Russia says it won't use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, despite threatening rhetoric

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson claims that Moscow will not unleash nuclear weapons during the war in Ukraine despite top officials' threatening rhetoric in recent weeks. 

Alexei Zaitsev said Friday that "we have repeatedly refuted insinuations about Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons in the course of the special military operation in Ukraine," which has now lasted 72 days. 

"Russia adheres to the principal that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it must not be unleashed," Zaitsev added, according to a translation from Reuters. 

"Russia is aware of the threat posed by irresponsible behavior in this area," he also said. "Scenarios for Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons are clearly spelled out in Russian doctrine. They are not applicable to tasks in the special military operation in Ukraine." 

For more on this story: Russia says it won't use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, despite threatening rhetoric

The Russian Navy's guided missile cruiser Moskva sails in the Bosphorus, on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 2021. (REUTERS/Yoruk Isik)

The Pentagon is pushing back on reports that U.S. intelligence helped Ukraine target and sink Russia’s Moskva warship in the Black Sea in mid-April. 

In a statement late Thursday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said "the Ukrainians have their own intelligence capabilities to track and target Russian naval vessels, as they did in this case." 

"We did not provide Ukraine with specific targeting information for the Moskva," Kirby added, "We were not involved in the Ukrainians' decision to strike the ship or in the operation they carried out." 

For more on this story: US denies providing Ukraine with targeting information for Russia’s sunken Moskva ship

A man digs a grave at the cemetery of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on Wednesday, April 27. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Amnesty International says it has documented war crimes by Russian forces around Ukraine's capital city. 

The organization reported that it had collected evidence and testimony in eight cities near Kyiv, including Bucha. 

Images from the city sparked international outrage – though Russia did not take responsibility, calling photos of bodies in the streets staged.

For more on this story: Russia must face war crimes justice, Amnesty International says

Former President George W. Bush praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the "Churchill of our time" following a virtual meeting Thursday.

"I was honored to spend a few minutes talking with President Zelenskyy – the Winston Churchill of our time – this morning. I thanked the President for his leadership, his example, and his commitment to liberty, and I saluted the courage of the Ukrainian people," Bush said in a statement. 

"President Zelenskyy assured me that they will not waver in their fight against Putin’s barbarism and thuggery. Americans are inspired by their fortitude and resilience. We will continue to stand with Ukrainians as they stand up for their freedom," he added.

For more on this story: Bush calls Zelenskyy the 'Churchill of our time'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at a ceremony on Friday, May 6, 2022. (Russian Foreign Ministry)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was spotted Friday in his first public appearance since President Vladimir Putin reportedly apologized on his behalf over incendiary remarks he shot at Israel.

Lavrov attended a flower-laying ceremony in commemoration of former Soviet Union Foreign Ministry officials who died during the "Great Patriotic War" – a term coined by Russia in reference to World War II.

Lavrov does not appear to have publicly commented yet on remarks he made that caused an international spat and prompted Putin to apologize on his behalf, according to Israel.

The foreign minister this week alleged that Adolf Hitler was Jewish and suggested this claim supported the belief that Jews can express antisemitism.

For more on this story: Lavrov seen for first time since Putin's apology for his Hitler comments

Ukrainian fighters defending the Azovstal steel plant, devastated Mariupol’s last Ukrainian holdout, plan to "stand till the end" as Russian fighters continue their second day of a ground assault on the plant.

The wife of Azov Regiment commander Denys Prokopenko said the fighters "won’t surrender. They only hope for a miracle." 

She said she spoke to her husband on the phone Thursday, and he said he would love her forever. "I am going mad from this," she said. "It seemed like words of goodbye."

For more on this story: Ukrainian fighters in Azovstal steel plant refuse to surrender, will 'stand till the end': commander's wife

A soldier prepares a tank with a mounted howitzer (Panzerhaubitze 2000) of the German armed forces Bundeswehr standing in a shed on the site of the Hindenburg barracks in Munster on February 14, 2022. (Photo by Gregor Fischer / AFP) (Photo by GREGOR FISCHER/AFP via Getty Images)

Germany plans to send seven self-propelled howitzers in the coming weeks that can hit targets 25 miles away to Ukraine after it reversed a policy against supplying heavy artillery in battle, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Friday, according to report.

Germans will be training a group of Ukrainian soldiers, who have experience with Soviet-made howitzers, starting next week in Germany, Reuters reported.

The Netherlands also plans to send five howitzers. 

Nearly 500 civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol," Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said Friday, according to a report.

“The next stage of rescuing our people from Azovstal is underway at the moment,” he added, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Russia has continued its ground assault on the Azovstal steel plant in the besieged port city of Mariupol despite promising it would only seal off the plant, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Friday morning update.

The assault on the plant, Mariupol's last Ukrainian holdout, is likely connected to Russian President Vladimir Putin's hopes for the annual May Victory Day celebrations in Russia but has also come at a "personnel, equipment and munitions" cost to Moscow, the update said.

"Whilst Ukrainian resistance continues in Azovstal, Russian losses will continue to build and frustrate their operational plans in southern Donbas," the ministry said.

The Pentagon is denying reports that it gave Ukraine intelligence information to sink the Moskva, Russia's flagship of the Black Sea fleet.

”We did not provide Ukraine with specific targeting information for the Moskva," Pentagon Press Secretary said in a statement. "We were not involved in the Ukrainians’ decision to strike the ship or in the operation they carried out. We had no prior knowledge of Ukraine’s intent to target the ship. The Ukrainians have their own intelligence capabilities to track and target Russian naval vessels, as they did in this case."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with former President George W. Bush via video conference. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a video meeting with former President George W. Bush this week, the Ukrainian office of the president said in a statement.

"It is a great honor to meet you," Zelenskyy told Bush in the meeting. "I would like to thank the United States of America, the American people. I saw how people in the United States treat us on social networks, they take to the streets, support Ukraine with flags."

Bush said Zelenskyy's "courage" is important for continued success in the war. "If you continue to do what you do, you will always have our support if you continue to fight as you do now."

Zelesnkky called Bush a "strong leader" and invoked 9/11, which he said made Ukraine rally around Americans at the time. He also invited Bush to visit Ukraine anytime.

The superyacht Amadea is docked at the Queens Wharf in Lautoka, Fiji, on April 15 2022. The superyacht that American authorities say is owned by a Russian oligarch previously sanctioned for alleged money laundering has been seized by law enforcement in Fiji, the U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday, May 5. (Leon Lord/Fiji Sun via AP, File)

The U.S. said Thursday that a Russian oligarch's superyacht has been seized in Fiji, days after a judge on the country's high court said American authorities could take control of the vessel, which came into Fiji in April.

Putin ally Suleiman Kerimov had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. over alleged money laundering.

The judge put a hold on the seizure until Friday local time so the defense could have time to mount a challenge. By Friday in Fiji, U.S. authorities said Fijian authorities at the request of the U.S. have served a search warrant on the $325 million yacht, freezing it and preventing it from leaving the country.

For more on this story: Fiji judge rules US can seize Russian oligarch's superyacht

The Amadea is believed to be worth around $300 million. (Justice Department / FOXBusiness)

A luxury $300 million yacht belonging to a sanctioned Russian oligarch has been seized in Fiji by request of the U.S. in a move that the Justice Department says proves Putin’s allies "cannot hide – not even in the remotest part of the world." 

The sleek, 348-foot vessel called the Amadea is owned by Suleiman Kerimov, who is part of a "group of Russian oligarchs who profit from the Russian government through corruption and its malign activity around the globe, including the occupation of Crimea," according to the Treasury Department. 

"This yacht seizure should tell every corrupt Russian oligarch that they cannot hide – not even in the remotest part of the world," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement. "We will use every means of enforcing the sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine." 

For more on this story: Russian oligarch's $300M luxury yacht seized in Fiji on behalf of the US

In this handout photo taken from video released on Wednesday, May 4, by the Donetsk People's Republic Interior Ministry Press Service, smoke rises from the Azovstal steel factory in Mariupol, Ukraine. (Donetsk People's Republic Interior Ministry Press Service via AP)

The battle for the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol continues to rage Thursday as Russian forces look to capture one of the city’s last strongholds for the Ukrainian resistance. 

"It’s three days now since Russian troops broke into the territory of Azovstal," Deputy Commander of Azov regiment Sviatoslav Palamar said Thursday in a Telegram post translated by a Ukrainian news outlet. "Heavy fighting continues to take a bloody toll. Defenders have been taking on the overwhelming forces of the enemy one on one for 71 days."

Ukrainian troops and civilians have been holed up in the tunnels underneath the steel plant for weeks, where many fled to shelter from Russia’s constant shelling and bombing campaigns. 

For more on this story: Battle for Azovstal steel plant rages, Ukrainian soldier warns Russia forces have reached the plant

Two evacuated white lions from the Feldman Ecopark are seen in an enclosure at the zoo in Odesa, Ukraine, on April 14. (STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A 15-year-old teenager reportedly has been killed in eastern Ukraine while trying to help evacuate animals from a zoo. 

The Feldman Ecopark outside the city of Kharkiv – which has seen rampant fighting during the war – said Wednesday that "during the evacuation of buffaloes... the team of our employees and volunteers got under fire." 

"One person died. Two people were seriously injured. Doctors are fighting for their lives," it posted on Facebook. 

For more on this story: Ukrainian teen, 15, killed in artillery fire while trying to evacuate animals from zoo

A man carries chairs out of an office on a ground floor of an apartment building destroyed by night shelling in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on Thursday, May 5. (AP/Andriy Andriyenko )

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that his government has launched a new online fundraising platform that he says will help his country "stop the war that Russia has started and to rebuild what Russia has destroyed."

The platform, titled United24, says on its website that any donations "will be transferred to the official accounts of the National Bank of Ukraine and allocated by assigned ministries to cover the most pressing needs," which it identified as defense and demining, medical aid and rebuilding Ukraine. 

"Only together we have the potential to stop the war that Russia has started and to rebuild what Russia has destroyed. Together we can help freedom defeat tyranny," Zelenskyy said in a video message posted on the website. 

For more on this story: Ukraine launches 'United24' fundraising platform for war aid, Zelenskyy says

Russian soldiers are seen standing atop their military vehicles near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeastern Ukraine on Sunday, May 1. (AP)

Russia has ramped up its aggression in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson by blocking humanitarian corridors and capturing local officials, authorities reported Thursday.

Located just north of the Black Sea, Ukrainian officials warned last month that Russia will look to annex Kherson as it attempts to take "full control" over eastern and southern Ukraine.

Dominance over these regions would not only create a land bridge to Russia from occupied Crimea but would grant it complete control over all Ukrainian port cities.

For more on this story: Russia ramps up aggression in Kherson with humanitarian blockade and capture of Ukrainian officials

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko listens to questions during an interview with The Associated Press at the Independence Palace in Minsk, Belarus, on Thursday, May 5. (AP/Markus Schreiber)

Belarus President and Putin ally Alexander Lukashenko revealed Thursday that he didn’t expect Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to "drag on this way." 

Lukashenko, in an interview with the Associated Press, also claimed he was doing "everything" to stop the war, despite Moscow using Belarus as a springboard for the conflict which began on Feb. 24 and is now in its 71st day. 

"I am not immersed in this problem enough to say whether it goes according to plan, like the Russians say, or like I feel it. I want to stress one more time, I feel like this operation has dragged on," Lukashenko said. 

For more on this story: Belarus leader, on day 71 of Russia-Ukraine war, says he didn't think it would 'drag on this way'

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 4. (Reuters)

Sweden’s foreign minister says her country has received security assurances from the U.S. if it decides to forge ahead with the process of joining NATO – a move that has been met with nuclear threats from Russia. 

Ann Linde made the announcement after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, according to Reuters.  

Linde, speaking to Swedish media, said the assurances "would mean that Russia can be clear that if they direct any kind of negative activities against Sweden, which they have threatened, it would not be something that the U.S. would just allow to happen... without a response." 

For more on this story: Sweden says it received US security assurances if it submits NATO application

Mariupol’s advisor to the mayor said Thursday that the filtration camps set up by Russian forces outside the southern port city have become "ghettos" where men face torture and forced labor. 

Petro Andryushchenko said three filtration camps have been established east of Mariupol in the village of Bezymiane – roughly 20 miles from the Russian border – which are believed to be housing 2,000 men who will be used in Russia's Victory Day parade on May 9.

The official said one video leaked from a camp in the Novoazovsk district shows that an old school building is being used to forcibly detain Ukrainian men taken from Guglino, Myrnyi and Volonterivka districts.

For more on this story: Russian filtration camps are 'ghettos' of Mariupol, official says

This frame taken from an undated video provided Sunday, May 1, 2022, by the Azov Special Forces Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard shows people climbing over debris at the Azovstal steel plant, in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy said Thursday morning that an extended ceasefire was necessary in Mariupol to allow civilians to be dug out of the bunkers in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, which remains under attack.

Russia previously agreed to allow civilians to leave the plant for several hours each day starting on Thursday and ending Saturday but Zelesnkyy said that wasn't enough.

"It will take time simply to lift people out of those basements, out of those underground shelters," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. "In the present conditions, we cannot use heavy equipment to clear the rubble away. It all has to be done by hand," 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid tribute to a Ukrainian TV journalist who died fighting for his country Wednesday near the eastern city of Izyum, according to reports.

Oleksandr Makhov, 36, was "patriotic and sincere, and always without vanity," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, according to Reuters. "And he was always among the bravest, among those first in line."

Makhov was a veteran of reporting from war zones.

Dubai's skyline from the Marasi marina in the United Arab Emirates. iStock

Wealthy Russians are moving to Dubai in large numbers to avoid the impacts of sanctions imposed by the West on the country, according to a report.

Russians buying property in Dubai has surged by 67% between January and March of this year, according to BBC News.

The United Arab Emirates hasn't sanctioned Russia over the war and isn't restricting visas for Russians who aren't facing sanctions personally.

Russia will likely try to inflate the threat posed by Belarus’ military conducting seasonal exercises across Ukraine's northern border to force Ukrainian soldiers to stay in the north, “preventing them from being committed to the battle for the Donbas,” Britain’s Defense Ministry said in a Thursday morning update.

Belarus’ exercises are “in line with seasonal norms as Belarus enters the culmination of its Winter Training cycle in the month of May,” the update added. “Deviation from normal exercise activity that could pose a threat to allies and partners is not currently anticipated.”

The besieged Azovstal steel plant where hundreds of civilians and Ukrainian fighters are believed to be sheltering remains under heavy fire, according to the Ukrainian military.

Late Wednesday, Ukrainian commander Denis Prokopenko said defenders inside the plant are fighting “difficult, bloody battles” with Russian troops and a member of parliament said the Russians had been able to enter the plant for the first time, according to Reuters.

“The extent of this Russian advance remains unclear, and Russian forces likely face further costly fighting if they intend to clear the entire facility,” the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War said late Wednesday. “The Kremlin likely hopes that the successful capture of Azovstal through a ground assault will cement the Kremlin’s growing effort to claim complete control of Mariupol by May 9, [Russia's annual Victory Day] with Russian propagandists recently arriving in the city to set conditions for further claims of a Russian victory.” 

Around 200 civilians are believed to be trapped inside the plant in the destroyed port city of Mariupol along with hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers.

Azovstal is the last Ukrainian holdout in the city and Russian President Vladimir Putin already claimed victory there late last month.

Russia had promised Wednesday that starting Thursday through Saturday civilians would be allowed to evacuate the plant but fighting continued overnight. A number of civilians were able to evacuate earlier this week.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and “heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.”

“Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult,” he said. 

A Russian official earlier denied that troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian unit inside said Russian soldiers had pushed into the mill's territory.

“With the support of aircraft, the enemy resumed the offensive in order to take control of the plant,” the General Staff in Kyiv said, adding that the Russians were “trying to destroy Ukrainian units.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A cat walks next to a tanks of Donetsk People's Republic militia in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov)

A total of 341 civilians were evacuated from Mariupol, Manhush, Berdiansk, Tokmak and Vasylivka on Wednesday the United Nations said.

Earlier this week, more than 150 civilians were able to leave the Azovstal steel plant where they were hiding as Russians attack the city. No civilians were able to get out of the plant on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia has attacked rail stations and other supply line targets in an effort to prevent Western military supplies from getting to Ukrainians.

The Russian military said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine. Artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia said it will start allowing civilians to evacuate the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol on Thursday, according to a report.

It will allow civilians out of the plant from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday Moscow time, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Russia didn't make any mention of the injured Ukrainian service members trapped inside. Ukraine has not responded to Russia's announcement and has accused Moscow of violating humanitarian corridors in the past and killing escaping civilians.

Belarus' armored personnel carriers are seen on Feb. 17 during joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at a firing range near the town of Osipovichi outside Minsk. (Photo by MAXIM GUCHEK/BELTA/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine is vowing Wednesday that it’s "ready" after its northern neighbor Belarus – which Russia used as a springboard for its invasion – announced military exercises to assess the combat readiness of their armed forces. 

The Belarusian Defense Ministry said the exercises that began Wednesday would also be used to assess their military’s ability to operate on "unknown terrain in a rapidly changing situation." 

"We do not rule out that the Russian Federation could at some point use the territory of Belarus, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, against Ukraine," said Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Service, according to Reuters. 

For more on this story: Ukraine says it is 'ready' as Belarus suddenly announces military exercises to test combat readiness

A grisly image has emerged purportedly showing bodies of Russian soldiers arranged in the letter "Z" after Ukraine’s military recaptured a village in the country’s east. 

The photo was taken Monday outside the city of Kharkiv and shows four corpses lined up to form the letter that has become a sign of support for Russia’s military and its invasion of Ukraine. 

The Associated Press described the area where its photographer took the image as having "the feel of an open-air morgue, where the dead lie unclaimed and unexplained, sometimes for weeks on end, as Ukrainian and Russian forces fight for control of slivers of land." 

For more on this story: Image appears to show bodies of Russian soldiers arranged in letter 'Z' after Ukraine recaptures village

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Griff Jenkins on Wednesday, said "they are following the concept of Goebbels and they are using the same methodology" after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov compared him to Adolf Hitler. 

The interview lasted nearly an hour. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is now in its 70th day. 

"So what if Zelenskyy is Jewish," Lavrov said earlier this week, according to The Times of Israel. "The fact does not negate the Nazi elements in Ukraine. I believe that Hitler also had Jewish blood." 

Zelenskyy told Fox News’ on Wednesday that Russia is “following the concept of [Nazi propagandist Joseph] Goebbels and they are using the same methodology and the reaction I think is to weaken the world to these phrases of Lavrov.” 

For more on this story: Zelenskyy to Fox News: Russia is 'following the concept of Goebbels' with Hitler comparison

Fox News’ Tyler O’Neil contributed to this report. 

Russian self-propelled artillery vehicles, tanks and military vehicles roll along Tverskaya street toward Red Square during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, April 28. (AP)

Russia has revealed Wednesday that tens of thousands of people and hundreds of aircraft are set to participate in military parades on May 9 to celebrate its victory in World War II. 

The scope of the demonstrations, which were outlined by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting with Moscow’s armed forces, come as President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is in its 70th day. 

In a Telegram post summarizing the meeting, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said "11,000 people, 131 pieces of weapons and military equipment and 77 aircraft will take part in the parade on Red Square, dedicated to the 77th anniversary of the Victory." 

For more on this story: Russia reveals massive scope of May 9 military parades as war in Ukraine rages on

Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill conducts the Easter service at the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, April 23. (AP)

The Russian Orthodox Church leader that Pope Francis has warned against becoming "Putin's altar boy" is being targeted in the latest wave of economic sanctions that the European Union is preparing to unleash against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. 

Patriarch Kirill was identified in an EU document viewed by the AFP Wednesday as "a long-time ally of President Vladimir Putin who has become one of the most prominent supporters" of Russia’s bloody war in Ukraine.  

A phased-in Russian oil embargo and sanctions against the family members of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov are also part of the economic measures that the EU is proposing to implement, the AFP added. 

For more on this story: EU readying sanctions on Russian Orthodox Church leader Kirill, calls him ‘long-time ally’ of Putin

In this photo taken from video, smoke rises from the Metallurgical Combine Azovstal in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Tuesday, May 3. (AP)

The civilians who arrived in Zaporizhzhia Tuesday were not the ones who were evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol days earlier, according to its mayor.

The buses allegedly carrying Ukrainian civilians from the Azovstal steel plant were not actually from Mariupol but from "other cities," Mayor Vadym Boichenko said during a briefing at Media Center Ukraine.

"The previous evacuation, which took place yesterday, which was presented by a number of media outlets as information that those were the residents of Mariupol who left, is not true. These people who were evacuated had nothing to do with the residents of Mariupol, they are from other cities," Boichenko said.

For more on this story: Azovstal steel plant evacuees never arrived in Zaporizhzhia, Mariupol mayor says

During a phone conversation with Poland President Andrzej Duda, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia has already started an "energy war" with the whole of Europe.

Zelenskyy started the conversation congratulating Duda as May 3 is the 231st anniversary of the adoption of its Constitution, before thanking the Polish leader for his assistance in Ukraine's ongoing military war with Russia, Ukraine's government said.

"Democratic values and traditions, the pursuit of justice unite our states and people. Today we feel the strong leadership support of Poland in the selfless struggle of the Ukrainian people for the protection of European values. We appreciate it!” Zelenskyy reportedly said.

Zelenskyy then cautioned Poland and the rest of Europe not to keep their energy dependence on Russia.

"Russia has already started an energy war against Poland and the whole of Europe. EU states must get rid of energy dependence on Russia," he warned.

Anna Shevchenko, 35, reacts next to her home in Irpin, near Kyiv, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The house, built by Shevchenko's grandparents, was nearly completely destroyed by bombing in late March during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In her beloved flowerbed, some roses, lilies, peonies and daffodils survived. "It is new life. So I tried to save my flowers," she said. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Russia's military has resorted to attacking civilians because Russia's leaders know "they can't beat Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a defiant address Tuesday evening.

"Various Ukrainian cities have once again become targets for Russian missiles and Russian strikes. Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv region, Dnipropetrovsk region, Odesa, Kharkiv region - such a scale of today's shelling clearly does not indicate that Russia has any special military purpose," Zelenskyy said.

"A strike at Zakarpattia? What exactly can it give Russia? They are trying to vent their powerlessness. Because they can't beat Ukraine," he added.

Zelenskyy highlighted other targets of Russia's military — such as children's attractions, grain warehouses, or civilian homes — pointing out they have no military or strategic value.

"The more [they conduct] such strikes, the farther Russia is from civilization," he said.

People with children wait after arriving from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at a center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the civilians evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol have made it safely to Zaporizhzhia.

"We finally have the result... which we have been organizing for a very long time. It took a lot of effort, long negotiations and various mediations," Zelenskyy said during his nightly address, referencing the civilians who were initially evacuated May 1.

"Today 156 people arrived in Zaporizhzhia. Women and children. They have been in shelters for more than two months," the Ukrainian president said, mentioning the youngest of the evacuees is just 6-months-old. "Finally, these people are completely safe. They will get help."

Zelenskyy thanked those who assisted in the process, in both the evacuation from the plant as well as those who are treating and housing them in Zaprozhzhia.

He also said his administration "will continue to do everything to get all our people out of Mariupol and Azovstal."

Reports estimate as many as 100,000 civilians could remain in the city which had a pre-war population of 400,000.

In Donetsk, 21 civilians were killed and 27 more were injured following an attack by Russia's military, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko confirmed the attack in a Telegram post, where he also provided photos of the deceased victims and vowed to hold Russia accountable.

This is the largest attack in the region since the attack on the Kramatorsk railway station on April 8, when 57 people were killed and 109 others were injured.

Germany’s conservative opposition leader traveled to Kyiv on Tuesday for meetings with Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz made clear that he wouldn’t be visiting Ukraine any time soon.

Scholz has traded barbs with Ukrainian officials in recent weeks because of Kyiv’s refusal to invite Germany’s head of state, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whom Ukraine accuses of cozying up to Russia during his time as foreign minister.

To read more, click here.

A video reportedly showing a Russian cruise missile over Lviv has surfaced on social media.

Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said Tuesday on his Telegram page, "explosions were heard in Lviv" urged residents to stay in shelters.

Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi, in his Telegram page Tuesday, says "explosions were heard in Lviv" and is urging residents to stay in shelters.

Part of the western Ukrainian city is suffering from power outages following the blasts, he added.

A video purportedly showing the aftermath of the explosions, which was posted on Twitter, shows a large cloud of black smoke rising into the sky.

Brittney Griner is pictured in an undated photo after her arrest. (Russian State TV)

The U.S. State Department determined Russia "wrongfully detained" WNBA star Brittney Griner when she was arrested in February, an official said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

Griner was arrested in February after Russian officials claimed a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis. Griner could face up to a decade in prison if she’s convicted. She’s expected to have a hearing in Russia on May 19.

"The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is among the highest priorities of the U.S government," a State Department spokesperson said. "The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner.

For more on this story: Russia 'wrongfully detained' Brittney Griner in February, State Department spokesperson says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Yuri Kochetkov/Pool Photo via AP)

Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday accused Israel of supporting neo-Nazis in Ukraine in a move that escalated a back and forth spat between the Jewish nation and Moscow. 

The row began after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday defended claims made by Russian President Vladimir Putin as an attempt to justify his illegal invasion into Ukraine by alleging his forces are working to "denazify" regions that have been subject to oppression by Kyiv.   

Ukrainian and international leaders have rejected these comments as a guise to justify his brutal campaign and point to the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and was democratically elected.

But in an interview with an Italian news outlet, Lavrov doubled down on the claims and said, "For some time we have heard from the Jewish people that the biggest antisemites were Jewish."

For more on this story: Russia escalates spat and accuses Israel of supporting 'neo-nazis in Ukraine'

Ukrainian forces at the Azovstal steel factory in Mariupol said Tuesday that Russia’s military is now storming the complex. 

The move comes almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military not to storm the plant, but rather block off the last pocket of resistance in the besieged Ukrainian city. 

Asked about reports in Ukrainian media that the plant was being bombarded, Sviatoslav Palamar, the deputy commander of the Azov Regiment that is holed up there, said “it is true.” 

Vadim Astafyev, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, said Tuesday that Ukrainian fighters holed up at the plant “came out of the basements, took up firing positions on the territory and in the buildings of the plant.” Astafyev said Russian forces along with rebel forces from Donetsk were using “artillery and aircraft... to destroy these firing positions.” 

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said earlier Tuesday that more than 200 civilians are still at the Azovstal factory following United Nations-assisted evacuation efforts there in recent days, according to Reuters. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Pope Francis waves to faithful from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square to recite the Regina Coeli prayer at the Vatican on Sunday, May 1. (AP/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis has revealed that he told the Kremlin in March that he was "willing to go to Moscow" to discuss the war in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin – but the Vatican has "not yet received a response," according to an interview published Tuesday. 

Reuters, citing Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper, reported Francis as saying that he first asked the Vatican’s top diplomat to deliver a message to Russia about three weeks into the war, which began on Feb. 24. 

The pope, according to Reuters, says he told Putin's staff "that I was willing to go to Moscow." 

For more on this story: Pope Francis says he asked to meet Putin in March over Ukraine war, but hasn't heard back: report

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, applauds as Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, seen on the screen, waves during a session at Ukraine's parliament, in Kyiv, Ukraine on Tuesday, May 3. (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Press Office via AP)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in an address by video to Ukraine's parliament Tuesday, told lawmakers in the war-torn country that their military has "accomplished the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century" by keeping Russian forces outside of Kyiv. 

Johnson made the remark as the United Kingdom government announced a new $375 million military assistance package for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The U.K. says his speech is the first from a world leader to Ukraine's parliament since the war began. 

"As you turned the Russian army back from the gates of Kyiv, you not only accomplished the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century, you achieved something deeper and perhaps equally significant: You exposed Putin’s historic folly, the gigantic error that only an autocrat can make," Johnson said.

For more on this story: Boris Johnson makes unprecedented speech to Ukraine lawmakers, hails ‘greatest feat of arms of 21st century'

China does not appear to be providing significant military or economic support to Russia, despite initially gesturing to do so, U.S. intelligence officials said.

Russia and China announced a "no limits" agreement in February, and trade volume spiked between the two countries as the war kicked off, but no significant moves have since been made, Reuters reported.

The two countries have historically supported one another and China has yet to condemn Russia's invasion.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken have criticized Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after he claimed former Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was Jewish.

Bennett described the comment as "unforgiveable" and said the "lie" was being used by Russia to justify its war atrocities in Ukraine, Reuters reported.

"Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them," he added, per the report.

Bennett continued: "The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately."

During a nightly address Monday evening, Zelenskyy said Russia was further repeating mistakes Nazis themselves committed during World War II.

"Russia's foreign minister openly and without hesitation said that the biggest anti-Semites were allegedly among the Jews themselves. And that Hitler allegedly had Jewish blood. How could this be said on the eve of the anniversary of the victory over Nazism? These words mean that Russia's top diplomat is blaming the Jewish people for Nazi crimes," Zelenskyy said. "No words."

"This means that the Russian leadership has forgotten all the lessons of World War Two," he added. "Or perhaps they have never learned those lessons."

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken similarly described the comment as "vile, dangerous rhetoric."

Russia intends to annex much of eastern Ukraine and an official move could come as early as this month, a senior U.S. official warned.

Michael Carpenter, U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said Moscow was moving to recognize Kherson as an independent republic, which it also did in Luhansk and Donetsk.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia's military has implemented a "scorched earth" strategy in Luhansk, as its senior leadership wants to be able to celebrate a major accomplishment in Ukraine on its Victory Day, when it observes the end of World War II on May 9 each year.

Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Gaidai said Russia will continue to ramp up attacks on his Oblast ahead of the celebrations, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Moscow has already announced it would reduce the number of military forces used in a parade on May 9, by 35 percent, amid the ongoing war effort, Forbes reported.

Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has clarified Russia is not looking to stop the war in Ukraine on or by May 9, but is dedicated to seeing-through its "special military operation," Italian media outlet Mediaset reported.

Russia's actions over the last three months have caused the world to united against them, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his nightly address Monday.

"The whole free world is united so that no one justifies Nazism, kills children or destroys peaceful cities as Russia does," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president said his country will continue to oppose Russia militarily, will refuse to surrender any of its regions to Russia, and will ultimately emerge victorious with continued international support.

"The Armed Forces of Ukraine heroically repel the occupiers' attempts to advance. Kharkiv direction, Donbas, the south of the country - everywhere the situation remains extremely difficult. But I am grateful to each and every one of our defenders who are holding the defense," he said.

Zelenskyy also Russia's military was responsible for the deaths of at least 220 children in Ukraine, since the start of its invasion on Feb. 24.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday evening that a boy, 14, was killed and a girl, 17, was injured following a Russian missile strike at Odesa. 

The missile strike reportedly struck and destroyed a dormitory housing the children.

"What is it? For what? What did these children and the dormitory threaten the Russian state with?" Zelenskyy said during his nightly address.

He added: "A gymnasium founded over a hundred years ago burned down in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, due to Russian shelling. It was built by the Belgians for this city. It withstood two world wars. But, as we see, this gymnasium turned out to be a terrible threat to modern Russia."

According to the Ukrainian government, over 200 Ukrainian children have been killed during Russia's invasion, Zelenskyy said.

"And we still don't know about everyone, because we don't have access to the temporarily occupied areas of our state," the Ukrainian president added during the address.

During an address Monday evening, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia's ongoing invasion of his country will result in their "self-destruction in every sense of the word."

"Russia does things on a daily basis that simply preclude any adequacy," Zelenskyy started in his address. "Russia has forgotten all the lessons of World War II."

The Ukrainian president then compared the actions of Russia's military in his country to the way German Nazis attacked the Jewish population during World War II.

"It is no coincidence that the Russian occupiers are creating so-called 'filtration camps' on Ukrainian land through which thousands of our Ukrainian citizens are passing," he said. "Where our people are killed, tortured and raped. It is no coincidence that the occupiers capture civilians and take them hostage or deport them as free labor."

Zelenskyy added: "It is no coincidence that they are waging a so-called total war to destroy all living things, after which only the burned ruins of entire cities and villages remain."

Russian President Vladimir Putin's goal is "the extermination of Ukrainians and everything Ukrainian," Zelenskyy claimed.

At least 122 Russian troops were killed during a battle in southern Ukraine on May 2, according to a report.

Ukraine's military also prevented a Russian attack in Kherson, as they sought to take a military observation post, the Kyiv Independent reported. 

The planes take off almost daily from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware — hulking C-17s loaded up with Javelins, Stingers, howitzers and other material being hustled to Eastern Europe to resupply Ukraine’s military in its fight against Russia.

The game-changing impact of those arms is exactly what President Joe Biden hopes to spotlight as he visits a Lockheed Martin plant in Alabama on Tuesday that builds the portable Javelin anti-tank weapons that have played a crucial role in Ukraine.

For more on this story: Push to arm Ukraine putting strain on US weapons stockpile

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The number of civilians killed in Ukraine during Russia’s invasion has now surpassed 3,000, the United Nations announced Monday. 

The tragic figure comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine has stretched to 68 days. 

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Monday that 3,153 civilians have died there since Feb. 24, Reuters reports. 

For more on this story: Ukraine civilian death toll passes 3,000, UN says

The White House said President Biden "would love to visit Ukraine," but as of Monday there are "no plans in the works" for him to travel to the country.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday said the White House has "no plans in the works at this time," but said officials will "continue to assess."

"Our objective is to reopen the embassy, to have our diplomats there, not just traveling back and forth, but present in the country," Psaki said.

Read more.

Israel is demanding an apology after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday claimed that Adolf Hitler had Jewish roots, calling the remarks "unforgivable and outrageous."

The comments, made during an interview with Italian television, prompted Israel to summon the Russian ambassador. Lavrov made the remarks when he was asked why Russia feels it needs to "denazify" Ukraine if the country's own president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is Jewish. Moscow has repeatedly used the claim to justify its invasion of the country. 

"So when they say ‘How can Nazification exist if we’re Jewish?’ In my opinion, Hitler also had Jewish origins, so it doesn’t mean absolutely anything. For some time we have heard from the Jewish people that the biggest antisemites were Jewish," he said, speaking to the station in Russian, dubbed over by an Italian translation.

For more on this story: Israel blasts Russian official who said Hitler had ‘Jewish origins,’ demands apology

A senior U.S. official said Monday that Russia’s military has been making "minimal progress at best" in eastern Ukraine because the "Ukrainians have really been resisting quite well." 

The remark comes as Russia is now on day 68 of its invasion of Ukraine, with its military focusing on capturing the eastern parts of the war-torn country. 

"I would just tell that we continue to see minimal at best progress by the Russians in the Donbas," the official told reporters. 

For more on this story: US official: Russia is making 'minimal at best' progress in eastern Ukraine

There is a glimmer of hope emerging from the besieged Azovstal Steel Works plant in Mariupol, Ukraine. 

The first 100 of roughly 1,000 civilians, mostly women and children, have been evacuated from the sprawling plant where the citizens have been hiding out from Russian attacks since the war started two months ago. They are expected to arrive in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles northwest of the city. 

The operation to remove the civilians is being coordinated by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It comes after the plant has suffered weeks of attacks by Russian forces, killing an unknown number of people and wounding at least 600. 

For more on this story: Ukraine steel plant evacuations spark new optimism – and cause for concern

This split image taken from video purportedly shows a Russian patrol boat being destroyed in the Black Sea. (General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine)

Ukraine’s military has released a video Monday purportedly showing two Russian patrol boats being blown up in the Black Sea. 

The clip begins with an aerial view of one Raptor-class boat in the water. The ship then bursts into a fireball, sending debris and sparks flying through the air.  

The second boat – which was on the move – suffers an identical fate. 

For more on this story: Ukraine releases video of 2 Russian ships allegedly being destroyed in Black Sea

The Ukrainian military officially ended speculation about the "Ghost of Kyiv," admitting that the legendary pilot is actually a myth.

"Ghost of Kiev is a superhero-legend whose character was created by Ukrainians!" the Ukrainian Air Force said in a Facebook post Saturday.

The admission comes after it was reported Friday that 29-year-old Major Stepan Tarabalka, who some had credited with being the Ghost of Kyiv, was shot down and killed in battle last month.

For more on this story: Heroic 'Ghost of Kyiv' fighter pilot is a myth, Ukraine says

A Russian military convoy stands on the road toward the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeastern Ukraine on Sunday, May 1. (AP)

More than a quarter of troops that Russia sent to fight in Ukraine are now believed to be "combat ineffective," the United Kingdom announced Monday. 

The startling statistic comes as Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine is in its 68th day. Prior to the assault from Vladimir Putin’s army, it was estimated that Moscow assembled around 150,000 soldiers to participate in the war. 

"At the start of the conflict, Russia committed over 120 battalion tactical groups, approximately 65 percent of its entire ground combat strength," the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in a tweet. "It is likely that more than a quarter of these units have now been rendered combat ineffective." 

For more on this story: More than a quarter of Russia's army in Ukraine now 'combat ineffective,' UK says

The first group of civilians that were evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, where they were trapped for weeks, have not yet arrived to their intended destination of Zaporizhzhia, according to a report.

Mariupol is located about 140 miles from Zaporizhzhia.

The Associated Press reported at least some of the 100 people who were evacuated from the plant were taken to a village controlled by pro-Russia separatists, instead of Zaporizhzhia.

Russian officials claim these individuals will be allowed to continue to Ukraine, while Ukrainian officials say their citizens have been forcibly removed.

Anastasiia Dembytska, a Ukrainian civilian who was evacuated from the steel plant, said it took her 18 hours to enter Zaporizhzhia, after crossing multiple barriers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukraine's Security Service claims it intercepted a Russian radio transmission indicating Russia's military is intentionally transporting corpses at night in an attempt to hide their heavy losses.

Translation: "To disguise the heavy losses in the war in Ukraine, Russian corpses are transported in small batches and only at night."

First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Romania and Slovakia, where she will spend Mother's Day with Ukrainian mother's and their children, the White House announced Sunday.

Biden's first stop will be in Romania, where she is expected to meet with U.S. armed forces members at Mihail Kogalniceau Air Base, near the Black Sea.

She will then spend Mother's Day, on May 8, in Slovakia for a meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Bratislava, before she travels to Kosice and Vysne Nemecke to meet with refugees, humanitarian aid workers, and local Slovakians.

Romania and Slovakia are NATO members.

The trip will be the first lady's first overseas trip since traveling to Tokyo in 2021 for the Olympic Games.

Translation: "Two Russian Raptor boats were destroyed at dawn today near Zmiiny Island."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday the first 100 civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.

These evacuees will be transported to the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, 140 miles northwest of Mariupol, where the U.N. and the Red Cross will ensure their continued safety.

Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the Azov Regiment, described the difficulty of reaching the wounded still trapped under the steel plant.

“There’s rubble. We have no special equipment. It's hard for soldiers to pick up slabs weighing tons only with their arms,” Palamar said. “We hear voices of people who are still alive” inside shattered buildings.

A Doctors Without Borders team was reportedly waiting in the city to assist the convoy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy awards U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) the 'Order of Princess Olga' medal after their meeting, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 30, 2022. Picture taken April 30, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the Order of Princess Olga, following her visit to Kyiv.

Pelosi and several other members of Congress met with Zelenskyy and shared four hours of administrative talk concerning Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia.

"We discussed how we can strengthen sanctions on Russia in a way that most effectively encourages it to end the war and limits Russia's ability to circumvent existing and future sanctions," Zelenskyy said during his nightly address Sunday. "I felt the support of our initiatives."

In his address, Zelenskyy announced Pelosi's award, which he gave "for her significant personal contribution to strengthening our cooperation and sincere participation in the defense of freedom."

During a nightly address on Sunday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the congressional delegation for visiting Kyiv and affirming the U.S. commitment to helping Ukraine.

"We are grateful to all partners who convey such important and powerful signals of support for Ukraine to the world and to Russia by visiting our capital in these conditions and at such a difficult time," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy said he and Pelosi shared "very substantive negotiations" that spanned four hours "on defense supplies, macro-financial assistance, sanctions policy, political cooperation."

The Ukrainian leader also expressed his appreciation for the Lend-Lease program, which he said could "work to strengthen our state as much as possible and help in the struggle for freedom."

"I also thanked for the preparation of a large package of aid to Ukraine worth 33 billion US dollars," he added.

The meeting also including details on how to strengthen economic sanctions against Russia, he said.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his nightly that the evacuation of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol has started.

"Today we finally managed to start the evacuation of people from Azovstal," Zelenskyy said.

"After many weeks of negotiations, after many attempts, different meetings, people, calls, countries, proposals. Finally! There was not a single day when we did not try to find a solution that would save our people," he added.

The Ukrainian leader said more than 100 woman and children have been safely evacuated from the plant.

"Today, for the first time in all the days of the war, this vital corridor has started working. For the first time there were two days of real ceasefire on this territory. More than a hundred civilians have already been evacuated - women and children first of all."

Civilians who have lived beneath the plant did so in horrible conditions, often with little to no food or water; and, many were suffering untreated injuries.

Pope Francis called the war in Ukraine a "macabre regression of humanity," adding that it makes him "suffer and cry" during a noon blessing on Sunday in St. Peter's Square.

Francis also asked for month-long prayers for peace in Ukraine.

"My thoughts go immediately to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the city of Mary, barbarously bombarded and destroyed," Francis said.

He said that he suffers while thinking of the Ukrainian population.

"I suffer and cry thinking of the suffering of the Ukrainian population, in particular the weakest, the elderly, the children," Francis said, adding "terrible news of children who are being expelled and deported."

Reuters contributed to this report

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said during a press briefing that he wants to act on a request from the Biden administration that would allow the United States to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs and send money made from their sale directly to Ukraine.

"Ukraine needs all the help it can get and, at the same time, we need all the assets we can put together to give Ukraine the aid it needs," Schumer said.

Reuters contributed to this report

Finland will announce its decision on an application for NATO membership on May 12, Finnish news outlet Iltalehti reported.

The outlet reported that "the position is that Finland is applying for membership."

Finish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin will review the application with party leaders before reporting the decision to NATO. Niinisto will also hold a press conference to announce his position and those of the state leadership and the party field.

The decision will be confirmed by a committee formed by the president and key ministers.

A pair of Russian priests have spoken out against Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine despite the risk of prison or, worse, angering the Russian church. 

The church has backed the state’s "special operation" in Ukraine. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the Russian Orthodox Church’s leader, has remained a vocal proponent of Putin’s war, saying that God is on Russia’s side even as Russian soldiers allegedly commit atrocities against civilians. 

But some priests have started to speak out despite the incredible risk they face by doing so. 

Click here to read more.

The United Nations has confirmed that an operation to evacuate people from a steel plant in the bombed-out Ukrainian city of Mariupol is underway.

U.N. humanitarian spokesman Saviano Abreu told The Associated Press on Sunday that the effort to bring people out of sprawling Azovstal steel plant was being done in collaboration with the International Committee for the Red Cross and in coordination with Ukrainian and Russian officials.

He called the situation “very complex” and would not give further details. Up to 1,000 civilians are believed to be hunkered down with an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters beneath the Soviet-era steel plant that is the only part of the city not occupied by the Russians.

Germany will support the European embargo of Russian oil, marking another significant turnaround in the nation’s position as the invasion of Ukraine continues. 

Ambassadors will reportedly table the proposal at an ambassadors summit in Brussels on Wednesday, with expectations to approve the embargo by the end of next week.

Germany has resisted such an embargo, but government sources told German news agency dpa on Sunday that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will back the embargo. 

Click here to read more.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a surprise visit to Ukraine Sunday before she and a Democratic delegation then traveled to Poland.

“Our delegation traveled to Kyiv to send an unmistakable and resounding message to the entire world: America stands firmly with Ukraine,” Pelosi said.

“We are here until victory is won,” she added.

Pelosi also thanked Zelenskyy for fighting "for freedom" and said she was leaving the country more informed of the struggle Ukrainians are suffering.

“We are on a frontier of freedom and your fight is a fight for everyone. Our commitment is to be there for you until the fight is done,” Pelosi added.

Russia's defense ministry has accused Ukraine of shelling its own civilians, potentially resulting in injuries and even deaths, an outlet reported.

The accusations included the shelling a school, kindergarten and cemetery in Kherson region, the Russian RIA news agency reported Sunday.

Translation: "Ukrainian jet artillery in action. We continue to destroy and expel the enemy from our land!"

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) pose for a picture before their meeting, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 30, 2022. Picture taken April 30, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made an unannounced trip Sunday to Kyiv, Ukraine, where she met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Video captured the moment Zelenskyy met the Democratic delegation, which included Reps. Jason Crow, Jim McGovern and Adam Schiff.

Zelenskyy shook the hands of each congressional representative, telling the group: “You all are welcome.”

During a recorded meeting later in the day, Pelosi affirmed the United States' commitment to helping Ukraine.

“We believe that we are visiting you to say thank you for your fight for freedom. We are on a frontier of freedom and your fight is a fight for everyone," Pelosi said. "Our commitment is to be there for you until the fight is done.”

Zelenskyy tweeted after the meeting: "The United States is a leader in Ukraine's strong support in the fight against Russian aggression. Thank you for helping to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state!" 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned potential Russian recruits from joining the war effort during his nightly address Saturday, telling them their military leaders were not telling them the whole truth.

“Every Russian soldier can still save his own life. It’s better for you to survive in Russia than to perish on our land,” Zelenskyy said.

He added: “The Russian commanders are lying to their soldiers when they tell them they can expect to be held seriously responsible for refusing to fight and then also don’t tell them, for example, that the Russian army is preparing additional refrigerator trucks for storing the bodies. They don’t tell them about the new losses the generals expect."

Russia's military has already lost more than 23,000 troops since the invasion started on Feb. 24, according to the Ukrainian government.

Translation: Military engineers with Ukraine's Defense Ministry Special Transport Service continue demining transport infrastructure in territories liberated from Russia.

Destroyed houses are photographed in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The Ukrainian government is actively rebuilding infrastructure that was destroyed during Russia's invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his nightly address.

"We are actively demining the liberated territory. Every day several dozen settlements are added to the list of those where demining has been completed," Zelesnkyy said. "We are restoring electricity supply, communications, water supply and gas supply. We are doing everything to return normal medicine, educational services, access to financial institutions."

"We are doing everything to return normal life to the de-occupied part of our Ukraine," he added. "We are restoring roads."

While production is underway, Zelenskyy cautioned there was "still a lot of work ahead."

The Ukrainian president said his focus was on clearing Russia's military forces from his country.

"We still need to fight and direct all efforts to drive the occupiers out. And we will do it," he said. "Ukraine will be free."

A Ukrainian fighter pilot who some outlets have identified as the “Ghost of Kyiv" has been killed, an outlet reported.

Major Stepan Tarabalka, 29, was killed after he was shot down during a combat mission on March 13, The Times of London reported Friday.

The "Ghost of Kyiv" persona grew in popularity online in the first weeks of the war as the legendary fighter pilot was credited with shooting down at least 40 Russian fighter jets. His identity was not previously been revealed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posthumously awarded Tarabalka with the title Hero of Ukraine, Ukraine’s top medal for bravery, according to the report.

Some reports, however, dispute Tarabalka's identity as the "Ghost of Kyiv" and instead claim the online persona embodies the whole of the Ukrainian Air Force and the resolve of each fighter pilot.

In his nightly address Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia's military was gathering reinforcements for "new attacks" in his country.

"The occupiers are accumulating additional forces for new attacks against our military in the east of the country. They built up reinforcements in the Kharkiv region, trying to increase pressure in Donbas," Zelenskyy said, noting Russia has "already lost more than 23,000 soldiers."

"But they do not stop," he added.

After Russia suffered heavy losses over the past two months, Zelenskyy said Russia has been forced to recruit "new people" with "little motivation" and "little combat experience."

A woman cries as relatives and activists take part in a rally demanding international leaders to organize a humanitarian corridor for evacuation of Ukrainian military and civilians from Mariupol, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Conditions below the Azovstal steelworks plant in Mariupol, Ukraine, where the last pocket of resistance forces in the city as well as civilians have been living for weeks could not be worse, according video and images shared with The Associated Press.

It is unclear how many of the people living in the basement of the structure are members of the military or are civilians but many are living with serious injuries.

At least 600 people had open wounds, amputated limbs, and minimally treated injuries.

The skeleton medical staff treating the wounds said several were infected with gangrene, according to the report.

In one video, a shirtless man described his own injuries, including two broken ribs, a punctured lung and a dislocated arm that “was hanging on the flesh.”

“I want to tell everyone who sees this: If you will not stop this here, in Ukraine, it will go further, to Europe,” the unidentified man can be heard saying.

The group also has been forced to survive one on meal per day with little to no water drinkable water.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WORLD

Angelina Jolie makes surprise Ukraine visit, meets children

Hollywood actress and U.N. humanitarian Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Saturday.

Hollywood actress and U.N. humanitarian Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Saturday, the Lviv regional governor said on Telegram.

According to Maksym Kozytskyy, Jolie — who has been a UNHCR Special Envoy for Refugees since 2011 — had come to speak with displaced people who have found refuge in Lviv, including children undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the missile strike on the Kramatorsk railway station in early April.

The attack in the eastern Ukrainian city appeared to deliberately target a crowd of mostly women and children trying to flee a looming Russian offensive, killing at least 52 and wounding dozens more.“

She was very moved by (the children’s) stories,” Kozytskyy wrote. “One girl was even able to privately tell Ms. Jolie about a dream she’d had.”

Jolie spent time at a boarding school where she talked with students and took photos with them while adding that "she promised she would come again.”

Associated Press contributed to this report

Tetiana Sichkar recounts her mother’s horrific death after Russians soldiers shot her in front of Tetiana, calls on the Russian people to hold their government accountable.

U.S. Army Ret. Lt. Col. Daniel Davis breaks down the Kremlin's latest military tactics in Popasna, Ukraine

Cook for Ukraine co-founder Alissa Timoshkina on educating people on Ukrainian food and culture by raising money for aid efforts.

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova hit at Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby on Saturday after he got emotional talking about her country's invasion of Ukraine. 

In a post on the messaging platform Telegram, she wrote in an "opinion" post that the press secretary is "losing his nerve." 

She called his comments "rude, insulting and troublesome," noting he "said some nonsense" about Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Click here to read more.

A Ukrainian military official warned Saturday that Russia is continuing to bolster its forces in the eastern Donbas region and is intensifying its offensive measures. "

As of today, we see signs that Russia has been increasing its troops in eastern areas of operations. They are increasing the numbers of their units, and they want to take as much Ukrainian territory as possible," Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense spokesman Col. Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told reporters. 

"As of now, their main goal is to get administrative boundaries of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts as well as Kherson oblast."

Click here to read more.

The head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration (RDA) announced Saturday that a bus used to help evacuate civilians and carry humanitarian aid had gone missing.

A volunteer who managed to escape after Russians allegedly started shooting at two busses in the village of Popasna on Friday. Communication with the driver went dead, according to Ukrainian news outlet Hromadske.

Ukrainian troops visited the area of the alleged attack and found a damaged bus with no people aboard, but with “traces of blood” in the area. The second bus has not been found.

The Russian military has redeployed "depleted and disparate units" from across Ukraine in an effort to maintain its Donbas activities, The British Ministry of Defense said Saturday.

"Shortcomings in Russian tactical coordination remain," the report said. "A lack of unit-level skills and inconsistent air support have left Russia unable to fully leverage its combat mass despite localized improvements."

The units, which previously operated in north-east Ukraine as part of the siege on Kyiv, are "likely suffering from weakened morale," the ministry said.

In a Friday night address riddled with Nazi comparisons, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy turned Russia’s talking points against it and claimed Moscow's strategy was "more cynical."

Zelenskyy said there were operational differences between Russian forces today and the Nazis during World War II, but said Moscow’s persistent lies are what separates the two.

"Russian troops manage to be even more cynical than the Nazis 80 years ago," he said. "At that time, the invaders did not say that it was the Mariupol residents and the defenders of the city who shelled and killed themselves."

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On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a press conference on Capitol Hill that she hopes President Joe Biden’s request to Congress for $33 billion passes "as soon as possible."

The additional funds includes over $20 billion for weapons and ammunition intending to bolster Ukraine's defenses, and $3 billion in humanitarian aid. 

The emergency funds have bipartisan support but Pelosi did not say how long it would take for the legislative body to approve of the funds.

During his nightly address, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian people remain “unbreakable” despite facing a “tough” adversary in Russia.

Ukraine's victory — and Russia’s defeat — though, was inevitable, he said.

“The defeat of the [Russian] occupiers is unalterable,” Zelenskyy said.

This outcome, Zelenskyy said, was “becoming more and more obvious to Russia” as the United States, European countries and other nations continue to support Ukraine.

In remarks published early Saturday morning local time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country's invasion of Ukraine will not end until the United States and NATO countries stop aiding Ukraine.

"By publicly expressing support for the Kyiv regime, the NATO countries are doing everything to prevent ending of the operation through political agreements," Lavrov said, as Reuters reported.

Lavrov also said if the U.S. and NATO were "truly" interested in ending the war, they would stop supplying Ukraine with weapons.

When Russia first invaded its neighbor to the southwest on Feb. 24, Russian officials said it was doing so as a "special operation" to "denazify" and disarm Ukraine.

After 65 days of combat, Russian officials continue to say they are attempting to denuclearize Ukraine, clear it of alleged bioweapons, and prevent the country from being able to mount a future offensive attack.

On the 65th evening of the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy compared the continued invasion of Russian forces to the actions of Nazis ahead of (and during) World War II.

"If the Russian invaders succeed in realizing their plans, at least in part, they will still have enough artillery and aircraft to destroy the entire Donbas. Just as they destroyed Mariupol," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president then said Russia was turning his country into "a Russian concentration camp" and said these invaders "differ insignificantly from what the Nazis did in the occupied territory of Eastern Europe."

In at least one instance, Zelenskyy said the Russian military was worse than Nazis.

"But the Russian troops manage to be even more cynical than the Nazis 80 years ago. At that time, the invaders did not say that it was the Mariupol residents and the defenders of the city who shelled and killed themselves."

KYIV, UKRAINE - APRIL 28, 2022 - President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pictured during a joint press conference with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. (Photo credit should read Volodymyr Tarasov/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his nightly address that his country continues to see success after 65 days of warring with Russia.

"We are beating the occupiers in all directions where they are trying to advance," Zelenskyy said Friday evening.

"The situation in the Kharkiv region is tough. But our military, our intelligence, have important tactical success," he added.

The war is not without its losses, as both military units and civilians alike are facing Russian bombings, he said.

"Russia wants to make this area uninhabited," Zelenskyy said of the Donbas region. "Therefore, the defense of our land, the protection of our people is literally a struggle for life."

A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed a new mass grave had been found in the area around Kyiv on Friday. 

The president said that 900 bodies had been found in the area, but the spokesperson clarified that the number referred to the number of dead found so far around the capital, and authorities are still working to determine the total number of civilians killed during Russia’s assault.

Editor's note: A previous version of this post stated 900 bodies were discovered in a mass grave. Other reports have since indicated Zelenskyy misspoke.

British non-profit Presidium Network said two men, both civilians, remained in Russian military custody after trying to cross a checkpoint.

Dominik Byrne, the organization’s co-founder, said the men had been trying to help evacuate a woman.

"On Wednesday evening, I got a call and messages from contacts of theirs back in England saying that they are missing and we believe we know where they are, and that they've been taken by Russians," Byrne told Reuters.

The foreign office told Sky News that it is “doing all it can to support and identify these two people."

The usually reserved and straight-laced Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby on Friday had to fight back tears while discussing images of alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

“It’s difficult to look at the…” Kirby said to reporters, pausing as he holds back some tears. “Sorry, it’s difficult to look at some the images and imagine that any well-thinking, serious, mature leader would do that.”

“I can’t speak to his psychology, but I think we can all speak to his depravity,” he added before taking another question.

Firefighters try to put out a fire following an explosion in Kyiv, Ukraine on Thursday, April 28. (AP/Emilio Morenatti)

Kyiv's City Council urged locals Friday to conserve fuel for the country's military by taking public transit.

"Kyiv is urged not to travel by private vehicles if possible in order to ensure the need for fuel for the military as a matter of priority," the council said in a Telegram post. 

It added that residents "are asked to remember the needs of the army and our defenders and, if possible, to use public transport."

Ukrainian defense officials said Friday that Russia is using an ammunition depot in the Moldovan breakaway region of Transnistria to smuggle arms across its borders. 

Transnistria, which borders the Odesa region in Ukraine, has become a new focal point in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war as he looks to not only take eastern and southern Ukraine but has threatened to come for Moldova next. 

"Thirty years ago, the Russian Federation occupied the territory of Transnistria. Every year there are mobilization exercises with a task force of Russian troops stationed in this area," Vadym Skibitsky, representative of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry, said in a statement Friday.

For more on this story: Russia uses ammo depot in Transnistria to smuggle weapons across Ukrainian borders

European Union countries next week are likely to approve a phased embargo on Russian oil, dealing a significant economic blow to Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, the New York Times is reporting.

The newspaper, citing EU officials and diplomats involved in the discussions, reported that ambassadors will meet next Wednesday to go over a finalized proposal and the expectation is they will approve the measures by the end of next week.

First responders work at the site where fires were triggered by an explosion in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 28. (AP/Emilio Morenatti)

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty announced Friday that journalist Vira Hyrych has died after a Russian missile strike on Thursday hit the residential building where she was living in Kyiv.

"We are deeply saddened by the death of our Ukrainian Service staffer Vira Hyrych in Kyiv overnight," RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said in a statement. "We have lost a dear colleague who will be remembered for her professionalism and dedication to our mission."

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Friday confirmed that one person was killed in the attack. At least 10 others were injured, the Associated Press reports, citing Ukraine’s emergency services.

For more on this story: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist killed in Kyiv airstrike

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has sent abortion pills and emergency contraception to Ukraine in response to reports of rape during Russia’s invasion. 

"What we know is there’s a significant demand from our partners, who are overwhelmed with the number of survivors presenting for services," Caroline Hickson, the regional director of the IPPF European Network explained. 

"We don’t need data to tell us that this is happening. We know that in ordinary life, violence against women is endemic in Ukraine," she added. "So the most important thing for us is to act to care right now, and to make sure that the medical services and the psychosocial services are there to support those women."

For more on this story: International Planned Parenthood Federation provides abortion pills, rape kits to victims of invasion

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is shown around the Royal Tank Regiment Battlegroup by Lt. Col. Simon Worth after a joint press conference at the Tapa Army Base, in Tallinn, Estonia, on March 1. (Reuters)

Tens of thousands of troops from NATO and its European allies are gearing up for a series of military exercises that the United Kingdom is calling one of the "largest shared deployments since the Cold War." 

The exercises, backed by aircraft, tanks, artillery and armored assault vehicles, will take place in Finland, Poland, North Macedonia and along the Estonian-Latvian border. They will include troops from NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, which includes non-NATO members Finland and Sweden. 

"The security of Europe has never been more important," U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Friday. "These exercises will see our troops join forces with allies and partners across NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force in a show of solidarity and strength in one of the largest shared deployments since the Cold War." 

For more on this story: NATO preparing for massive military exercises as Russia continues invasion of Ukraine

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said a bodyguard named Volodymyr was killed in the war in Ukraine. (U.S. Embassy in Kyiv)

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv announced this week that a bodyguard who took leave from his embassy position died fighting Russian forces in Ukraine.

"U.S. Embassy Kyiv is grieving the loss of our dear colleague Volodymyr, who took leave from his job as an Embassy bodyguard to rejoin the army and defend Ukraine," the embassy said in a statement on Twitter. "We will never forget his kind spirit, dedication, and bravery. Our deepest condolences go to his family and friends."

The embassy did not release details surrounding the victim’s death or his full name.  Fox News could not immediately reach the State Department for comment. 

For more on this story: Putin's war claims US Embassy security guard in Kyiv

Ukrainian servicemen install a machine gun on a tank after fighting against Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, April 27. (AP/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ukraine on Friday is admitting to have suffered "serious losses" in battles in the country’s east, but added that Russia’s are "colossal". 

The admission comes as the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence tweeted that "due to strong Ukrainian resistance, Russian territorial gains have been limited and achieved at significant cost to Russian forces." 

"We have serious losses but the Russians' losses are much, much bigger... They have colossal losses," Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said, according to Reuters. 

For more on this story: Ukraine admits 'serious losses' in eastern battles, but says Russia's are 'colossal'

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a meeting of the executive board of the General Procurator's Office in Moscow, Russia, on Monday, April 25. (Sputnik/Sergey Guneev/Kremlin via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Indonesian President Joko Widodo that he will attend this year's Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia announced Friday.

"Last night at 7, I spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin," Widodo said in a statement. "President Putin expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the G20 summit and he said he would attend."

The Indonesian president said he spoke with Putin about the importance of reaching a peace agreement with Ukrainian leadership and ending the war immediately.

For more on this story: Putin to attend G20 summit, Indonesia says; Zelenskyy also invited

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 's office on Friday said an operation was planned to evacuate civilians sheltering in the Azovstal steel plant, besieged Mariupol’s last holdout, according to a report.

The office didn’t give any details on the operation, which it said would occur Friday, according to Reuters. 

Russia has devastated Mariupol, a strategic port city, with constant attacks since the start of the invasion, many on civilians. The attacks have left the city with little power, water and food for the last two months. 

For more on this story: Zelenskyy to launch operation to evacuate civilians in Mariupol steel plant Friday

Two British volunteers have been captured by Russian troops in Ukraine, according to reports.

The men were detained near Zaporizhzhia at a Russian checkpoint on Monday, BBC News reported.

Another British man, Scott Sibley, was killed while fighting for Ukraine, the U.K. said Thursday.

An American, Willy Joseph Cancel, was also killed while fighting with Ukraine, his widow confirmed to Fox.

The volunteers were working independently but were in touch with the Presidium Network organization, the BBC reported.

The were reportedly trying to help a Ukrainian family evacuate when they were detained.

A 25-year-old man fighting with the International Legion Ukraine was killed on Tuesday in Mykolayiv in southern Ukraine, a Danish broadcaster reported Friday.

The man's name wasn't reported and the Danish government said it wasn't able to confirm the report.

It may take time before the details are clarified” because the war creates “extremely difficult conditions,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen said.

Up to 100 Danes have joined the fight against Russia, a Danish newspaper said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday morning he is grateful to President Biden and the "American people for the leadership in supporting Ukraine in our fight against Russian aggression."

His tweet came hours after Biden said he had signed a request to Congress for an additional $33 billion in aid to Ukraine.

"We defend common values ​​- democracy and freedom," Zelenskyy continued. "We appreciate the [U.S.’s] help. Today it is needed more than ever!"

"Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons for the sake of world peace," Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister said Friday morning in a tweet. "We have then been knocking on NATO’s door, but it never opened. Security vacuum led to Russian aggression. The world owes Ukraine security and we ask states to decide which security guarantees they are ready to provide."

Brittany and Willy Cancel. (Photo credit Brittany Cancel)

An American citizen and former Marine, Willy Joseph Cancel, died fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in Ukraine, the man's widow confirmed to Fox News Digital early Friday morning.

"My husband did die in Ukraine," Brittany Cancel, the widow of the 22-year-old former Marine, told Fox News Digital. "He went there wanting to help people, he had always felt that that was his main mission in life."

Cancel leaves behind his wife and a 7-month-old son. 

"My husband was very brave and a hero," Cancel said. "I did not expect to be a widow at 23 years old or for our son to be without a father. All I want is for him to come home, and to give him the proper burial he deserves."

For more on this story: Former Marine dies fighting alongside Ukrainians; Widow calls him a 'hero'

Ukrainian troops damaged an oil depot in Donetsk, held by Russian-backed separatists, a Russian news agency reported Friday.

The facility was on fire, social media posts showed, according to Reuters.

NATO is willing to support Ukraine in the war for years, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.

"We need to be prepared for the long term," Stoltenberg said at a summit in Brussels, accordign to Reuters. "There is absolutely the possibility that this war will drag on and last for months and years."

The Battle of Donbas remains Russia's main focus in Ukraine as it tries to gain full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions but territorial gains have been limited because of Ukraine's strong resistance, the UK Defense Ministry said in a Friday morning update.

"Fighting has been particularly heavy around Lysychansk and Severodonetsk," in the region, "with an attempted advance south from Izium towards Slovyansk," the update said. "Due to strong Ukrainian resistance, Russian territorial gains have been limited and achieved at significant cost to Russian forces."

Penrose, Colorado, USA: front view of US Army M-113 armoured personnel carrier (APC) - Col Leo Sidney Boston War Memorial. iStock

The North Carolina National Guard and several other states' plan to send armored vehicles to Ukraine as part of a larger U.S. aid package.

The N.C. Army National Guard is providing M-113 Armored Personnel Carriers at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, Gov. Roy Cooper said yesterday. Other states have made similar commitments.

In February, Cooper signed an executive order that directed state government agencies and departments to review all existing contracts and operations and to terminate any agreements or operations that directly benefit Russian entities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst has the latest on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 'Special Report.'

A British national has been killed after it is believed he traveled to Ukraine to fight in the ongoing war against Russia.

Scott Sibley, 36, died a few days ago in southern or eastern Ukraine, according to Sky News.

German energy company Uniper has conceded to Russia’s demands and will utilize the ruble conversion plan outlined by Moscow despite concerns it will undermine sanctions. 

Moscow threatened to pull the plug on Europe’s gas supply unless the companies fulfilled their payments in rubles. The Kremlin worked with Russian gas company Gazprombank to establish a system that would allow companies to deposit foreign currency in one account while Gazprom would complete the transactions in rubles. 

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Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Thursday that two missiles have struck the city's Shevchenkivskyi district.

"In the evening the enemy fired on Kyiv," he said in a Telegram post. "All services are in place. Information about the victims is being clarified."

The confirmation comes as users have been posting videos on social media purportedly showing black smoke rising into the sky over Kyiv.

Two explosions were heard in Kyiv on Thursday, sending black smoke rising over the city, according to Fox News' Trey Yingst.

The cause of the blasts was not immediately clear.

They came on the same day U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in the Ukrainian capital city to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Fox News’ Trey Yingst shares an update on the story of a blind Ukrainian man who survived Russians shelling his home.

Ukrainian servicemen ride on an armored personnel carrier on the outskirts of Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine on Thursday, April 28. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine on Thursday championed its evolving partnership with NATO as "full interoperability" and said it has gained access to the alliance’s modern weaponry as its war with Russia continues for the ninth week.

More than 40 NATO members and allied nations from around the world met for U.S.-led talks in Germany and agreed to provide more aid for Ukraine this week. 

Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov said Thursday that there had been "tectonic shifts at the level of philosophy" when it comes to Kyiv’s relationship with NATO and other allied nations.

For more on this story: Ukraine champions 'full interoperability' with NATO weapons systems in 'historic' partnership

Oleksandra Ustinova announces the birth of her daughter, saying she was lucky to be born in America rather than a war zone in Ukraine.

Kyiv on Thursday warned that Russian-backed separatist groups in Moldova are recruiting for their ranks as Moscow threatens to expand its campaign outside of Ukraine. 

In a statement released by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, officials said a letter was sent out to the heads of local administrations in the breakaway region of Transnistria in eastern Moldova last week. 

The letter, which was provided in coordination with the statement, reportedly shows that all men under the age of 55 have been asked by the Ministry of Defense of Transnistria to join a "special meeting" for 90 days to bolster its army.

For more on this story: Ukraine warns Russian-backed forces in Moldova are bolstering recruitment

A destroyed tank and a damaged apartment building are seen in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 26. (AP)

The Mariupol City Council is warning Thursday that "powerful and deadly epidemics could soon break out in the city" as conditions are becoming increasingly unsanitary with each passing day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

In a Telegram post, the officials said about 100,000 residents in Mariupol "are in mortal danger not only due to shelling, but also intolerable living conditions and unsanitary conditions" – naming in particular the illnesses of cholera, dysentery and E. coli infections. 

"The occupiers are unable to provide the existing population with food, water and medicine. Or just not interested in it," Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said Thursday. "They block all evacuation attempts. And without that, people will die." 

For more on this story: Mariupol, Ukraine, officials warn that 'powerful, deadly epidemics could soon break out'

President Biden said Thursday that when talking about the war in Ukraine that “no one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons or the possibility of the use, it's irresponsible.” 

The remark comes after Russian officials in recent days have played up the potential that the nuclear weapons could become involved in the war, which has now stretched to 64 days. 

Biden said the comments show “the desperation that Russia is feeling about their abject failure in being able to do what they set out to do in the first instance.” 

“I think it's more of a reflection, not of the truth, but of their failure,” he added. 

President Biden said Thursday that "in order to sustain Ukraine as as it continues to fight, I'm sending Congress a supplemental budget request."

"This assistance would provide even more artillery, armored vehicles, anti-armored systems, anti-air capabilities that have been used so effectively thus far in the battlefield by the Ukrainian warriors," Biden said.

"You know, it's going to deliver much needed humanitarian assistance, as well as food, water, medicine, shelter and other aid to Ukrainians displaced by Russians war and provide aid for those seeking refuge in other countries from Ukraine," he added.

President Biden said Thursday that he has "signed a request to Congress for critical security, economic humanitarian assistance to help Ukraine continue to counter Putin's aggression.

"We need this bill to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom and our NATO allies, our EU partners, they're going to pay their fair share as well," Biden said while speaking at the White House.  

"Every day, every day, the Ukrainians pay the price and the price they pay with their lives for this fight," Biden continued. "So we need to contribute arms funding, ammunition and the economic support to make their courage and sacrifice have purpose so they can continue this fight."

"It's critical this funding gets approved and approved as quickly as possible," he declared.

President Biden on Thursday is requesting $33 billion from Congress for additional security, military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine and for U.S. efforts to strengthen European security in cooperation with NATO allies and partners.

The Biden administration is calling for $20.4 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine, including $5 billion in additional drawdown authority, $6 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and $4 billion for the State Department’s Foreign Military Financing program.

"These resources will put urgently needed equipment into the hands of Ukraine’s military and police, as well as help NATO deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long-term," an administration official said Thursday.

For more on this story: Biden to request $33B from Congress for Ukraine emergency supplemental funding

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German lawmakers on Thursday voted to send "heavy weapons and complex machinery" to Ukraine just one week after claiming its arms reserves were tapped.

The vote in the lower house of parliament signifies a completed stance reversal after it passed with 586 votes in favor, 100 against, and seven abstentions first reported German news outlet DW. 

Germany has faced criticism for its reservations on sending significant defensive support to Ukraine, notoriously sending 5,000 helmets in the lead up to the invasion. 

For more on this story: Germany flips on sending arms to Ukraine, lawmakers overwhelmingly approve heavy weaponry shipment

President Biden speaks during the 2022 National and State Teachers of the Year event in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Wednesday, April 27. (AP)

President Biden on Thursday is sending Congress proposals for new legislation allowing the U.S. to further crack down on Russian oligarchs as punishment for Moscow’s bloody invasion of Ukraine, the White House has announced. 

The proposed measures, which the White House says were drafted in close coordination with the Treasury, Justice, State and Commerce Departments, will "enhance the United States Government’s authority to hold the Russian government and Russian oligarchs accountable for President Putin’s war against Ukraine." 

"This package of proposals will establish new authorities for the forfeiture of property linked to Russian kleptocracy, allow the government to use the proceeds to support Ukraine, and further strengthen related law enforcement tools," the White House added in a statement. 

For more on this story: Biden sending Congress proposals to further crack down on Russian oligarchs over war in Ukraine

A man stands at the site of a destroyed garage following a military strike near a railway station in Lyman, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, on Thursday, April 28. (Reuters/Jorge Silva)

Ukraine’s military said Thursday that Russia is "increasing the pace of the offensive operation" a day after Vladimir Putin warned the West that any outside interference would lead to "lightning"-fast retaliatory strikes. 

In a Facebook post, Ukraine’s armed forces said "in almost all directions, the Russian occupiers are exerting intense fire," with the heaviest activity "observed in [the] Slobozhansky and Donetsk directions" of Ukraine’s north and east. 

"Russian occupiers continue to suffer losses on land," the military added. "In the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts only, six enemy attacks have been repulsed in the past 24 hours, five tanks, one artillery system, twenty-two armored vehicles, one car and one anti-aircraft gun have been destroyed." 

For more on this story: Russia is 'increasing the pace' of its invasion after Putin threatens West, Ukraine says

A view of destroyed radio antennas following explosions near Maiac, Moldova on Tuesday. (Transdniestrian Interior Ministry/Handout via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s deadly war in Europe is on the brink of expanding outside of Ukraine as Kremlin officials alleged Thursday that there have been "acts of terrorism" in Moldova.

Moscow set its sights on Moldova last week when a Russian general said its goal was to gain "full control" over not only eastern Ukraine, but regions along its southern that sit above the Black Sea.

This would allow Russia to gain better access to Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway state in Moldova with sympathetic ties to Russia.

"We are alarmed by the escalation of tension in Transnistria, where in recent days there have been several incidents of shelling, blowing up social and infrastructure facilities," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday. "We regard these actions as acts of terrorism aimed at destabilizing the situation."

For more on this story: Putin's war on verge of expanding outside Ukraine as it cries 'terrorism' in Moldova

An airplane carrying Marine veteran Trevor Reed has landed in Texas early Thursday following his release from Russian jail this week in a prisoner swap, according to photos posted by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas. 

The U.S. announced Wednesday that Reed was exchanged for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian drug trafficker who was serving a 20-year federal prison sentence in Connecticut. 

"This is the moment we have all been praying for. WELCOME HOME, Trevor Reed!" Pfluger said in a tweet. 

For more on this story: Trevor Reed lands in US after prisoner swap with Russia

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pauses as he delivers a statement to the media prior to a meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels, Thursday, April 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)

Finland and Sweden will be "warmly welcomed" into NATO is they decide to join, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday, adding he expected the "process to go quickly."

"I am confident that there are ways to bridge that interim period in a way which is good enough and works for both Finland and Sweden," Stoltenberg said from Brussels, according to Reuters.

He said he planned to speak to Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin during the day.

Russia has issued nuclear threats to both countries if they join NATO.

Russia claimed Thursday it had stopped a "terrorist attack" in Simferopol, Crimea, and had detained a former Ukrainian service member who had been spurred on by Ukraine's far-right Azov battalion, according to Russia media.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, while touring the damage in Borodyanka, northwest of Kyiv, called the war "evil" and said he could imagine his own family under siege in the conflict.

“When I see those destroyed buildings, I imagine my family in one of those houses now destroyed and black," he said, according to BBC News. "I see my granddaughters running in panic. The war is an absurdity in the 21st century – the war is evil and when you see these situations our heart of course stays with the victims, our condolences to their families. But our emotions - there is no way a war can be acceptable in the 21st century."

Russia is intensifying its attacks on the Azovstal Steel Plant in Mariupol, the last Ukrainian holdout in the besieged port city, satellite photos show, according to the Associated Press.

Around 1,000 civilians and 2,000 Ukrainians service members are hiding inside the plant's labyrinth of underground facilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week told Russian troops it wasn't necessary to storm the plant. He proclaimed victory in the city despite the not having control of the plant.

The new images come as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits Ukraine and plans to speak to Ukraine’s president about his efforts to negotiate with Moscow for a corridor for people to leave the besieged area.

"Air attacks on Azovstal do not subside. No silence, but attempts to storm again and again," Petro Andryushchenko, an advisor to Mariupol’s mayor, wrote on his Telegram page Wednesday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian troops attack two educational centers in the Donetsk region on Wednesday, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko tweeted.

"Two educational institutions in the center of Donetsk region came under Russian fire yesterday: the Gymnasium in Dobropillya and the Vocational Mining Lyceum in Belozersky," the governor said, according to a translation. "Since the start of the large-scale invasion, the Russians have damaged or destroyed at least 300 educational institutions in the Donetsk region."

Residents of Russian-occupied Kherson, in southern Ukraine, fear the Russians re preparing for a sham referendum next month to turn it into a pro-Moscow “people's republic," which Kherson Mayor Igor Kolykhaiev says would be illegal because it officially remains part of Ukraine.

Kherson has been spared the death and destruction of other Ukrainian cities beacuse “They are trying to give the impression that they come in peace to liberate us from something," a local teacher told the Associated Press.

“The soldiers patrol and walk around silently. They don’t shoot people in the streets," she added.

Another local called the occupation "scary" and said that almost no one in Kherson wants it to become part of Russia.

Russia has been silent about any plans to hold a referendum in Kherson, with Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko saying this week he knew of no such proposal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia is picking up the pace of his offensive in eastern Ukraine with the goal of gaining full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukraine’s General Staff said Thursday morning.

The Russians are "exerting intense fire” from all directions, Ukraine said, including Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, but Ukraine has repelled six attacks in the Donetsk and Luhanskn regions in the last 24 hours.

Most of the attacks have come from the Slobozhanske and Donetsk directions, Ukraine said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Phil Flynn shares his concerns as Putin weaponizes energy on 'Special Report.'

UN Secretary General António Guterres plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday in Kyiv.

The meeting comes after Guterres met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.

United Nations said they agreed on arranging evacuations from a besieged steel plant in the battered city of Mariupol.

He will also meet with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his nightly address Wednesday called Russia's decsion to cut gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland because they wouldn't pay in rubles "blackmail," according to a report.

His choice of words echoed other European leaders like EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.

Zelenskyy said Russia “sees a united Europe as a target," BBC News reported.

"Russia considers not only gas, but any trade as a weapon," he said. "It is just waiting for the moment when one or another trade area can be used."

He said stability will follow if European nations agree to stop depending on Russia for gas and other trade.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Around 20 Russian Navy vessels, including submarines, remain in the Black Sea operational area but the country has been unable to replace its cruise Moskva because the Bosporus Strait remains closed to non-Turkish warships, the UK Defense Ministry said in a Thursday morning update. 

"Despite the embarrassing losses of the landing ship Saratov and cruiser Moskva, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet retains the ability to strike Ukrainian and coastal targets," the ministry said. 

A woman covered by Ukrainian flag stands in front of Russian troops in a street during a rally against Russian occupation in Kherson, Ukraine, Saturday, March 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Olexandr Chornyi)

Rockets fired at the occupied city of Kherson in southern Ukraine temporarily knocked out Russian television channels in the area late Wednesday after it hit near a television tower, Russian and Ukrainian news outlets reported.

Russia has occupied Kherson since the start of the invasion. The attack came from the area of Ukrainian forces in the northwest, a Russian news agency reported.

Russia began broadcasting from Kherson last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Retired Gen. Richard Newton explained Russian President Vladimir Putin's playbook in his war on Ukraine Wednesday on "Your World."

For more on this story: Putin 'only understands power' in Russia-Ukraine war: Retired Gen. Richard Newton

 Fox News correspondent Greg Palkot has the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war on 'Special Report.'

Members of the Canadian parliament voted on Wednesday to label Russia's actions in Ukraine as "genocide."

The motion put up for a vote in the Canadian House of Commons said that Russia's war crimes in Ukraine include mass atrocities, physical harm, systematic instances of willful killing of Ukrainian civilians, rape, and mental harm.

Reuters contributed to this report

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent call for global control of Russia’s nuclear weapons poses a "reckless and provocative" action against Vladimir Putin, a former DIA operative told Fox News Digital. 

Zelenskyy marked the 36th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster with a speech condemning Russia’s "completely irresponsible actions," highlighting the dangerous actions taken around nuclear power plants during the invasion of Ukraine. 

Rebekah Koffler, author of "Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America," advised that Zelenkyy’s call will "likely trigger catastrophic measures by Putin." 

Click here to read more.

Recently released marine veteran Trevor Reed’s parents raised concerns over their son’s health following the release of their son from a Russian jail. 

Joey and Paula Reed spoke with reporters outside their home Wednesday, revealing that they spoke with their son for a few minutes while he traveled by plane from Russia. 

Paula Reed said they likely wouldn’t see Trevor Wednesday, and his mother had a "panic attack" worrying that her son might remain in Russia throughout the summer.  The pair then asked for privacy. 

Click here to read more.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, speaks to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during their meeting in the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, April 26. (Vladimir Astapkovich, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to arrange evacuations from Azovstal steel complex in Ukraine's besieged city of Mariupol, the organization said. 

At a meeting, the two also reportedly agreed in principle that the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross should be involved in the evacuation of civilians there. 

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the pair discussed "proposals for humanitarian assistance and evacuation of civilians from conflict zones, namely in relation to the situation in Mariupol."

Further talks on the evacuation will be held with the U.N. humanitarian office and the Russian Defense Ministry.

For more on this story: UN chief, Putin agree on evacuations from war-torn Ukraine city

People are seen fleeing after tear gas is fired Wednesday, April 27 during a pro-Ukraine rally in Kherson. (Reuters)

At least four people have been injured Wednesday in the Ukrainian city of Kherson after Russian troops there used tear gas and stun grenades to break up a pro-Ukraine protest, authorities say. 

The forceful pushback from Russia’s army comes a day after they seized full control of the city center and appointed their own mayor, Reuters reports, citing local authorities. 

"During a peaceful pro-Ukrainian rally on Freedom Square in the city of Kherson, servicemen of the Russian armed forces used tear gas and stun grenades against the civilian population," the Office of Ukraine's Prosecutor General said Wednesday. 

For more on this story: Russian troops in Kherson break up pro-Ukraine rally with tear gas, stun grenades: report

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Wednesday, April 27 in St. Petersburg, Russia. (AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday claimed Moscow’s war goals in Ukraine will be "unconditionally fulfilled" despite discussions this week amongst Ukraine’s allies to further support Kyiv’s government with weapons in the fight. 

Speaking to Russia’s parliament, Putin said "I want to emphasize again that all the tasks of the special military operation we are conducting in the Donbas and Ukraine, launched on Feb. 24, will be unconditionally fulfilled." 

That, he said, will "guarantee the security of the residents" of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognized as independent shortly before launching its military action in Ukraine, as well as Crimea -- which Russia annexed in 2014 -- "and our entire country in the historical perspective." 

For more on this story: Putin vows that Ukraine war goals will be 'unconditionally fulfilled'

The commander of Ukrainian forces still holding off Russian troops in Mariupol made an urgent plea Wednesday to world leaders, including Pope Francis, and said there are still 600 soldiers and civilians stuck in the deadly standoff.

Serhiy Volyna, commander of the 36th separate Marine brigade, said his troops, along with civilians caught in the crossfire at the Azovstal steel plant, were "surrounded" by Russian forces.

Over 1,000 people were estimated to have taken shelter in the tunnels under the steel plant and have been unable to evacuate under Russia’s constant barrage of missile strikes.

Volyna said that not only did the elderly and injured need attention but also noted they were running short on food, water and defenses. 

For more on this story: Ukrainian soldier pleads with pope, world leaders to help evacuate 600 people stuck in Mariupol standoff

A Ukrainian serviceman looks as smoke rises after Russian troops were shelled in the Luhansk region of Ukraine on Tuesday, April 26. (REUTERS/Serhii Nuzhnenko)

Ukraine’s defense ministry on Wednesday claimed that "fighting-age" men in southern and eastern regions of Ukraine are being abducted en masse in part for Russian propaganda "victory parades."

Both Western and Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia could be targeting a significant advancement in Ukraine by May 9, also known as Victory Day, which celebrates when Russia defeated Nazi Germany in 1945.

Ukraine first announced last week that it believed Russia was looking to forcibly conscript Ukrainian men in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions to "replenish" its forces. 

For more on this story: Ukraine defense ministry claims fighting-age men abducted en masse for propaganda 'victory parades'

The Azovstal Iron and Steel Works factory in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Friday, April 22. (REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)

A Mariupol official said Wednesday that the Russian military is attempting to "storm again and again" a steel factory in the city where officials have said up to 1,000 civilians are taking cover. 

The continuing blitz on the Azovstal plant comes a day after the Mariupol City Council shared what it described as "scary" images of medical work being done to treat the injured still trapped inside the sprawling industrial complex. 

"Air attacks on Azovstal do not subside. No silence, but attempts to storm again and again," Petro Andryushchenko, an advisor to Mariupol’s mayor, wrote on his Telegram page Wednesday. 

For more on this story: Russia attempting to 'storm again and again' Mariupol steel factory, Ukraine official says

A Ukrainian multiple rocket launcher BM-21 "Grad" shells a Russian troop position near Luhansk in the Donbas region in April. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

Moscow once again threatened to attack Kyiv if Ukraine targeted troop supply lines in Russia, saying it will "retaliate with long-range smart weapons."

The threat came Tuesday evening after U.K. Defense Minister James Heappey said hitting Russian logistics was a "legitimate" part of war as Russian forces continue a second assault in eastern and southern Ukraine.

"It is entirely legitimate to go after targets in the depth of your opponents to disrupt their logistics and supply lines," he said in a BBC Radio interview. 

But the Kremlin, which has accused NATO of fighting a proxy war against Russia, said it would strike Ukraine’s capital if its forces were touched on its soil. 

For more on this story: Moscow threatens to hit Kyiv with long-range missiles if it attacks Russian soil

This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows Russian tanks and armored vehicles near the Ukrainian border in the Belgorod region of Russia on Monday, April 25, 2022. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

A Ukrainian presidential adviser said Wednesday that "karma is a cruel thing" after a Russian ammo depot burst into flames and explosions were heard along provinces bordering the war-torn country.  

Mykhailo Podolyak made the remark after a Russian official said a fire was extinguished at the ammo depot in the Belgorod region. The border provinces of Kursk and Voronezh also reported fresh explosions Wednesday, with officials there claiming to have intercepted Ukrainian drones, according to Reuters. 

"If you decide to massively attack another country, massively kill everyone there, massively crush peaceful people with tanks, and use warehouses in your regions to enable the killings, then sooner or later the debts will have to be repaid," Podolyak was quoted by Reuters as saying. 

For more on this story: Ukraine says 'karma is a cruel thing' following fire at Russian ammo depot, explosions along border

Joe Reed, the father of former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed, stands next to a placard of his son outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 29, 2021, during a press conference. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. and Russia have carried out a prisoner swap Wednesday, exchanging Trevor Reed – a Marine veteran jailed in Moscow – for a Russian drug trafficker who has been serving time in America, a senior U.S. official told the Associated Press. 

The deal comes as tensions between U.S. and Russia are running high, with Moscow's bloody invasion of Ukraine in its 63rd day. 

"Today, we welcome home Trevor Reed and celebrate his return to the family that missed him dearly. Trevor, a former U.S. Marine, is free from Russian detention," President Biden said in a statement. "I heard in the voices of Trevor’s parents how much they’ve worried about his health and missed his presence. And I was delighted to be able to share with them the good news about Trevor’s freedom."

For more on this story: Russia frees jailed US Marine Trevor Reed in exchange for convicted Russian drug trafficker

The head of the European Union accused Russia of "blackmail" Wednesday after it moved to cut gas access to Poland and Bulgaria for refusing to pay up in rubles.

Russian-owned gas giant, Gazprom, said earlier in the day that it had shut off gas to the two EU nations in retaliation for unpaid energy bills for the month of April when they refused to abide by Moscow’s demands and pay in the Russian currency. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the stipulation that all nations must pay gas fees in rubles in late March as an attempt to bolster his flagging economy amid stiff international sanctions.  

"The announcement by Gazprom that it is unilaterally stopping delivery of gas to customers in Europe is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail," EU President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

For more on this story: EU accuses Russia of 'blackmail' after it cuts gas to Poland, Bulgaria

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the 36th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster with a speech condemning Russia's "completely irresponsible actions" around nuclear power plants during its invasion and calling for "global control" of the Kremlin's nuclear capabilities.

"Every year on April 26th, the world remembers the Chernobyl disaster, the worst nuclear disaster in human history," Zelenskyy began. "But this year it is not enough just to remember Chernobyl… because this year, Russia created new threats that could surpass even the worst accident."

The president recalled the night of March 4, when a fire broke out at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after Russian forces started shelling the plant amid the invasion. "They knew exactly which object they were firing at," he said. "But they had an order to seize the object at any cost. They did not care about anything. They did not care that the Zaporizhzhia station was the largest in Europe. They didn't think about how many power units there are and how the shelling could end."

For more on this story: Zelenskyy demands 'global control' over Russia's nuclear capabilities after 'completely irresponsible actions'

German auto club ADAC suggested its 21 million members try to drive less and focus on fuel efficiency by driving more slowly and anticipating stops with the goal of reducing Russian fuel imports.

The club also suggested alternatives to driving like public transportation or biking.

The German government says it wants to wean the country off Russian oil imports by the end of the year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DJI Technology Co, a Chinese company that makes drones, said it is temporarily suspending business in Russia and Ukraine to avoid having its product used in the war, according to reports.

The company has also denied claims that it leaked data about Ukraine's military to Russia, Reuters reported.

DJI Technology is the first Chinese company to cite the war as a reason for halting sales, according to Reuters.

Russian troops hit Avdiivka in the Donetsk region with "phosphorous shells," causing fires, regional governor Pavlo Kirilenko claimed Wednesday morning.

He said the Russians attacked the center of the city and the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant.

One person was injured in the attacks, he said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Wednesday morning said that Russia announcing it would cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland over not paying in rubles was "unjustified and unacceptable."

She called Russian gas giant Gazprom's announcement "blackmail."

"And it shows once again the unreliability of Russia as a gas supplier," she said.

She said the EU is prepared and "will also continue working with international partners to secure alternative flows."

She added, "Europeans can trust that we stand united and in full solidarity with the Member States impacted in the face of this new challenge. Europeans can count on our full support."

Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov said the country has enough gas for at least a month a day after Russia said it would cut off supplies because the country has refused to pay in rubles.

“Alternative supplies are available, and Bulgaria hopes that alternative routes and supplies will also be secured at EU level,” Nikolov said. He added that Poland and Lithuania are in the same situation .

He said it was obvious Russia was using gas as a political tool.

“As long as I am Minister, Bulgaria will not negotiate under pressure, Bulgaria is not for sale and does not succumb to any trade counterpart," Nikolov said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukraine has retained control of a majority of its airspace, the UK Defense Ministry said in a Wednesday morning update.

“Russia has failed to effectively destroy the Ukrainian Air Force or suppress Ukrainian air defences,” the ministry said.

“Ukraine continues to hold Russian air assets at risk.”

The update said Russia’s air activity was mainly limited to the southern and eastern Ukraine, adding the military has limited access to the northern and western part of the country.

“The majority of Russian air strikes in Mariupol are likely being conducted using unguided free-falling bombs,” it added. “These weapons reduce Russia’s ability to effectively discriminate when conducting strikes, increasing the risk of civilian casualties.” 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Tuesday to discuss nuclear safety on the 36th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.

"For the Russian military, the Chernobyl zone and the station were allegedly normal territory for hostilities. A territory where they did not even try to take care of nuclear safety," Zelenskyy told reporters after the meeting, according to his office.

Grossi said his main task in to ensure the safety of Ukraine's nuclear plants during the war.

"That is why the IAEA is in Ukraine and will continue its work," Grossi said. "Today, we agreed to provide assistance and special work to restore the capacity of the damaged infrastructure."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that the country's troops are ready for an escalation by Russia in the breakaway Moldovan state Transnistria, which he said Russia is trying to destabilize.

"We clearly understand that this is one of the steps of the Russian Federation," Zelenskyy said. "The special services are working there. It's not just about fake news. The goal is obvious - to destabilize the situation in the region, to threaten Moldova. They show that if Moldova supports Ukraine, there will be certain steps."

He said Ukraine understands Russia has been in Transnistria for years and know their "capabilities," but the "Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready for this and are not afraid of them." 

Ret. Gen. Philip Breedlove weighs in on Russia's nuke threats and the war in Ukraine on 'Your World.'

Polish and Bulgarian officials said Tuesday that Russian energy company Gazprom informed them it was suspending natural gas supplies to the two countries for their refusal to pay in Russian rubles. 

The suspensions, which would take effect Wednesday, would be the first since Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that "unfriendly" foreign buyers would have to pay the state-owned Gazprom in rubles instead of dollars and euros. 

European leaders said they would not comply with the rubles requirement, arguing that it violated the terms of contracts and their sanctions against Russia over its military aggression against Ukraine. Only Hungary has agreed to Putin’s demands.

For more on this story: Russia’s Gazprom cutting off gas supplies to Poland, Bulgaria for refusing to pay in rubles

Russia on Tuesday once again escalated the threat of nuclear warfare amid its illegal campaign in Ukraine by alleging that with the support of the U.S. Kyiv is developing nuclear weapons. 

"The need for demilitarization is due to the fact that Ukraine, saturated with weapons, poses a threat to Russia, including from the point of view of the development and use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons," Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, said according to state-owned news agencies. 

The Kremlin has previously claimed without evidence that Ukraine is developing a nuclear weapon, but it escalated its accusations this week after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the threat of nuclear conflict "is real."

Read more.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in a wide-ranging interview Tuesday with Fox News, said he believes Ukraine is going to need "long-range artillery and tanks and armored vehicles" to fight back against Russia in the country’s south and east. 

Austin sat down with Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin after meeting with dozens of defense ministers at Ramstein Air Base in Germany – a gathering he says was "all about making sure that we can continue to provide Ukraine what it needs to be successful in the fight today." 

"And as the fight has evolved, you've seen their needs change from a lot of at the beginning, a lot of anti-armor and anti-aircraft weaponry," Austin said. "But as the fight in the south and east of the country continues, that's a different kind of terrain." 

"They'll need different kinds of things to be able to shape that fight a bit better," he continued. "So, we're looking at long range artillery and tanks and armored vehicles and those types of things."  

For more on this story: Secretary of Defense Austin tells Fox News how he believes the war in Ukraine will evolve

Mykhailo Puryshev poses for selfies with people fleeing Russia's invasion, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, in these undated photos obtained by Reuters on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. (Reuters)

A nightclub owner in Ukraine is claiming Tuesday to have helped evacuate more than 200 people from Mariupol in a war-battered red van, which he is planning to turn into a "monument" after the conflict with Russia ends. 

Mykhailo Puryshev, 36, said he made six daring journeys to save residents of his hometown in March before being told by a separatist soldier to not come back or risk detention and punishment, according to Reuters. 

"The bus came under shelling, a strike, mortar, rifle fire, to be honest, there are so many marks of war on it," Puryshev told Reuters.

For more on this story: Ukraine nightclub owner says he evacuated more than 200 from Mariupol: 'God protected me'

Ukraine is reportedly preparing war crimes charges against at least seven members of the Russian military. 

The Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office told Reuters that three Russian pilots suspected of bombing civilian buildings in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, two operators of a rocket launcher who allegedly shelled settlements in the Kharkiv region and two army servicemen suspected of murdering a Kyiv area resident and raping his wife were among those under investigation. 

The office added that the individuals had been notified that they are suspects and that the probes are ongoing, though no charges have been filed with the court. 

For more on this story: Ukraine prepares war crimes charges against Russia military members: Report

A Florida man by the name of Leo Soto has traveled to Ukraine to create a tribute to those who have fallen victim to Russia’s more than two-month-long war.

Soto brought flowers and pictures to Lviv where he started by creating a wire wall where people could come to see the faces of those who have been killed. 

But he said it wasn’t long before locals wanted to do more than just watch.

For more on this story: American in Ukraine creates tribute wall of victims from Russia's war

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in an interview Tuesday with Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, said "every day" is important in Ukraine's war against Russia.

"Every day is important in a fight like this," he said. "And so we want to make sure that as this fight evolves, that the Ukrainians have what they need to be successful and they can be successful. They believe that."

"And by the way, I believe that and all of those nations that were in the room today, they believe that as well," Austin added.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in an interview Tuesday with Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, said he's not concerned about the war in Ukraine becoming a proxy war.

"This is clearly Ukraine's fight and Ukraine's neighbors and allies and partners are stepping up to make sure that they have what they need in order to be successful," he said. "The Ukrainians are they are fighting for their to protect their sovereignty. And they've been very, very impressive."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in an interview Tuesday with Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, said the meeting he held today with dozens of defense ministers in Germany is "all about making sure that we can continue to provide Ukraine what it needs to to be successful in the fight today. 

"And as the fight has evolved, you've seen their needs change from a lot of at the beginning, a lot of anti armor and aircraft weaponry," he added.

"But as the fight in the south and east of the country, continues, that's a different kind of terrain," Austin continued. "They'll need different kinds of things to be able to shape that fight a bit better. So we're looking at long range artillery and tanks and armored vehicles and those types of things."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in an interview Tuesday with Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, said he doesn’t want to speculate “on any kind of a response that we would make” if Russia used a nuclear weapon in its war in Ukraine. 

“My job is to offer the president a range of options for anything that happens. I feel confident that I can do that no matter what happens,” he said. “And I think the president feels confident and not only our ability to protect ourselves, but my ability to offer a range of options that gives the president adequate choices.” 

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Tuesday that "in the future, if the possibility exists, I think Ukraine will seek to once again apply to become a member of NATO. 

"But again, that's that's probably a bit down the road," Austin told reporters in Germany following a meeting with dozens of defense ministers. "And speculation at this point is not very helpful. I think the first step is to is to end this conflict."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Tuesday that threats of the war in Ukraine escalating into a nuclear conflict are “very dangerous and unhelpful. 

“Nobody wants to see a nuclear war happen. It's a war that where all sides lose,” Austin said. “And so rattling of sabers and, you know, dangerous rhetoric is clearly unhelpful and something that we won't engage in.” 

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaking Tuesday after meeting with dozens of defense ministers at the Air Force’s Ramstein base in Germany, said the gathering will “become a monthly contact group on Ukraine’s self-defense.” 

The group, he said, “will be a vehicle for nations of good will to intensify our efforts and coordinate our assistance and focus on winning today’s fight and the struggles to come.” 

Austin says the meetings may be virtual, in-person or mixed. 

Click here to watch on Fox News.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, welcomes U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the talks in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, April 26. (Maxim Shipenkov/Pool Photo via AP)

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that despite two months of international sanctions and condemnation for its invasion of Ukraine, Russia still has a "different position" on what is happening in the war-torn country. 

Guterres made the remark in Moscow after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later today before going to Ukraine on Thursday to talk with its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

"I had a very frank discussion with the Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and it is clear there are two different positions on what is happening in Ukraine," Guterres said in front of Lavrov and reporters in Moscow.  

"According to the Russian Federation what is taking place is a special military operation with the objectives that were announced," he continued. "According to the U.N. in line with resolutions passed by the general assembly, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a violation of its territorial integrity and against the charter of the United Nations." 

For more on this story: UN chief: Russia still has 'different position' on what is happening in Ukraine

Russia may look to postpone or cancel looming governors' elections over concerns that the repercussions of severe international sanctions will affect how people vote come September, reports said Tuesday.

After one month into the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin was still seeing high approval ratings as Russians rallied around their flag amid extreme condemnation from the international community. 

While some chalk it up as an example of Moscow’s relatively effective propaganda machine, recent reporting has suggested there is mounting fear among some in the top ranks that the growing number of casualties and extreme economic pressure will take a toll on Russia's public. 

For more on this story: Russia looks to block governor elections over fears of low support amid high sanctions

The Pentagon doubled down on its hopes to see Russia come out of its deadly war in Ukraine as a “weakened” nation that is unable to carry out another illegal invasion.

“We don't want to see them be able to do this kind of thing in the future,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said on Fox and Friends Tuesday. “We don't want to see a Russian capability that is persistent and an ability to invade another sovereign nation and destabilize the European continent any more than they already have."

Kirby’s comments echoed statements made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Llyod Austin Monday.

“We have always wanted one singular objective,” Kirby added. “And that is that Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is fully respected by Russia.”

Belarus' Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday that its air force will be holding joint staff training with air force officials from Western Russia through Friday.

"During the operational training event, issues of interaction between aviation and air defense control bodies are worked out when planning actions and setting tasks for subordinate military units and subunits," it said in a statement.

Germany authorized the shipment of anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine on Tuesday, showing a policy shift after months of German leaders blocking the sale.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has come under fire from political rivals and even members of his coalition government for a lack of action in support of Ukraine. The new sale, which will be formally announced later Tuesday, provides Gepard anti-aircraft tanks as well as various anti-tank weapons, according to the Agence France Presse.

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht will announce the offer during a meeting with NATO and other Ukrainian allies at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

For more on this story: Germany to authorize tank shipment to Ukraine, bending to international pressure

A view of destroyed radio antennas following the blasts, near Maiac, Moldova on Tuesday. (Transdniestrian Interior Ministry/Handout via Reuters)

Authorities in Moldova are gathering Tuesday for an urgent security meeting following a series of blasts in a Russia-aligned separatist region, just days after one of Vladimir Putin’s generals suggested that country could be the next target of Moscow’s military aggression in eastern Europe. 

At least two blasts this morning targeted radio antennas that broadcast Russian programs in Maiac, a town around seven miles from Moldova’s border with Ukraine, according to officials in the Trans-Dniester region.  

They come a day after several explosions believed to be caused by rocket-propelled grenades were reported to have hit the Ministry of State Security in the city of Tiraspol, the region’s capital. 

For more on this story: Explosions rock Moldova after Russia suggests it could be its next target in Europe

Two missiles hit Zaporizhia and one missile exploded in the air, the city's administration said in a Facebook post. At least one person was killed and one other was injured, according to reports.

"It is currently known that in the morning two Russian-controlled missiles were shot into the territory of one of the city's enterprises. The third rocket exploded in the air," the city said. "Damage and destruction have been suffered by the infrastructure facilities of the enterprise. All relevant services work on site."

The number of injured personnel are expected to rise as emergency services are were working to clear the areas where the missiles struck.

Ukraine's military is preparing for a possible attack from Russian forces in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said.

One person is dead and another was injured after Russia's military reportedly fired two missiles over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, according to a report.

The plant has remained under Russia's control since it was captured on March 4.

The head of Ukraine’s nuclear company Energoatom, Petro Kotin, said the low-flying missiles could have struck the plant, putting the safety of the plant, the city, and the world, at risk, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Secretary of the Zaporizhia City Council Anatoliy Kurtev has urged residents to remain indoors or in shelters, Pravda reported.

Four people including two children, ages 9 and 14, were killed during Russia's attack in Donetsk on April 25, the region’s governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Telegram.

Nine others were wounded in Monday's attack, Kyrylenko said.

At least 217 children have been killed since Russia first invaded on Feb. 24, and another 391 has suffered injuries, the Kyiv Independent reported. 

These figures are expected to be higher as Ukraine's government is unable to survey areas where fighting is continuing, or in areas currently under Russian occupation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the option of a nuclear war remains "real" — and not "underestimate" it — as NATO countries, including the U.S., continues to provoke Russia.

"This is our key position on which we base everything. The risks now are considerable," Lavrov said on the use of nuclear weapons, Reuters reported. "I would not want to elevate those risks artificially. Many would like that. The danger is serious, real. And we must not underestimate it."

Lavrov claimed Russia's military mission into Ukraine was to protect Russians who lived in the country and to remove alleged fascists, who he said the U.S. and others were supplying with weapons.

"These weapons will be a legitimate target for Russia's military acting within the context of the special operation," Lavrov said of Javelin anti-tank missiles and armored vehicles, according to the report.

"Storage facilities in western Ukraine have been targeted more than once (by Russian forces). How can it be otherwise?" he added via Reuters. "NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war."

Ukrainian officials are seeking out suspected collaborators, or individuals who fed Russian forces information during their invasion of Eastern Ukraine, according to a report.

According to the Kyiv Independent, Territorial Defense units and the State Emergency Service officials are looking to prosecute certain individuals with treason as they allegedly helped Russia's military track down specific targets or help locate individuals who could provide crucial information.

“These facts do exist and we are working on them,” Kyiv’s Buchanskyi District chief of police Oleksandr Omelyanenko told the outlet.

Ukrainian officials recognize some of this information may have been passed under threatening conditions, the Kyiv Independent reported.

“It’s unknown how many of them were under duress,” deputy police chief Anatoliy Kotesh added.

A member of Ukraine's Territorial Defense reportedly told the outlet that the list of suspected collaborators is short.

Ukraine's military has liberated 931 settlements that were captured by Russian forces, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his nightly address Monday.

"Many cities and communities are still under the temporary control of the Russian army. But I have no doubt that it is only a matter of time before we liberate our land," Zelenskyy added.

He added: "But the lessons of history are well known. If you are going to build a millennial Reich, you lose. If you are going to destroy the neighbors, you lose. If you want to restore the old empire, you lose. And if you go against the Ukrainians, you lose."

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked those in the international community who continue to support Ukraine, as its war with Russia recently crossed the 2-month mark.

"Russia has launched an offensive against Ukraine in many directions. Missile strikes, air raids, artillery, tanks - everything!" Zelenskyy said. "Russian troops did not spare anything, any means to kill us, kill Ukrainians and destroy our land."

More than 1100 missiles have landed on Ukraine's soil since Russia first invaded the country on Feb. 24, but the Ukrainian president said Russia will not achieve the victory they seek.

"In two months, they used more than 1100 missiles against us. Countless bombs and artillery. They tortured, robbed, executed. They mined our land," he said. "Peaceful cities and villages were turned into hell. Some Ukrainian cities and communities were destroyed to the ground. But they did not achieve anything. And they will not achieve."

Zelenskyy said even the areas that fell to Russia's military continued to defy their occupation — a resilience that has come to define the Ukrainian spirit.

"Kherson, Kakhovka, Melitopol, Dniprorudne, Enerhodar and our other cities where the Russian occupiers temporarily entered didn’t obey them. People showed with their protest their attitude towards the occupiers, showed that Ukraine will definitely win," the president said.

In his April 25 nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recognized Ukraine's resilience in the face of Russia's aggression.

"Today the third month of our war for our independence began," Zelenskyy said.

This is a milestone much of the world did not foresee Ukraine reaching, he said.

"On February 24, most in the world did not even believe that we would withstand more than a week. Someone said - three days. A month ago, we still had to convince different countries that betting on Ukraine means winning. And now... Now everyone knows it," the president exclaimed.

An apparent effort by Russian security services accused of staging a Ukrainian assassination attempt showed copies of “The Sims” video games that could have been mistaken for SIM cards, according to reports.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation announced it had arrested six neo-Nazis who they said plotted to kill Russian TV Host Vladimir Solovyov in Moscow, the New York Post reported.

The agency claimed Ukrainian security services tried killing Solovyov with a car bomb.

The images released shows a red T-shirt with a swastika next to three copies of “The Sims 3” video games.  

“Who knew they were so into The Sims 3?” BBC journalist Francis Scarr tweeted.

“Somebody from the top most likely wrote: “3 симки” (“three SIM cards”), and some genius obeyed,” a user replied.

Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, a Netherlands-based investigative research group that has followed developments in Ukraine closely seemed to agree.

“I genuinely believe this is a dumb FSB officer being told to get 3 SIMs,” he wrote. 

Local civilians gather to get humanitarian aid distributed by Donetsk People Republic Emergency Situations Ministry in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine on Saturday.

President Biden announced last week that Unite for Ukraine initiative, a process to prove Ukrainian citizens fleeing Russia's invasion to come to the United States.

"This represents a key step toward fulfilling the President’s commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine," the Department of Homeland Security said.

Biden has committed to welcoming up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing the war. The State Department announced increased refugee settlement processing and widen access to visa processing on overseas consular offices.

In this photo taken by an anonymous source, smoke rises from oil storage facilities hit by fire in Bryansk, Russia, on Monday, April 25. (AP)

Dramatic images are emerging Monday of a massive fire that has broken out at an oil depot in Russia around 60 miles from the Ukrainian border. 

The cause of the blaze in Bryansk is unclear, but it comes after Russia last month accused two Ukrainian helicopters of striking a similar facility in Russia’s Belgorod region, southeast of Monday’s flames. 

Photos being posted online of the Bryansk fire show thick plumes of black smoke rising into the atmosphere, visible from miles away. 

For more on this story: Dramatic images emerge of Russia oil depot fire near Ukraine border

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a meeting of the executive board of the General Procurator's Office in Moscow, Russia, on Monday, April 25. (Sputnik/Sergey Guneev/Kremlin via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday is accusing the United States and its allies of trying to "split Russian society" following its invasion of Ukraine. 

Speaking at a meeting with top officials at the Prosecutor General’s office, Putin said Russia has come under "unprecedented Western sanctions" for its military campaign in Ukraine, which is now in its 61st day. 

He charged that the U.S, and its allies have sought to "split the Russian society and to destroy Russia from within," adding that their plans have failed. 

For more on this story: Putin: US, allies are trying to 'split Russian society' with war in Ukraine

Rail workers wait between two train lines near the site of a missile strike near Lviv, Ukraine, on April 25, 2022. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Ukrainian authorities on Monday are reporting numerous attacks on rail stations in central and western Ukraine following a high-profile meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. 

The Biden administration officials traveled in and out of Kyiv by train. Ukrainian Railways chief Alexander Kamyshin said in a Telegram post that five stations were hit "within an hour." 

"Russian troops continue to systematically destroy railway infrastructure," he added. "There are victims, we are finding out the details." 

For more on this story: Russia unleashes attacks on Ukraine railways: 'There are victims'

Fox News national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports.

Bridget Brink, shown here in her role as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, speaks during a press conference in Azerbaijan in 2018. (Photo by Aziz Karimov/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

President Biden on Monday has nominated Bridget Brink -- the current U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia -- to be the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. 

State Department spokesman Ned Price said earlier Monday that Brink’s “decades of experience make her uniquely suited for this moment in Ukraine’s history.” 

Prior to Monday’s nomination, Brink “previously served as Senior Advisor and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and Tbilisi, Georgia,” Price said. 

"During her more than twenty years in the Foreign Service, Ambassador Brink has spent most of her career focused on advancing U.S. policy in Europe and Eurasia," adds her biography on the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia's website. 

Brink, who is from Michigan, started working in the State Department in 1996 and can speak Russian and Serbian, as well as basic Georgian and French, the biography also said. 

For more on this story: Biden nominates Bridget Brink as new US Ambassador to Ukraine

Emmanuel Macron, France's president, right, and wife Brigitte Macron celebrate on stage following the second round of voting in the French presidential election in Paris, France, on Sunday, April 24, 2022. Macron defeated far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the French presidential election on a pro-business, pro-European Union platform, bolstering the bloc in the midst of its worst security crisis in decades. Photographer: Benjamin Girette/Bloomberg via Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron successfully fended off a challenge from Marine Le Pen on Sunday, winning France’s first presidential reelection in 20 years.

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine served as a focal point in their campaigns as Macron pushed for international cooperation and a NATO-driven strategy to quell violence between the countries.

Conversely, Le Pen campaigned on separating France from its international duties, advocating for moving away from the EU and NATO. The challenger suggested a more neutral approach to dealing with Russia’s aggression and a refocusing on the French people.

For more on the story: France's Macron wins second term, defeats Le Pen in first reelection win in 20 years

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speak with reporters Monday, April 25, 2022, in Poland, near the Ukraine border, after returning from their trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, and meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday the goal for the Ukraine-Russia War is Ukrainian sovereignty and a weakened Russia.

Speaking with reporters in Poland, Austin said the U.S. is committed to helping Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy win the war.

“He has the mindset that they want to win, and we have the mindset that we want to help them win,” Austin said.

Austin also said that "we want to see Ukraine remain a sovereign country, a democratic country able to protect its sovereign territory, we want to see Russia weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invade Ukraine.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Ukraine was "succeeding" in the war with Russia.

“The strategy that we’ve put in place — massive support for Ukraine, massive pressure against Russia, solidarity with more than 30 countries engaged in these efforts — is having real results,” Blinken said the day after the meeting.

“When it comes to Russia’s war aims, Russia is failing. Ukraine is succeeding. Russia has sought as its principal aim to totally subjugate Ukraine, to take away its sovereignty, to take away its independence. That has failed,” he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Joe Biden will announce at 7 a.m. Eastern Monday that he is nominating a new ambassador to Ukraine: Bridget Brink.

Brink, the current U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia, has decades of experience in the region and previously served as deputy chief of mission in Tiblisi, Georgia, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also announce that U.S. Embassy officials will return to Ukraine this week.

Blinken will also announce $713 million in foreign military financing for Ukraine and 15 other U.S. allies, with $322 million to Ukraine, enabling the country to buy off-the-shelf weapons and ammunition from other countries that may have older non-standard (often Soviet made) weapons and ammunition that Ukrainians know how to use.

For more on the story: US diplomats' return to Ukraine, military aid among issues Blinken, Austin discussed with Zelenskyy

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a statement saying the Russian military is continuing its siege of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.

The Azovstal plant is believed to be where the last resistance bloc of Ukrainian forces remain in the city.

"In the city of Mariupol, russian enemy launched missile and bomb strikes on the positions of Ukrainian troops on the territory of the Azovstal plant," the statement read. "Russian enemy conducts assault operations on the village of Popasna."

The 61st day of the Russia-Ukraine War did bring some victories for Ukraine.

"Ukraine's Defense Forces inflict heavy losses on the enemy. In the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts only, seven enemy attacks have been repulsed in the past 24 hours, thirteen tanks, three artillery systems, seventeen armored vehicles, four armored combat vehicles, eighteen vehicles and four tankers have been destroyed," the statement added. "Three Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defense units in the area."

KYIV, UKRAINE - APRIL 23: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes questions at a press conference on April 23, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Ukrainian president said he was expecting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to visit the following day, the highest American delegation since the beginning of the war. He renewed calls for more weapons and other forms of support from allied countries as Ukraine defends itself from Russian's assault, which began two months ago. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

U.S. diplomats will return to Ukraine this week and the U.S. will announce more military aid to Ukraine after a high-profile meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and others in Kyiv on Sunday, according to Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, who traveled with the U.S. delegation.

The meeting with Blinken, Austin, and Zelenskyy also included Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, Ambassador Oksana Makarova, General Valerii Zaluzhny, head of Presidential administration Andrii Yermak, and presidential aide Andrii Sybiyha.

Secretary Austin brought Laura Cooper, deputy assistant secretary of Defense, and Lt. Gen. Randy George, his senior military aide. Tom Sullivan, deputy chief of staff for policy at State and the brother of Jake Sullivan, accompanied Blinken.

For more on the story: US diplomats' return to Ukraine, military aid among issues Blinken, Austin discussed with Zelenskyy

Air raid alerts have gone off in: Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk, according to the Kyiv Independent.

At least five civilians are dead and five others are injured following a Russian attack on Donetsk, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko announced.

A Ukrainian lawmaker claimed Sunday that Russian forces are forcibly deporting civilians – including children – in the besieged city of Mariupol to Russia. 

"They have pulled these people from Mariupol," Ukrainian Parliament member Yevheniia Kravchuk told ABC’s "This Week" on Sunday. "This is something that can’t be happening in the 21st century." 

Read more.

 A senior Ukrainian official said Sunday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the highest-level visit to the country's capital by an American delegation since the start of Russia's invasion.

The meeting came as Ukraine pressed the West for more powerful weapons against Russia's campaign in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow's forces sought to dislodge the last Ukrainian troops in the battered port of Mariupol.

"Yes, they're meeting with the president. Let's hope something will be decided on further help," Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych told Russian lawyer and activist Mark Feygin on his YouTube show "Feygin Live."

The United States has not yet commented.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday thanked President Biden and the U.S. for leadership in helping Ukraine support itself against Russian aggression.

“Today the Ukrainian people are united and strong, and (Ukrainian-American) friendship and partnership are stronger than ever!” Zelenskyy tweeted. 

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that officials in Ukraine and the U.S. have discussed using seized Russian assets to cover damages incurred by the invasion.

"We have this negotiations with the United States, with all of our partners, and this should be a very good case for future possible aggressors," Shmyhal said during an appearance on "Face the Nation." "They all should understand that world society, the world community will take all of their assets and will pay by these assets for this country, which is suffering because of their aggression."

"So this is a very important international issue and task and goal, international goal for all civilized world to find a solution how to take this frozen assets and finance recovery of Ukraine in this case," he added. "And for future, it should be like standard if some country will make aggression against another democratic countries. It should pay for this, absolutely, for everything."

Independent Russian news outlet Mediazona reported that higher-ups in one of the country's oldest publishers ordered employees to remove all mentions of Ukraine and Kyiv from textbooks.

Two employees of Prosveshcheniye spoke on the condition of anonymity and claimed they had been forced to remove the mentions of Ukraine or lose their jobs.

"We have a task - to make it seem as if Ukraine simply does not exist," one of the employees said. "It is much worse when there is nothing about a particular country in the textbook. People grow up without a knowledge base about a country, and then it is much easier to believe what they are told on TV."

Authors and editors already followed a policy of minimizing mentions of Ukraine and Kyiv since 2014, but the new order would see them purge any mention at all.

Austria’s foreign minister does not believe Ukraine should obtain European Union membership. 

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg spoke at the 14th European media summit this week, saying that Ukraine should not receive candidate status in June. He reiterated Austria’s dedication to neutrality as a key element of the nation’s "self-definition." 

Click here to read more.

The latest update from the British Ministry of Defense claimed that Ukraine was able to repel "numerous Russian assaults" along the Donbas region this week.

Russian troops continue to face difficult circumstances, including poor morale stemming from limited time and equipment to help them launch effective assaults.

But Russia has managed to make territorial gains in the face of these difficult conditions.

A Ukrainian mother and her 3-month-old baby are among eight dead, following a Russian missile strike in Odesa, according to a report.

"She was a mom. She is no more. And neither is her 3 months old baby girl Kira," said Ukrainian parliament member Lesia Vaslenko, posting a photo of the deceased woman.

Eighteen others were injured and several buildings were destroyed in the Saturday attack. A number of other victims are believed to still be under the rubble, the Kyiv Independent reported.

For more on the story: Ukrainian mother, 3-month-old among 8 dead in Odesa

Luhansk is located less than 30 miles from Ukraine's border with Russia.

Russia's military fired several missiles into Dnipropetrovsk, killing one person, Governor Valentyn Reznichenko said on Telegram, the Kyiv Independent reported.

The missiles reportedly struck train tracks and destroyed at least eight buildings. 

Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces destroyed four Russian tanks, fifteen armored units, four vehicles, and five artillery systems, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

Ukraine will pull out of negotiations with Russia if the Russian military kills Ukrainian troops in Mariupol, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Ukraine will also reportedly discontinue them if Russia holds referendum elections in occupied areas, according to the report.

A 3-month-old baby was counted among the dead following Russia's latest missile attack on Odesa.

At least 8 people were killed in the attack and 18 were wounded when Russia fired cruise missiles into the port city Saturday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the death Saturday, sparing few words to describe how he felt about the Russian invaders.

“The war started when this baby was one month old. Can you imagine what is happening?” Zelenskyy said. “They are just ba----ds. I don’t have any other words for it, just ba----ds.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

On Saturday, Ukraine's military shot down: three Russian planes (including an Su-25, Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft), five missiles and 9 UAVs, according to a report.

Lt. Col. Darin Gaub weighs in on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war on 'Fox News Live.'

'The Big Saturday Show' panelists react to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's announcement that Secretary of State Blinken and Defense Secretary Austin will travel to Ukraine to discuss arms support.

Former Rep. Allen West says 'it is very sickening' to witness the Russia-Ukraine war on 'Life, Liberty & Levin.'

Fox News correspondent Jeff Paul has the story on saving dogs and cats from the devastation of war on 'Fox News Live.'

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, says she supports classifying Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism due to its war on Ukraine.

Senior Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Security Studies Program Jim Walsh argues the longer the conflict continues, the greater the cost becomes for Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that only someone who has “lost their connection to reality” would consider using nuclear weapons.

“If the leadership of Russia did not lose its connection to reality, it will not use nuclear weapons,” he said. “I don’t want to believe in such things, to be honest.”

“If Ukraine had nuclear weapons, we would never use it,” he added.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 11: (L-R) U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken listen during a virtual meeting with in the South Court Auditorium of the White House complex April 11, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to Ukraine to discuss arms support, President Zelenskyy announced Saturday.

During a rare press conference, Zelenskyy said the top U.S. officials will meet with him Sunday to discuss Russia’s heightened aggression and additional support the U.S. can provide. 

"We will talk about the list of weapons we need and the pace of their supply. In recent weeks, the pace, the number - everything has improved. I'm grateful for that," he said.

President Biden announced this week that another $800 million in security assistance would be provided to Ukraine, including another 72 Howitzers, which are long-range weapons similar to a canon, tactical vehicles to tow the Howitzers, field equipment and spare parts, and over 120 "Phoenix Ghost" drones. 

For more on the story: Blinken, Austin to visit Ukraine Sunday, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy said that Russian citizens need to find the truth themselves about the conflict in Ukraine after he claimed that Russia “makes its neighbors suffer.”

“Someone who wants to know will find those answers,” Zelenskyy argued. “We develop ourselves when we read, when we learn, when we seek – in other words, not when we sit and watch the Russian propaganda.”

“It’s not possible to just tear apart this informational bubble or burst through this bubble. We can’t just do it ourselves, we have to come closer together,” he added. “They elected the government, they can’t say ‘we have nothing to do with it.”

“They have to return to the civilized world.”

Zelenskyy said it was a “big mistake” for Asian countries to keep their distance from Ukraine in recent years.

“I believe it is a strategic mistake of the alliance on its attitude towards Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, reiterating the mistake many countries made in believing Russia would prevail over Ukraine after only a few days.

“We managed to change with our circumstances the attitude of NATO alliance, and we hope that Asian countries will change their attitude as well.”

Zelenskyy insisted that those responsible for carrying out atrocities in Ukraine during the invasion will pay for their crimes, even if it takes years.

“Whoever ordered these horrible things … we know how the international process works. It sometimes takes years to process,” Zelenskyy said. “Even if I’m not there, my children will be there to see it happen.”

Zelenskyy said his country is ready to live “like Israel” in a state of constant need to defend itself and to be ready to defend its independence.

“We are a country that has to know we will defend our land. It doesn’t mean going to the battlefield all the time," Zelenskyy said. "When we win, I am sure we will be the land with one of the most powerful army and the most experienced armies to defend our country.”

“We don’t have another way out. This our reality.”

Zelenskyy claimed to have offered Russia an exchange of civilian victims and to retrieve the dead civilians for captured soldiers.

“We offered any method of exchange in this horrible situation,” Zelenskyy said, adding that today is the “most difficult day.” 

“It is now about pragmatic dialogue,” he added.

Zelenskyy called Georgia “the closest peoples” to Ukraine and raised his concerns and confusion over the lack of sanctions.

“We definitely don’t want any conflicts with Georgia, and we’re sure there won’t be,” Zelenskyy said.

“I cannot understand the behavior [of your leaders],” he said in response to a question to a Georgian reporter. He said that staying on the sidelines was “not worth it” and urged Georgia to announce some form of sanctions against Russia.

Zelenskyy said that while his family worries about his safety, he has no "right" to be afraid of facing Putin after seeing the bravery his nation has shown.

"Any normal leader does not have the right to be afraid when it's about his or her country and its independence," Zelensky said.

Ukrainian president insisted that only Putin can end the war he started with Ukraine, though he hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

"I don't want this - no leader should want this," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine now has the trust of not just its allies but other nations as well, while Russia has "no trust" because its actions do not match its promises.

Mothers trapped in the tunnels deep under the Mariupol Azovstal steel plant have pleaded for an evacuation route to be opened for them and their children in a video posted Saturday by Ukrainian armed forces.

"Our food reserves that we’ve brought here with us are running out. We are at the brink of starvation, we won’t be able to feed even our kids," one mother, who has been in the tunnels since Feb. 25 pleaded.

"We are begging for safety guarantees for our kids," she added.

Click here to read more.

Missiles struck infrastructure and two residential buildings in Odesa, city officials announced Saturday as the war in Ukraine rages for the 59th day. 

Ukraine presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said five people, including a three-month-old infant, were killed.

The city council said they believed the cruise missiles were fired from a TU-95 bomber from the Caspian Sea – more than 900 miles east of the Ukrainian port city. 

Click here to read more.

Ukraine is gearing up for a different type of warfare in its eastern regions as Russia looks to completely control the Donbas. 

U.S. defense officials have been sounding the alarm for weeks that the terrain will dictate a different type of battlefront in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and modern artillery will take center stage as Kyiv tries to fend off Russia’s attacks. 

Click here to read more.

Ukraine on Saturday announced there were humanitarian evacuation corridors opened around Mariupol, but warned Moscow was running "parallel" routes headed for Russia.

"Just received information that the occupiers may try to organize their corridor in parallel with us for evacuation to Russia," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereschuk took to Facebook to warn. "So please be careful. Do not surrender to deception and provocation."

Her warnings come after weeks of reports that Russian troops are forcibly deporting Ukrainians to camps in Russia.

Click here to read more on Fox News.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy late Friday warned that Russia likely plans to invade other countries if it succeeds in Ukraine, according to reports. 

"The invasion of Ukraine is only the beginning. Then they want to invade other countries," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. "All the nations that, like us, believe in the victory of life over death must fight with us. They must help us because we are the first in line. And who will come next?"

Zelenskyy warned that neutrality was risky because a country could lose everything. 

Click here to read more on Fox News

Russia has successfully test-launched a Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, President Vladimir Putin said this week.

Putin said he intends to deploy the Sarmat missile, which can hit a target nearly 3,700 miles away, as early as this Fall amid heightened international tensions stemming from the Russia-Ukraine War, TASS news agency reported.

"The new complex has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is capable of overcoming all modern means of anti-missile defence. It has no analogues in the world and won't have for a long time to come," Putin added, according to the report.

The Russian president said he intends the deployment of the missile will be “food for thought” for countries that could potentially choose to stand up to Russia, TASS reported.

"This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia's security from external threats and provide food for thought for those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country," Putin said, per the report.

Putin has made similarly threatening comments as he sought to deter NATO countries from interfering in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, promising such action "will lead you to such consequences that you have never encountered in your history," TASS reported.

Shortly after making the comments, Putin put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert. 

"The prospect of nuclear conflict, once unthinkable, is now back within the realm of possibility," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last month, TASS reported.

After Russia's military reportedly denied a request from the Ukrainian government to allow the evacuation civilians, the Ukrainians are renewing their efforts.

A Ukrainian worker sorts newly produced body armor at a leatherwork shop in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Tlusty & Co., a Czech leatherwork company that usually creates travel bags, messenger totes, wallets and belts, has changed its production line to include personal protective gear to aid Ukrainians fighting against Russia’s invasion.

The Prague-based company now makes bulletproof vests, with the help of recently-hired refugees, that are sent to thousands of volunteer fighters in Ukraine. 

Tlusty & Co. owner Ivan Petruv said the company had to completely switch gears, which included hiring additional personnel and machines, after it agreed to a request from the Post Bellum nongovernmental organization to produce the bulletproof vests. 

“We specialize in completely different production,” Petruv said. “We were facing a situation where we had to decide. And because we consider ourselves part of a community that wants to help in this situation as we can, which is only natural when you see the news, we decided to say yes.”

“What would take weeks if not months under normal circumstances, we had to solve in hours and several days,” he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia's combat troops have made "no major gains" in their effort to siege Mariupol, despite mobilizing several battalions into the city, as Ukrainian counterattacks have stalled their advance, the UK government said.

Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian fighters have prevented eight Russian attacks in the two regions, destroying nine tanks, 18 armored units and 13 vehicles, a tanker and three artillery systems, Ukraine's General Staff said on its Facebook page.

Russia has regrouped its forces in an effort to take full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas, which would establish “a land route between these territories and the occupied Crimea,” Ukraine's General Staff said.

Another prized area is the port city of Mariupol, where a final bloc of Ukrainian forces continue to keep the city from Russian control, despite constant missile strikes and artillery barrages.

"Units of Russian occupiers are regrouping. Russian enemy continues to launch missile and bomb strikes on military and civilian infrastructure,” the General Staff said on its Facebook page.

Russia's military continued bombarding the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, where the last known group of Ukrainian resistance in the city is stationed, Friday, the mayor's office reported.

Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to Mariupol’s mayor, described the assault as unceasing.

“Every day they drop several bombs on Azovstal,” he said. “Fighting, shelling, bombings do not stop.”

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, agreed the situation was dire, but said the 2,000 Ukrainians in the plant would not surrender.

“We have a difficult situation, but our army is defending our state,” he said.

Russia's military has reportedly moved 12 of 14 elite units Mariupol to siege the city.

“It will now be difficult for our forces, because our guys in Mariupol were taking (those units) on themselves. It is their courage and feat,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Pentagon said it expects more than 20 countries to attend talks centered around the Ukraine-Russia War in Germany next week.

Forty countries were invited to attend the meeting to discuss Kyiv's defensive needs.

The meeting is not being organized by NATO and non-NATO countries were invited, the Pentagon said.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced that it will invest $131 million to Ukraine to help "the Ukrainian people and to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience, democracy, economy, and healthcare systems."

"With these funds, USAID will help address the horrific impact of the ongoing war on civilians, the private sector, government institutions, and civil society," its statement added.

The United Nations Secretary-General will travel to Ukraine next week and will visit with several Ukrainian government officials, including president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"The Secretary-General will visit Ukraine next week. He will have a working meeting with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and will be received by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 28 April. He will also meet with staff of UN agencies to discuss the scaling up of humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine," a statement from the UN reads.

Germany's chancellor is being accused of blocking the delivery of tanks to Ukraine and crossing out two-thirds of the items on Kyiv’s military wish list.

The country has come under fire for allegedly refusing to directly send heavy weapons to Ukraine, even as allies such as the United States, Britain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands boost their deliveries.

This week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his government’s sluggishness in delivering weapons to Ukraine.

"We have asked the German arms industry to tell us which material it can supply in the near future," Scholz said. 

Click here to read more on Fox News

A Ukrainian charity received a whopping donation of roughly $400,000-worth of tactical and defensive gear from Arizona as part of an effort to alleviate supply shortages in the war against Russia. 

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, organized the collection and shipment of surplus vests and armor to Ukraine through Ihor Koval’s charity, amassing over 9,000 pounds – roughly 17 palettes – of equipment.

Click here to read more.

OPINION

The Russian cyber threat is here to stay and NATO needs to understand it

Unlike missile attacks or tanks in the streets, few “red lines” exist to distinguish cybercrime, cyber espionage, and cyber disruption from digital acts of war

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration has escalated warnings about likely Russian cyber-attacks on American infrastructure and business. More worrying still, cyber alarmists like Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., have suggested that cyber-attacks from the Kremlin could be acts of war that trigger NATO’s collective defense.

This sky-is-falling delusion, particularly from leaders with access to classified intelligence, is at best counterproductive and at worst dangerous. 

Cyber-attacks are rarely acts of war, and treating them as if they are undermines NATO’s ability to deal with real threats short of cyber war.

Click here to read more on Fox News

WORLD

UN chief to meet with Putin in Moscow, wants 'to bring peace to Ukraine urgently'

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is heading to Moscow next week to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare visit of a key foreign figure to the Kremlin during its invasion of Ukraine.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is heading to Moscow next week to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare visit of a key foreign figure to the Kremlin during its invasion of Ukraine. 

The U.N. chief’s spokesperson also told Reuters that Guterres will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. 

"He hopes to talk about what can be done to bring peace to Ukraine urgently," Reuters quoted the spokesperson as saying. 

Click here to read more on Fox News

WORLD

Peace talks stall after Russia pushes referendum to take over portions of southern Ukraine

Peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have stalled after revelations surfaced that suggested Moscow would seek a referendum to annex portions of southern Ukraine.

Peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators stalled Friday after revelations surfaced suggesting Moscow would seek a referendum to annex portions of southern Ukraine. 

The war in Ukraine has persisted for nearly 60 days with Russian troops allegedly taking heavy losses. 

Ukrainian defense officials said Friday that they had obtained intelligence suggesting that Moscow was looking to make up for its personnel losses by conscripting Ukrainian men in regions southwest of the Donbas – where the majority of heavy fighting is currently concentrated. 

Click here to read more on Fox News

Fox News reporter Griff Jenkins reports from Kyiv on the war in Ukraine on ‘America Reports.’

Click here to watch on Fox News.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Friday, April 22. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

A senior European official is warning Friday that the world should prepare for a "very significant increase in the intensity of Russian military attacks" in Ukraine. 

The official, speaking to reporters, said "I think we will see the next couple of weeks as being decisive," according to Reuters. 

"This is not a fairy tale with an imminent happy ending," he added. "I think we are likely to see a very significant increase in the intensity of Russian military attacks in the east, I think we are likely to see an intensification of Russian military attacks along the coast." 

For more on this story: EU official: Prepare for a ‘very significant increase’ in intensity of Russian attacks in Ukraine

Fighters of the Chechen special forces unit walk in a courtyard in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 21. (REUTERS/Chingis Kondarov)

Ukrainian military officials warned Friday that Russia is looking to "replenish" its personnel by conscripting Ukrainian men in southern regions, amid reports of heavy Russian losses. 

"To replenish their personnel there have been preparations for so-called mobilization in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblast," Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense spokesman Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told reporters. "Russian troops are blocking local people from leaving occupied territories in particular, those males of conscript age."

It remains unclear how many Russian soldiers have been killed in the last 58 days of fighting and Moscow has refrained from updating its causality figures in four weeks.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed Friday that more than 21,000 Russian troops have been killed in the last eight weeks, though these figures have not been verified. 

For more on this story: Ukraine says Russia looks to ‘replenish’ troops by conscripting Ukrainians

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington on Thursday, April 21. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Friday that the U.S. believes Mariupol is "contested" despite Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday declaring a victory there and making a "big show" out of telling his troops not to invade a steel factory where Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are believed to be taking cover. 

Kirby made the remarks to CNN after Putin waved off the Russian military assault in an apparent bid to free up his troops for the broader campaign in the east. Putin instead called for a blockade of the factory. 

Kirby said it was "unclear" why Putin did that and Putin’s words need to be viewed with skepticism. 

For more on this story: Despite Putin's 'big show' over Mariupol victory, it's still 'contested': Pentagon

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday warned residents in regions to the south and west of Donetsk against providing personal information to Russian soldiers.

"I urge the residents of the southern regions of Ukraine - Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions - to be very careful about what information you provide to the invaders," he said in an address.  "If they ask you to fill out some questionnaires… you should know this is not to help you."

Zelesnkyy said Russian troops may be collecting passport data under the guise of completing a "census" of residents in the areas to deliver humanitarian aid.

For more on this story: Zelenskyy warns citizens against giving personal info to Russians as Moscow looks to extend campaign southwest

A convoy of pro-Russian troops moves along a road in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 21. (REUTERS/Chingis Kondarov)

Ukrainian officials on Friday countered claims made by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will not order a ground offensive on the Mariupol steel plant where thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers remain holed up. 

Kyiv said it had received intelligence that Russia is planning to deploy soldiers from its elite military units along with personnel from its Federal Security Service – a successor intelligence agency to Russia’s infamous KGB – to continue its assault on the Azovstal steel plant.

"It’s true that they might abandon the idea of a large-scale assault on Azovstal. But according to our data, they plan to deploy Russian Guards and other parts of the military apparatus, including the Federal Security Service, to continue their assault on the plant and destroy our resistance," Representative of Ukraine’s Central Intelligence Directorate, Vadym Skibitskyi, said according to a translation by a local news outlet. 

For more on this story: Ukraine disputes Russia's claim will not storm Mariupol steel plant full of civilians

The British embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, is seen on Jan. 24. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday that his country plans to reopen its embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv next week as he vowed that the "United Kingdom and our allies will not watch passively as Putin carries on this onslaught." 

The reopening comes after Britain announced on Feb. 18 – before Russia’s bloody invasion began – that its embassy and staff in Kyiv was relocating temporarily to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. 

"The extraordinary fortitude and the success of President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people in resisting Russian forces in Kyiv, means that I can announce today that we will shortly – next week – re-open our embassy in Ukraine's capital city," Johnson said, according to Reuters. 

For more on this story: UK vows to reopen Kyiv embassy, won't act 'passively as Putin carries on this onslaught’

Ukrainian police forensic investigators examine an area with burnt Russian military vehicles destroyed during fighting, in the village of Bervytsia, near Brovary, northeast of Kyiv, on Thursday, April 21. (Getty Images)

Ukrainian police investigating the aftermath of fighting in the Kyiv region have found the bodies of more than 1,000 civilians, according to local media reports Friday. 

Kyiv Region Police Chief Andriy Nebitov was quoted by the website Hromadske as saying that a total of 1,084 bodies have been found around Ukraine’s capital, over 300 of which have yet to be identified.  

He reportedly said 75% of those deaths were people killed from firearms. 

For more on this story: Ukraine police find more than 1,000 civilian bodies in Kyiv region: report

A Russian military convoy moves on a highway in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces near Mariupol, Ukraine, on Saturday, April 16. (AP/Alexei Alexandrov)

A Russian general on Friday claimed that Russia’s ambitions in Ukraine extend outside the Donbas region and stretch across the country's southern districts.

"Since the start of the second phase of the special operation...one of the tasks of the Russian army is to establish full control over the Donbas and southern Ukraine," Major General Rustam Minnekaev told Russian news agencies. 

The general’s comments come one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory over the Mariupol, despite the thousands of resistance fighters that remain bunkered in the southeastern port city. 

For more on this story: Russian general says goal of war in Ukraine is ‘full control’ of Donbas and south

Smoke rises above the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works factory in Mariupol on Wednesday. (REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)

A Ukrainian official said Friday that Russia is refusing to allow evacuations from a Mariupol steel plant by "pretending" there is no difference between military surrender and civilian evacuations. 

"The Russians refuse to open a corridor for civilians, cynically pretending that they do not understand the difference between a corridor for the military to surrender and a humanitarian corridor to evacuate the civilians," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereschuk said. "But they do understand it all. 

"It's just that they are trying to lay extra pressure on our military," she added.

For more on this story: Ukraine says Russia won't allow evacuations from Mariupol steel plant, try to force surrender

Rylov was the star of Russia's swim team at the Olympics in Tokyo last year with two gold medals. His ban began Wednesday and covers any international competition. (AP/Matthias Schrader)

Russian swimmer Evgeny Rylov, 25, who won two gold medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, has been barred from competing internationally for attending a rally supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

Rylov stood on stage at the event last month with other athletes wearing a jacket with a symbol meant to show support for the war.

His ban will mostly be symbolic since all Russian athletes are currently banned from international competition.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pope Francis salutes a group of French pilgrims at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis said he is willing to do "everything" to help end the war in Ukraine, adding that the Vatican "never sleeps" in its diplomacy efforts trying to reach a peaceful solution.

"Wars are anachronistic in this world and at this stage of civilization," he told Argentina's La Nación newspaper.

He also said that a papal visit to Kyiv isn't a good idea.

"I cannot do anything that puts higher objectives at risk, which are the end of the war, a truce or, at least, a humanitarian corridor," he told the newspaper. "What good would it do for the Pope to go to Kyiv if the war continued the next day?"

Explaining the reason he never mentions Russia or Russian President Vladimir Putin by name: "A pope never calls out or names a head of state, much less a country, which is superior to a head of state."

He also mentioned that a second meeting with Patriarch Kirill, a the leader of Moscow's Russian Orthodox Church, has been postponed to avoid "confusion." Pope Francis is the first pope Kirill has agreed to meet as the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church historically have had a tense relationship. The pope said in the article he has always promoted "interreligious initiatives."

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stands with Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during an arrival ceremony at the Pentagon, Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal asks US Secretary of Defense Austin for more powerful weapons: Ukrinform, News Outlet Photo via Twitter.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal while in Washington, D.C. Thursday called on U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to provide the country with more powerful weapons.

"Ukraine continues to struggle, and I am proud of the courage of our people,” Shmyhal said, according to Ukrinform. “There is no doubt that we will win this fight. But to bring our victory closer, we need more powerful and modern weapons. We are winning now, and we need to consolidate this result and ensure our victory.”

On Thursday, President Biden announced $800 million in military aid for heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones.

The population of Kramatorsk, the second largest city in the Donetsk region after Mariupol Mariupol, has been reduced from 200,000 to 40,000, regional mayor Pavlo Kyrylenk said, according to a report.

The region, once home to 1.6 million people, is down to 430,000, with the vast majority of its population displaced, the Kyiv Independent reported. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to not have Russian troops storm the Azovstal steel plant, the last Ukrainian holdout in Mariupol, was likely motivated by Moscow wanting to avoid significant losses and free up troops for the country’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Friday morning update.

Putin told troops on Thursday morning to blockade the plant, saying a breach wasn’t necessary. The defense ministry said Putin’s goal with the blockade is to contain Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol.

“Despite Russia's renewed focus they are still suffering from losses sustained earlier in the conflict. In order to try and reconstitute their depleted forces, they have resorted to transiting inoperable equipment back to Russia for repair,” the update said. 

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies on Thursday, April 21, 2022 shows an overview of the cemetery in Manhush, some 20 kilometers west of Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 3, 2022. The graves are aligned in four sections of linear rows (measuring approximately 85 meters per section) and contain more than 200 graves. (Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies via AP)

Ukraine has accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainians in mass graves in alleged atrocities committed during its siege of Mariupol.

Local officials accused Russian troops of burying the bodies to hide the killings.

The accusations came after satellite photos appeared to show around 200 mass graves in Manhush, outside of Mariupol.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

At least six people died and more than two dozen others were injured when a fire broke out at a military research facility in Tver, a city about 110 miles northwest of Moscow. 

The Russian Defense Ministry was conducting research into anti-aircraft systems and other air and space weapons at the facility, which housed the Aerospace Defense Forces’ Central Research Institute. 

Read more.

A member of a humanitarian mission to Ukraine gave Fox News a deeper look at the destruction caused by the Kremlin military, which has attacked and displaced thousands of civilians there.

Charles Sennott, a former journalist and founder of the Ground Truth Project, told "The Story" that in Kharkiv, missile strikes have intensified over the past day, shocking the community.

"They're fearful, and they're really in distress over not having enough supplies. That's one of the things that really jumped out at us as we're not seeing all of this aid getting into these cities," he said.

Read more.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told Ukraine's prime minister Thursday that more U.S. aid is on the way to help fight off the "horrible" Russian invasion.

"We want to do more," Pelosi said Thursday, speaking of funding beyond the $13.6 billion that was already approved. "The president said he will be asking Congress for more. We'll learn about that in the next day or so to be taken up as soon as we can next week.

Read more.

As Russia claims victory in the now destroyed Ukrainian city of Mariupol and continues to repeat its mantra that the "special military operation" is on track, one prominent Russian human rights advocate has started to dig around for the costs of this war, in human lives.

Marina Litvinovich told Fox News it's been a painstaking process: "There is no official data base anywhere. I have to collect information from the websites of regional and township administrations, chat rooms of governors, bit by bit."

She added, "The government is going to great lengths to hide the deaths."

Read more.

Vice President Kamala Harris, shown here on April 15, is now banned from entering Russia. (AP/Patrick Semansky)

Russia on Thursday has added Vice President Kamala Harris and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to its list of Americans who are now banned from entering the country. 

The sanctions list, which was updated to include those two individuals and 28 other U.S. officials, businesspeople and journalists, also targets Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks and Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, according to Reuters. 

"These individuals are denied entry into the Russian Federation indefinitely," Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 

For more on this story: Russia bans VP Kamala Harris, Mark Zuckerberg, other big US names from entry in new sanctions

The Pentagon announced Thursday that it will deliver over 120 "Phoenix Ghost" drones specifically designed by the U.S. Air Force for Ukrainian "needs" as the war with Russia ramps up. 

U.S. defense officials have warned that Russia’s invasion in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions will be a more brutal fight as Moscow "shapes" its new strategy in the Donbas region to address specific terrain challenges. 

A senior defense official told reporters Thursday that the "Phoenix Ghost" is a tactical unmanned aerial system that "was rapidly developed by the Air Force in response specifically to Ukrainian requirements."

For more on this story: US delivers ‘Phoenix Ghost’ drone designed by US Air Force specifically for Ukrainian ‘needs’

On April 3, columns of graves were seen at the site in Manhush, Ukraine. (Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies)

Newly-released satellite images Thursday appear to show the existence of a new – and growing – mass grave site outside of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. 

The site is located on the northwest corner of Manhush, a town about 12 miles west of Mariupol, and expands upon an already existing cemetery there, according to Maxar Technologies. 

"According to recent media reports, Russian soldiers have been taking the bodies of people killed in Mariupol to this location," the company said in a statement. 

For more on this story: Satellite images reveal new mass graves at Ukrainian cemetery near Mariupol

An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Thursday that attempts to return those who have been forcibly deported to Russia will be another frontline battle.

"This is a difficult procedure that will require intermediary countries or international institutions that will allow us to bring people back. I’d like to note that this will also be a war," Mykhailo Podolyak said. "After the war, there will be a war to take our people back."

Countless reports have circulated in the eight weeks since Russia’s invasion began that Ukrainian citizens have been transported to Russia against their will. 

For more on this story: Ukraine says returning forcibly deported citizens from Russia will 'also be a war'

Local residents walk past a destroyed apartment building in Mariupol on Wednesday. (REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said Thursday that no matter what Russia or President Vladimir Putin says about his city, it "is and will be a Ukrainian city." 

Boychenko made the remark hours after Putin ordered his troops not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol, a steel factory, and claimed victory over the entirety of the city. 

"Whatever statements are made – the city is and will be a Ukrainian city," Boychenko said, appearing to brush off Putin’s assessment of the situation. 

For more on this story: Mariupol mayor: No matter what Russia says, ‘the city is and will be a Ukrainian city’

Smoke rises above the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works factory on Wednesday. (REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)

Thousands are reportedly injured as the battle for Mariupol continues with Russia claiming victory Thursday as Ukrainian officials warning world leaders this is a "key moment."

"There are about 1000 civilians and 500 wounded military. They all need to be pulled out of Azovstal today," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereschuk said in a Facebook post referring to Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant.

Russia has repeatedly ordered Ukrainian fighters holed up in the Azovstal metallurgical plant – which has become a stronghold for the resistance – to surrender or die.

Mariupol civilians and fighters alike have hunkered down in the deep tunnels under the plant for weeks amid Russia’s continued bombardment of the city.

For more on this story: Mariupol battle rages with thousands injured, Ukraine official calls it 'key moment' in war

President Biden said Thursday that it’s “questionable” whether Russia is in full control of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. 

“There is no evidence yet that Mariupol has completely fallen,” he said when asked about Vladimir Putin’s claim that Russia is now control of the besieged city. 

Biden said Russia should allow residents and civilians holed up in a steel factory and other places there to evacuate safely. 

President Biden announced Thursday that Russian ships can no longer dock on U.S. shores. 

“That means no ship that sails under the Russian flag or that is owned or operated by Russian interests is allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores. None,” he said. 

President Biden on Thursday announced a new “Uniting for Ukraine” program he says will “enable Ukrainians seeking refuge to come directly from Europe to United States.” 

The program will complement existing legal pathways for Ukrainians to come to the U.S., according to Biden. 

“This program will be fast,” Biden said. “It will be streamlined and will ensure the United States honors its commitment to the people of Ukraine – who need not go through our southern border.” 

President Biden said Thursday that the U.S intends to provide another $500 million in economic aid to Ukraine . 

“This brings our total economic support of Ukraine to $1 billion in the last two months,” Biden said. 

“This is money the government can help use to stabilize their economy, to support communities that have been devastated by the Russian onslaught and pay the brave workers that continue to provide essential services to the people of Ukraine,” he added. 

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Thursday. (AP/Evan Vucci)

President Biden announced Thursday a new $800 million package of security assistance for Kyiv “to further augment Ukraine’s ability to fight in the east, in the Donbas” region. 

The package includes dozens of howitzers and 144,000 rounds of ammunition for those weapons, as well as more tactical drones, according to Biden. 

Biden said the conflict is now entering a “critical window” where Russia is gearing up for the next phase of the war in eastern Ukraine. 

For more on this story: Biden announces another $800 million in military assistance for Ukraine

Click here to watch on Fox News.

A man tries to extinguish a fire following a Russian bombardment at a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday. (AP/Felipe Dana)

The mayor of Ukraine’s second-largest city , Kharkiv, said Thursday that Russia has launched an intense bombing campaign that is causing "huge blasts" throughout its streets. 

In a televised address, Ihor Terekhov said around one million people remain in Kharkiv after about 30% were able to evacuate, according to Reuters. 

"Huge blasts, the Russian Federation is furiously bombing the city," Terekhov reportedly said. 

For more on this story: Ukraine's second largest city under intense attack: 'The Russian Federation is furiously bombing’

A White House official has confirmed to Fox News that in his 9:45 a.m. remarks today, President Biden will announce additional security assistance for Ukraine.

The new package will be similar in size to the $800 million one announced last week and will include heavy artillery and ammunition.

Fox News' Patrick Ward contributed to this report.

Click here to watch on Fox News.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday accused Russia of repeatedly using banned thermobaric weapons, also known as vacuum bombs, in cities across Ukraine.

"The forbidden vacuum bombs," Zelenskyy said in an interview for French TV translated by Interfax, were used "starting from Kharkiv and in other cities - there are already many such examples."

The banned weaponry is deployed in a series of charges that detonates dispersed fuel and oxygen in the air. The explosion creates a blast wave of extreme pressure and heat that builds a vacuum-like phenomenon when in an enclosed space – making it particularly effective in urban warfare.

For more on this story: Zelenskyy accuses Russia of deploying banned vacuum bombs, investigating use of chemical warfare

The Ukrainian military released a video Thursday purportedly showing its forces blowing up a bridge ahead of advancing Russian troops. 

The 13-second clip, which is shot in a first-person view, shows soldiers hiding behind a vehicle before an explosion on the road in front of them sends smoke rising into the air. 

"Operators of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine demonstrated skillful combat work, The bridge right in front of the column of Russian occupiers was blown up," Ukraine’s army said in a Facebook post. "To be continued... Let's win together!" 

For more on this story: Ukraine military blows up bridge ahead of advancing Russian army, video shows

UnionPay, China's version of Visa and Mastercard, is refusing to work with banks in Russia over concerns about having sanctions imposed on the credit card processing company, Russian news outlets reported Wednesday.

The move takes away another financial option for Russian banks after Visa and Mastercard pulled out of the country following the Ukrainian invasion.

Russian banks Sberbank and Tinkoff Bank had previously announced they planned to switch to UnionPay.

U.S. officials have warned that companies or governments that undermine Russian sanctions will face consequences.

Beijing is an ally of Moscow and has avoided criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukraine will do "everything possible" to bring Ukrainians forcibly taken to Russia back, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Thursday.

"But we understand that it will not be easy," he added. "The return of Ukrainians back home will be another war with Russia - the war for our citizens."

German exports to Russia have plummeted since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, according to Germany's The Federal Statistical Office.

Exports are down 57.5% compared with a year ago between Russia and Europe's largest economy, the office said.

Russia dropped to 12 from being the 5th highest non-European country for German imports before the invasion.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to not storm the Azovstal steel plant, the last Ukrainian holdout in the besieged post city of Mariupol, on Thursday, opting instead for a blockade.

He claimed in a televised meeting that breaching the plant was "unnecessary," claiming he was concerned about the welfare of Russian troops. He also urged Ukrainian fighter holdouts in the city to surrender, according to Reuters. Several deadlines imposed by Russia to surrender the city have passed.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the rest of the city had been "liberated," prompting Putin to declare "success" in the devastated city.

Leaving the plant in Ukrainian hands, however, robs the Russians of the ability to declare complete victory in Mariupol. The city’s capture has both strategic and symbolic importance.

Around 1,000 Ukrainian civilians and 500 wounded soldiers are sheltering inside the plant and on Thursday the country's deputy prime minister demanded Russia open up humanitarian corridors for them.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For more on this story: Putin orders troops not to storm final Mariupol holdout

Ukrainian police said they discovered two mass graves with nine civilians inside in the city of Borodyanka on Wednesday, northwest of Kyiv, including two women and a teenager.

“I want to stress that these people are civilians," Head of the Kyiv regional police Andriy Nebytov said on Thursday. "The Russian military deliberately shot civilians that didn’t put up any resistance and didn’t pose any threat."

He said some of the people appeared to have been tortured.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Biden is expected to announced a new military aid package to Ukraine during an update on the war from the White House Thursday morning, according to reports.

The aid is likely to be similar to an $800 million package announced last week, Reuters reported, citing a U.S. official speaking anonymously.

Four buses carrying civilian evacuees left the besieged city of Mariupol on Wednesday as Russian troops appear close to taking control of the city, reports said.

The evacuees are headed for the city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said, according to the BBC.

It wasn't clear how many people were able to evacuate.

Around 1,000 civilians and 500 wounded soldiers were said to be sheltering in a steel plant in the devastated city and thousands of others are still trapped as well.

Ukraine and Russia have pointed fingers over the failure of many humanitarian corridor agreements, with Ukraine accusing Russians of killing fleeing civilians and Russia claiming Ukraine misuses the evacuation routes.

With Russia’s annual “Victory Day” celebrations just days away on May 9, the Kremlin will likely step up their offensive in Ukraine to have some successes to brag about, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Thursday morning update.

“This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date,” the update said. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his nightly address Wednesday said the country would be willing to trade Russian prisoners for the Ukrainian civilians trapped in Mariupol as Russian forces close in on the strategic port city, according to a report.

Russia appears close to taking control of the city after a Ukrainian commander in Mariupol said they were probably facing their "last days, if not hours."

Around 1,000 civilians and wounded Ukrainian troops are said to be sheltering inside the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, the Washington Post reported.

Ukraine has liberated nearly 1,000 settlements from the Russian invaders, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced late Wednesday. Zelenskyy's speech focused on the prospect of Ukraine joining the European Union, celebrating the visit of European Council President Charles Michel.

"This is the historic moment when we can develop maximum speed in joining the European Union," he said. "We have already proved that the Ukrainian state and public institutions are effective enough to withstand even the test of war. We are already doing as much to protect freedom on the European continent as other nations have never done."

For more on this story: Ukraine has liberated nearly 1,000 settlements from Russian control, Zelenskyy says

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to the media on board his flight as he flies to India for a two day visit on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Johnson is expecting to seal new collaborations on defense and green energy in India as he seeks to reduce the country's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and military equipment. He is due to visit the western state of Gujarat and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on the two-day trip that starts Thursday. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via AP)

As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson headed for India, expecting to arrive on Thursday morning, he said that continuing to give Ukraine military aid was crucial and compared negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin to a crocodile, according to a report.

Johnson is expected to urge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end the country's neutral status on the war, according to Reuters.

How can you negotiate with a crocodile when it's got your leg in its jaws?" Johnson said to reporters on Wednesday.

"It is very hard to see how the Ukrainians can negotiate with Putin now given his manifest lack of good faith. His strategy, which is evident, is to try engulf and capture as much of Ukraine as he can and perhaps to have some sort of negotiation from a position of strength," he added.

Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins has the latest on how 'farmers became fighters' in one Ukrainian village on 'Special Report.'

Life in many parts of Ukraine right now is very, very difficult.

And for some of the traumatized children in Ukraine who have been displaced from their homes because of the war that began in their country on Feb. 24, 2022, a therapy dog can be just the answer.

In one city's therapy center, a specially trained dog is providing some much-needed comfort and entertainment for traumatized Ukrainian children right now.

At the "Dr. Doc" therapy center in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian city, the kids are invited to stroke Evsei, a friendly spaniel — and to shake his paw and play games with him.

For more on this story: For Ukraine's kids, a therapy dog can help ease trauma and suffering

The Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during a test at Plesetsk cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk region, Russia, in this still image taken from a video released on Wednesday. (Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS)

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced Wednesday that it has conducted the first test launch of its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile – a nuclear weapon that President Vladimir Putin says will "provide food for thought for those who... try to threaten our country." 

The ministry said the missile was launched Wednesday from the Plesetsk launch facility in northern Russia and its practice warheads hit designated targets at the Kura firing range on the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. 

"This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia's security from external threats and provide food for thought for those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country," Putin said, according to Reuters. 

For more on this story: Russia tests new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile in what Putin hails as ‘truly unique weapon’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 15. (Photo by Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Two Republican senators have urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reopen the U.S. embassy in Kyiv to "symbolically affirm" Washington’s commitment to Ukraine.

In a letter obtained by Fox News Wednesday, Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Steve Daines of Montana reasoned that Russia has withdrawn its troops from the area after failing to take the capital city. 

"With Ukraine’s successful defense of Kyiv and Russia’s subsequent withdrawal of forces from the areas surrounding the capital, we encourage you to fully open the United States embassy without delay," the senators wrote. "America’s restored diplomatic presence in Kyiv will enhance cooperation with a democratic partner as it wages an existential defense and symbolically affirm our nation’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty."

At least 17 nations have reopened their embassies in Kyiv after Russian troops withdrew from areas to the north and east of the capital late last month, according to a report by Foreign Policy. 

For more on this story: Republican Senators demand Secretary of State Blinken reopen American embassy in Ukraine

The United Nations reported Wednesday that Ukrainian causalities caused by Russia’s deadly invasion nearly eight weeks ago have surpassed more 5,000 confirmed cases. 

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 5,121 civilian casualties since the onslaught of the invasion on Feb. 24 – a jump from the 4,966 civilian casualties reported Tuesday.

Wednesday's figures include 2,224 killed and 2,897 injured.

Those included in the casualties include 631 men, 383 women, 42 girls, and 61 boys that have been killed.  

For more on this story: UN reports Ukrainian casualties surpass 5,000, says it 'believes' actual figures are 'considerably higher'

Damaged and burned vehicles are seen at a destroyed part of the Illich Iron & Steel Works Metallurgical Plant in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Monday. (AP/Alexei Alexandrov)

Russian forces continued their assault on eastern and southern Ukraine Wednesday, as officials urged remaining residents in the port city of Mariupol to evacuate. 

Kharkiv and Kramatorsk came under further attack, and Russia also said it had struck areas around Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro.

Explosions were heard in the southern city of Mykolaiv and a hospital was reported to have been shelled in the town of Bashtanka.

For more on this story: Russia continues to strike eastern Ukraine as officials call for evacuation of Mariupol

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during a meeting of the Russia the Land of Opportunity Supervisory Board at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday. (AP)

A small but growing number of high-ranking individuals within the Kremlin are starting to question Vladimir Putin’s decision to go to war with Ukraine as the invasion nears the two-month mark, a report said Wednesday. 

The critics, who occupy top posts in Russia’s government and state-run businesses, "believe the invasion was a catastrophic mistake that will set the country back for years," Bloomberg News is reporting, citing ten people with knowledge of the situation. 

The sources say the decision to invade Ukraine was made by Putin and just a handful of other Russian elites, such as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russian Gen. Valery Gerasimov and Nikolai Patrushev, who heads the Security Council of Russia. 

As the war has dragged on with Russian military losses mounting, Putin, the sources told Bloomberg, has continued to dismiss warnings from other officials about the economic costs of the war and has been telling them that even though Russia will pay a large cost, the West has left him no choice but to attack Ukraine. 

For more on this story: High-ranking Russian officials question Putin's decision to invade Ukraine: report

Germany said it has maxed out its ability to send arms to Ukraine on Wednesday and instead pledged to provide training to Ukrainian forces and maintain its military equipment.

"While other partners supply artillery, we will help with training and maintenance," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a press conference.

Baerbock renewed Germany’s support for Baltic states in a three-day trip to Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania but reportedly claimed that Germany’s armed services have said it "can no longer supply weapons from its own reserves."

Germany will look to continue helping the war effort by providing spare parts, reported Interfax.

For more on this story: Germany halts arms shipments to Ukraine, will provide training and maintenance instead

NEW YORK CITY – Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine arrived on the doorstep of the Russian ambassador to the United Nations.

A Ukrainian activist group defiantly bathed his Manhattan townhouse in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag and anti-Vladimir Putin slogans as a protest against Putin's horrific assault on the Ukrainian people.

"The message is to show that Ukrainians are not afraid and will find any Russian official, even if they are trying to hide," Arthur Zgurov told Fox News.

Zgurov, a Ukrainian neurosurgeon, is now a New York-based activist with the pro-Ukrainian group Razom For Ukraine.

For more on this story: Ukraine’s flag projected onto Russian UN ambassador’s NYC townhouse in protest

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks from Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it is "unfair" that he is forced to repeatedly ask allied nations for security assistance when they have arms sitting in storage. 

"If we had access to all the weapons we need, which our partners have and which are comparable to the weapons used by the Russian Federation, we would have already ended this war," he said in a late-night address Tuesday.

"That is why I emphasize the simple truth in literally every contact with the leaders of the democratic world, in all negotiations, in all interviews - it is unfair that Ukraine is still forced to ask for what its partners have been storing somewhere for years," he added. 

For more on story: Zelenskyy laments repeatedly asking allies for weapons they have in storage, says war would be over

Sergei, 11, waits his turn to receive donated food during an aid humanitarian distribution in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, on Tuesday. (AP/Emilio Morenatti)

The number of refugees that have poured out of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion has now surpassed 5 million, the United Nations says. 

Out of the 5,034,439 that have fled, more than 2.8 million have ended up in Poland, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 

Around 750,000 are in Romania, while close to 550,000 are in Russia, it added. 

For more on this story: https://foxnews.1eye.us/world/un-ukraine-refugees-5-million-fleeing-russia-military

Russian military vehicles move on a highway in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces near Mariupol, Ukraine, on Monday. (AP)

An offer from Moscow this week for Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol to lay down their arms in exchange for a safe evacuation out of the besieged city had no takers, a report says, with one Marine commander saying that "no one believes the Russians." 

The tactical flop has prompted Russia’s Ministry of Defence to announce Wednesday that it will "once again offer the nationalist battalion fighters and foreign mercenaries to stop fighting and lay down their weapons" by 7 a.m. ET. Their first deadline and safe surrender offer on Tuesday passed with not a single soldier agreeing, the ministry said, according to Reuters. 

"No one believes the Russians," Maj. Serhiy Volyna of Ukraine’s 36th Separate Marine Brigade told the Washington Post, adding that others who previously have trusted Russia’s guarantees of safe passage have been met with gunfire. 

For more on this story: Not a single Ukrainian soldier accepted Russia's Mariupol surrender offer: report

Russia gave Ukraine of a new deadline to surrender Mariupol on Wednesday afternoon as Kremlin-backed troops continue to struggle to gain control of the strategic port city.

Moscow has failed to take any major cities in Ukraine and was forced to retreat from Kyiv, instead sending troops east to the Donbas.

Ukrainians remained defiant in the besieged city on Tuesday as a deadline for that day passed without surrender.

“We will not lay down our weapons,” Mariupol commander Major Serhiy Volyna told the Washington Post, adding they “may be facing our last days, if not hours.”

For more on this story:  Ukrainian marine commander makes last-ditch plea for evacuation from Mariupol

Japan formally revoked Russia's "most favored nation" status on Wednesday.

The revocation was part of several sanctions imposed on Russia by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The country also previously expelled eight Russian diplomats and trade officials from Tokyo last month.

The commander of a Ukrainian Marine unit made an urgent last-ditch plea for Ukrainian women and children, along with wounded marines, sheltering in the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works to be evacuated to a neutral third country as the Russian deadline to surrender Mariupol loomed Wednesday.

"This is our appeal to the world … we are probably facing our last days, if not hours," Major Serhiy Volyna, commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade said in a video posted on Facebook, according to a translation posted with the video.

"We are only defending one object, the Azovstal plant, where, in addition to military personnel, there are also civilians who have fallen victim to this war," the marine commander added. He said there were "more than 500 wounded" at the plant and "hundreds" of civilians sheltering in the building. 

For more on this story: Ukrainian marine commander makes last-ditch plea for evacuation from Mariupol

Russia's presence along Ukraine's eastern border has continued to grow as fighting in the Donbas intensifies, the U.K.'s Defense Ministry said in a Wednesday morning update.

Following Russia's withdrawal from Kyiv, air activity would likely remain low but there's still a risk of "precision strikes against priority targets throughout Ukraine," the ministry said.

"Russian attacks on cities across Ukraine show their intent to try and disrupt the movement of Ukrainian reinforcements and weaponry to the east of the country," the update added.

Daniil Medvedev of Russia returns a shot to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Wimbledon plans to bar Russian and Belarusian players from the tournament this summer, according to reports overnight Tuesday.

The London tournament is set to start in late June.

Wimbledon would be the first tennis tournament to ban players over the war in Ukraine but it follows other sports that have imposed bans, including the Paralympics in Beijing following the February invasion.

No. 2 men’s player Daniil Medvedev would be among those affected by a ban.

"We are in very close dialog with the All England Club, the government, with the tours," Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association chief executive Steve Lloyd said earlier this month, according to Reuters. "We are very conscious of public sentiment in this area. We are trying to navigate what that needs to look like in the summer events in Britain this year."

Mistral air defense system Photo: Norwegian Armed Forces

The Norwegian government has sent around 100 Mistral air defense missiles to Ukraine, Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said Wednesday morning, according to a government release.

The Norwegian Armed Forces are planning to phase out the weapon, and the government said the donation wouldn’t have a major impact on its military operations.

It is still a modern and effective weapon that will be of great benefit to Ukraine,” the release said.  

Russia rejected a temporary cease-fire in Ukraine that the United Nations secretary general requested for the purpose of civilian evacuation during the Eastern Orthodox Holy Week leading up to Easter. Russia's deputy UN ambassador said the cease-fire request was not sincere and would only provide time to arm Ukrainian soldiers.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, the deputy ambassador, told the Security Council Tuesday that the cease-fire requests were "insincere, and in practice they merely point to an aspiration to provide Kyiv nationalists breathing room to regroup and receive more drones, more antitank missiles and more MANPADS," The New York Times reported. "MANPADS" refers to man-portable air-defense systems, smaller and more portable surface-to-air missiles.

For more on this story: Russia rejects cease-fire for civilian evacuation amid Eastern Orthodox Holy Week

Ukraine’s U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, speaks during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at United Nations headquarters. Russia has ratcheted up its battle for control of Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland. It intensified assaults on cities and towns along a front hundreds of miles long Tuesday in what officials on both sides described as a new phase of the war. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged a break in the fighting on Tuesday to observe the Christian holy week.

“The onslaught and terrible toll on civilians we have seen so far could pale in comparison to the horror that lies ahead," Guterres said. "This cannot be allowed to happen."

He urged troops to "silence the guns and forge a path to safety for so many at immediate risk.”

Ukraine has accused Russia of violating cease-fire agreements to allow civilians to evacuate the fighting but on Tuesday, Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russian deputy Ambassador to the U.N., said he didn't see the "point of entering in the game with Ukrainians on such issues" and claimed that Ukraine wasn't properly using humanitarian corridors offered by his country.

Guterres continued, “The four-day Easter period should be a moment to unite around saving lives and furthering dialogue to end the suffering in Ukraine."

Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya also backed the idea.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Fox News correspondent Jeff Paul has the latest developments from Lviv, Ukraine.

Russia rejected a temporary cease-fire in Ukraine that the United Nations secretary general requested for the purpose of civilian evacuation during the Eastern Orthodox Holy Week leading up to Easter. Russia's deputy UN ambassador said the cease-fire request was not sincere and would only provide time to arm Ukrainian soldiers.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, the deputy ambassador, told the Security Council Tuesday that the cease-fire requests were "insincere, and in practice they merely point to an aspiration to provide Kyiv nationalists breathing room to regroup and receive more drones, more antitank missiles and more MANPADS," The New York Times reported. "MANPADS" refers to man-portable air-defense systems, smaller and more portable surface-to-air missiles.

For more on this story: Russia rejects cease-fire for civilian evacuation amid Eastern Orthodox Holy Week

Asked about reports of the Russian military using chemical weapons in Ukraine, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters Tuesday that the U.S. has seen "no evidence" to confirm the reports.

The comments come as reports have surfaced over the last week that there was evidence of a chemical attack in Ukraine. It also comes as Japan announced Tuesday it was shipping equipment to Ukraine aimed at protecting against a potential chemical attack.

A senior defense official on Tuesday warned that Russia is "still refitting units" and tactical groups continue to enter the country as Moscow looks to target eastern Ukraine.

"They're still refitting units outside of Ukraine for insertion in Ukraine. They have added, over the last 24-hours, another two battalion tactical groups into the country" the senior defense official told reporters, noting there are now 78 operational battalion tactical groups in Ukraine.

Defense officials have assessed that Russia has maintained roughly 75 percent of its original combat fighting force from when it first amassed along Ukraine’s borders in the lead up to the invasion. 

For more on this story: Russia ‘still refitting units’ as more tactical groups arrive

Trey Yingst brings the latest from Kyiv as Russians ramp up their offensive efforts.

A video posted on the Telegram channel of Ukraine's Azov Regiment on Tuesday appears to show one of its fighters destroying a Russian vehicle in Mariupol, according to Reuters.

The soldier leans out from behind a building before taking aim with an anti-tank weapon and striking a Russian BTR armored personnel carrier, the news agency reports.

"Yes!" a voice says at the end of the clip, which was posted with the caption "The Azov Regiment continues to destroy enemy vehicles."

The Czech Republic, which is part of NATO, announced Tuesday that local companies will help Ukraine repair  military equipment damaged in the fight against the Russian army. 

Its defense ministry said the first contract will focus on fixing T-64 Soviet-era tanks. Various armored vehicles of BRD and BRDM types will follow. 

The Czech Republic was the first partner country officially approached by Ukraine with such a request, it added. 

For more on this story: Ukraine asks NATO country for help with repairing damaged military equipment

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Red Cross volunteer Volodymyr Khropun clasps his hands together to show how his hands were bound while being held by Russian troops inside a factory during Russia's invasion in the village of Dymer, in the Kyiv region of Ukraine. (REUTERS/Alessandra Prentice)

Two Ukraine volunteers who say they spent three weeks in Russian captivity are now opening up about their harrowing experience, describing the beatings and conditions they allegedly suffered as like a "nightmare come to life". 

Volodymyr Khropun and Yulia Ivannikova-Katsemon were working for the Red Cross and helping people flee villages along the front lines in northern Ukraine when they were captured by the Russian military in March, according to Reuters. On April 9 – after spending time in Belarus and in detention centers in Russia – they were freed as part of a prisoner swap. 

"It was like a nightmare come to life," Khropun told Reuters, recalling how he and Ivannikova-Katsemon were held with around 40 others in an unheated room at a factory in Dymer, north of Kyiv, sharing a plastic pot for a toilet. 

For more on this story: Ukraine volunteers detained by Russia recall horrors: 'It was like a nightmare come to life'

Russia on Tuesday claimed it had opened humanitarian corridors for soldiers who voluntarily surrendered from Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant – a site of refuge and resistance for Ukrainian fighters.

"Taking into account the catastrophic situation at the Azovstal metallurgical plant in the city of Mariupol, as well as being guided by purely humane principles, the Russian Armed Forces have opened a humanitarian corridor for the withdrawal of Ukrainian servicemen and fighters of nationalist formations who voluntarily laid down arms," Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the Russian National Defense Management Center said. 

The claim comes just hours after Moscow set a deadline for noon local time – 5 a.m. EDT – calling on all forces bunkered in the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant to surrender "without exception, without any weapons and without ammunition."

But Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that there had been no such agreement made with the Russian forces and noted that four people were killed when trying to evacuate Mariupol on Tuesday. 

For more on this story: Russia says evacuation corridors opened for Mariupol but Ukraine says 4 people were killed trying to flee

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the subject of a new book coming out this month. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

EXCLUSIVE: A new book out this month will examine the life of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and how he became the world’s most celebrated statesman.

"This book is an important contribution to the American understanding of who this man is," Rebekah Koffler, the president of Doctrine & Strategy Consulting and a former DIA intelligence officer, told Fox News Digital. 

Koffler wrote the forward for the new book "Zelensky: The Unlikely Ukrainian Hero Who Defied Putin and United the World." Starting with his childhood, the book tracks Zelenskyy as he grew from a celebrated comedian and TV personality into a world leader thrust into a war after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Koffler argued that the increasingly tight relationship between Ukraine and the U.S. will allow Zelenskyy to help shape national security policy in the region going forward, and Americans should be aware of who that man is and how he came to lead his country through its greatest crisis.

For more on this story: New Zelenskyy book shows how he became world's most celebrated statesman: Here's a first look

Ukrainian servicemen walk among debris of damaged buildings after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 16, 2022. (AP/Felipe Dana)

Ukrainian officials said this week that roughly a third of all its infrastructure had been demolished by Russia’s invading forces as the war continues for the 54th day.

Infrastructure Minister Oleksander Kubrakov said that $100 billion in damage had been inflicted on the nation’s infrastructure but added that the bill could run as high as $500 billion when everything from homes to roads had been tallied up, first reported Reuters. 

Ukrainian officials have warned those returning home that some areas are not safe as the nation’s State Emergency Service looks to remove thousands of mines a day. 

"15,800 square miles of Ukraine—half the country’s territory—require demining," United States Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Power said on Twitter. "The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) is removing 2,000-6,000 mines a day to protect civilians and allow passage of urgent emergency assistance."

For more on this story: Ukraine says a third of country demolished, USAID warns half of Ukraine is inundated with mines

A Ukrainian military commander is claiming Tuesday that the Russian military has started using bunker-buster bombs on a steel plant in Mariupol that soldiers are defending. 

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard that is guarding the last known Ukrainian pocket of resistance in Mariupol, said in a video message that Russia had begun dropping bunker-buster bombs on the Azovstal steel plant where the regiment was holding out.

Civilians are also believed to be sheltering at the plant, which covers the territory of around 4 square miles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov attend a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 27. (Reuters)

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is accusing the United States and other Western countries Tuesday of trying to "delay" the course of the war in Ukraine by sending shipments of weapons to Kyiv’s military. 

Shoigu made the comment while meeting with top military brass. Meanwhile, Russia’s military has launched a new, full-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine. 

"Increasing volumes of foreign arms deliveries clearly demonstrate their intentions to provoke the Kyiv regime to fight to the last Ukrainian," Shoigu said. 

For more on this story: Russia accuses US, West of stalling Ukraine war by sending weapons

Smoke rises above the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works factory in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media on Monday. (Mariupol City Council/Reuters)

The deadline issued by Moscow Tuesday has passed after it spoke directly to thousands of Ukrainian fighters holed up in a Mariupol steel factory, telling them to surrender or die.

"All who lay down their arms are guaranteed to remain alive," the defense ministry said as it prepares for a major offensive in the southeastern port city.

The Kremlin gave the Ukrainian fighters a deadline for noon local time – 5 a.m. EDT – telling them to leave "without exception, without any weapons and without ammunition," first reported Reuters. 

The Azovstal Iron and Steel Works was once the site of one of the largest metallurgical factories in Europe, but since the onslaught of the war more than 50 days ago it has become a symbol of the city’s resistance.

For more on this story: Russia's surrender deadline for Mariupol fighters holed up in steel plant passes

Ukrainian servicemen ride atop an armored fighting vehicle Tuesday as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues at an unknown location in Eastern Ukraine. (Press service of the Ukrainian Ground Forces/Handout via REUTERS))

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced Tuesday that Moscow is beginning the next stage of its invasion of Ukraine as reports are emerging that the Russian military is conducting a full-scale offensive in the country’s east. 

The ongoing campaign – which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling the "Battle of the Donbas" – comes after Russian forces shifted away from trying to capture the capital, Kyiv. 

"Another stage of this operation [in eastern Ukraine] is beginning and I am sure this will be a very important moment of this entire special operation", Lavrov told the India Today TV Channel, according to Reuters. 

For more on this story: Russia launches full-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine, declares 'another stage' of invasion has started