Latest developments in Ukraine: Feb. 13

A Ukrainian soldier walks along a street in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Feb. 12, 2023. Writing on the wall reads "Bakhmut loves Ukraine". [AP]

For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

The latest developments in Russia's war on Ukraine. All times EST.

2:20 a.m.: The United States has told its citizens to leave Russia immediately due to the war in Ukraine and the risk of arbitrary arrest or harassment by Russian law enforcement agencies, Reuters reported.

"U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately," the U.S. embassy in Moscow said. "Exercise increased caution due to the risk of wrongful detentions."

"Do not travel to Russia," the embassy said.

The United States has repeatedly warned its citizens to leave Russia. The last such public warning was in September after President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization.

"Russian security services have arrested U.S. citizens on spurious charges, singled out U.S. citizens in Russia for detention and harassment, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and convicted them in secret trials or without presenting credible evidence," the embassy said.

"Russian authorities arbitrarily enforce local laws against U.S. citizen religious workers and have opened questionable criminal investigations against U.S. citizens engaged in religious activity."

Russia has opened a criminal case against a United States citizen on suspicion of espionage, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said in January.

2 a.m.:

Ukrainian rescuers in Turkey clear rubble from 94 sites.Ukrainian rescuers in Turkey have examined 224 sites and cleared rubble from 94 in the aftermath of the recent earthquakes, the State Emergency Service said on Feb. 12.

- The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 12, 2023

1:45 a.m.: Russian supplied India with around $13 billion of arms during the past five years, and New Delhi has orders placed with Moscow for weapons and military equipment exceeding $10 billion, Russian state news agencies reported late on Sunday, according to Reuters.

India is the world's biggest buyer of Russian arms, accounting for around 20% of Moscow's current order book, and New Delhi has not explicitly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for dialog and diplomacy to solve the conflict, now in its 12th month.

Scores of Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia, including on arms, in response to the invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation."

India, China and some Southeast Asian countries have maintained their interest in buying Russian arms, according to Dmitry Shugayev, the head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, the agencies reported.

"Despite the unprecedented pressure on India from Western countries led by the United States in connection with Russia's special operation in Ukraine, it continues to be one of Russia's main partners in the field of military-technical cooperation," Interfax agency quoted Shugayev as saying.

Annual arms exports were about $14-15 billion, and the order book has remained steady at around $50 billion, Interfax reported.

1:20 a.m.:

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 13 February 2023 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/ixYOQYQdXc?? #StandWithUkraine ?? pic.twitter.com/mmbgKuxUpo

- Ministry of Defence ?? (@DefenceHQ) February 13, 2023

12:40 a.m.:

#Russia has partially regained the ability to conduct successful information campaigns in support of strategic objectives and even discrete operational aims. These campaigns have continuously aimed to deter or slow Western support to #Ukraine.https://t.co/JMF7hjXnuB pic.twitter.com/Dk9XNAF7AZ

- ISW (@TheStudyofWar) February 13, 2023

12:01 a.m.: Specialists from Russia's defense ministry are building a water pipeline system that would connect the country's Rostov region bordering Ukraine with the Donbas region inside Ukraine, the state TASS news agency reported late on Sunday, according to Reuters.

Moscow last year claimed the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which make up the broader Donbas region in Ukraine, as "republics" of Russia, in a move condemned by most members of the United Nations as illegal.

The project, to be completed in the next few months, will have the capacity to carry 300,000 cubic meters of water per day and will include two 200-km (124-mile) lines, TASS reported, citing the defense ministry.

"More than 2,600 specialists ... from the Russian Ministry of Defence and over 1,000 units of equipment are involved around the clock in the construction," TASS cited an unnamed defense representative as saying.

The structure will pass through the territory of the Rostov region in Russia and into the Donetsk region to the Severskiy Donets-Donbas Canal, which extends from the Donets River near the village of Raihorodok to the city of Donetsk.

The water situation in the Donbas region, which has few resources, has been critical. The region depends on large-scale pipelines that have been damaged by nearly a year of fighting and which require electricity that is often interrupted.