The Kremlin’s forces are expelling residents near the Russian-held parts of the front line so they can’t tell Ukrainian artillery forces about Russian troop deployments, a regional official says.

Two men went missing this month while heading to the town of Soledar, in the eastern Donetsk region, where heavy fighting was taking place.

U.S. and Germany agreed to share advanced tanks with Ukraine along with the Bradley and Marder vehicles promised, a decision that led to criticism from the Kremlin and the prime minister of NATO.

The Kremlin warned that tank deliveries would be a dangerous escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.

Germany is one of the main donors of weapons to Ukraine, and it ordered a review of its Leopard 2 stocks in preparation for a possible green light.

The Kremlin is hungry for good news from the battlefield after months of setbacks.

The Bradley brings more firepower but carries fewer troops. The more lightly armored Stryker, because it is wheeled, can move a lot faster on paved roads, meaning it can get infantry squadrons into the fight faster.