Ukraine anticipates surge in Russian attacks on eve of war's anniversary

Ukraine is bracing for a potential surge of Russian attacks timed to the anniversary of the war Friday, with officials urging schools to hold classes remotely and calling for people to avoid large crowds.

Schools across Ukraine have been advised to switch to remote learning through Friday by the country's education minister, Serhiy Shkarlet, who said Russia's history of striking schools and other civilian gathering centers such as residential buildings and hospitals put classrooms at risk.

For the past few days, President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin of Russia have accused each other of prolonging the war and making it harder to find a peaceful solution.


In the southern Ukrainian port city of Kherson, which Kyiv's forces retook in November, authorities advised residents to avoid unnecessary trips outside and asked humanitarian groups not to encourage large gatherings.

Additional security measures are being put in place in the wider Kherson region in preparation for a possible Russian escalation, the regional state administration said. From Thursday to Sunday, many public institutions will work remotely, and law enforcement officers will patrol areas where crowds might gather.

Here's what else to know:
- A Russian official in eastern Ukraine accused Kyiv of planning "provocations" starting Thursday. Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russian army's occupation administration in Zaporizhzhia, claimed that Ukrainian forces were preparing "shelling or even terrorist attacks."

- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday that Chinese efforts to provide support to Russia were a "very serious concern" and warned China not to help Russia evade U.S. sanctions. She was speaking at a news conference as finance ministers from the Group of 20 nations, which include Russia and China, convened for two days of meetings.

- European Union ambassadors are expected to resume talks Thursday aimed at agreeing on new sanctions to impose on Moscow. Several diplomats expressed optimism that a package would be approved by Friday, their self-imposed deadline.

- The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday is expected to vote on a resolution calling for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and for a peace deal that recognizes Ukraine's sovereignty and rejects any territorial gains by Russia.

- Pope Francis called the war "absurd and cruel" in his weekly remarks. "What is built on rubble will never be a true victory," he said, calling for peace talks to begin.

(This article originally appeared in The New York Times.)