French President Emmanuel Macron said he is considering stripping Russian President Vladimir Putin of the Order of Honor.
The Russian leader received the Order of Honor in 2006 from then French President Jacques Chirac, the BBC reminds.
This title is the highest that can be obtained in France, both in the civil and in the military order.
It was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.
Russian forces have strengthened their positions north of Bakhmut and cut off an important Ukrainian supply route, and in Ugledar where they are on the offensive, an official of the Russian occupation said today.
Near Bakhmut, the epicenter of fighting in eastern Ukraine, Russian soldiers "consolidated their positions in the northern part," Denis Pushilin, a separatist official, said, according to Russian news agencies.
Russian troops continue their attempt to surround the city from the north, south and east, which they have been trying to capture since the summer, with heavy losses on both sides and great destruction.
"We have cut three of the four supply routes" of the Ukrainian army in Bakhmut, Pushilin said. He said that the only remaining road is the one that leads to Chasiv Jar, in the west.
He said that Russian units have also strengthened their positions in the southern part of Ugledar, practically in the suburbs, and that the Ukrainians continue to transfer reserves to stop them.
Ugledar is another hot spot on the eastern Ukrainian front where the Russians have increased pressure in recent weeks and are taking little by little territory from the Ukrainian army.
Pushilin said that about 1.400 civilians are in Ugledar and that Russian forces have begun evacuating some of them in Volnovakh, in Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk.
He said that in response, Ukrainian troops are carrying out strikes on cities in the rear that supply Russian soldiers.
"Where the enemy can damage the necessary civilian infrastructure, he does so. The situation is constantly tense," he added at the front.
The British Ministry of Defense said in its regular daily report on Wednesday that Russian forces had likely made tactical advances in two key sectors.
The Ukrainian army announced that fighting was taking place in several zones, including in Bakhmut and Ugledar without further details.
Today, Russia launched more than 50 missiles at Ukraine, and most of them were shot down, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal said.
"Russia cannot accept failure and therefore continues to terrorize the (Ukrainian) population. It was yet another attempt to destroy the Ukrainian energy system and leave Ukrainians without light, heat and water," wrote Shmyhal on Telegram.
Ukrainian Pravda quoted an Air Force spokesman as saying separately that Ukraine had the option to shoot down the missiles, but did not do so because it did not want to endanger civilians in foreign countries.
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Today, Ukraine shot down 10 Russian missiles over the capital city of Kiev, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said, as reported by Reuters.
"There is damage to the electrical networks, but there are no victims. Workers are working to restore the network," Klitschko wrote to Telegram.
Russia has hit power facilities in six Ukrainian regions during missile and drone strikes, forcing authorities to initiate an emergency blackout across much of the country, Energy Minister German Galushchenko said.
"The most difficult situation is in Zaporozhye, Kharkiv and Khmelnytskyi regions," Galushchenko added.
Explosions were heard in Ukraine's capital Kiev and the surrounding region, witnesses and officials told Reuters.
The city administration of Kyiv announced that the anti-aircraft defense of the capital is fighting Russian missiles.
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The West should think carefully before complying with Zelensky's demands. Better to help him gain an advantage on the battlefield, as a basis for peace negotiations.
Maksim Marchenko, the regional governor of the southern Odesa region, also urged residents not to flee to shelters.
"Enemy aviation is in the air, and ships capable of carrying missiles are in the sea. The enemy has launched missiles. The air alert will be long," Marchenko said.
Russian forces attacked critical infrastructure in several parts of Ukraine overnight, and at least 17 missiles hit Zaporozhye in the southeast of the country, Reuters reported.
Air raid sirens were sounded across Ukraine after officials warned of potential Russian missile strikes.
As Reuters reports, they urged residents not to leave the shelters.
"There is a great danger of a missile attack. I want to emphasize again - do not ignore the air raid sirens," said Sergiy Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration.
The 352nd day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has begun - you can see what marked yesterday at the link below.
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Bonus video:
