Briefly

RUSSIA

Top military officer put in charge of operation

Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov has been appointed the new commander of Russia's integrated group of forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. Gerasimov will succeed Sergey Surovikin, commander in chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, who was appointed in October. Surovikin, Commander in Chief of the Ground Forces Oleg Salyukov, and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Alexei Kim have been appointed as Gerasimov's deputies. The decision was made as a wider range of tasks will be implemented within the scope of the special military operation, said the ministry, adding that closer interaction will be required between branches of the forces, and the troops will need stronger support as well as more effective command and control.

UNITED STATES

Lawmaker refuses to resign over resume lies

US Congressman George Santos, embattled over lying about his resume, reiterated on Wednesday that he would not step down. Santos, a 34-year-old Republican elected in last year's midterm elections to represent New York's third congressional district, tweeted earlier in the day "I will NOT resign!" A group of Republicans urged Santos to quit on Wednesday. Late last year, Santos admitted to lying about his educational history and professional biography following an investigation by The New York Times.

AFGHANISTAN

IS claims responsibility for fatal Kabul attack

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Thursday for a deadly bombing that killed at least five people near the Foreign Ministry in the Afghan capital Kabul the previous day. The bombing was the second major attack in Kabul this year. The extremist group said in a statement that a "martyrdom seeker" detonated his explosive vest amid a gathering of ministry employees and guards as they left through the ministry's main gate. The attack drew condemnation from the United Nations and various countries.

Agencies - Xinhua