(MEXICO CITY) — Two of the four Americans kidnapped in Mexico have been found dead, while the other two have been found alive, according to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
One of those found alive was injured, Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal said Tuesday.
One person has been arrested, the president said.
Emergency medical services and security are responding to the situation, the governor added.
The American citizens crossed into Matamoros, in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas just south of Brownsville, Texas, in a white minivan with North Carolina plates on Friday, according to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
“Shortly after crossing into Mexico, unidentified gunmen shot the passengers of the vehicle,” the embassy said. “The gunmen herded the four U.S. citizens into another vehicle and fled the scene with them.”
The four Americans were identified as Zindell Brown, Eric James Williams and cousins Latavia “Tay” McGee and Shaeed Woodard.
McGee’s mother, Barbara Burgess, told ABC News that her daughter traveled from South Carolina to Mexico for a cosmetic medical procedure.
On Friday, the day of the appointment, Burgess said McGee called to say she was 15 minutes away from the doctor’s office. Burgess called McGee later that day but never heard back, she said.
The Americans were taken after getting caught in the middle of a confrontation between groups, according to Mexico’s president, who told reporters Monday that they “crossed the border to buy medicines in Mexico.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
(SEOUL, South Korea) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s second child, a daughter named Kim Ju Ae, who has been exposed to the public lately, has an older brother and another sibling, according to lawmakers who were briefed by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) in a closed-door meeting Tuesday.
Lawmakers Youn Kun-young and Yoo Sang-bum shared new tidbits about the Kim family with reporters after a closed-door briefing with the spy agency.
“Kim Ju Ae appears to be homeschooled in Pyongyang and her hobbies include horseback riding, swimming, and skiing. In particular, there is information that Kim Jong Un is quite satisfied with her excellent horseback riding skills,” Yoo told reporters.
But news that people with the same name as Kim Ju Ae were forced to change their names in North Korea appears to be false, according to the spy agency.
Questions have been raised whether Kim’s 9-year-old daughter may become the future leader of the isolated regime after she had been spotted at official events since last November when Kim Jong Un took her to the ICBM test launch site.
She received spotlight as she accompanied her father hand in hand during the military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the country’s army. North Korea’s state media described her as the “respected” and “beloved” daughter of Kim Jong Un in a report about the parade.
“The intention behind the second born Kim Joo Ae’s frequent appearance in public seems like an effort to imprint the legitimacy of the hereditary succession of the Kim bloodline,” Yoo said.
The NIS explained that Kim Jong Un is still too young and healthy to designate a successor so early.
Little is known about the other two siblings. Yoo told reporters that the first child is a son citing international intel, although there is no specific physical evidence. The existence of the third child has been confirmed, but the gender is still unknown according to intelligence.
Lawmaker Yun also told the press that North Korea could engage in large-scale, military drills in March or April, and test its new solid fuel Intercontinental ballistic missile soon.
(NEW YORK) — On the sidelines of China’s annual National People’s Congress this week, both Chinese President Xi Jinping and newly promoted Foreign Minister Qin Gang aired their respective frustrations at the United States.
In a closed-door session with delegates from China’s private sector Monday, Xi made a rare direct reference to the United States when blaming Washington for his nation’s economic challenges.
In the Chinese-language readout of the meeting from the Xinhua News Agency, Xi said, “The Western countries led by the United States have implemented all-round containment, containment and suppression on our country, bringing unprecedented severe challenges to the our development.”
The criticism does not appear in the English-language version.
Xi’s remarks come as U.S.-China tension have remained high since the U.S. accused Beijing of sending a high-altitude surveillance balloon over the continental United States last month and then proceede to shoot it down with a fighter jet.
Despite both sides having signaled a desire for a reset when Xi met with President Joe Biden at the G20 in Bali last November, the two largest economies in the world remain at odds on a whole host of issues not limited to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Taiwan and advanced semiconductors.
The Chinese leader’s frustrations during Monday’s panel discussion came on the heels of the U.S. asking Japan and the Netherlands to tighten export controls of chip manufacturing equipment and technologies to China, prompting an angry response from Beijing.
During his first press conference as foreign minister, Qin Gang — most recently the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. — warned that while Beijing was “committed” to stable ties with Washington, the relationship will worsen if the U.S. does not change its attitude toward China and potentially incite conflict.
“If the U.S. does not hit the brake, but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing, and there will surely be conflicts and confrontation,” said Qin. “Who will bear the catastrophic consequences?”
Bringing up the balloon incident, Qin said that the U.S. took “advantage of the topic and created a diplomatic crisis that could have been avoided.”
“The U.S. perception and views of China are seriously distorted. It regards China as its primary rival and the most consequential geopolitical challenge. This is like the first button of a shirt being put wrong,” Qin continued.
“Containment and suppression will not make America great again, nor will it stop China from moving towards national rejuvenation,” he said.
Qin later slammed the U.S.’s Indo-Pacific strategy, accusing Washington of forming “exclusive small circles” to provoke confrontation, decoupling and creating an “Asia-Pacific version of NATO.”
“The real purpose of the Indo-Pacific strategy is to contain China,” Qin said. “No Cold War should be repeated in Asia, and no Ukraine-style crisis should be repeated in Asia.”
On relations with Russia, Qin said the China-Russia ties “do not pose a threat to any country in the world, nor will it be interfered or sowed discord in by any third party.”
“The more unstable the world becomes, the more imperative it is for China and Russia to steadily advance their relations,” he said.
On Taiwan, Qin warned the U.S. not to “interfere in China’s internal affairs” saying the issue is a “red line that must not be crossed” and the “bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations.”
Qin slammed the U.S. for double-standards when discussing Ukraine and Taiwan, saying “the Chinese people have the right to ask why the U.S. talks about respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Ukraine issue, but does not respect China on the Taiwan issue? Why does the US ask China not to provide weapons to Russia while keeps selling arms to Taiwan?”
Beijing sees self-governing Taiwan as a renegade province and claims the island as its territory despite never having directly controlled it.
In an appeal for getting U.S.-China relations back on track, Qin drew from his tenure in the States.
“I have noticed that more and more people in the United States are deeply worried about the current Sino-US relations, and they have called on the US government to implement a rational and pragmatic China policy,” Qin said.
Qin attempted to highlight a distinction between U.S. politicians and the American people, echoing a tactic used in Washington to distinguish between the ruling Communist Party of China and the Chinese people.
“The American people are as warm, friendly and honest as the Chinese people. They all pursue a happy life and a better world. When I was working in the United States, the workers at the Long Beach dock in Los Angeles told me that the livelihood of the whole family depended on the trade of goods between China and the United States, and that the two countries should prosper together,” he said.
“Whenever I think of them, I think that what determines China-U.S. relations should be the common interests of the two countries, shared responsibilities and friendship between the two peoples, rather than U.S. domestic politics and hysterical Neo-McCarthyism,” Qin added.
(PARIS) — As ticket sales for the 2024 Paris Olympics get underway, some online reviewers have begun to raise concerns about what they see as the flaws of a new sales system.
A new ticket draw registration was implemented for these Games, which start in July 2024. Ticket buyers had to enter the draw to access the first two rounds of sales, marking a first for the Olympics. Early buyers are also compelled to buy tickets to more than one event. The first round of sales is underway and the second starts on March 15. Single ticket sales open on May 11.
Some have said that their anger and frustration have been mounting over what they described as a lack of transparency and a lack of affordable options.
In online reviews, the new system has been described as “an absolute shambles” and “a damper.” Others said, “Shame on you” and “that excitement was short-lived.”
The Paris committee has a total of 13.5 million tickets to sell, which includes 3.5 million for the Paralympics. Half of all tickets have been priced at 50 euros or less. About one million tickets are priced below 24 euros apiece.
“We know that we are going to make people disappointed because you have 4 billion people watching the games, and we have 10 million tickets, so we know that inevitably that there will be people disappointed,” 2024 Olympics spokesperson Michael Aloïsio said.
Reviews are mixed, as some events sell out
But sales have been brisk. The organization said that 14 sports had remaining tickets, as of Tuesday afternoon.
“It started extremely strong, and it continues to move every day,” Aloïsio told ABC News.
Stefan Junker, 47, a German fan, told ABC News he was “very happy” he’ll be attending the Games with his wife. He said it felt “a little bit like Christmas” when he got his 24 tickets on Feb. 21.
Self-described super fan Isabelle Zky, who’ll be attending her first Olympics, couldn’t believe her luck.
“I have been a fan of the Olympic Games for 30 years so I only dreamed of being able to attend,” the 46-year-old Parisian told ABC News.
She said she had a few tickets secured for now.
While there are many happy fans, some regret an overall lack of transparency, mainly about the draw and buying system.
Sacha Lorber, 23, a French national in Australia, said he was proud he managed to buy 30 tickets for himself and his family back in his homeland.
He described his experience as “smooth,” crediting his day-long preparation “to try and understand everything,” but to him, “it always seemed like they were hiding something.”
Lorber said the issues about the buying experience could have been resolved by “providing a simulator” and more transparency, in real time, about the states of the sales in each sport, to avoid having to “hunt for information.” He added that “they campaign the buying process for its inclusivity and openness, hard to see from my perspective.”
Zky said she regretted there was “no national preference” in the beginning. She also criticized the 30-ticket cap per buyer as “a bit excessive.”
The mandatory buying of the same number of tickets in each sport within a pack was an important issue for Aymane Hedaraly, 26, based in Grenoble, and her friends.
Some see prices as discouraging
Some of the people selected in the initial draw said they experienced a different kind of frustration.
“I have the impression that France does not want the inhabitants of its own country, or the fans even of athletics, to go to the stadium to see,” Maëva Beaujour, who was unlucky in the draw, said.
The 25-year-old said she was profoundly disappointment.
“The whole way of doing things, I find that it does not make sense and does not correspond at all to the idea of opening the games wide,” the sprint, 200 and 400m runner states.
“I think that the target is not the inhabitants of France,” she said, adding that €700 for a ticket is “crazy in the midst of inflation.”
Her sentiments were shared by other people ABC News spoke with.
Yorick Spieker, 50, from the town of Kempen northwest of Düsseldorf, said he found the prices “ridiculous” too.
“There wasn’t really a budget,” he said, but “I’m not going to spend 2,000 or 3000 euro on four tickets.”
Sélène Agapé, 31, who lives in Seine-Saint-Denis, an area hosting a portion of the games, said she was crushed when she logged on to buy tickets last Tuesday.
“I was disappointed because it looked super accessible the way it was presented, I felt like I was going to have all my chances, but in the end, not at all,” she said.
She said she had a budget equivalent to about $211 to see some athletics, boxing and judo events.
“The further you go in the stages, the less accessible it is, the conditions make it less accessible,” she adds.
Hedaraly said she was only offered a minimum of $159 per play-off ticket.
Even with an anticipated budget of $5,299, which she said she’d been saving since 2017, Zky, the super fan, said the Olympics are “very expensive.” She said she found the pricing differences between some categories “a bit harsh.”
The French committee said it was aware some had expressed their disappointment, but considered it par for the course as they have higher demand than the total number of tickets. That point was repeated by 2024 Games President Tony Estanguet, a former athlete, last week as he addressed the controversy on a local radio show.
Despite the controversy, Michael Aloïsio predicted the second sale would sell out before its intended close on March 15.
(MEXICO CITY) — The four Americans kidnapped in Mexico on Friday “crossed the border to buy medicines in Mexico,” according to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The U.S. citizens were taken after getting caught in the middle of a confrontation between groups, López Obrador said during his daily press conference on Monday.
The FBI is searching for the Americans, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said Sunday. The American citizens crossed into Matamoros, in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas just south of Brownsville, Texas, in a white minivan with North Carolina plates on Friday, the embassy said.
“Shortly after crossing into Mexico, unidentified gunmen shot the passengers of the vehicle. The gunmen herded the four U.S. citizens into another vehicle and fled the scene with them,” according to the embassy.
The four Americans have been identified as Latavia “Tay” McGee, Shaeed Woodard, Zindell Brown and Eric James Williams. According to their mother, McGee and her cousin Woodard were among the victims in Matamoros along with their friends Brown and Williams.
A North Carolina driver’s license belonging to Williams was also found at the scene, according to sources close to the Mexican investigation.
Barbara Burgess, 54, McGee’s mother, told ABC News that her daughter went to Mexico for a medical procedure and that before the trip, she warned her not to go, but McGee insisted that she would be OK.
On the day of the appointment, Burgess said McGee called to say she was 15 minutes away from the doctor’s office. Burgess called McGee later that day but never heard back, she said.
“Her phone just started going to voicemail,” she said.
An FBI agent visited Burgess on Friday morning to ask her if she recognized the driver, who has been identified as Williams.
She confirmed with the FBI agent that Williams was the person her daughter and nephew had been traveling with to Mexico.
“The entire” Mexican government “is there working on this,” López Obrador said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that President Joe Biden is “aware and has been informed” of the four missing U.S. citizens.
The State Department, Department of Homeland Security and Mexican authorities are working together on the case, according to the White House.
“We are closely following the assault and kidnapping of four U.S. citizens in Matamoros, Mexico. These sorts of attacks are unacceptable,” Jean-Pierre said. “Our thoughts are with the families of these individuals, and we stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance.”
“We will continue to coordinate with Mexico and push them to bring those responsible to justice,” she added.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price could share little more about the situation during an on-camera press briefing, but said Monday that the department is “closely following” the case.
“The FBI is working very closely with other federal partners and Mexican law enforcement agencies to investigate this,” he said. “We’re standing ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance. We do also remind Americans about the existing travel guidance when it comes to this particular part of Mexico.”
In a statement on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said that various U.S. law enforcement officials are working with Mexican authorities at every level of government “to secure the safe return” of the four kidnapped Americans.
“We have no greater priority than the safety of our citizens — this is the U.S. government’s most fundamental role,” Salazar said.
The FBI is now asking for the public’s help in identifying who might be responsible and is offering a $50,000 reward, the embassy said.
Anyone with information can contact the FBI’s San Antonio Division at 210-225-6741.
ABC News’ Anne Laurent, Teddy Grant and William Gretsky contributed to this report.
(MEXICO CITY) — The FBI is searching for four U.S. citizens who have been kidnapped in Mexico, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said Sunday.
The American citizens crossed into Matamoros, in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas just south of Brownsville, Texas, in a white minivan with North Carolina plates on Friday, the embassy said.
“Shortly after crossing into Mexico, unidentified gunmen shot the passengers of the vehicle. The gunmen herded the four U.S. citizens into another vehicle and fled the scene with them,” according to the embassy.
The FBI is now asking for the public’s help in identifying who might be responsible and is offering a $50,000 reward, the embassy said.
Anyone with information can contact the FBI’s San Antonio Division at 210-225-6741.
(NEW YORK) — Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have received an invitation for the coronation of Harry’s father, King Charles III, their spokesperson has confirmed.
The confirmation of Harry and Meghan’s invitation answers a longstanding question of whether they would be invited to the king’s coronation after Harry’s explosive memoir, released in January, appeared to further the distance between him and his royal family members.
It still remains to be seen, however, whether the California-based Sussexes will travel to England to attend the coronation, scheduled to take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey.
The day of the coronation is also the fourth birthday of Harry and Meghan’s son, Archie. The couple also has a 1-year-old daughter, Lilibet.
“I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation,” a spokesperson for the Sussexes told ABC News on Sunday. “An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time.”
Buckingham Palace has not commented on Harry and Meghan’s invitation to the coronation.
A palace spokesperson confirmed to ABC News Monday that save-the-date emails and correspondence for the coronation have started rolling out, while formal invitations will not be sent until closer to the date.
The news of Harry and Meghan’s invitation comes less than one week since the Sussexes’ spokesperson confirmed that the couple had been asked “to vacate” Frogmore Cottage, their official residence in the United Kingdom since 2019.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the Harry and Meghan being asked to move out of Frogmore Cottage, a royal residence located on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Charles is said to have made the decision to move his son and daughter-in-law out of their home in January, shortly after Harry’s memoir Spare was released, according to ABC News contributor Omid Scobie.
According to Scobie and The Sun newspaper, Frogmore Cottage has instead been offered to Charles’ younger brother, Prince Andrew, who is no longer a working royal after facing scrutiny over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Harry and Meghan are also no longer senior working royals after choosing to step down from their roles in 2020, becoming financially independent and moving to California.
The reported changes with Frogmore Cottage come less than six months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, at which point Charles, her eldest son, became king.
The queen’s funeral in September was the last time Harry and Meghan appeared publicly with the royal family. The period of mourning for the queen also marked the first time in two years the couple was seen together publicly with Charles and Harry’s brother, Prince William, and other senior royals.
In his memoir, Harry described tensions within his family, particularly between himself and his father and brother.
Harry told Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan in an interview prior to the memoir’s release that he did not believe the details he shared in Spare could make things any worse with his family.
“I have thought about it long and hard,” Harry said. “And as far as I see it, the divide couldn’t be greater before this book.”
Neither Kensington Palace — the office of William and Kate, the Princess of Wales — nor Buckingham Palace, the office of Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have commented on the claims Harry made in Spare.
(NEW YORK) — One year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine, both sides are still fighting for control of areas in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops have liberated nearly 30,000 square miles of their territory from Russian forces since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, but Putin appears to be preparing for a long and bloody war. Tens of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have already died on the battlefield, while Ukrainian civilians continue to be terrorized by Russian missiles.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Mar 05, 5:20 PM EST
13 found dead after strike hits Zhaporizhzhia
Thirteen people have been found dead since a rocket struck an apartment building in Zhaporizhzhia, Ukraine, authorities said.
The governor there has called for a national day of mourning on Monday.
The State Emergency Situation of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia initially posted on their Telegram account Friday that seven people were dead.
So far, 11 people have been saved, and 20 people were able to evacuate the building.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman
Mar 03, 2:21 PM EST
Merrick Garland makes unannounced visit to Ukraine
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Friday at the invitation of the Ukrainian prosecutor general to join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other international partners at the United for Justice Conference.
Garland attended several meetings while he was there.
-ABC News’ Alexander Mallin
Mar 03, 2:09 PM EST
US announces $400 million more in military aid for Ukraine
The U.S. Department of Defense announced $400 million in new military aid for Ukraine, including eight folding armored bridges for the first time.
This is the Biden administration’s 33rd drawdown of equipment from Department of Defense inventories for Ukraine.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Mar 03, 2:08 PM EST
5,000 remain in Bakhmut as Russian shelling intensifies
Around 5,000 people still remain in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, including 37 children, according to Donetsk Oblast Regional Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.
The losses in Bakhmut stand at the rate of one Ukrainian solider to seven Russian soldiers, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksii Danilo said on TV.
Russian forces fighting for control of Bakhmut intensified shelling at access roads to the west, making it harder for Ukrainian forces to move in and out, Reuters reported Friday.
-ABC News’ Yulia Drozd
Mar 03, 12:20 PM EST
Blinken, Ukrainian foreign minister discuss Lavrov meeting
The State Department said Friday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about the brief conversation that took place at the G-20 summit between Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“The Secretary underscored to Foreign Minister Kuleba the United States’ enduring support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal attacks, including the ongoing targeting of civilian infrastructure and resulting civilian casualties,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
Mar 02, 3:48 PM EST
US to announce more weapons for Ukraine on Friday
The U.S. will announce another assistance package for Ukraine on Friday, White House spokesperson John Kirby announced Thursday afternoon, but did not detail the exact size of this next round of support.
“You’ll see us tomorrow, just unilaterally, the U.S. will have another round of assistance for Ukraine coming tomorrow. And it will include mostly ammunitions and munitions that the Ukrainians will need for the systems that they already have, like the HIMARS and the artillery.”
The new aid comes as President Joe Biden meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House Friday to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine as Russia’s invasion continues.
Kirby said the leaders would discuss the “kinds of capabilities that Ukraine continues to need in the weeks and months ahead.”
He also said this will be a “true working visit” between Biden and Scholz and they are expected to discuss “recent engagements with Ukrainian officials, including the President’s trip to Kyiv and meeting with President Zelenskyy, as well as Chancellor Schultz’s meeting with President Zelensky in Paris last month.”
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Mar 02, 3:12 PM EST
Lavrov ‘diverted’ Blinken’s calls to reconsider Russia leaving START treaty
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “diverted” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s calls to reconsider the decision to suspend Russia’s participation in the New START treaty, Russia’s foreign ministry told Interfax, Russian news agency.
“If they want to return to diplomacy, let them return. If they are engaged in self-promotion and such inexpensive PR, well, this is possible. True, the result will be appropriate,” Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the ministry, told Russian TV channel Rossiya-1.
-ABC News’ Natalia Shumskaia
Mar 02, 12:36 PM EST
Blinken, Lavrov hold ‘on the go’ talk at G-20 meeting
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had an “on the go” talk during the G-20 Meeting of Foreign Ministers in India, but there were no negotiations, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS, a Russian news agency, Thursday.
“Blinken asked for a contact with Lavrov. Sergey Viktorovich [Lavrov] had communication on the go during the second session. But there were no negotiations, no meeting or so on,” the diplomat said.
Blinken had said earlier in the day during a press conference he had “spoke briefly” with Lavrov and discussed ending the war, as well as Russia rejoining the New START Treaty on nuclear arms.
“I told the foreign minister what I and so many others said last week at the United Nations and what so many G-20 foreign ministers said today: End this war of aggression, engage in meaningful diplomacy that could produce a just and durable peace,” he said. “The United States stands ready to support Ukraine through diplomacy to end the war on this basis.”
A senior State Department official downplayed any hopes that the conversation moved the needle on any of the topics.
-ABC News’ Tanya Stukalova and Shannon Crawford
Mar 01, 5:12 PM EST
Ukraine says it’s shot down 80% of Russian missiles
Ukraine has shot down 80% of Russian missiles, according to Commander of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Air Force Serhiy Nayev.
Nayev made the assessment in a Facebook post on Wednesday about the effectiveness of the air defense system.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman
Feb 28, 4:59 PM EST
Ukrainians to send more forces to Bahkmut
Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander of Ukraine’s Eastern Group of Forces, will send additional units to Bahkmut, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar.
“Bakhmut has been the epicenter of hostilities for several months now. The enemy has concentrated its key efforts there because it aims to reach the borders of the Donetsk region. The situation there is really tense and difficult,” Malyar said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed that statement in his nightly address.
“The most difficult situation is still Bakhmut and the battles that are important for the defense of the city,” he said.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman and Will Gretsky
Feb 28, 2:31 PM EST
Belarusian president, Putin ally, arrives in China for state visit
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived on a state visit to China on Tuesday, according to Sputnik, a Russian state-owned news agency.
During his planned three-day visit, Lukashenko will hold a series of meetings with top Chinese officials, according to Sputnik.
Belarus has been an unofficial ally of Russia since the war began.
Lukashenko’s visit comes at a time when Western officials have issued warnings about the Chinese government possibly aiding Russia in its invasion.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said they have intelligence showing China is preparing to send lethal aid to Russia.
Last week, the Chinese foreign minister visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia. During remarks at that meeting, Putin said he is planning for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Russia this spring.
-ABC News’ Natalia Shumskaia
Feb 28, 2:17 PM EST
Putin admits Russian military losses
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Russian military losses from its ongoing invasion of Ukraine during his annual meeting with the federal security service Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, comrade officers, we know that there are losses in our ranks,” Putin said.
Putin called on the FSB to provide “support” to the families of soldiers who have died in the war.
“We will always remember their heroism and bravery,” he added.
Putin did not say how many soldiers have died in the war and the Russian Ministry of Defense hasn’t disclosed an exact number of losses since September 2022 when Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said just shy of 6,000 troops had died.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other State Department officials said Russia has likely suffered 200,000 injured or dead soldiers since the start of the war.
Putin also called on the FSB to make sure its border guard “undertake special efforts to control the Russian state border with Ukraine.”
A “special group” is currently deployed at the Russia-Ukraine border, made up of border agencies, the FSB air arm, the Russian Armed Forces and the Russian National Guard, according to Putin.
“Your mission is to prevent any incursions by sabotage groups and stop any attempts to smuggle weapons and ammunition into Russia,” Putin told the FSB board.
-ABC News’ Tanya Stukalova and Anastasia Bagaeva
Feb 27, 1:44 PM EST
Ukrainian forces shoot down 11 drones as Russia launches overnight attacks
Air raid sirens blared for more than five hours in several locations across Ukraine starting late Sunday and lasting until the early morning hours.
Ukrainian air forces shot down 11 out of 14 that Russia launched from the north last night, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Over the past 24 hours, Russians have launched five missiles and 13 air strikes, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Russian troops also launched more than 50 rocket attacks primarily in Kherson and Donetsk regions, which led to “dead and wounded civilians, destroyed civilian houses and damaged civilian infrastructure,” according to Ukrainian officials.
Shelling from Russian forces was recorded in more than 25 settlements in the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, Ukrainian officials said.
Feb 27, 11:58 AM EST
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen makes surprise visit to Kyiv
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited Kyiv Monday and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm the U.S.’s financial support to Ukraine.
Yellen announced $1.25 billion in economic and budgetary assistance, which helps the Ukrainian government continue to run, funds payroll for soldiers on the front lines and shores up critical infrastructure, according to the Treasury Department.
“I bring to Kyiv a clear message from President Biden and the American people: We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Yellen said in her remarks during her sitdown with Zelenskyy.
Yellen told Zelenskyy that the U.S. will provide over $8 billion in this type of assistance “over the coming months,” according to the Treasury Department. A readout of the meeting stated the U.S. will provide $9.9 billion total during the first three quarters of 2023.
Feb 25, 2:27 PM EST
Russian strike damages clinic, injuring one: Ukrainian official
One person was injured after a Russian missile hit a medical clinic in the town of Krasnotorka, Ukraine, in the eastern Donetsk oblast, Ukrainian regional military chief Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a Facebook post.
Feb 24, 6:20 PM EST
Zelenskyy says he’s open to meet with Chinese president
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a press conference in Kyiv on Friday he would like to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Zelenskyy said he’d like to talk about the Chinese government’s offer to discuss a peace agreement in detail, “because it’s about our country.” However, the president noted that the Chinese government hasn’t directly talked to Ukrainian’s government.
“The first point of their plan is ‘recognition of national sovereignty and territorial integrity,’ but they didn’t even mention the country. I hope they meant us, Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “If it’s us, everybody understands that territorial integrity can be achieved by withdrawal of Russian troops from all occupied territories.”
Zelenskyy said it is “priority number one” for him to prevent China from providing Russia with weapons for the ongoing conflict.
“I believe China is going to side with the idea of fair peace, peace and fairness which is our side,” he added.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman
Feb 24, 5:42 PM EST
Nearly 200k Russian troops killed or wounded so far: Western officials
Western officials have provided a more detailed look at the scope of losses for Russia since its invasion began a year ago.
The range of Russian casualties is believed to be between 180,000 and 200,000, which includes killed and wounded figures, a U.S. official told ABC News. The official cautioned that this number is all inexact but also includes Wagner forces.
The ratio of wounded to killed soldiers is three to one among estimated Russian casualties of 175,000 to 200,000, Western officials told ABC News on Feb. 21.
On the Ukrainian side, there are “at least 100,000” Ukrainian casualties in the war so far with a ratio of 20 wounded soldiers to every dead soldier, Western officials said on Feb. 21.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez, Elle Kaufman and Zoe Magee
Feb 24, 3:19 PM EST
White House says Iran’s support for Russia is expanding
The White House is now warning that Iran’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine is “expanding” with the country sending additional military aid in November with the expectation that more will be obtained.
“In November, Iran shipped artillery and tank rounds to Russia for use in Ukraine,” White House spokesperson John Kirby said Friday. “Russia is planning to cooperate with Iran to obtain more military equipment.”
In return, Kirby said that Russia “has been offering Iran unprecedented defense cooperation, including on missiles, electronics and air defense.”
“We believe that Russia might provide Iran with fighter jets. Iran is also seeking to purchase additional military equipment from Russia including attack helicopters, radars and combat trainer aircraft. In total, Iran is seeking billions of dollars of military equipment from Russia,” Kirby said.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Feb 24, 2:34 PM EST
Ukraine accuses Russia of conducting ‘state sponsored kidnapping of children’
Ukraine accused Russia of conducting state-sponsored kidnapping of children, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement to the United Nations Security Council on Friday.
“The magnitude of the humanitarian crisis brought on by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine cannot be overstated. I would like to highlight here one of numerous horrendous facts – Russia is now implementing in Ukraine probably the largest instance of state sponsored kidnapping of children in history of our modern world,” Kuleba said.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman
Feb 24, 12:21 PM EST
Zelenskyy hopes China will not supply Russia with weapons
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters he wants to believe China won’t supply Russia with weapons in the ongoing conflict.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the U.S. and NATO have intelligence that China is getting ready to possibly supply Russia with weapons. China has denied these claims.
Zelenskyy said it is “priority No. 1” for him to prevent China from providing Russia with weapons.
“This is very important. This is priority No. 1 for me and I am doing my best to prevent that from happening. It is important for us,” he said.
He added, “I believe China is going to side with the idea of fair peace, peace and fairness which is our side.”
Feb 24, 12:01 PM EST
After a year, is the US strategy to help Ukraine win or force a stalemate?
One year ago, with Ukraine’s borders surrounded by what seemed to be a superior military force, many U.S. officials and analysts predicted a swift Russian blitz to Kyiv.
But after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his more than 150,000 arrayed troops across the border, it soon became clear that a dual reassessment was in order: The Russian invaders were less potent than advertised, and the Ukrainians were unexpectedly stubborn and wily in the defense.
Some of the Russian troops weren’t even aware they were on a combat mission until Ukrainian bullets came cracking past them, according to U.S. officials. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces stalled a massive Russian supply convoy through direct attacks and by destroying a key bridge. Only one week into the invasion, Putin’s men were plagued with food and fuel shortages, morale running similarly low.
Kyiv stood.
“Putin assumed that Ukraine was an easy target, Putin assumed that Kyiv would easily fall, and Putin assumed that the world would stand by,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said during a speech in Brussels last week. “But the Kremlin was wrong on every count.”
Ukrainian forces were armed with more than grit.
They also had years of U.S. and NATO military training, plus American-made weapons, like anti-armor Javelins and anti-aircraft Stinger missiles. These made Russian vehicles vulnerable to ambush, and left Russian helicopter and jet pilots wary of flying over Ukrainian positions. Indeed, many airmen did not return from their sorties.
Despite astonishing losses of soldiers and vehicles, Putin has shown no inclination to end the conflict anytime soon. And despite its tenacity, Ukraine has also taken significant casualties, and is not able to produce enough of its own weapons and ammunition to keep up the fight.
Ukraine, after thwarting the advance on its capital, and later routing Russian forces from Kharkiv, now largely faces a battle of supply.
“When this war began, Russia had a larger population, a much bigger defense budget, a bigger military, bigger industrial base. So, this became an industrial war and a war of industrial bases,” said Seth Jones, director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “This is why Western industrial support has been so critical.”
A key question now is, despite massive military aid packages and a promise to send even more, could the U.S. strategy ultimately result, not in a Ukrainian victory, but a stalemate in a years-long war of attrition?
Feb 24, 11:31 AM EST
If Ukraine’s partners keep their word on aid, Ukraine will ‘definitely win,’ Zelenskyy says
Asked if he believes in victory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country “definitely” will if fellow nations keep their word about help and aid.
“Luckily, we’re not alone, so all of us should stay focused,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine has “put forward its peace plan, peace formula,” which is “supported by many nations.”
Rather than having bilateral peace negotiations, Zelenskyy suggested a “peace forum with participation of many countries from different continents.”
“I’d like to see China, India, other countries approving post-war security guarantees,” Zelenskyy said.
Feb 24, 10:27 AM EST
US adds 200 export control restrictions on Russia
On the anniversary of the war, the U.S. Commerce Department is adding nearly 200 additional export restrictions on Russian entities for the invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. has already sanctioned Russia and Belarus with export controls because of the war. The new controls levied Friday limit semiconductor exports to Russia as well as oil and gas exports.
The U.S. said previously that its export controls have impacted on Russia’s military.
“Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and the collective efforts of the Global Export Control Coalition, we have further degraded Russia’s military capabilities by denying access to many components used for aircraft and tanks, as well as semiconductors and other items needed for advanced military applications,” U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said in a statement.
Feb 24, 10:17 AM EST
Ukraine’s surprising resistance and the rise of its unlikely wartime hero
As tens of thousands of invading Russian troops and tanks thundered across his nation’s border in February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received an offer from the United States to evacuate him and his family out of the country.
But in the biggest moment of his yet budding political life, with a world superpower bearing down with brutal force, Zelenskyy rejected the offer to escape, replying, “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”
A year later, he and his country are still standing strong, forcefully pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggressive campaign to pummel Ukraine into submission.
Zelenskyy set the defiant tone for his country just hours after the war started. He shed his suits and ties for military fatigues and combat boots, and boldly posted a selfie video message to the frightened citizens of his nation. Standing on a street outside his office in the capital city of Kyiv, members of his cabinet and military advisors at his side, the then-44-year-old Zelenskyy stared into the camera and announced he and his leadership team were staying put.
“We are all here defending our independence and we are defending our country and we will keep doing that,” he said.
It was a dramatic rallying cry that echoed around the world and began the transformation of Zelenskyy into a wartime hero with some admirers even comparing him to Great Britain’s Winston Churchill standing up to Nazi Germany during World War II.
Feb 24, 9:46 AM EST
Poland delivers 1st Leopard tanks to Ukraine
Poland announced Friday that it has provided Ukraine with its first Leopard tanks to aid the fight against Russia.
“The Leopard tanks will definitely stand up well in your formation on the battlefield. They will work great,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Kyiv to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Poland delivered four Leopard 2A4s — a model of the latest version of the German main battle tank — to Ukraine, with more expected to be on the way, according to Morawiecki.
“We will also soon hand over more and we urge our partners from the European Union and NATO to do the same,” Morawiecki said.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Feb 24, 9:23 AM EST
Kuleba says Ukraine will do ‘whatever it takes’ to defeat Russia
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Friday that his country will do “whatever it takes” to defeat the Russian invaders.
“This war has no timeline. It has only [one] result in the end and that’s victory, because we stand for the right cause,” Kuleba told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos during an interview on Good Morning America.
“We defend ourselves. We are liberating our territory with generous support of many countries of the world, with the United States being at the top of it,” he added. “I want to convey the words of gratitude from the people of Ukraine to the people of America for standing by us in this very just struggle for freedom and peace.”
Kuleba noted that “ammunition, tanks, long-range missiles, planes” are the “most-wanted weapons” on Ukraine’s list.
“I have no doubt that we will prevail,” he said. “But, you know, for David to be able to defeat Goliath, David needs a sling. And all of these weapons, it’s all about this sling that will help us to win.”
Kuleba said Ukrainians are fighting for “territorial integrity.”
“If you are attacked, you have to fight. You have to take up the fight and defend your country,” he added. “And this is the feeling that drives us through all of this endless suffering.”
When asked whether there’s any kind of peace proposal that could be accepted by both sides, Kuleba said: “As of now, we are irreconcilable.”
“Because while we defend our territory, [Russian President Vladimir Putin] wants to grab our territory. While we want accountability for numerous atrocities committed by the Russian army in Ukraine, Putin wants to escape responsibility,” he explained. “This aggression of Russia will go down in textbooks as the most apparent case of aggression in modern history. So the truth is on our side and this is why we feel so empowered to fight and to win.”
Feb 24, 7:58 AM EST
Blinken talks status of Russia-Ukraine war
Speaking to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed where things stand in the Russia-Ukraine war on Friday, one year after it began.
“Ukraine is still standing, it remains free, it remains independent,” Blinken said. “Putin’s first objective was to erase Ukraine from the map, to erase its identity, to absorb it into Russia. That has failed and will never succeed.”
“Now, there’s a fierce battle going on for the territory that Russia has seized,” he added. “Ukraine’s gotten about 50% of what Russia’s taken since last February and now, there’s a fight for the rest.”
When asked how long Ukraine can hold on, with its economy devastated and Russian President Vladimir Putin seemingly preparing for a long war, Blinken said he thinks “the Ukrainians are the ones who are going to fight to the finish.”
“There’s one big difference: The Ukrainians are fighting for their country, for their land, for their future; the Russians are not,” he noted. “And at the end of the day, assuming the support continues from so many countries around the world — material support, military, economic, humanitarian — Ukraine will succeed.”
Blinken said it’s “hard to predict” when the war will end.
“No one wants peace more than the Ukrainians, but it has to be a just and durable peace,” he added. “Just in terms of reflecting the basic principles that are at the heart of the U.N. Charter, which is territorial integrity of countries, their sovereignty. And durable in the sense that wherever it lands, we don’t want it to land in place where Russia can simply repeat the exercise a year or two or five years later.”
Feb 24, 7:36 AM EST
Blinken warns China is ‘contemplating lethal assistance’ for Russia
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Friday that China is “actively thinking about” providing lethal assistance to Russian forces in war-torn Ukraine.
“We’re very concerned that they’re thinking about it. Up until now, Chinese companies have provided non-lethal support,” Blinken told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos during an interview on Good Morning America.
“From Day One, President Biden warned President Xi not to provide material lethal assistance to Russia for use against Ukraine or to engage in the systematic evasion of sanctions. And the information we have suggests that they’re now actively thinking about it, which is why we’ve been public about warning them not to,” he added. “It could make a material difference in Russia’s capacity on the ground at a time when we want to bring this war to an end, not add fuel to the fire and have it continue.”
The U.S. government has “shared a lot of information with other countries, with allies and partners,” regarding the fact that China is now considering lethal assistance, according to Blinken.
“We always have to get the balance right between making sure that we’re protecting the way we get our information and releasing it,” he said. “But we thought it was really important to make clear that China’s looking at this. And what they’re hearing not just from us but from many other countries around the world is: Don’t do it.”
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a position paper on Friday, calling for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, the resumption of peace talks, an end to unilateral sanctions and the consideration of sovereignty, territorial integrity and security concerns of all countries. Blinken told ABC News that the U.S. government is “taking a look at it.”
“No one wants peace more than the Ukrainians and any proposal that can advance peace is something that’s worth looking at,” he said. “But, you know, there are 12 points in the Chinese plan. If they were serious about the first one, sovereignty, then this war could end tomorrow.”
“China’s been trying to have it both ways,” he added. “It’s on the one hand trying to present itself publicly as neutral and seeking peace, while at the same time it is talking up Russia’s false narrative about the war, it is, as I said, providing non-lethal assistance to its companies and now contemplating lethal assistance.”
Feb 24, 6:52 AM EST
How the Russia-Ukraine conflict became a cultural war
In the basement of the Syayvo bookstore in Ukraine’s capital, hundreds of Russian language books stand piled, waiting to be pulped.
The books — ranging from everything between the classics of Russian literature to works translated into Russian and Soviet-era textbooks — have been donated by Ukrainians who have turned away from Russian culture to embrace their own since the invasion last year.
They are set to be recycled and turned into Ukrainian language texts or other products, with all profits going to support the war effort, Nadia Kibenko, the 32-year-old store worker who is handling the books, told ABC News. They have recycled 75 tons — around 150,000 volumes — since last July, she said. As a child, Kibenko grew up in a Ukrainian speaking household but, more often than not, only had the choice to read in Russian.
“We do not burn books,” Kibenko told ABC News during a recent interview in Kyiv. “We just give them second life.”
The cultural battleground is not just symbolic. Witnesses from the Russian occupied territories say that, in schools, Ukrainian language books were thrown out and replaced by Russian ones as new curricula taught Putin’s view that Ukrainians and Russians are “one people.”
A report published in December by PEN America, a New York-based literary and human rights organization, said that “culture was on the frontlines” and Putin “seeks not only to control Ukrainian territory, but to erase Ukrainian culture and identity.”
-ABC News’ Guy Davies
Feb 24, 6:13 AM EST
US announces $2 billion more in military aid for Ukraine
The United States announced an additional $2 billion military aid package for Ukraine on Friday, as the Eastern European country marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The new aid package includes more missiles for Ukraine’s U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), additional 155mm artillery ammunition, more Switchblade one-way drones and other military equipment, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
“One year into a war of aggression waged by a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, our allies and partners worldwide stand united and resolute,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement. “Putin’s reckless, illegal war is not just an all-out assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty and a historic threat to European security. It is also a direct attack on the system of rules, institutions, and laws that the world built at such great cost after World War II — a system that rejects aggression and respects the rights of all countries, big and small.”
The additional aid is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) plan, meaning this equipment and artillery have to be made from scratch before being delivered, which will take time. This is different from the other aid packages that come from existing U.S. military stockpiles and get delivered faster.
With the new aid package, the Biden administration has now provided $31.8 billion in assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s war began on Feb. 24, 2022.
“Putin thought that Ukraine’s defenses would collapse, that America’s resolve would falter, and that the world would look the other way. He was wrong,” Lloyd said. “One year later, Ukraine’s brave defenders have not wavered, and neither has our commitment to support them for as long as it takes. Despite the Kremlin’s campaign of cruelty, the people of Ukraine have shown stunning bravery, skill, and fortitude. Today and every day, we stand by the courageous Ukrainians fighting to defend their country, and we mourn with those who have lost their loved ones in Moscow’s monstrous and unnecessary war.”
“Difficult times may lie ahead, but let us remain clear-eyed about what is at stake in Ukraine,” he added. “And let us remain united in purpose and in action — and steadfast in our commitment to ensure that a world of rules and rights is not replaced by one of tyranny and turmoil.”
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Feb 24, 5:37 AM EST
US announces fresh sanctions targeting Russia
The United States announced Friday a series of fresh sanctions against those who are supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The White House said the new sanctions target more than 200 people and companies in Russia and other countries around the world. The Biden administration will also target a dozen Russian financial institutions as well as Russian officials and will restrict U.S. companies from exporting products to around 90 companies in Russia and other countries, including China, according to the White House.
The products that will be limited, such as semiconductor chips, are being used for “sanction evasion and backfill activities in support of Russia’s defense sector,” the White House said.
The U.S. will also increase tariffs on Russian metals, minerals and chemicals, which will eventually cost Moscow some $2.8 billion, according to the White House.
“These sanctions, export controls, and tariffs are part of our ongoing efforts to impose strong additional economic costs on Russia,” the White House said. “We will continue to work with our allies and partners to use all economic tools available to us to disrupt Russia’s ability to wage its war and degrade its economy over time.”
The announcement came on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
Feb 24, 5:05 AM EST
No end in sight as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters 2nd year
As tens of thousands of Russian troops lined up along Ukraine’s eastern and northern borders for “military exercises” last February, some international observers warned that Russia was about to do the unthinkable.
U.S. President Joe Biden had declassified intelligence in the weeks prior that showed an attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty was imminent. That intel was shared with allies, in an attempt to rally support and to stop the war, but the effort proved unsuccessful. The invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022.
The following four seasons have seen some of the bloodiest fighting on European soil in generations. Tens of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian troops have been killed. And Ukrainian civilians have been terrorized by missiles aimed at energy infrastructure, city centers and apartment buildings.
This month marks both the 9-year anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, which he illegally annexed in 2014, and the first anniversary of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The ends to which he’d go in his mission to capture Ukraine have become clear in the last year.
-ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey
Feb 24, 4:26 AM EST
Ukraine braces for Russian missile strikes on 1-year anniversary of war
There was a somber mood over Kyiv on Friday morning as the country marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion while bracing for a potential barrage of missile strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with the country’s top general and the defense minister, took part in a military ceremony in Sofia Square in the historical center of the capital city. Zelenskyy and Poland’s president also visited a memorial wall for fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
Ukrainians are anticipating Russian missile strikes to mark the anniversary, amid warnings from the Ukrainian Air Force that there is a high risk of them. But so far it has been quiet, with no major strikes beyond routine shelling in northern and eastern Ukraine.
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Feb 23, 3:19 PM EST
China pushes back against US claims it may supply weapons to Russia
The United States’ claims that they have intelligence showing China plans to provide weapons to Russia to assist in the ongoing war in Ukraine will impede the “political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis” and “will also further damage” China-US relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press conference Thursday.
Wenbin called US claims of intelligence “nothing more than catching up on the wind, slandering and discrediting China.”
“Since the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine, China has been steadfast in dialogue. While standing on peace, it has persuaded and introduced peace in its own way and played a constructive role in resolving the crisis in line with the situation,” Wenbin said.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman and Karson Yiu
Feb 23, 2:37 PM EST
Eiffel Tower lit up in blue and yellow
The Eiffel Tower in Paris has been lit up in blue and yellow in honor of the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
-ABC News’ Alexandra Faul
Feb 23, 2:19 PM EST
13 million people have been displaced due to the war in Ukraine
A year into the war in Ukraine, 13 million people have been displaced, including nearly 8 million refugees across Europe and more than 5 million internally displaced in Ukraine, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement Thursday.
“The vast majority of refugees and internally displaced Ukrainians – some 77% and 79%, respectively – want to return home one day, however, only 12% of both refugees and [internally displaced people] plan to do so in the next three months,” the UNHCR said in a press release.
-ABC News’ Zoe Magee
Feb 22, 1:16 PM EST
Air raid sirens go off across Ukraine; 4 airstrikes in Kharkiv injure 2
Air raid sirens went off across Ukraine on Wednesday due to jets taking off in Belarus.
There were four strikes from Russian S-300 missiles on industrial infrastructure facilities in central Kharkiv, the head of Kharkiv’s Regional Military Administration Oleh Synegubov said.
Two men, ages 46 and 57, were injured from the attacks. They have both been hospitalized.
In Izyum, a city in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, a 55-year-old civilian stepped on a “petal” mine. He was hospitalized with an explosive wound, Synehubov said.
One person was killed and another person was injured from fighting in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Tuesday, the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko said.
-ABC News’ Natalia Kushnir
Feb 22, 11:24 AM EST
US believes Russia held failed ICBM test 2 days before Biden visited Ukraine
The United States believes that Russia carried out a test launch of an intercontinental missile on Saturday that appears to have failed, a U.S. official said.
Russia notified the U.S. ahead of the SARMAT ICBM launch, per agreements said the official.
The failed test launch would have taken place two days before President Joe Biden arrived in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on an unannounced trip, as he made his way to Poland to meet with NATO allies and to give a speech marking a year of war.
Ukrainian officials on Sunday publicly claimed Russia was preparing to stage large scale nuclear exercises including a launch to coincide with Biden’s trip.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Patrick Reevell
Correction: This post initially stated the test happened on Monday when Biden was in Ukraine. It has been updated to reflect that the test actually happened on Saturday.
Feb 20, 5:39 AM EST
Biden in Kyiv says Putin was ‘dead wrong’
U.S. President Joe Biden said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “dead wrong” when he started the war in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
“When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” Biden said in a statement. “He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong.”
The White House released the statement from Biden as he made an unannounced visit to the war-torn country, arriving in Kyiv on Monday morning.
“As the world prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, I am in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Biden said.
“Today, in Kyiv, I am meeting with President Zelenskyy and his team for an extended discussion on our support for Ukraine. I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments,” he continued. “And I will share that later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine. Over the last year, the United States has built a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific to help defend Ukraine with unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian support — and that support will endure.”
Biden added: “I also look forward to traveling on to Poland to meet President Duda and the leaders of our Eastern Flank Allies, as well as deliver remarks on how the United States will continue to rally the world to support the people of Ukraine and the core values of human rights and dignity in the UN Charter that unite us worldwide.”
Feb 20, 5:21 AM EST
Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine
U.S. President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to war-torn Ukraine on Monday, arriving in Kyiv as Washington signals its ongoing support ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Biden’s visit came ahead of a planned meeting with NATO allies in Poland. He is expected to give a speech at the Royal Castle Arcades in Warsaw on Tuesday evening to offer an appraisal of international support during the first year of the war and to address “how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement earlier this month.
Biden also plans to meet in Poland with leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of eastern NATO allies formed in 2015 in response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a dramatic visit to the United States in December, his first known international trip since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. Zelenskyy met with Biden at the White House in Washington, D.C., before addressing members of U.S. Congress on Capitol Hill.
Feb 19, 1:03 PM EST
Russia planning nuclear exercises to disrupt Biden’s Europe visit, Ukrainian military says
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has accused Russia of planning to stage “large-scale nuclear exercises” to coincide with President Joe Biden’s visit to Europe next week.
The GUR said Russia is preparing for test launches of nuclear capable missiles from land and sea, the agency said in a statement Sunday on its official Telegram channel.
The GUR said a nuclear armed submarine has been placed on the “highest level” of combat readiness and that strategic bombers have been moved to a base in Tambov, Russia.
The agency claimed the exercises are intended disrupt President Joe Biden’s European trip.
“Such actions of the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation, in particular, are an attempt to hinder Joe Biden’s visit to Europe, which is scheduled for February 20-22, through direct nuclear blackmail and to weaken international support for Ukraine,” the GUR statement said.
– ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Feb 18, 11:41 AM EST
Harris meets with British, Finnish, Swedish PMs
Vice President Kamala Harris met with the British, Finnish and Swedish prime ministers before departing Munich on Saturday.
Amid concerns in Europe that Republican lawmakers could dampen U.S. aid to Ukraine, the Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin, thanked Harris for saying U.S. support for Ukraine would persevere domestic political differences.
Both Marin and Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, spoke with hope about joining NATO. But in recent days, there have been signals from NATO, the Finnish and the Swedish that perhaps they will not join at the same time as they had hoped due to continued Turkish objections over Swedish membership.
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Feb 17, 3:41 PM EST
White House previews Biden trip to Poland
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby provided a preview Friday of President Joe Biden’s upcoming trip to Poland, saying the president’s main message will be continued support from the United States in the face of Russian aggression.
“On Tuesday evening, local time, President Biden will deliver remarks in Warsaw on how the United States has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy. President Biden will make it clear that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine, as you’ve heard him say many times, for as long as it takes,” Kirby said of Biden’s major planned address.
“As we approach the one-year mark since this invasion, we can proudly say that our support for Ukraine remains unwavering and our alliances and our international coalition in support of Ukraine remain stronger than ever,” he added.
Biden is scheduled to arrive in Poland on Tuesday morning and meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda. On Wednesday, he’ll meet with leaders from the so-called Bucharest Nine –Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia — which are nine NATO countries in Eastern Europe.
Kirby was asked about Biden meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, or traveling anywhere besides Warsaw, like the border town of Rzeszow, but he shot down both ideas.
“There is no meeting with President Zelenskyy scheduled for the trip right now,” he said. “Right now, the trip is going to be in Warsaw.”
Feb 17, 2:11 PM EST
Harris meets allies amid pressure over Ukraine aid
Vice President Kamala Harris met with the leaders of France and Germany Friday as part of a U.S. diplomatic push in Munich to show strong, continued support for Ukraine.
Questions lingering over the leaders in Munich include how long the West can maintain its support for Ukraine –- amid declining public and political support at home –- and how Ukraine will withstand the expected Russian offensive.
A White House official said that at the meetings, the vice president planned to “recognize the courage and resilience shown by the people of Ukraine; reaffirm the support of American people for Ukraine; commend the international community on the historic actions taken since February 2022; celebrate Transatlantic unity and clarity of purpose; reaffirm our security commitments to our European allies; and condemn Russia’s continued illegal and brutal actions while calling for accountability and justice.”
She also planned to discuss “relations with China and actions to address the climate crisis,” the official said.
Feb 17, 1:20 PM EST
Belarus ready to make Russian attack planes, president says at meeting with Putin
Belarus is ready to make Russian attack planes, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
“Belarus has been making up to a thousand components for MC-21 and Superjet 100 planes. There used to be repair plants, but now they also make component parts,” Lukashenko said.
“We are even ready to make it in Belarus with a little support from Russia,” Lukashenko said.
Feb 16, 5:28 PM EST
Ukrainian vice prime minister tells remaining civilians in Bakhmut to evacuate
Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk called on the roughly 6,000 civilians still in Bakhmut to evacuate “immediately.”
Officials said they don’t want the people still in the city to put themselves and their children at risk and don’t want them to interfere with the Ukrainian army. Five civilians were killed and nine others were injured on Thursday, according to the vice prime minister.
“Frankly speaking, I am very surprised that 6,000 civilians are still working there,” Vereshchuk said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Feb 16, 3:25 PM EST
Belarus will fight alongside Russia if it is attacked, president warns
Belarus would only join the war in Ukraine, fighting alongside Russia, if it is attacked, President Alexander Lukashenko told state-run Belta news agency.
“We don’t want a war. And in no case are we going to send our troops into the territory of Ukraine. Unless you commit aggression against the territory of Belarus from there. Here is my answer. It was given a long time ago,” Lukashenko said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Lukashenko’s threat in an interview with the BBC.
“I hope [Belarus] won’t join [the war],” he said. “If it does, we will fight and we will survive.”
Allowing Russia to use Belarus as a staging post for an attack again would be a “huge mistake,” he added.
Russian forces launched part of their full-scale invasion from Belarus 12 months ago. They drove south toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, but were fought back and made to retreat within weeks, after suffering heavy casualties.
Lukashenko is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Tanya Stukalova
Feb 16, 3:11 PM EST
Zelenskyy rules out territorial deal with Putin in BBC interview
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out giving up any of his country’s territory in a potential peace deal with Russia.
In a BBC interview to mark a year since Russia’s full-scale invasion, he warned conceding land would mean Russia could “keep coming back,” while Western weapons would bring peace closer.
However, he does believe Ukrainian forces can keep resisting Russia’s advance until they are able to launch a counteroffensive — although he repeated his calls for more military aid from the West.
“Of course, modern weapons speed up peace. Weapons are the only language Russia understands,” Zelensky told the BBC.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Feb 16, 12:13 AM EST
Russian strikes hit infrastructure in Lviv, Ukrainians shoot down eight Russian missiles: Officials
An infrastructure object was hit in Lviv in the early morning hours of Thursday, the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, said on Telegram.
There were no casualties, and the fire from the impact has since been put out, Kozytskyi said.
Six Kalibr missiles were also shot down over the Mykolaiv region, and two Kalibr missiles were shot down over the Kherson region overnight, Odesa Military Administration spokesman Serhii Bratchuk posted on Telegram.
All eight of the missiles were fired from a Russian ship in the Black Sea, Bratchuk said in the post.
Feb 15, 2:48 PM EST
6 ‘reconnaissance’ balloons shot down over Kyiv
Authorities in Kyiv are investigating who owns six balloons that were in Ukraine’s airspace and what the balloons were doing over Kyiv. The balloons were shot down by Ukrainian air defense.
After a preliminary assessment, authorities think the balloons had intelligence gathering equipment.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Feb 14, 11:43 AM EST
If Bakhmut falls, won’t have ‘strategic impact’ on Ukraine war: White House
White House spokesman John Kirby said during a briefing Tuesday that the U.S. could not “predict one way or the other” whether Bakhmut will fall to the Russians and if it does fall, “on what timeline.”
“We’re watching this every day, and it is certainly true that the Russians are continuing to make incremental progress there,” Kirby said. “Again, I can’t predict one way or the other whether it falls or it doesn’t fall or on what timeline. They have made incremental progress again in just the last 24, 48 hours.”
He added that the U.S. did not think Russia obtaining control of Bakhmut would have any “strategic impact” on either the overall war or even fighting in that part of the country.
The U.S. thinks Russia — and specifically the Wagner Group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, which is doing much of the fighting for Bakhmut — wants to take over and benefit financially from gypsum and salt mines located in the area, Kirby said.
“Even if Bakhmut were to fall, it would not have a strategic impact on the overall war,” Kirby said. “I would go so far as to say it won’t even have, necessarily, a strategic impact on the fighting in that part of the country. We think one of the reasons why Prigozhin is so interested in Bakhmut is because there’s a gypsum mine there, and up in Soledar, there’s a salt mine. And it’s entirely possible that Mr. Prigozhin sees some economic benefit to him and his company to take Bakhmut and to take and hold Soledar.”
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Feb 11, 9:43 AM EST
US surveillance data ‘crucial’: Ukrainian commander
Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Serhiy Nayev told ABC News in an interview that the U.S. provides “surveillance data,” allowing the Ukrainian Armed Forces to more accurately pinpoint Russian targets within Ukraine’s borders.
“This help is crucial for us,” he said.
Nayev said he was in “constant contact” with American generals stationed in other parts of Europe. An exchange of data between the Ukrainians and Americans helped the Ukrainian military to pinpoint targets using US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems.
“This work goes perfectly in real time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Dragana Jovanovic and Ale Pavone
Feb 10, 3:09 PM EST
Biden to visit Poland on eve of first anniversary of invasion of Ukraine
President Joe Biden will visit Poland on Feb. 20, on the eve of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Biden will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda as well as the leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of our eastern flank NATO allies, and he’ll deliver remarks to mark the one-year anniversary, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday.
“President Biden will deliver remarks ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, addressing how the United States has rallied the world, to support the people of Ukraine, as they defend their freedom and democracy, and how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Jean-Pierre said.
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Feb 10, 12:25 PM EST
Russian missile comes within 22 miles of Romanian border with Ukraine
Romania, a member of NATO, said Friday a Russian missile had come within 22 miles of its border but that it did not cross into the country’s territory, countering a claim made by the Ukrainian military.
“The Romanian Air Forces’ air surveillance system detected on Friday, February 10th, an aerial target launched by a Russian Federation’s ship, navigating in the Black Sea, nearby the Crimean Peninsula. The target is most likely a cruise missile, which flew over the air space of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and reentered the Ukrainian air space without ever infringing Romania’s air space,” Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr said in a statement Friday.
Ukrainian officials had said earlier Friday that two Russian missiles crossed into the airspace of Moldova and Romania before entering Ukraine and being directed at targets in the country.
“Several Russian missiles passed through the airspace of Moldova and Romania. These missiles are a challenge to NATO and collective security. This is terror that can and must be stopped,” Zelenskyy said Friday.
(ATHENS, Greece) — Anger over a same-track collision between two trains in Greece that killed nearly 60 people spilled onto the streets of Athens Sunday as a massive protest devolved into chaos when some demonstrators hurled Molotov cocktails at police who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.
Shouting “That crime won’t be forgotten” and “Their policies cost human lives,” protesters packed the heart of Greece’s capital city, demanding the immediate bolstering of safety standards on the nation’s rail system that they contend have eroded since the country’s debt crisis from 2009 to 2018.
An estimated gathering of 10,000 protesters, most of them students and railway workers, filled Syntagma Square in the shadows of the Greek Parliament building and released black balloons into the sky to recognize those killed.
The peaceful protest escalated into chaos when a small group of demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails at police, according to Reuters. Video footage from the scene showed thousands of protesters dispersing from the square in all directions amidst a cloud of tear gas smoke.
The clashes between police and protesters came as Pope Francis prayed for those killed and injured in the train collision.
“I pray for the dead, I am close to the injured and their relatives, and may Our Lady comfort them,” Pope Francis said during his weekly Sunday service in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
The fervor of the demonstrations has grown since the deadly collision early Tuesday between a freight train and passenger train traveling on the same track in the town of Tempi, along the Athens-Thessaloniki route at the entrance to the Vale of Tempe, a tree-lined gorge that separates the northern Greek regions of Thessaly and Macedonia.
About 350 crew and passengers, many of them students returning to college after a Greek Orthodox holiday break, were aboard the train that was moving at more than 100 mph when it plowed into the freight train, authorities said. Investigators blamed the collision on human error and said the two trains were running on the same line for 12 minutes, or a distance of about 11 miles, when the head-on crash occurred.
As of Saturday, the death toll from the crash had climbed to 57, authorities said. At least 80 people were injured.
In the aftermath of the crash, railway workers have staged job walkouts to protest cost-cutting on rail infrastructure they say is jeopardizing them and the public.
On Sunday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized to his country in a Facebook post.
“As prime minister, I owe everyone, but most of all the relatives of the victims, an apology,” wrote Mitsotakis, who was elected in July 2019. “Justice will very fast investigate the tragedy and determine liabilities.”
A station master in the city of Larissa, which is near the crash site, was arrested and charged with endangering lives and disrupting public transport. During a hearing Sunday before a magistrate judge, an attorney for the station master, whose name has not been made public, was granted more time to respond to the charges. The hearing was rescheduled for Saturday.
Unions for the railway workers have cited numerous safety deficiencies with the railway network, including previous problems arising from its signaling system and its insufficient surveillance system. The unions are demanding the government come up with a speedy timetable for reforming safety protocols.
In his Facebook statement Sunday, Mitsotakis said had there been a remote surveillance system in place throughout the rail network “it would have been, in practice, impossible for the accident to happen.”
Mitsotakis announced his administration would seek help from the European Commission and other countries to bolster Greece’s rail safety.
(NEW YORK) — Mahani Teave was 19-years-old when she left her home on Easter Island to pursue a career as a pianist. Now, she’s returned home, bringing instruments with her to spread music across the island and help preserve its culture.
Teave said she was 9-years-old when the island got its first piano.
“It was very exciting when the first piano came. I heard that this teacher was coming to this island and she was bringing her piano,” Teave told “Good Morning America,” adding that she immediately went to search for the teacher. “The next thing I know is I’m playing her piano.”
Teave said she was able to leave the island to further her craft, with the intention of launching her career on a global stage, but something kept calling her home.
“The thing is that there was always this sort of umbilical cord connecting to the island and always pulling somehow, like missing the island so much,” said Teave.
In 2016, Teave opened a sustainable music school called Earthship, created with 2,500 tires, 60,000 cans and bottles, solar panels, tanks to collect rainwater and a garden to provide food.
“We wanted to somehow face the different difficulties that we have on the island. One is the amount of garbage that is being generated here,” said Teave. “So our idea was to be an inspiration to others and somehow propose solutions.”
Today, more than 100 people on the island are able to learn about both music from around the world and the traditional music of the Rapa Nui people. Teave said music has helped people on the island connect more deeply with their heritage.
“The children, when they learn to speak, it’s connected with the intuition,” she said. “That’s the way you preserve the culture. The people who live here can also somehow understand that they are also guardians of this place.”
“I hope they become fulfilled human beings, have empathy to others, care for the environment, to believe also that they can make this world a better place,” Teave added.
Teave — who will begin touring North America in the fall and will release her picture book, “The Girl Who Heard the Music,” in April — likens her mission to an orchestra, aimed at creating harmony around the world.
“If you see an orchestra, it’s the most incredible thing because you have all kinds of people respecting each other, listening to each other, paying attention to the smallest detail,” she said. “And I think that’s how society should work, in harmony somehow.”
