Ukraine humanitarian ceasefire with Russia not holding: LIVE UPDATES
Ukraine's president addressed crowds from Paris to Tbilisi, as well as Frankfurt, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna and Vilnius as Russia's invasion continued
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In war-torn areas of Ukraine, residents fled on footpaths and grief-stricken parents mourned dead children as Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities.
A promised cease-fire in the port city of Mariupol collapsed Saturday amid scenes of terror in the besieged town, where a stream of residents with pets and children crossed the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge destroyed by a Russian airstrike.
In comments carried on Ukrainian television, Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said thousands of residents had gathered for safe passage out of the city when shelling began that morning.
Ten days into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 1.45 million people have fled the battered country, according to the U.N.-affiliated Organization for Migration in Geneva.
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Texas Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is demanding the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner who was detained by authorities in Russia for allegedly possessing a vape with cannabis oil.
"We know that there were some issues dealing with vape cartridges and other items but let me be very clear," Lee, who represents Griner’s hometown of Houston, Texas, in Congress, said on Saturday. "Brittney Griner is a United States citizen, she was a guest in Russia…and I will be demanding her release."
Lee added that she has spoken with the State Department to "try and get them to focus on her circumstances."
"I don’t want to disregard a sovereign nation but Putin has disregarded sovereign nations his entire service in this world," Lee said. "Anyone that is killing and attacking and destroying Ukraine, a neighboring country that is not bothering them, has no right to hold Ms. Griner. Period."
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President Biden talked with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, and discussed additional assistance to Ukraine.
President Biden and Zelenskyy also discussed actions that the private sector is taking against Russia.
"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this evening with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its Allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia. President Biden noted his administration is surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding. President Biden reiterated his concern about the recent Russian attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, and he commended the skill and bravery of the Ukrainian operators who have kept the reactors in safe condition. The leaders also discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine," a readout of the call states.
An ammunition company in Scottsdale, Arizona, has pledged to send one million bullets to the Ukraine Armed Forces as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his deadly invasion into the country.
AMMO, Inc., which produces high-performance ammunition and components, will send 1 million bullets free of charge to Ukraine after Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the nation's president, issued a recent plea for additional aid.
"Ammo Inc., and we as Americans stand firmly in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, as we stand for freedom and democracy everywhere," AMMO Inc. CEO Fred Wagenhals said in a statement. "While we fervently hope for a quick and peaceful resolution to the crisis and that diplomacy will win the day, we condemn the Russian aggression and its threat to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and freedom."
"We recognize that events are unfolding rapidly on the ground in Ukraine, and we are prepared to move quickly as possible to support Ukraine as it continues to defend itself and its freedom," Wagenhals added.
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Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said on Saturday afternoon during a press conference that she will be "demanding" for the release of WNBA player.
"I will be demanding her release. I just spoke to the State Department to try to get them to focus on her circumstances," Lee said. "Putin has disregarded sovereign nations his entire service in this world. And anyone that is killing and attacking and destroying Ukraine, their neighboring country that is not involved in them has no right to hold Ms. Griner. Period."
Lee said that any legal disputes should be dealt with diplomatically, and said that Griner should be released.
Griner is from Houston, which Lee represents.
Protesters chanted "No Fly Zone" during a protest on Saturday in New York City's Times Square.
The Canadian government is telling citizens who are in Russia to leave, due to the "impacts of the armed conflict with Ukraine."
"If you are in Russia, you should leave while commercial means are still available," the Canadian government website states.
Visa has suspended all operations in Russia, according to a press release from the company.
Visa will be working with clients and partners within Russia to cease all transactions using Visa over the next few days, according to the press release.
The company said that transactions using Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country, and transactions using Visa cards issued outside of Russia will no longer work in the country.
Al Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Visa Inc. said that the company felt compelled to take action.
“We are compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed,” Kelly said. “We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values.”
Air raid sirens are currently going off in Kyiv, according to a government Telegram channel.
The message instructed individuals in the city to go to shelters.
Shell oil company released a statement Saturday saying it is "appalled" by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and will do what it can to avoid purchasing oil from Russia while acknowledging that it recently did purchase crude oil from the country.
"We are appalled by the war in Ukraine and have already made clear our intention to exit joint ventures with Gazprom - which is majority-owned by the Russian government - and related entities, as well as intending to end our involvement with a significant project to pipe gas from Russia to Europe."
The company announced earlier this week that it is cutting ties with Gazprom.
In the statement, Shell acknowledged that it recently purchased crude oil from Russia and understands that will be viewed as a controversial move.
"Yesterday we made the difficult decision to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil," Shell said. "Our refineries produce petrol and diesel as well as other products that people rely on every day. To be clear, without an uninterrupted supply of crude oil to refineries, the energy industry cannot assure continued provision of essential products to people across Europe over the weeks ahead. Cargoes from alternative sources would not have arrived in time to avoid disruptions to market supply."
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Major global brands, including McDonald's Corp (MCD.N), PepsiCo Inc (PEP.O) and the Estee Lauder Cos Inc. should consider pausing their operations in Russia, New York state's pension fund chief wrote in letters to several companies on Friday.
Other companies that received the letter were Mondelez International Inc, Fortinet Inc, Kimberly-Clark Corp, Bunge Ltd, Coty Inc, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Trimble Inc.
None of the companies immediately replied to a request for comment.
Political pressure is building for companies to halt business in Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine, and sanctions are making some operations difficult. Some big companies have already said they will stop, including sneaker maker Nike and home furnishings firm IKEA.
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Chelsea fans disrupted a moment of solidarity in support of Ukraine on Saturday when they began cheering the name of Russian owner Roman Abramovich who announced the sale of the club this week amid the backlash over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Videos posted to social media appeared to show fans chanting "Roman Abramovich" during the planned one-minute applause in support of Ukraine before the match between Chelsea and Burnley.
The loud chants were met with even louder boos from those who scolded the interruption.
Premier League issued a statement on Wednesday condemning Russia’s attacks on Ukraine and announced measures the league would take to show its support of Ukraine during this weekend’s matches.
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Shell said it made a "difficult" decision to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil on Friday, and explained that it "didn't take this decision lightly" in a statement posted to twitter.
The company said that the purchase was needed to avoid a disruption of oil supply in Europe.
"Yesterday we made the difficult decision to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil. Our refineries produce petrol and diesel as well as other products that people rely on every day. To be clear, without an uninterrupted supply of crude oil to refineries, the energy industry cannot assure continued provision of essential products to people across Europe over the weeks ahead. Cargoes from alternative sources would not have arrived in time to avoid disruptions to market supply," the statement reads.
"We didn't take this decision lightly and we understand the strength of feeling around it," it continued.
Shell announced a decision to pull out of its relationship with Russian energy company Gazprom on Feb. 28.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has "simplified entry" into Russia from Ukraine, as well as the so-called DPR and LPR regions of Ukraine, according to Russian state controlled media outlet TASS.
The Kremlin announced on Saturday that citizens of Ukraine as well as the DPR and LPR regions can enter and leave Russia without a visa, but must provide valid documents "proving" their identity, according to the report.
Samsung Electronics Co. has reportedly halted shipments of its products to Russia after the country's invasion of Ukraine.
The South Korea-based company told Bloomberg News on Friday that it is monitoring the "complex situation" and that shipment suspension includes all Samsung products.
It said it is donating $6 million – including $1 million worth of consumer electronics – to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
"Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted and our priority is to ensure the safety of all our employees and their families," Samsung said in a statement to the publication.
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The U.S. State Department has commented on the arrest of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was reportedly arrested in Russia and could face up to 10 years in prison after customs officers at an airport found "vapes" which contained hashish oil in a luggage bag in February.
"We are aware of reports of a U.S. citizen arrested in Moscow. Whenever a U.S. citizen is arrested overseas, we stand ready to provide all appropriate consular services," a State Department spokesperson said.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report
Ukrainians under a destroyed bridge on the outskirts of Kyiv as they try to flee the city. (Trey Yingst/Fox News)
More than 1.25 million people have fled Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a Saturday press release.
The mass displacement marks the "largest humanitarian crisis Europe has seen since World War [II]," said IOM , which is asking for $350 million to support humanitarian efforts in the war-torn country.
he International Rescue Committee (IRC) called it the "fastest exodus of refugees this century" in a Saturday tweet.
"In the cities and streets of Ukraine today, innocent civilians are bearing witness to our Age of Impunity. The fact that 1 million refugees have already been forced to flee is a grim testament to barbaric military tactics taking aim at homes and hospitals," David Miliband, president and CEO at IRC, said in a Wednesday statement. "The IRC is calling on the Russian government to immediately cease all violations of the laws of war to spare additional harm to civilians and avoid further displacement."
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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended their closed-door session in Moscow after roughly three hours.
Bennett arranged the meeting with the knowledge of and incoordination with the United States, Germany and France as part of ongoing talks with Ukraine.
He raised concern about the situation of Israelis and the Jewish communities in Ukraine and affected by the conflict and touched on progress of nuclear talks in Vienna, reiterating opposition to the nuclear agreement.
Bennett then flew out immediately to speak with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia and could face up to 10 years in prison after customs officers found "vapes" containing hashish oil in her luggage back in February, reports say.
The Russian Federal Customs Service released a statement Saturday confirming that an American "two-time Olympic basketball champion" had been taken into custody in February after a narcotics' dog at Sheremetyevo International Airport near Moscow alerted the athlete’s luggage.
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Powerful images have exposed the heart-wrenching realities of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor comfort each other after her 18-month-old son Kirill was killed by shelling in a hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
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The British defense ministry stated in an update Saturday that Russia's proposed ceasefire in Mariupol likely served to try and "deflect international condemnation while resetting its forces.
"Russia and Ukraine agreed to a temporary ceasefire for Ukraine to evacuate civilians through humanitarian corridors, but the deputy mayor of Mariupol reported that Russian soldiers started firing anyway. Russian state media claimed that Ukrainian nationalists had instigated the action.
"By accusing Ukraine of breaking the agreement, Russia is likely seeking to shift responsibility for current and future civilian casualties in the city," the ministry said.
Israeli Kann News has reported that Israeli PM Naftali Bennett traveled to Russia to today to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Walla News Diplomatic Correspondent Barak Ravid reported that the meeting was under way as of 7:30 p.m. local time.
“Prime Minister Bennett’s meeting with President Putin is taking place in coordination and with the blessing of the US administration,” Bennett's office told Fox News Digital.
The State Department Saturday issued new guidance to Americans in Russia, urging them to leave "immediately."
The new guidance is a step-up from Wednesday's guidance that Americans in the country should "consider" leaving.
The U.S. embassy in Moscow also announced Ambassador Sullivan will host a virtual town hall for Americans in Russia this Wednesday.
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is pledging support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the country's fight against Russia, beginning with an immediate ban on Russian oil and gas.
Zelenskyy on Saturday spoke to U.S. senators virtually as Congress weighs additional aid requests to help the country fight off a brutal Russian invasion.
During a call with Fox News Digital immediately following the senate's zoom the Ukrainian leader, the senator spoke of Zelenskyy's "tremendous courage."
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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday spoke to U.S. senators virtually as Congress weighs additional aid requests to help the country fight off a brutal Russian invasion.
Zelenskyy spoke to the senators on Zoom video call where the president wore a military green t-shirt and spoke aside a Ukrainian flag.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., posted a picture of the meeting, which was to begin at 9:30 a.m Saturday EST.
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Independent and foreign journalists based in Russia are fleeing the country as Russian President Vladimir Putin cracks down on dissenting information about his invasion of Ukraine.
Alexey Kovalyav, an editor at an independent news outlet in Russia and a fellow at the World Press Institute, said he left the country in a Friday tweet.
"Never thought it'd come to this, but I did have to leave Russia, crossing the border on foot in the middle of the night, with my panic-packed bags on my back and my dog in tow," he wrote. "Felt a massive door slam shut behind my back. Barely had enough time to call my parents. Crazy times."
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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Moscow will view any attempt by other countries to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine as active "participation in the armed conflict."
"We hear calls to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine," he said, during a meeting with flight attendants from Russian airlines, according to The New York Times.
"It is impossible to do from Ukrainian territory — it can only be done from the territory of other states. But any moves in such direction will be seen by us as participation in an armed conflict by the country that will create threats to our servicemen," Putin cautioned.
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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seen in a Zoom call with U.S. senators on Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Image: Sen. Marco Rubio)
Ukraine Presidenty Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke via Zoom with the U.S. Senate, pleading with lawmakers to step up lethal aid and provide additional, targeted sanctions against Russia.
A Senate source tells Fox News Digital that Zelenskyy specifically asked for planes, and he asked for the U.S. to cut off Visa and Mastercard services in Russia. He also asked the U.S. to embargo Russian oil.
He praised his strong relationship with Poland, which has eased the flow of humanitarian and military assistance. Zelenskyy also mentioned the no-fly zone.
Elon Musk overnight said "some governments" had asked SpaceX to block Russian state media on its Starlink internet satellites but said, "We will not do so unless at gunpoint."
He specified it wasn’t a request from Ukraine, adding, "Sorry to be a free speech absolutist."
When a commenter argued that Russia state media was propaganda, Musk replied that "All news sources are partially propaganda, some more than others."
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, center, tours a reception center, for displaced persons from Ukraine, at the Ukrainian-Polish border crossing in Korczowa, Poland, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Olivier Douliery, Pool Photo via AP)
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with PRC State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi about Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Blinken reiterated that the war is premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified. He noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty, according to spokesman Ned Price.
Blinken underscored that the world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that Russia would retaliate over what he called “economic banditry” from the West, Reuters reported.
But Peskov provided no details over how Russia would retaliate.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Saturday during a visit to Aeroflot.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that any third-party no-fly zone would amount to “participation in the armed conflict” as Western officials continue to refuse establishing any such zone over Ukraine.
Putin raised the matter during a visit to Aeroflot, during which he spoke with trainee stewardesses and addressed the status of the conflict.
He claimed that the “special military operation” had unfolded according to plan, with almost all of Ukraine’s military infrastructure destroyed, and again stated that Russia isn’t sending conscripts into battle.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a press conference on Russia's military operation in Ukraine, on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv. (Photo by Presidency of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday urged Russia and Belarus to cooperate on providing humanitarian corridors so civilians can escape the war zone.
“Humanitarian corridors must work today,” Zelenskyy said in video posted on Instagram. “To save people. Women, children, the elderly. To give food and medicine to those who remain.”
“Our help is already on the way,” he said. “Everyone who needs help should be able to leave.”
The two main corridors should allow citizens in the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha to flee as the fighting intensifies. British intelligence noted that both cities were likely surrounded by Russian forces by Saturday.
The British defense secretary echoed U.S. sentiment that a “no-fly” zone over Ukraine would not only antagonize Russia and drag NATO into direct conflict, but could possibly hinder Ukraine’s defensive efforts.
Ben Wallace told BBC News that Russia has not succeeded in establishing air control, and British defense ministry updates continue to press Ukraine’s ability push off Russian air attacks.
Wallace noted that Ukraine has hit Russia hard with aircraft and drones, and that any no-fly zone has to work “for both sides” to keep NATO from entering the conflict.
"I think people should ask themselves the question before they suggest these things, what would it mean on the ground and what does it mean for NATO, when there are other ways to help Ukrainians defend themselves from the air," he said.
Russian state-aligned media outlet RIA claimed Saturday that continued shelling of humanitarian corridors came from Ukrainian nationalists – not Russian forces.
The deputy mayor of Mariupol told BBC News that the Russian military continued to shell the city as civilians tried to flee, but RIA instead claimed that a Ukrainian nationalist battalion “blew up a house” in Mariupol.
RIA insisted that Russia had observed the temporary ceasefire, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense.
A U.N. migration agency, citing figures from government ministries, said Saturday that 1.45 million people have left Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion.
The International Organization for Migration said that people have fled to Poland, Moldova, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
Poland has received the largest number of people, with 787,300 people crossing its border over the past 10 days. The agency said nationals of 138 countries have crossed the borders from Ukraine into neighboring nations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Sky News team posted video on YouTube Friday of a violent ambush Monday in which Russian troops shot at while trying to visit the town of Bucha near Kyiv.
Chief correspondent Stuart Ramsey, along with camera operator Richie Mockler, were shot: Ramsey took a bullet to his lower back while Mockler took two rounds in his body armor as the team abandoned its vehicle.
"The point is we were very lucky,” Ramsey said of the encounter. “But thousands of Ukrainians are dying, and families are being targeted by Russian hit squads just as we were, driving along in a family saloon and attacked. This war gets worse by the day.”
All team members returned to the U.K. later this week.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS FOOTAGE THAT SOME MAY CONSIDER GRAPHIC IN NATURE
Click here to see Stuart and his team's encounter.
A Saturday update from the British Ministry of Defense said it is “highly likely” Russian forces have encircled the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol and Sumy.
But the “overall rate of Russian air and artillery strikes” over the past 24 hours appears to be lower than in previous days as Ukraine continues to hold those cities.
Russian forces also may have bypassed other targets in order to hit Odesa, a major port city on the Black Sea.
The deputy mayor of Mariupol, Ukraine said that Russian attacks have continued on the city despite a temporary ceasefire to allow civilians to evacuate, according to a report.
"The Russians are continuing to bomb us and use artillery. It is crazy," Deputy Mayor Mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC. "There is no ceasefire in Mariupol and there is no ceasefire all along the route. Our civilians are ready to escape but they cannot escape under shelling."
Earlier the city council said the same thing on the Telegram platform.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday morning he spoke to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
"Spoke about the fight against Russian invaders," he tweeted. "Discussed joint work within [Ukraine]. We appreciate the practical help and support of Albania in this difficult time. We are doing everything to end the war.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry shared a video Saturday morning it said showed the country's defense forces had downed a Russian military helicopter.
"This is how the Russian occupiers are dying. This time in a helicopter!" the ministry wrote in a tweet. "Glory to Ukraine and its defenders! Together to victory!"
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said the U.S. wasn’t seeking "regime change" in Moscow."In any event, it’s not up to us," he told the BBC from Brussels.
"The Russian people need to decide their leadership. They need to decide whether the leaders that are there are actually advancing and representing their needs, their interests, their will. It’s absolutely not up to us."
Blinken said he would ask the Russian people, if he could, how the "war of aggression, unprovoked, unwarranted on Ukraine" is helping them in their everyday lives.
"How is it sending a kid to school? How is it getting you a job? How is it cleaning the air? How is it dealing with the things you care about?" he questioned.
On the contrary, he told the BBC, the Russian people are "tragically" bearing the burden of President Vladimir Putin’s war because of the massive sanctions imposed on the country by the U.S. and its allies.
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The World Bank Group is putting together financial help for Ukraine.
It is preparing to distribute $700 million in loans this month, according to the BBC.
World Bank President David Malpass spoke on the phone with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.
The bank's board is now reviewing a $500 million loan proposal.
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Russia says its military will observe a ceasefire in two areas of Ukraine starting Saturday to allow civilians to evacuate, Russian media reported, according to The Associated Press.
At least one Ukrainian official confirmed the information, the report said.
Russia said it would allow civilians to leave the areas of Mariupol in southeast Ukraine and Volnovakha in the eastern part of the country beginning at 10 a.m. Moscow time, or 2 a.m. in the Eastern U.S.
The vaguely worded Russian statement was unclear about how long the ceasefire would last, the AP reported.
In Mariupol, an administrative official said the ceasefire there would last until 9 a.m. ET Saturday and a humanitarian corridor for transporting people and supplies would start at 4 a.m. ET, according to the report. The corridor in that area would extend from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia, said Pavlo Kirilenko, head of the Donetsk region military-civil administration that includes Mariupol.
The Russian media report came after Oleksiy Danilov, leader of Ukraine’s security council, called for such a humanitarian move, according to the AP.
Meanwhile, the U.N. World Food Program warned that millions of Ukrainians will be needing food “immediately” as the war affects supplies in stores.
In Washington, Congress was scheduled Saturday to consider a request for $10 billion in humanitarian aid and security funding for Ukraine, according to the AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Russian forces in southern Ukraine were advancing toward the country’s second-largest nuclear plant Friday, one day after attacking the largest such facility, according to reports.
The troops were closing in on the nuclear power station in Yuzhnoukrainsk, after Russia’s previous attack Thursday targeted the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Enerhodar, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.N. ambassador to the United Nations, told the U.N. Security Council.
The council met Friday in an emergency session at U.N. headquarters in New York City in response to the Thursday attack.
The threat to the plant in Yuzhnoukrainsk was an "imminent danger," Thomas-Greenfield said.
"Russian forces are now 20 miles, and closing, from Ukraine’s second-largest nuclear facility," the ambassador said. "So this imminent danger continues."
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The image of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seen on a video screen at a pro-Ukraine rally in Romerberg Square in Frankfurt, Germany, March 4, 2022. (Associated Press)
Packed squares and boulevards across Europe sounded like soccer stadiums Friday as crowds from Paris to Tbilisi, Georgia, cheered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who addressed the public gatherings via video.
"Come out and support Ukraine as much as you can," the media-savvy leader, a former actor who has captured the world's admiration for standing up to Russia as it continues to attack Ukraine, urged the crowds.
Ralliers held signs protesting the Russian invasion, which enters its 10th day Saturday. Many waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and sang along to anti-war songs like John Lennon's "Imagine."
Other cities holding rallies included Frankfurt, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna and Vilnius.
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This image made from a video released by Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant shows bright flaring object landing in grounds of the nuclear plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine Friday, March 4, 2022. Russian forces shelled Europe’s largest nuclear plant early Friday, sparking a fire as they pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city and gained ground in their bid to cut off the country from the sea. (Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant via AP)
Ukrainian Parliament Member Sviatoslav Yurash sounded off on Russia-Ukraine peace talks and the attack on Europe's largest nuclear power plant Friday on "The Ingraham Angle."
SVIATOSLAV YURASH: These talks are basically, from what I can see from Russian demands, are a mirage. Russians [have been] trying to essentially … from the very beginning … destroy our sovereignty, our independence, our will to become [an] independent nation. And they demand things which will never pass … These are things that basically destroy any chance for Ukraine to be its own state. So as far as conversation there, … I would point to these peace talks. We need to give them their bodies, and we have so many Russians [who] died already in Ukraine. The transfer of these bodies needs to be organized, and that's something to discuss [in] these negotiations. Also, we have hundreds of their P.O.W.s, and they have some of ours. We need to talk about that, too. … But as far as the actual ending to the warfare, unfortunately [the] Russians aren't giving it a chance."
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Yachts belonging to two of Russia's wealthiest oligarchs have been seized in Italy as part of European Union sanctions.
The raid by Italian police took place Friday, according to the BBC.
Authorities seized a 213-foot yacht worth $27 million owned by Alexey Mordashov, in the northern port of Imperia, according to local officials.
Mordashov is considered a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and Russia's richest man.His worth is estimated at $29 billion and built his wealth around the Russian steel producer Severstal.
The other yacht is reportedly owned by Gennady Timchenko, another oligarch with close ties to Putin.
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A retired U.S. brigadier general told Fox News on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is decidedly a war criminal after firsthand accounts and video of his army bombing civilians and reportedly using taboo ordnances in several cases.
Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc told "The Ingraham Angle" that there is no need for an international commission or an investigation because the videos from Ukraine do not lie.
Bolduc warned about the dangers of hyperbaric ordnances — so-called "vacuum bombs" — that create vacuums via a secondary detonation that vaporizes anything in range, including humans.
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Pentagon press secretary John Kirby during an appearance Friday on "The Story" was asked exactly what the U.S. mission was in Ukraine and what success would look like in officials' eyes.
JOHN KIRBY: I'll tell you very clearly what the Pentagon and the Department of Defense is focused on, and it's really two things. One is continuing to make sure that Ukraine can defend itself, and they are defending themselves. And as we just talked about a few minutes ago, we're helping them do that, and we're trying to do that as fast as possible.
Number two: Making sure that NATO can defend itself, and that's why the president has ordered additional troops over to Europe. That's why we repositioned troops inside Europe to elsewhere on NATO's eastern flank. We're making sure that we can make positive that we can defend NATO's territory, that we're making it clear to Mr. Putin and to our allies how seriously we take our Article 5 commitments under the NATO's treaty. …
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on at a press conference for selected media at his official residence the Maryinsky Palace on March 3,2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Laurent Van der Stockt for Le Monde/Getty Images)
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized NATO for their decision to not impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying "Is this NATO we wanted?"
"Today, the Alliance's leadership gave the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities by refusing to make a no-fly zone. You could close our sky. But…I do not know who you can protect and whether you can protect NATO countries," Zelenskyy said in a video uploaded to social media on Friday.
In the address, Zelenskyy, however, said that he's "grateful" for Ukraine's friends in NATO.
"But I am also grateful to our country's friends in NATO. There are many countries of our friends, our partners - most of the powerful partners. Those who help our state no matter what. From the first day of the invasion. And I'm sure, until the victory. And that's why we do NOT feel alone.We continue to fight. We will protect our state. We will liberate our land," he said.
Staff of a Russian independent television station, TV Rain, ended their final broadcast by walking off the set on Thursday,
The news outlet has stopped broadcasting indefinitely, according to the BBC.
The Russian government's telecommunications regulator has accused the station of "inciting extremism, abusing Russian citizens, causing mass disruption of public calm and safety, and encouraging protests," according to the report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the launch of a new ferry via a conference call at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 4, 2022. (Andrei Gorshkov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law Friday legislation that would punish journalists with prison time for publishing news that contradicts officials' statements about Moscow's war in Ukraine.
Under the new law, reporters face up to 15 years in prison if they report what authorities deem as false reports about the military. The legislation was passed by both chambers of the Russian parliament.
Tim Davie, the director-general for the BBC, said the law criminalizes independent journalism and said the media outlet has suspended the work of its journalists and staff in Russia.
"Our BBC News service in Russian will continue to operate from outside Russia," he said Thursday. "The safety of our staff is paramount and we are not prepared to expose them to the risk of criminal prosecution simply for doing their jobs."
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