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(NEW YORK) — More than 10 months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.

Putin’s forces in November pulled out of key positions, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting the city. Russian drones have continued bombarding civilian targets throughout Ukraine, knocking out critical power infrastructure as winter sets in.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Dec 31, 8:14 AM EST
1 dead, 7 injured after Russia launches missile strike against Kyiv

At least one person has been killed and seven people have been injured after Russia launched a barrage of missiles on Kyiv on New Year’s Eve.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported destruction across several districts with a luxury hotel, a bridge and police stations among the locations impacted.

It’s currently unclear how many locations have been destroyed as a result of direct hits and how many were from falling debris from intercepted rockets.

New Year’s Eve is one of Ukraine’s biggest holidays.

Dec 30, 10:28 AM EST
Putin expects China’s Xi to make state visit in spring

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he’s expecting Chinese President Xi Jinping to make a state visit to Russia in the spring of 2023.

Putin said he’s looking to deepen military cooperation between the two nations.

Putin said the visit would “demonstrate to the world the closeness of Russian-Chinese relations.”

Dec 29, 5:08 PM EST
Zelenskyy praises Air Force for ‘repelling’ Russian missile barrage

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is praising his country’s air defense, saying it “successfully repelled” a barrage of Russian missiles fired at Kyiv and other targets early Thursday.

Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian Air Force shot down 54 missiles and 11 attack drones.

“Our warriors all over Ukraine distinguished themselves and I thank all our Air Commands: Center, South, East and West,” Zelenskyy said.

He specifically cited the efforts of the 96th Kyiv, 160th Odesa and the 208th Kherson anti-aircraft missile brigades, saying their “results are the best today.”

Zelenskyy said several Russian missiles evaded Ukraine’s air defense and hit several infrastructure targets.

“Our power engineers and repair crews are doing everything to make Ukrainians feel the consequences of the terrorists’ strike as little as possible,” Zelenskyy said.

As of Thursday evening, he said there were power outages in most regions of Ukraine, including the capital city Kyiv as well as the Lviv, Odesa, Kherson, Vinnytsia and Zakarpattia regions.

“But this is nothing compared to what could have happened, if it was not for our heroic anti-aircraft troops and air defense,” Zelenskyy said.

Dec 29, 11:40 AM EST
Ukrainian missile shot down in Belarus: Defense ministry

Belarus’ defense ministry said its air defenses had downed a Ukrainian S-300 missile in a field on Thursday morning during one of Russia’s largest missile attacks against Ukraine since the start of the war.

The military commissar of the Brest region, Oleg Konovalov, played down the incident in a video message posted on social media by the state-run BelTA news agency, saying local residents had “absolutely nothing to worry about.”

“Unfortunately, these things happen,” Konovalov said.

He compared the incident to one in November when an S-300 believed to have strayed after being fired by Ukrainian air defenses landed in NATO member country Poland, and initial fears of an escalation in the war were rapidly defused.

Konovalov said the Ukrainian missile was shot down by the air defense forces around 10 a.m. local time Thursday. Fragments of the downed missile were found near the village of Gorbakha in the Brest region.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Dec 29, 10:32 AM EST
Russia continues ‘escalating’ missile campaign, US Embassy says

Moscow has been “cruelly” targeting Ukrainian civilians by launching attacks against utilities during the winter, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said on Thursday.

The rebuke came as Russia fired missiles at cities throughout the country on Thursday. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Army said 69 missiles were launched, fewer than the 100 missiles that officials had estimated earlier in the morning. Officials said 54 missiles were intercepted.

Two civilians were killed as a result of shelling in the Kharkiv area, according to the region’s governor.

“The Kremlin continues its escalating campaign of missile attacks, cruelly wielding cold & dark against” Ukrainians, U.S. Embassy officials said on Twitter. “Families are again hunkering down as critical infrastructure & other targets across the country are attacked.”

Air raid sirens started wailing before 6 a.m. local time across Ukraine, sending residents scrambling into underground shelters in several cities. Missiles landed in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv and Zhtomyr.

Ukraine’s defense systems intercepted some missiles, including 16 that were shot down near Kyiv, the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Two homes in Kyiv were damaged by falling debris and three people were injured, he said.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said Russia had been “saving one of the most massive missile attacks since the beginning of the full-scale invasion for the last days of the year.”

“They dream that Ukrainians will celebrate the New Year in darkness and cold,” officials said. “But they cannot defeat the Ukrainian people.”

-ABC News’ Britt Clennett and Joe Simonetti

Dec 29, 2:29 AM EST
More than 100 Russian missiles fired at Ukraine

Russian forces early on Thursday launched a missile strike on Ukraine.

More than 100 rockets were fired in several waves, Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on Twitter. Some rockets were reportedly fired from carriers in the sea, while others were reportedly fired by at least a dozen fighter aircraft.

Another presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Twitter that more than 120 missiles had been launched “by the ‘evil Russian world’ to destroy critical infrastructure & kill civilians en masse.”

At least one loud explosion was heard in Kyiv, where air raid sirens were ringing for several hours on Thursday morning.

Dec 28, 1:58 PM EST
Kremlin rejects Ukraine’s Feburary ‘peace summit’

Russia has rejected a proposal from Ukraine to hold a “peace summit” in February, according to a Kremlin official.

“There is no ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine for now, that’s for starters,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wenderday. “Besides, there can be no ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine, which disregards today’s realities on Russian territory, the entry of new regions, four of them, into Russia.”

Peskov was apparently referring to recent Ukrainian drone attacks inside Russia, including one this week at the Engels Air Force Base in southern Russia that killed three Russian soldiers.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Dec 27, 1:13 PM EST
Putin bans sending Russian oil to countries imposing a price cap

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Tuesday that not only rejects a price cap on the country’s oil but bans sending crude and other petroleum products to any country that has endorsed the price cap.

The Group of Seven countries, including the United States, agreed on Dec. 3 to impose a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian oil in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. Australia and the European Union also agreed to impose the price cap.

The decree Putin signed goes into effect on Feb. 1 and is valid until July 1, 2023.

The decree bans the supply of oil and oil products from Russia to those countries that place a price ceiling on contracts. The decree also forbids the supply of oil to other foreign buyers whose contracts use a price cap mechanism.

The decree includes a clause allowing Putin to overrule the ban in special cases to be determined by the Russian leader.

The price cap on Russian oil implemented by G-7 nations disallows the world’s second-largest oil exporter from selling crude at a price above $60 per barrel.

Since the outset of its war with Ukraine, Russia has sold its oil at discounted prices. As of Tuesday, Russian Urals crude was trading at $57 per barrel — an amount slightly less than the cap. But the price cap aims to ensure that Russian oil sales remain well below global oil prices, which stand at about $80 per barrel.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Dec 26, 7:40 AM EST
Ukraine strikes bomber base in Russia, killing three

A Ukrainian drone attack on the Engels Air Force Base in southern Russia killed three, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said.

A spokesman for Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the attack, saying, “If the Russians thought the war would not touch them they were wrong.”

Russian air defence reportedly shot down a Ukrainian drone flying at low altitude, but falling debris caused the casualties in the overnight attack.

The Engels base lies just over 300 miles northeast of Ukraine’s border with Russia. The facility has been repeatedly used by Russia to carry out missile strikes on targets in Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces had attacked another Russian air base on Dec. 5, killing three and damaging two strategic bombers.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(BUCHAREST, Romania) — Controversial internet personality Andrew Tate will be detained in Romania for 30 days on charges of human trafficking and rape, officials said.

Tate, his brother Tristan Tate and two Romanian women were put in 30-day, pre-trial detention in Bucharest on Friday, according to Ramona Bolla, a spokesperson for Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, or DIICOT.

The suspects have already appealed the court’s decision, which will be heard on Jan. 5, 2023, she said.

The extended detainment follows raids on the four suspects’ Romanian properties on Thursday. They were initially detained for 24 hours on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming an organized crime group, though prosecutors asked a Bucharest court to extend their detention amid the ongoing investigation, Bolla said.

DIICOT said it has identified six women — one American, two Moldovan and three Romanian citizens — who were allegedly sexually exploited by the organized criminal group.

Andrew Tate’s lawyer, Eugen Vidineac, told reporters Friday that the court would make a final decision after considering the appeal. From the defense’s perspective there were “no grounds” for the order, which he said was the most drastic preventative measure possible.

Prosecutors said the Tate brothers, who are British citizens, have been under criminal investigation since April.

A former professional kickboxer, Andrew Tate first came into the public eye when he was ejected from the U.K. reality show Big Brother in 2016.

The 36-year-old gained notoriety for misogynistic comments and hate speech and was banned from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok in August following backlash over his comments about women.

He was banned from Twitter in 2017 after reportedly saying that victims of sexual assault must “bear some responsibility” in response to the rise of the #MeToo movement, though was recently allowed back on the platform.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(ROME) — A day after news emerged that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s health had worsened within a few hours, a Vatican official updated Thursday that he “is absolutely lucid and alert.”

“Although his condition remains serious, the situation at the moment is stable,” Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni told reporters.

The Vatican also renewed a call to pray for the former pope from the current pope.

On Wednesday, Bruni said “the situation at the moment remains under control and is constantly followed by doctors,” adding that he could “confirm that in the last few hours there has been an worsening of his condition due to advancing age.”

The comments came after Pope Francis asked for prayers in his morning audience for Benedict, who is 95.

“I ask to all of you a special prayer for the Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the church,” the pope said.

Francis visited his predecessor, who resigned in 2013, in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery later in the day, Bruni said Wednesday.

“We join him in praying for the Pope Emeritus,” Bruni said.

The Vatican last released video footage of Benedict in August, when the newest cardinals visited with him as part of a tradition that’s been ongoing since Francis became pope.

Benedict’s condition reportedly had worsened in the days before Christmas, according to Italian news agency ANSA, which cited “qualified sources.” ANSA reported Benedict had begun to suffer from “respiratory problems” in the days before the holiday.

Benedict spent Christmas at his residence in the Vatican at the former Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, where a Christmas mass was celebrated for him in the little chapel in his home, ANSA reported.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — More than nine months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.

Putin’s forces in November pulled out of key positions, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting the city. Russian drones have continued bombarding civilian targets throughout Ukraine, knocking out critical power infrastructure as winter sets in.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Dec 29, 6:04 AM EST
Russia continues ‘escalating’ missile campaign, US Embassy says

Moscow has been “cruelly wielding cold & dark against” Ukrainian civilians by targeting cities in winter, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said on Thursday.

The rebuke came as Russia fired missiles at cities throughout the country on Thursday. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Army said 69 missiles were launched, fewer than the 100 missiles that officials had estimated earlier in the morning. Officials said 54 missiles were intercepted.

“The Kremlin continues its escalating campaign of missile attacks, cruelly wielding cold & dark against” Ukrainians, U.S. Embassy officials said on Twitter. “Families are again hunkering down as critical infrastructure & other targets across the country are attacked.”

Air raid sirens started wailing before 6 a.m. local time across Ukraine, sending residents scrambling into underground shelters in several cities. Missiles landed in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv and Zhtomyr.

Ukraine’s defense systems intercepted some missiles, including 16 that were shot down near Kyiv, the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Two homes in Kyiv were damaged by falling debris and three people were injured, he said.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said Russia had been “saving one of the most massive missile attacks since the beginning of the full-scale invasion for the last days of the year.”

“They dream that Ukrainians will celebrate the New Year in darkness and cold,” officials said.

Dec 29, 2:29 AM EST
More than 100 Russian missiles fired at Ukraine

Russian forces early on Thursday launched a missile strike on Ukraine.

More than 100 rockets were fired in several waves, Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on Twitter. Some rockets were reportedly fired from carriers in the sea, while others were reportedly fired by at least a dozen fighter aircraft.

Another presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Twitter that more than 120 missiles had been launched “by the ‘evil Russian world’ to destroy critical infrastructure & kill civilians en masse.”

At least one loud explosion was heard in Kyiv, where air raid sirens were ringing for several hours on Thursday morning.

Dec 28, 1:58 PM EST
Kremlin rejects Ukraine’s Feburary ‘peace summit’

Russia has rejected a proposal from Ukraine to hold a “peace summit” in February, according to a Kremlin official.

“There is no ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine for now, that’s for starters,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wenderday. “Besides, there can be no ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine, which disregards today’s realities on Russian territory, the entry of new regions, four of them, into Russia.”

Peskov was apparently referring to recent Ukrainian drone attacks inside Russia, including one this week at the Engels Air Force Base in southern Russia that killed three Russian soldiers.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Dec 27, 1:13 PM EST
Putin bans sending Russian oil to countries imposing a price cap

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Tuesday that not only rejects a price cap on the country’s oil but bans sending crude and other petroleum products to any country that has endorsed the price cap.

The Group of Seven countries, including the United States, agreed on Dec. 3 to impose a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian oil in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. Australia and the European Union also agreed to impose the price cap.

The decree Putin signed goes into effect on Feb. 1 and is valid until July 1, 2023.

The decree bans the supply of oil and oil products from Russia to those countries that place a price ceiling on contracts. The decree also forbids the supply of oil to other foreign buyers whose contracts use a price cap mechanism.

The decree includes a clause allowing Putin to overrule the ban in special cases to be determined by the Russian leader.

The price cap on Russian oil implemented by G-7 nations disallows the world’s second-largest oil exporter from selling crude at a price above $60 per barrel.

Since the outset of its war with Ukraine, Russia has sold its oil at discounted prices. As of Tuesday, Russian Urals crude was trading at $57 per barrel — an amount slightly less than the cap. But the price cap aims to ensure that Russian oil sales remain well below global oil prices, which stand at about $80 per barrel.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Dec 26, 7:40 AM EST
Ukraine strikes bomber base in Russia, killing three

A Ukrainian drone attack on the Engels Air Force Base in southern Russia killed three, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said.

A spokesman for Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the attack, saying, “If the Russians thought the war would not touch them they were wrong.”

Russian air defence reportedly shot down a Ukrainian drone flying at low altitude, but falling debris caused the casualties in the overnight attack.

The Engels base lies just over 300 miles northeast of Ukraine’s border with Russia. The facility has been repeatedly used by Russia to carry out missile strikes on targets in Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces had attacked another Russian air base on Dec. 5, killing three and damaging two strategic bombers.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Starting Jan. 5, people flying from China will need a negative COVID-19 test within two days of their departure in order to enter the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The newly announced restrictions come amid what the CDC called a “surge” in cases of COVID-19 in China as well as a “lack of adequate and transparent” data being reported by the Chinese government.

Given this, the CDC highlighted concerns about being unable to monitor newly emerging variants of the virus.

“CDC will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our approach as necessary,” the agency said.

The new restrictions, which take effect after midnight on Jan. 5, apply to every airline passenger 2 years or older regardless of vaccination status, according to the CDC.

Passengers will need a negative test, such as a PCR or antigen test, no more than two days before they leave China, Hong Kong or Macau.

People who recently recovered from COVID-19 may also show that documentation instead of a negative test result, the CDC said.

These restrictions apply to direct flights from China to the U.S. as well as those that stop in Incheon International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport en route to the U.S.

Those hubs were singled out because, together with direct flights, they cover the “overwhelming majority” of people flying out of China to the U.S., the CDC said.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(ROME) — The health of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has worsened in the last few hours, a Vatican official said on Wednesday.

“The situation at the moment remains under control and is constantly followed by doctors,” Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni told reporters, adding that he could “confirm that in the last few hours there has been an worsening of his condition due to advancing age.”

The comments came after Pope Francis asked for prayers in his morning audience for Benedict, who is 95.

“I ask to all of you a special prayer for the Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the church,” the pope said.

Francis visited his predecessor, who resigned in 2013, in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery later in the day, Bruni said.

“We join him in praying for the Pope Emeritus,” Bruni said.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — More than nine months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.

Putin’s forces in November pulled out of key positions, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting the city. Russian drones have continued bombarding civilian targets throughout Ukraine, knocking out critical power infrastructure as winter sets in.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Dec 27, 1:13 PM EST
Putin bans sending Russian oil to countries imposing a price cap

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Tuesday that not only rejects a price cap on the country’s oil but bans sending crude and other petroleum products to any country that has endorsed the price cap.

The Group of Seven countries, including the United States, agreed on Dec. 3 to impose a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian oil in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. Australia and the European Union also agreed to impose the price cap.

The decree Putin signed goes into effect on Feb. 1 and is valid until July 1, 2023.

The decree bans the supply of oil and oil products from Russia to those countries that place a price ceiling on contracts. The decree also forbids the supply of oil to other foreign buyers whose contracts use a price cap mechanism.

The decree includes a clause allowing Putin to overrule the ban in special cases to be determined by the Russian leader.

The price cap on Russian oil implemented by G-7 nations disallows the world’s second-largest oil exporter from selling crude at a price above $60 per barrel.

Since the outset of its war with Ukraine, Russia has sold its oil at discounted prices. As of Tuesday, Russian Urals crude was trading at $57 per barrel — an amount slightly less than the cap. But the price cap aims to ensure that Russian oil sales remain well below global oil prices, which stand at about $80 per barrel.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Dec 26, 7:40 AM EST
Ukraine strikes bomber base in Russia, killing three

A Ukrainian drone attack on the Engels Air Force Base in southern Russia killed three, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said.

A spokesman for Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the attack, saying, “If the Russians thought the war would not touch them they were wrong.”

Russian air defence reportedly shot down a Ukrainian drone flying at low altitude, but falling debris caused the casualties in the overnight attack.

The Engels base lies just over 300 miles northeast of Ukraine’s border with Russia. The facility has been repeatedly used by Russia to carry out missile strikes on targets in Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces had attacked another Russian air base on Dec. 5, killing three and damaging two strategic bombers.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. government is concerned about COVID surges in China and a lack of transparency from the Chinese government, resulting in the U.S. considering imposing new restrictions on travelers coming to the U.S. from China, according to U.S. officials.

“There are mounting concerns in the international community on the ongoing COVID-19 surges in China and the lack of transparent data, including viral genomic sequence data, being reported from the PRC,” the officials, who requested anonymity, said in a written statement, using the acronym for China’s official name. “Without this data, it is becoming increasingly difficult for public health officials to ensure that they will be able to identify any potential new variants and take prompt measures to reduce the spread.”

The officials noted that public health officials in the U.S. have been talking with partners around the world about “their concerns about this and potential steps that can be taken to monitor the surge of COVID cases effectively and identify any potential variants of concern.”

Bloomberg was the first to report the news on Tuesday.

The World Health Organization, Japan, India and Malaysia have expressed concern as well, the officials noted. Japan recently announced it will require a negative COVID test upon arrival for travelers from China and Malaysia “has announced new tracking and surveillance measures,” the officials said.

“The U.S. is following the science and advice of public health experts, consulting with partners and considering taking similar steps we can take to protect the American people,” the officials said.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — More than nine months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.

Putin’s forces in November pulled out of key positions, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting the city. Russian drones have continued bombarding civilian targets throughout Ukraine, knocking out critical power infrastructure as winter sets in.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Dec 26, 7:40 AM EST
Ukraine strikes bomber base in Russia, killing three

A Ukrainian drone attack on the Engels Air Force Base in southern Russia killed three, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said.

A spokesman for Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the attack, saying, “If the Russians thought the war would not touch them they were wrong.”

Russian air defence reportedly shot down a Ukrainian drone flying at low altitude, but falling debris caused the casualties in the overnight attack.

The Engels base lies just over 300 miles northeast of Ukraine’s border with Russia. The facility has been repeatedly used by Russia to carry out missile strikes on targets in Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces had attacked another Russian air base on Dec. 5, killing three and damaging two strategic bombers.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(HONG KONG) — China on Monday flew 71 warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense zone, as part of a drill that included 47 planes crossing the de-facto maritime border between the mainland and the island.

The 47 aircraft crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait, entering into Taiwan’s southwest air defense zone at about 6 a.m. local time, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said.

71 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected in our surrounding region by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities. pic.twitter.com/DagRhnN69F

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) December 26, 2022

President Joe Biden on Dec. 23 signed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2023, a bill that included funding for Taiwan, along with support for its “meaningful participation” in the international community.

Officials from China’s People Liberation Army said Monday’s military drills were in response to a “provocation” from the U.S. and Taiwan.

“This is a resolute response to the current US-Taiwan escalation and provocation,” the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater said in a statement.

The statement added, “The theater troops will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan’s military forces “have monitored the situation” and tasked “aircraft, Navy vessels and land-based missile systems to respond [to] these activities,” officials said on Twitter.

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