched 81 missiles and eight Shahed drones in total, Ukraine’s Air Force Command said in a Facebook post Thursday. Ukraine claimed it shot down 34 of the missiles and four of the drones.

"It’s been a difficult night," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a Telegram post Thursday.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a Facebook post that its forces had "repelled attacks" on the key eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut and on surrounding communities on the 379th day of the Russian military invasion.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.

Russian missiles strike cities across Ukraine

There were reports of widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure across Ukraine.

 A view of a rocket and a damaged building in Velyka Novosilka, Ukraine March 7, 2023. 

A rocket and a damaged building in Velyka Novosilka, Ukraine, south of Bakhmut. Photo: Ignacio Marin Fernandez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Two American men were arrested in Kansas City Thursday on suspicion of illegally exporting aviation technology to Russia, prosecutors announced.

Driving the news: Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 59, and Douglas Edward Robertson, 55, were arrested in an investigation involving the Department of Justice's KleptoCapture task force, an interagency group dedicated to enforcing sanctions in response to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.

The men from Kansas are accused of conspiring to circumvent American export laws and regulations to sell, repair and ship from the U.S. electronics equipment installed in aircrafts to customers around the world that operate Russian-built aircrafts, per an indictment.

They're charged with conspiracy, exporting controlled goods without a license, falsifying and failing to file electronic export information and smuggling goods contrary to U.S. law.

Details: Buyanovsky, of Lawrence, and Robertson, Olathe, are accused of evading U.S. export laws since 2020 and continuing to ship Western avionics after the U.S. stepped up restrictions after Putin's war on Ukraine began in February 2022, according to prosecutors.

They allegedly arranged for their KanRus Trading Company to send goods to "transshipment points" in Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus and Armenia to conceal the fact that Russia was their final destination.

Robertson is accused of telling a Russia-based client in an April 2022 email that "things are complicated in the USA" and this "is NOT the right time" for "more paperwork and visibility," per the indictment.

What we're watching: Buyanovsky and Robertson face maximum penalties ranging from five to 20 years in prison if convicted, per a DOJ statement.

Lawyers for the pair were not immediately listed.

2 Americans arrested on charges of exporting aviation tech to Russia

They were arrested in an investigation by a task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions over Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

The American flag flies outside the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. 

 Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Economy & Business

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Technology

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Politics & Policy

The U.S. and Germany separately announced on Wednesday they would send battle tanks to Ukraine after pressure from NATO allies and Ukraine to supply the advanced armored vehicles as Kyiv prepares for a possible new Russian offensive.

Why it matters: The U.S. decision to supply Abrams M1 tanks and the German announcement on the Leopard 2 tanks is a major boost for Ukraine, which has pleaded with the West for months to send more advanced weaponry as it tries to take back territory from Russia.

Details: The U.S. will send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine and will begin training Ukrainian troops on sustaining the tanks as soon as possible, Biden said at a press conference Wednesday.

Biden cautioned that delivering the tanks would "take time."

Biden said that prior to the announcement he had spoken to the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. “to continue our close coordination and full support of Ukraine."

During a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby called the Abrams tanks "the most capable, powerful tank in the world" and said it would help Ukraine "fight effectively on open terrain."

Kirby noted that no date has been set for the Abrams' delivery but that it would likely be "many months before they're actually there."

Germany will initially supply 14 Leopard 2 tanks from its own stock, as well as ammunition and logistical and maintenance support, its government said in a statement.  

Training Ukrainian forces on the Leopards is expected to begin soon. 

Germany will also quickly provide licenses to other European countries that wish to supply Leopards from their own stock, the statement added. Poland has already requested approval to send some of its Leopards to Ukraine. 

The goal, the German government said, was for Germany and its allies to supply two battalions with Leopards, which would be 88 tanks, per AP. 

Catch up quick: Debate among Western allies — particularly between the U.S. and Germany — over sending tanks to Ukraine had escalated over the last week. 

The Biden administration argued in recent days against sending Abrams, citing logistical issues. Instead, U.S. officials said sending German Leopard 2 tanks would be more beneficial since many European allies already have them and they're easier to maintain. 

"The M1 (Abrams) is a complex weapons system that is challenging to maintain ... that was true yesterday, that is true today and will be true in the future," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters on Tuesday. 

Until Wednesday, Scholz had expressed reluctance to send Leopards, fearing it could escalate tensions with Moscow. German officials also reportedly privately linked its own commitment to providing its tanks to a U.S. decision to send Abrams as well. Publicly, however, U.S. and German officials denied any link between the two decisions. 

"Germany didn't force me to change my mind," Biden said Wednesday, adding that the countries were waiting to act together. 

What they're saying: "Today's announcement builds on the hard work and commitment from countries around the world, led by the United States of America, to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Biden said Wednesday.

"That's what this is about. Helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia. There is no offensive threat to Russia," he added.

"Germany has really stepped up," Biden said, praising Scholz as a "strong voice for unity."

 "Putin expected Europe and the United States to weaken our resolve. He expected our support for Ukraine to crumble with time. He was wrong," Biden said.

U.S. and Germany to send battle tanks to Ukraine

The decision is a major boost for Ukraine.

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