• Authorities in parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine proposed plans for the Kremlin to annex four border areas, while the Ukrainian army is quickly retaking territory.
• Portions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are scheduled to hold three-day votes starting Friday about whether they should become part of Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported.
• Meanwhile, the Kremlin’s lower house passed legislation to help address a troop shortage, possibly signaling that Russia is preparing for a full-scale mobilization.

Tagged: World War III