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Russia's Ministry of Defense claims that Ukraine is preparing "another" provocation, like the deadly attack in Kramatorsk, to accuse Russia of war crimes against civilians.
Russia said the attack would happen at a train station in the eastern city of Lozova.
"To this end, battalion of the 19th Separate Missile Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will soon launch a Tochka-U attack on an area of refugees concentration at the railway station in Lozova," Russia's Defense Ministry claimed on Friday.
"The missiles will be launched from Staromikhailovka direction to simulate a strike from the territory allegedly controlled by the Russian Armed Forces and Donetsk People's Republic formations," the ministry said.
The ministry said Russia does not use the Tochka-U, as it did following last Friday's attack at a train station in Kramatorsk. At least 59 people died in that attack. The claims come as Russia prepares to focus its offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine.
‼️According to @mod_russia, #Ukraine is preparing another provocation like the ones in #Kramatorsk and #Bucha, in order to accuse #Russia of alleged war crimes against civilians. pic.twitter.com/aNNkTpNOu5
German authorities said Thursday that they seized the world's largest yacht having links to a Russian oligarch.
Officials found that yacht was owned by Gulbakhor Ismailova, the sister of Russian billionaire and business tycoon Alisher Usmanov. Usmanov was a close ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The yacht, named Dilbar after Usmanov's mother, was initially restricted from leaving its anchorage in Hamburg by German authorities on March 3.
The current value of the yacht is approximately $735 million, according to the Department of Treasury. It extends over 500 feet and is equipped with two helipads and the largest indoor swimming pool ever installed on a private vessel.
Usmanov's yacht was listed on U.S. sanctions as blocked property, meaning any transactions related to the yacht, including maintenance, hiring crew and docking fees, conducted with U.S. persons or with U.S. dollars are prohibited.
Ten civilians, including a 7-month-old baby, were killed during shelling in Kharkiv Friday afternoon, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office said.
At least 35 others were injured in the blast, according to the prosecutor's office. Investigators say Russian servicemen fired multiple rockets at the Industrial District of Kharkiv around 4:30 p.m. local time Friday. A "number" of residential buildings are damaged or destroyed.
Russia also attacked civilians evacuating the Kharkiv region on buses Thursday, seven died and 27 others were injured, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office reports. The attack happened in the Borova, Izium district.
A large explosion also struck Kramatorsk Friday, though casualty numbers are not known at this time, the Associated Press reports. The attack in the eastern city comes one week after a missile hit a train station killing 59 and injuring over 100 more.
Friday's attack in the northeastern city comes as Russia prepares for an offensive operation in the east, officials say.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly told European allies that the the war in Ukraine is not likely to end any time soon.
Two European officials told CNN that Blinken said the U.S. believes the conflict will continue through the end of 2022.
During an interview with the Economic club Thursday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said there is a good chance the fighting in Ukraine will be "protracted" and will go on "for months or even longer."
He added that it is difficult to make an assessment, as Russia plans to refocus its efforts in the east and south of Ukraine.
The U.S. State Department warns of drifting mines in the western Black Sea, cautioning against travel in the area.
"There are confirmed reports of an undetermined number of drifting mines in the western Black Sea, at least four of which Turkish and Romanian authorities have intercepted," a State Department advisory issued Friday reads. "Drifting mines pose a hazard to commercial and passenger vessels."
The State Department urges U.S. citizens to be cautious if traveling by ship in the Black Sea region. Friday's warning comes one day after Russian warship Moskva sunk in the Black Sea. The U.S. believes at least one Ukrainian anti-ship missile hit the vessel, according to a senior defense official. Ukraine has said its missiles hit the Moskva, but Russia has only said there was a fire onboard.
The State Department also issued this warning on April 1:
"NATO Shipping Centre and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) have advised that vessels should avoid entering or approaching the Sea of Azov, Ukrainian ports, or Ukrainian territorial waters in the northwestern Black Sea. Further, there is a risk of collateral damage in the northwestern, western, and southwestern Black Sea from the threat of drifting mines."
Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Black Sea, Azov Sea: There are confirmed reports of drifting mines in the western Black Sea. US citizens traveling by sea should review the advisories from the NATO Shipping Centre & the U.S. Maritime Advisory System. https://t.co/A6h2810bOU pic.twitter.com/ozGW49toj7
Finland is "highly likely" to join NATO, despite ongoing threats from Russia.
"At this point I would say it is highly likely, but a decision has not yet been made," Finland's Minister of European Affairs and Corporate Governance Tytti Tuppurainen told Sky News.
She added that Russian actions in the "brutal" war in Ukraine is a "wakeup call to all of us."
These comments come as Russia threatened to deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltics if Finland and Sweden join NATO.
The Russian Foreign Ministry warned the Nordic countries "should understand the consequences" of being part of the alliance.
"The choice is up to the authorities of Sweden and Finland. But they should understand the consequences of such a step for our bilateral relations and for the architecture of European security as a whole," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said the decision on whether to apply for membership would be made within weeks.
During a joint press conference with her Swedish counterpart Wednesday, Marin said she wants to give Parliament and all parties to analyze options for Finland's future and build a wide consensus on foreign policy and security.
"We need to have a view on the future and we are using this time to analyze and also build common views on the future when it comes to security," Marin said. "I won't give any kind of timetable when we will make our decisions, but I think it will happen quite fast — within weeks, not within months."
Russia warned the U.S. of "unpredictable consequences" over its shipments of sensitive weapons to Ukraine, according to the Washington Post.
In a formal letter dated Tuesday, Russia said the shipments from the U.S. and NATO were fueling tensions in Ukraine, the Post reports.
The warning comes as President Joe Biden authorized a massive weapons package worth $800 million Wednesday. With the latest announcement, the U.S. has now provided $3.2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, including about $2.6 billion since Russia began its invasion.
The $800 million package includes 155mm Howitzers, Switchblade drones, Mi-17 helicopters along with chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear protective equipment.
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price would not confirm any private diplomatic correspondence, but told CNN that "nothing" would stop the U.S. from supporting Ukraine.
"The Russians have said some things privately, they have said some things publicly," Price said during an interview with CNN. "Nothing will dissuade us from the strategy that we've embarked on."
The warning comes as Russia reportedly prepares to focus its efforts in eastern and southern Ukraine. The Pentagon has said the new "phase" of the war has not impacted the delivery of "massive" amounts of security assistance into Ukraine. Monday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said between 8 and 10 flights carrying supplies and equipment, from the U.S. and others, are being delivered daily.
Ukraine's national police are investigating more than 3,000 war crimes allegedly committed by Russia forces in Kyiv.
In a press briefing Friday, Andrii Niebytov, the Head of the National Police of Ukraine in Kyiv Oblast, said more than 900 civilian death have been recorded in the occupied territories in the region.
He said investigators are working to document destruction and war crimes committed, including conducting forensic examinations of bodies left lying in the streets and buried in mass graves.
Of those in grave, Niebytov said many of them were killed by firearms.
Bucha is the worst hit town in the Kyiv region, he said, with more than 350 bodies reported so far.
Two mass graves discovered in Bucha, with 40 bodies in the first and 57 in the second. He said 95 percent of the bodies in the first grave were killed by sniper riffle or other small arms.
These crime, he added, are "impossible to hide," as they were seen by witnesses or documented on video.
Niebytov also said there are "widespread" reports of rape and sexual violence, but few women are willing to confirm those reports or file charges.
He promised that everyone who committed rape and violence will be brought to justice.
The State Security Service identified specific Russian military units and soldier who committed crimes in occupied territories. There are some lists with soldiers' names, family members and residence addresses, he said.
The United States believes the Russian warship Moskva was struck by at least one Ukrainian anti-ship missile, according to a senior U.S. defense officials.
Ukrainian forces said they sank the ship with a missile strike, with Russia said the ship was damaged by an onboard fire.
The official told the Associated Press that at least one, but probably two, Neptune missile hit the Moskva Wednesday. This created a large fire on the ship and led to its sinking.
The U.S. cannot provide any further details at this time beyond saying it believes the Russians suffered some number of casualties aboard the ship.
Russian forces has reportedly used long-range bombers to attack the besieged city of Mariupol for the first time since the war began.
"On April 14, two Russian strategic heavy bombers Tu-95/-160 have launched cruise missiles hitting the territory of Ukraine from Krasnodar Krai of Russian Federation airspace," Ukraine Ministry Defense Spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said. "Also for the first time from the start of the armed aggression bombs were dropped by a long-range bombers Tu-22M3. This airstrike took place, hitting Mariupol."
Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said nine humanitarian corridors have been agreed upon Friday to evacuate civilians out of cities including Mariupol and Berdyansk.
In a Telegram post, she said 2,864 people have been evacuated so far and 2,494 people traveled from Mariupol and Berdyansk by their own transport to Zaporizhia.
As Mariupol continues to face bombardment from Russian forces since the invasion began, an estimated 120,000 people remain in the city, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said.
Boychenko told the Associated Press that at least 21,000 people were killed in Mariupol as bodies are "carpeted through the streets."
The United Nations has recorded more than 4,600 civilian casualties in Ukraine, again warning actual figures are "considerably" higher.
At least 1,982 civilians have died and 2,651 others have been injured, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Friday.
"Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes," OHCHR said.
Data from areas like Mariupol, Izium and Borodianka are still being corroborated and not included in Friday's report. There are reports of "numerous" casualties from those areas.
OHCHR data shows the following:
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office has recorded more than 553 child casualties, including 198 deaths. More than 355 other children have been injured, juvenile prosecutors said Friday.
"These figures are not final, as work is underway to establish them in places of active hostilities, in the temporarily occupied and liberated territories," the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office said.
Russia will likely change how its naval forces operate in the Black Sea after its missile cruiser Moskva sunk, The U.K. Ministry of Defence said Friday.
"Russia has admitted that the Slava-class cruiser Moskva has sunk," the ministry said. "As flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva served a key role as both a command vessel and air defence node."
The Moskva sank after being damaged, though there are conflicting reports surrounding the cause. Ukraine says its forces hit the warship with missiles. Russia has not confirmed any attack, only saying there was a fire onboard. The vessel was just one of three Slava-class cruisers in the Russian navy, according to British intelligence.
"This incident means Russia has now suffered damage to two key naval assets since invading Ukraine, the first being Russia's Alligator-class landing ship Saratov on 24 March," the ministry said. "Both events will likely lead Russia to review its maritime posture in the Black Sea."
The U.K. Ministry of Defence released an updated map Friday, showing areas in eastern and southern Ukraine under Russian control. The map also depicts pockets of contested areas. While there are several "strike" locations in the Kyiv region and parts of western Ukraine, British intelligence shows forces concentrating efforts in the east and south. The map shows several likely axis of advance by Russian troops into both regions as well as from the north into Isium.
Civilian casualties are reported amid ongoing shelling in residential areas of Mykolaiv Friday, Ukraine's Operational Command South said.
"The enemy chaotically fires residential quarters, cultural objects and private enterprises of Mykolaiv," according to Ukraine's Operational Command South. "Jet fire systems are running around the city. Unfortunately, there are casualties and wounded among the civilians."
The number of civilian casualties is not yet confirmed. Operational Command South shared photos of bodies in the street and on sidewalks across the city, located in southern Ukraine. The Pentagon warned Russia's new offensive would likely focus on eastern and southern Ukraine.
Head of the Mykolaiv Oblast Council Hanna Zamazieieva urged citizens to shelter amid the attack.
"Peaceful inhabitants are being shot under the shelling!!!" Zamazieieva said. "Thank you to our doctors, volunteers of the Red Cross, police, etc. who are in danger saving citizens under shelling."
A group of Ukrainian and international experts are tracking Russian oil tankers to ensure the Kremlin does not circumvent Western sanctions.
Oleg Ustenko, an economic adviser to the President of Ukraine, told The Economist that experts are using a network analysis software to track energy supply routes and analyze the behavior of ship.
A group of experts have already managed to identify supplies of Kazakh oil, which they believe contain portions of clandestinely loaded Russian crude, Ustenko said.
Warnings are then sent to relevant governments and companies, as well as Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian officials have asked world leaders to stop Russian oil and gas imports to avoid funding the Kremlin's war effort in Ukraine.
"Russia is desperately trying to finance its military machine with secret shipments - but we're watching," Ustenko said in a tweet.
The world knows the sale of Russian oil and gas is funding the genocide in #Ukraine. Russia is desperately trying to finance its military machine with secret shipments - but we're watching. There's nowhere to hide anymore. #FossilFuelsFundWar https://t.co/ULDvqAxQYv
Nearly 4.8 million people have fled Ukraine in the first 50 days of Russia's invasion, the United Nations estimates.
As the war rages on and tens of thousands continue entering neighboring countries, U.N. refugee agency UNHCR is warning about trafficking risks. The agency estimates about 90% of refugees are women and children.
"We are on high alert and warning refugees on the risks of predators and criminal networks who may attempt to exploit their vulnerability or lure them with promises of free transport, accommodation, employment or other forms of assistance," UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Gillian Triggs said.
UNHCR says it's "impossible" to know how many refugees may have already "fallen prey to traffickers and abusers," but there are evident risks. Along with the large number of women and children, UNHCR says there are a lack of controls at border points. Among those is Medyka, Poland, where refugees have been flooding in for weeks. The agency's data shows more than 2.7 million people have now entered Poland.
"As of late March, there was no system for registering volunteers or monitoring the different groups and people accessing the border area," UNHCR said.
Where refugees are going, by country:
*Estimates above provided by UNHCR as of 4/14
Up to 50,000 residents are returning to Kyiv every day, according to local officials.
Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration Mykola Povoroznik said between 40 and 50,000 people are coming back to Kyiv each day, the Kyiv Independent reported.
⚡️Up to 50,000 residents return to Kyiv every day, according to local official Mykola Povoroznyk. Earlier, mayor Vitali Klitschko said that it was too early to return as there is still a threat of Russian strikes, while the demining of territories surrounding Kyiv is ongoing.
While Russian forces have withdrawn from around the capitol city, the Pentagon said Kyiv may still be vulnerable to air strikes.
Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Thursday Russian forces can still hit Kyiv will ballistic and air-launched cruise missiles.
Over the course of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, hundred of civilians have been killed in Kyiv Oblast.
According to Kyiv Oblast Police Chief Andriy Nebytov, more than 900 civilians were killed during the war. He said Bucha, a town northwest of Kyiv, had to largest number of death.
Ukrainian officials have been working across the country to recover bodies buried in mass graves as authorities examine the scope of the losses amid the ongoing war.
Russia carried out a deadly attack on evacuation buses, according to Ukrainian officials.
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office told Ukraine's Suspilne news Friday that seven people were killed and 27 were injured when Russian forces allegedly opened fire on two buses carrying civilians in the village of Borovaya.
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating the attack and establish safe routes for transporting civilians across the Russian-controlled area around Borovaya.
"A pre-trial investigation has been launched into violations of the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder," the office said.
The head of the International Criminal Court (ICC) visited mass graves discovered in Bucha and Borodyanka this week amid ongoing investigations into possible war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
"Ukraine is a crime scene," ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan said. "We're here because we have reasonable grounds to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC are being committed. We have to pierce the fog of war to get to the truth."
Khan also met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova, Minister of Defense Oleksii Rezniko, and other government officials.
Met with @KarimKhanQC, Prosecutor of the @IntlCrimCourt. We are unanimous that the investigation of russian war crimes must result in prosecution and sentencing. Once a lawyer - always a lawyer. Our joint efforts will bring justice. pic.twitter.com/wBL3GeVvc9
Shmyhal thanked Khan for his visit and stressed the importance of the ICC's involvement in launching the investigation into Russia's "brutal violations of international humanitarian law."
"The Ukrainian people demand justice, the whole civilized world demands justice. And this requirement is burning," Shmyhal said.
He called for a "swift and effective" investigation that will result in "real charges."
"It is necessary to ensure the millions of victims of Russia's armed aggression the right to a fair trial and bring to justice those who organize and directly commit horrific crimes against Ukrainians and all Ukrainians," Shmyhal said, adding that 42 countries have already called on the ICC to conduct investigation.
Khan said the voices of those impacted by Russia's alleged crimes "must be at the center of our independent work to establish the truth" as the ICC and its partners continue to gather evidence.
"Survivors and the families of victims will be full partners in our collective efforts to deliver justice," he said.
Prosecutor #KarimAAKhanQC visits Borodyanka, Ukraine. “The voices of those impacted by alleged crimes must be at the centre of our independent work to establish the truth. Survivors and the families of victims will be full partners in our collective efforts to deliver justice”. pic.twitter.com/9xOzfeDbjI
The Russian missile cruiser Moskva sunk in the Black Sea Thursday after it was heavily damaged, the Associated Press reports.
Ukraine has targeted the Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, since the invasion began. Ukraine says its forces hit the ship with missiles; Russia has not confirmed any attack, but said there was a fire onboard.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed the ship sank during a storm as it was being towed to a port, AP reports. The ministry said a fire onboard forced the entire crew to evacuate. The fire was contained and would continue to port with missile launchers intact, the ministry said.
The Moskva would typically have some 500 sailors and could carry 16 long-range cruise missiles, AP said.
At least 324 Ukrainian hospitals have been damaged since Russia began its invasion, Ukraine's Ministry of Health said Thursday. Of those facilities, 24 are destroyed.
Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Health Oleksii Yaremenko said work is underway to rebuild facilities in liberated territories.
"As soon as the territory is de-occupied, we send the necessary resources there," Yaremenko said, via translation. "In particular, the Ministry has already started planning the rehabilitation and reconstruction of hospitals. The Ministry of Health is currently working on a comprehensive plan of where hospitals will be built, in what shape they will be restored and what services they will provide."
Mobile hospitals may be utilized in some areas until reconstruction is completed, he added. Humanitarian aid, including medicine and equipment, is also being delivered to healthcare facilities in liberated territories.
The death toll following last week's attack at the Kramatorsk train station reached 59 Thursday, as two more children have died, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said. Seven children are now among those killed.
More than 100 others were wounded when a missile hit the station on Friday, April 8. Ukrainian officials said those killed were mostly women and children, waiting to evacuate to safety, the Associated Press reports. Ukraine has blamed Russia for the attack, though Russia has repeatedly denied responsibility.
Albanian Ambassador Ferit Hoxha said the missile had a "vicious signature," reading, "for our children," AP reports.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense shared a photo of a stuffed animal covered in blood from the scene, saying it would be sent to the United Nations "as proof of this barbaric crime."
Over 400 bodies have been recovered in Bucha after Russian forces left the city.
Bucha Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk said 137 of the 403 bodies found have been identified.
The bodies of 73 people were removed from a mass grave near the Church of St. Andrew in Bucha Thursday.
This comes as Ukrainian Parliament adopted a "declaration of the genocide committed by Russia in Ukraine" following mounting evidence that Russian forces abused and killed Ukrainian civilians in Bucha, Borodyanka and other cities.
The declaration recognized the actions committed by the Russian Armed Forces and Russian political and military leadership during the last phase of its invasion that began on Feb. 24.
It also calls on the United Nations, NATO, the European Union, and foreign governments to also recognize Russia's genocide crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
❗️Thе 🇺🇦 Parliament adopted a Declaration on the genocide committed by Russia in #Ukraine.#StopPutin#StopRussia#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/VuZjHATQBJ
"The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine recognized the actions of the Russian Federation as genocide of the Ukrainian Nation," Chairman of Ukraine Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuck said in a tweet.
U.S. President Joe Biden called Russia's invasion of Ukraine a "genocide" Tuesday.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba about the most recent U.S. and global efforts to hold the Kremlin and its enablers accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine.
I spoke again today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister @DmytroKuleba. I reinforced the United States’ continued support for Ukraine and commitment to holding the Kremlin accountable for its unprovoked and inhumane war against the Ukrainian people. #UnitedWithUkraine
More than 2,550 people were evacuated through humanitarian corridors Thursday, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
Vereshchuk reports 2,332 people evacuated from Mariupol and Berdiansk to Zaporizhzhia in their own transportation.
Nearly 300 evacuated from Mariupol; however, it's estimated more than 100,000 remain in the besieged city. Another roughly 2,000 evacuated from Vasylivka, Berdiansk and Melitopol.
Another 225 people evacuated from the Luhansk region, although efforts were once again compromised by Russian forces.
"The mode of silence by the occupation forces was again not secured," Vereshchuk said.
Ongoing efforts to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate civilians have been delayed or blocked by Russian forces in recent weeks. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Ukraine was able to deliver medical supplies to hospitals in Kramatorsk and Kurahove on Wednesday.
"Hospitals in Kramatorsk and Kurahove are now also treating severely sick and wounded people from other parts of the Donetsk region," ICRC Ukraine said. "Yesterday, we delivered them war wounded kits, medicines to treat non-communicable diseases, basic tools and bandages."
Hospitals in Kramatorsk and Kurahove are now also treating severely sick and wounded people from other parts of the Donetsk region. Yesterday, we delivered them war wounded kits, medicines to treat non-communicable diseases, basic tools and bandages. pic.twitter.com/V03QCrlwdF
The Pentagon still cannot confirm or refute reports that Ukraine hit a Russian flagship with a missile strike because the U.S. does not have perfect visibility on the situation.
Defense Department Spokesperson John Kirby said he can confirm there was a "significant explosion" that caused a fire but could not speak to the scope of damage done. He added that at least some of the crew was evacuated and placed on other Russian naval ships.
.@PentagonPresSec John Kirby: "We don't know everything...We do believe there was a significant explosion on this cruiser, the Moskva ...We do believe that that explosion caused a significant fire which as of this morning was still raging aboard the ship." pic.twitter.com/NqmfUEk7Zi
He said the Pentagon is not sure whether the ship is able to "make its own way" in the Black Sea or if the ship will be repairs and sent back to service. The Moskova ship is designed for for air defense so Kirby said it is unclear what impact the damage will have on the Russian navy.
"It's going to have an impact on their capability, certainly in the near term," he said. "Whether it has an impact on their naval capabilities in the long term, is just we're just unclear right now."
Kirby said Russia has naval superiority over Ukraine, in terms of the number of ships and fire power, but Kirby said it cannot freely maneuver in the Black Sea.
Ukraine's navy, while small, continues to maintain its coastal defense as it continues to ask Western allies for more support as Russian forces refocus in the south and east.
Some of the systems in the latest defensive aid package to Ukraine includes vehicles for coastal defense, Kirby said.
Shipments from that new $800 million package have not arrives in Ukraine yet, Kirby said, but the U.S. is "moving aggressively" to source material and get it out as soon as possible.
He added that the U.S. has not seen any Russian efforts to interdict the flow of security aid to Ukraine, as ground and air shipments continue.
"We're not taking it for granted," he said, but would not give more details about the shipment deliveries.
Russia is striking Ukrainian forces in the Donbas as it prepares for a "renewed offensive" in the region, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said Thursday.
"President Putin's speech on Tuesday highlighted his continued interest in the Donbas," the U.K. Ministry of Defence said. "Urban centres have faced repeated indiscriminate attacks from Russia throughout the conflict. The towns of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka are likely to be Russian targets for similar levels of violence."
The Pentagon has assessed Russian troops previously arrayed against Kyiv and parts of northern Ukraine have all left the country. Reports indicate those units have moved into Belarus and Russia, and will resupply ahead of the expected new focus in eastern Ukraine.
British intelligence shows that a "significant" number of Russia's troops and equipment is being used in Mariupol. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said nearly every building in the besieged city is destroyed.
"The combination of widespread missile and artillery strikes and efforts to concentrate forces for an offensive represents a reversion to traditional Russian military doctrine," the U.K. Ministry of Defence said.
"However, this will require significant force levels. Ukraine's continued defence of Mariupol is currently tying down significant numbers of Russian troops and equipment."
The U.K. Ministry of Defence released a map Thursday showing areas in eastern and southern Ukraine under Russian control and contested areas.
Ukraine claims it blew up a bridge carrying a Russian military convoy heading for Izyum.
"A group of SSO of Ukraine blew up a bridge with enemy technology heading to Izyumu," after Ukrainian forces discovered Russian Tiger, Kamaz, and Ural military vehicles traveling in the Kharkiv region, the Ukrainian Military said.
"Having planted the explosive in a certain place, the operators of the Special Operations Forces were waiting for the enemy, who, unsuspecting, was heading towards death," the Ukraine Armed Forces said.
The Ukrainian Military said an "entire column" of Russian forces was also destroyed along with the bridge.
Група ССО України підірвала міст з ворожою технікою, що прямувала до Ізюму Докладніше: https://t.co/DokBE6hdv6 pic.twitter.com/W008dFE5eB
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby will hold a news briefing soon.
Thursday's briefing is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m., watch live on the Department of Defense website.
Wednesday, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine.
The new package is "tailored to meet urgent Ukrainian needs for today's fight as Russian forces shift the focus of their ruthless aggression to eastern Ukraine," Kirby said. "This authorization is the seventh drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021."
Russian officials accused Ukraine of shelling a border town Thursday.
Russia's Investigative Committee claims two Ukrainian military helicopters entered Russian airspace at low altitude and "acting deliberately, they carried out at least six air strikes on residential buildings in the village of Klimovo" in the Russian region of Bryansk, about six miles from the border with Ukraine.
At least six homes were damaged and seven people were injured, the Committee reported.
#Bryansk Region Governor Alexander Bogomaz blamed the #Ukrainian Armed Forces for the shelling of the village of #Klimovo. #Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case, reported that 7 people were injured and at least 6 residential buildings were damaged. pic.twitter.com/yQ42kr4aa7
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned against western attempts to phase our Russian oil and gas imports.
During a video address Thursday, Putin said European efforts to diversify energy sources and become dependent from Russia will be "quite painful for the initiators of such policies."
He said there is "simply no reasonable replacement for it in Europe now."
Supplies from other countries that could be sent to Europe, primarily from the United States, "would cost consumers many times more," Putin said, adding that this would "affect people's standard of living and the competitiveness of the European economy."
Nearly 2,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, the United Nations estimates, warning actual figures are "considerably higher."
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has recorded 4,577 civilian casualties, including 2,613 injuries. Full reports from areas where "numerous" civilian casualties have been reported, including Mariupol, Borodianka and Izium, have not yet been included.
"Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes," OHCHR said.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office reports 197 children have died. Juvenile prosecutors have recorded 548 child casualties, including at least 351 injuries of "varying severity." The office reports discoveries of deceased children across Ukraine on a daily basis.
"It became known that in February at the checkpoint in the Chornobyl zone near the village," the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office wrote Thursday. "Children of the Kyiv region were shot dead by Russian servicemen who stopped at a roadside. A father and his minor son died."
More than 4.7 million people have now fled Ukraine into neighboring countries, the United Nations estimates, as Russia's invasion enters a seventh week.
Another 7.1 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine, totaling some 11.7 million people forced to flee their homes since the invasion began. Together, the numbers represent more than a quarter of the country's population.
Concern is growing for those still unable to evacuate who are in desperate need of food, water and medication.
"Some 13 million people are estimated to be stranded in affected areas or unable to leave due to heightened security risks, destruction of bridges and roads, as well as lack of resources or information on where to find safety and accommodation," UNHCR said Wednesday.
Humanitarian aid deliveries have been compromised or blocked by Russian forces for weeks, including to Mariupol where an estimated tens of thousands remain.
"Mariupol is reportedly on the brink of humanitarian catastrophe," UNHCR said Wednesday. "Mariupol's Mayor Boichenko called on the international community to help push forward evacuation processes for 130,000 people still trapped in the city."
Where refugees are going, by country:
*Estimates above provided by UNHCR as of 4/13
Russia and Ukraine agreed on nine humanitarian corridors Thursday after failed efforts Wednesday, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
Vereshchuk said humanitarian corridors were not opened Wednesday due to safety concerns.
"In the Zaporizhzhya region, the occupiers blocked evacuation buses, and in Luhansk region they violate the ceasefire regime," Vereshchuk said Wednesday.
"The occupants are not only denying the norms of international humanitarian law, but also unable to properly control their people on their places. All this creates such a level of danger on routes that we are forced to refrain from opening humanitarian corridors today."
Efforts resumed Thursday, as bridges are set to open from Mariupol, Berdiansk, Tokmak and Energodar to Zaporizhzhia. Corridors are also set to open from Severodonetsk, Lisičansʹk, Popasna, Girske and Rubbishne to Bakhmut.
"Humanitarian corridors in Luhansk region will work on condition of stopping shelling by the occupation troops," Vereshchuk cautioned.
Vereshchuk said 2,671 people were evacuated Tuesday, including about 200 from Mariupol.
The U.S. State Department announced a office for sanctions coordination.
Jim O'Brien was sworn in as the Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination Thursday after he was confirmed by the Senate last week. He has decades of foreign policy experience that includes holding senior positions in the State Department and in the private sector.
Ambassador O'Brien will oversee work on sanctions and "further strengthen cooperation with allies and partners in the use of this critical tool," the State Department said.
The office will also promote accountability for corruptions and human rights abuses and deter and disrupt activities that threaten national security.
"This is a critical office at a critical time, and I am confident Ambassador O'Brien and his team will serve the Department and the American people extraordinarily well," Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
We welcome Ambassador Jim O’Brien as @StateDept’s new Sanctions Coordinator. Jim will play a crucial role in shaping our sanctions policy to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuse and deter activities that threaten our national security.
Russia announced retaliatory sanctions on 398 U.S. Congressmembers Wednesday, in response to similar U.S. sanctions imposed against Russian lawmakers last month.
"These persons, including the leadership and chairmen of the committees of the lower house of the U.S. Congress, are included in the Russian 'stop list' on an ongoing basis," a Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs release said, via translation.
The sanctions target hundreds of Congressmembers on both sides of the aisle. Among them, U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle (D-PA), who responded, "well there goes my Spring Break plans!" U.S. Representative Mondaire Jones (D-NY) said, "Moscow is cold this time of year anyway."
However, 37 Republican and Democratic Congressmembers were excluded from the list, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. The ministry mentioned Pelosi in its release, saying she has already been denied entry into Russia.
"Together with other current legislators, who, like Speaker N. Pelosi, were denied entry to the Russian Federation earlier, all U.S. congressmen were subjected to 'listing' on the basis of reciprocity," the ministry said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry warned of future countermeasures planned in the "near future," which involve "an increase in the number of people on the 'stop list' and other retaliatory steps."
Wednesday's move follows U.S. sanctions announced against 328 members of Russia's State Duma on March 24.
Russia denies Ukrainian forces sank one of its flagships in its Black Sea Fleet.
Ukraine claims it destroyed the vessel in a missile attacks, but Moscow said the ship was only damaged and made no mention of an attack.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the warship Moskva was evacuated due to an ammunition fire onboard but "remains afloat."
It later said the fire had been contained and that the ship would be towed to port with its guided missile launchers intact.
Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby confirmed to CNN Thursday that "there was an explosion" on the Russian ship, but said the U.S. cannot determine if it was hit by a missile at this time.
"We're not quite exactly sure what happened here. We do assess that there was an explosion — at least one explosion on this cruiser — a fairly major one at that, that has caused extensive damage to the ship," Kirby said.
He added that the warship is afloat and making its way across the Black Sea.
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