The United States’ plan to arm Ukraine has been condemned by Russia

The US has declared that it will supply Ukraine with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a move that Moscow claims will add “fuel to the fire” and raise the likelihood of a direct confrontation between the two countries.

The weapons are part of a new $700 million aid package for Ukraine that will be announced later on Wednesday.

According to a local official, Russian soldiers have taken control of the majority of the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, as Moscow continues its advance in the Donbas.

Pope Francis has urged Russia to end its blockade on Ukrainian wheat exports through its ports, stating that the grain cannot be used as a “weapon of war.”

Speaking on Wednesday in the Ukrainian town of Borodyanka, near the capital, Kyiv, Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland is working on expanding its infrastructure and capacity to facilitate the export of millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain and other agriculture products.

He added that Warsaw was receiving European Union funds for the purpose and warned that North African countries which rely heavily on Ukrainian grain could face problems feeding their populations without the foodstuff.