Ukraine war live updates: Russian military chief visits Ukraine after gains; Belarus signals armed patrols could take to streets

This is CNBC's live blog tracking developments on the war in Ukraine. See below for the latest updates. 

Russia's military chief has visited troops in eastern Ukraine as Moscow continues to relish — and heavily promote — its recent capture of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine ahead of the presidential election.

Chief of the General Staff Valeriy Gerasimov presented awards to troops involved in offensive operations around Avdiivka in Donetsk, the defense ministry said, according to news agency RIA Novosti.

Speaking to Russia's defense minister Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Avdiivka's capture an "absolute success," saying it "needs to be built on."

Capturing the industrial city of Avdiivka means that the front line moves farther away from the nearby city of Donetsk and will allow Russian forces to focus on pushing offensive operations farther west. Ukrainian forces said they withdrew to prepared defensive positions near Avdiivka to avoid being surrounded.

In other news, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signaled a potential step toward deeper authoritarianism, calling on law enforcement agencies on Tuesday to organize patrols with small arms on the streets of Belarusian cities to ensure the safety of the public.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko called on law enforcement agencies on Tuesday to organise patrols with small arms on the streets of Belarusian cities to ensure the safety of people.

"People should feel safe at home, at work, on the street, at any time of the day," Lukashenko said in a video from a meeting with the country's top security bodies, posted on Pul Pervovo, a state outlet that reports on Lukashenko's activities.

Lukashenko said that while the crime rate in Belarus was