Russia-Ukraine updates: US sanctions Russian military shipbuilder, diamond miner

Russia's largest military shipbuilding and diamond mining firms were targeted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation” into Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with troops crossing the border from Belarus and Russia. Moscow's forces have since been met with “stiff resistance” from Ukrainians, according to U.S. officials.

Russian forces retreated last week from the Kyiv suburbs, leaving behind a trail of destruction. After graphic images emerged of civilians lying dead in the streets of Bucha, U.S. and European officials accused Russian troops of committing war crimes.

For previous coverage, please click here.

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Two Men at War

A look at the two leaders at the center of the war in Ukraine and how they both rose to power, the difference in their leadership and what led to this moment in history.

Mar 26, 2022, 1:01 PM EDT

There are 'continuous battles' for Mariupol's territory that continue daily: Ukrainian official

"Continuous battles" for Mariupol's territory continue daily, the city's deputy mayor, Serhiy Orlov, told ABC News Saturday.

Local residents sit on a bench near a destroyed apartment building in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine on March 25, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

The deputy mayor estimated that 150,000 people remain in the city.

He was unable to give an update on the hundreds of of civilians believed to have been killed in Russian strikes that hit a theater that was being used as a shelter. A sign indicated that children were sheltering inside satellite imagery shows.

"The situation becomes worse, so people still have a lack of everything," he told ABC News in a remote interview.

The mayor added: "The lack of water, electricity, heat and sanitary system, lack of medicine, food. So they're just surviving … it's not a secret that from 50 to 100 airstrikes, the Russian aircraft do each day and the one-third or one-half of all the bombing of airstrikes in Ukraine goes on Mariupol."

-ABC News' Guy Davies

Mar 26, 2022, 12:24 PM EDT

Missile strikes in Lviv leave 5 injured, Ukrainian official says

Two missile strikes in Lviv left five people injured on Saturday, according to preliminary data, the governor of Lviv, Maksym Kozytskyi, said in a statement.

The official said there is still a threat of a missile strike and told people to stay in shelters, not to walk down the street or take pictures of anything.

Smoke from explosions billow across the horizon in Lviv, Ukraine, March 26, 2022.
Dada Jovanovic/ABC News

The Governor of Lviv has asked people not to share footage of the blast site, in a statement.

"Everything that can be reported for security reasons, I will report," Kozytskyi said.

The official could not confirm reports that there was an impact on a residential building or other infrastructure facilities.

Home to many refugees passing through on their way out of the country, Lviv has been spared some of the worst shelling seen so far.

-ABC News' Guy Davies

Mar 26, 2022, 12:03 PM EDT

Biden meets with refugees in Warsaw, calls Putin a 'butcher'

President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday. When asked by reporters what he thought of Russia's President Vladimir Putin after meeting with refugees, Biden said, "He’s a butcher."

President Joe Biden visits Ukrainian refugees at the PGE National Stadium, in Warsaw, Poland March 26, 2022.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Biden was greeted by Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki outside the PGE Narodowy Stadium and he met several volunteers and refugees.

After meeting with refugees, Biden briefly spoke with reporters and said he’s always in awe of the depth and strength of the human spirit of refugees.

"I’ve been to an awful lot of places like this, a lot of refugee camps, in my life, and what I’m always surprised by, is the depth and strength of the human spirit. I mean it sincerely. They’re -- it’s incredible. It’s incredible. See all those little children? Just want to hug, they just want to say thanks. I mean -- I mean, it just makes you so damn proud," Biden said.

President Joe Biden meets with Ukrainian refugees during a visit to PGE Narodowy Stadium, on March 26, 2022, in Warsaw.
Evan Vucci/AP

"Each one of those children said something to the effect, say a prayer for my dad, or my grandfather or my brother, who’s back there fighting. And I remember what it’s like when you have someone in a war zone. Every morning you get up and you wonder. You just wonder, you pray you don’t get that phone call," Biden said.

-ABC News' Armando Garcia

Mar 26, 2022, 11:39 AM EDT

Zelenskyy calls for increased energy production to prevent Russian 'blackmail' of the world

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise video appearance at the Doha Forum in Qatar, addressing the energy-rich nation directly, calling on it and other energy-producing countries to increase energy production.

"The responsible states, in particular the State of Qatar, are reliable and reputable suppliers of energy resources. And they can contribute to stabilizing the situation in Europe. They can do much to restore justice," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy added, "The future of Europe depends on your efforts! I urge you to increase energy production! So that Russia understands that no state should use energy as a weapon to blackmail the world."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks via video call to the Doha Forum in Doha, Qatar, on March 26, 2022.
Lujain Jo/AP

Zelenskyy also warned that a food crisis will come after the migration crisis.

"Wheat, oil, corn and other agricultural products from our country are the basis of stability and internal security of many countries in different parts of the world… Russian troops mine fields in Ukraine, blow up agricultural machinery, destroy fuel reserves needed for sowing. They blocked our seaports," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy added: "Our state will have enough food. But the lack of exports from Ukraine will hit many nations in the Islamic world, Latin America and other parts of the world. Where some invaders still dream of going to strengthen their old privileges."

Zelenskyy also drew direct comparisons between the destruction of Mariupol and the Russian bombing of Aleppo.

He criticized Russia for threatening the world with nuclear weapons, and called on countries to boost their production to counteract the global dependence on Russian oil.

-ABC News' Guy Davies

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