Russia-Ukraine updates: US to ban Russian carriers from its airspace

Biden will announce the news in his State of the Union address, a source said.

ByMorgan Winsor, Libby Cathey, Meredith Deliso, Nadine El-Bawab, Emily Shapiro, Julia Jacobo, Ivan Pereira, Mark Osborne, Celia Darrough, Kevin Shalvey, and Bill Hutchinson
Last Updated: March 22, 2022, 4:04 AM EDT

Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.

The attack began Feb. 24 as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."

Russians moving from Belarus towards Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, don't appear to have advanced closer towards the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.

Russia has been met by sanctions from the U.S., Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting Russia's economy and Putin himself.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Feb 19, 2022, 3:54 AM EST

Russia-backed separatists declare 'general mobilization'

A leader of the Russian-controlled separatists in eastern Ukraine declared a "general mobilization" on Saturday, according to Russian state news agencies.

The head of the separatists' self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, made the announcement.

PHOTO: Denis Pushilin, head of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, attends a news conference in Donetsk, Ukraine Feb. 11, 2022.
Denis Pushilin, head of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, attends a news conference in Donetsk, Ukraine Feb. 11, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

Pushilin's comments come after the separatists yesterday announced mass evacuations and warned of an imminent Ukrainian "offensive" amid fears Russia is moving to stage a pretext to attack Ukraine, cloaking it as aid to the separatists.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

Feb 18, 2022, 8:05 PM EST

40 to 50% of Russian troops in attack position: US official

About 40 to 50% of Russia’s troops are in “attack positions” near the border with Ukraine, a U.S. official told ABC News.

There are about 150,000 troops on the border area, including 125 battalion tactical groups, or BTGs, the official said. 

These BTGs number between 750 and 1,000 personnel each and are specifically outfitted as combat forces. The forces include every capability needed to conduct a combat operation, according to the official.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Feb 18, 2022, 7:38 PM EST

'I don't believe it's a bluff,' Defense Secretary Austin says

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told ABC "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz that Russian President Vladimir Putin has a number of options available to him and could attack Ukraine in short order.

"This is not a bluff," he said in the exclusive interview.

"I think he's assembled the right kinds of things that you would need to conduct a successful invasion," Austin added.

More from the interview will air on a special edition of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on Sunday.
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EXCLUSIVE: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he doesn't think Putin is bluffingMore from the interview will air on a special edition of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on Sunday.
ABCNews.com

Raddatz's full interview with Austin airs Sunday on a special edition of "This Week" from Lviv, Ukraine.

Feb 18, 2022, 6:28 PM EST

FBI warns US industry officials and governors about potential cyber attacks

Homeland security and FBI officials in the last few days have quietly been briefing private industry and government officials to shore up and focus on cybersecurity in anticipation of a possible Russian invasion, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

On Thursday, senior law enforcement and homeland officials briefed U.S. banking leaders and on Friday they briefed some of the nation’s governors to take action and get the word out, the source said.

DHS and FBI officials urged state officials to shore up their cyber infrastructure, according to the source.

-ABC News' Luke Barr, Alex Malin and Pierre Thomas

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