Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says 'certain positive movements' in negotiations
A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without any resolution.
Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance, coming within about 9 miles as of Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
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Latest headlines:
- Ukrainian air force claims Russia carried out false flag airstrike in Belarus
- UN has credible reports of Russian cluster bomb use, attacks on health care
- Putin claims 'certain positive movements' in Ukraine negotiations
- Russian general prosecutor wants Meta declared 'extremist organization'
- Putin orders Russian military to help volunteer fighters from Middle East travel to Ukraine
US sanctions Putin's spokesman, other elites, blocks oligarchs and relatives from traveling to US
The U.S. announced new sanctions Thursday against members of the Russian elite, including Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, and said it would block 19 oligarchs and 47 of their relatives and close associates from traveling to the U.S.
The U.S. will put full-blocking sanctions on eight members of the Russian elite, as well as 17 of their relatives, 12 of their companies, two of their jets and one super-yacht, banning them from the U.S. financial system.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as well as one of Russia’s richest men, Alisher Usmanov, are among the eight sanctioned, according to the White House.
Germany had already seized Usmanov’s super-yacht, and the White House said both the boat and Usmanov’s private jet – which it said was one of the largest privately-owned aircraft in Russia – would be blocked for use in the U.S. or by Americans.
The U.S. also put visa restrictions on 19 Russian oligarchs and on 47 of their relatives and close associates, blocking them from obtaining U.S. visas and traveling to the U.S.
The U.S. also imposed full-blocking sanctions on seven Russian entities and 26 Russian and Ukraine-based people engaging in disinformation.
-ABC News' Ben Gittleson
Russians targeting civilians, closing in on Kharkiv: US Defense official
The Russians are targeting civilians and Russian military forces are closing in on Kharkiv, while convoy remains "stalled," a U.S. Defense official told reporters on Thursday.
"Clearly they've shown a willingness to hit civilian infrastructure on purpose, and that you see in the example of media towers and media facilities," the official said.
The Russians have also been hitting government infrastructure in cities like Kyiv and Kharkiv, the official said.
The Russian advance on Kyiv is still "stalled" and is roughly 25K north of the city, which is where it was "about two to three days ago," the official said.
"We believe that their movement has stalled for many reasons, including the Ukrainian resistance, their own logistics and sustainment challenges that they've had, as well as ... certainly it could be possible that the weather is not cooperating. And ... lastly, because we think to some degree they are doing some reassessment of their own," the official said.
Russian forces are closing in on Kharkiv, according to the official.
The official couldn't confirm that Kherson has fallen under Russian control.
The official said one possibility as to why Russia advanced on Kherson is the Russians intend to move past Kherson to the town of Mykolayiv to be in position to move on Odessa from sea and land.
So far, the U.S. hasn't seen any naval moves near Odessa, but they are watching closely, according to the official.
Mariupol is still under Ukrainian control though the city is under increasing bombardment as Russian forces attempt to advance on the city "from the north as well as from the coastline northeast of Berdyansk," according to the official.
Approximately 90% of the more than 150,000 Russian forces that were arrayed at the border are inside Ukraine, according to the official. This is up from an estimated 82% on Wednesday.
As of Thursday morning, the U.S. has counted more than 480 Russian missile launches.
The official said a majority of the Russian missiles are being launched from within Ukraine.
"They have mobile systems, they're moving them inside," the official said. "The next biggest chunk are coming from Russia, more than 160 from Russia. More than 70 are coming from Bellarus. And then a very small number, less than 10, that we've observed coming from the Black Sea."
The official said the Ukrainians "still have a majority of their air and missile defense capabilities available to them."
-ABC News' Matt Seyler
Putin claims Ukraine invasion going according to plan
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the Ukraine invasion is going strictly according to plan on Thursday.
“I want to say that the special military operation is going strictly in accordance with the schedule, with the plan. All objectives are being successfully attained," Putin said in a televised meeting of his national security council.
“The very course of fighting shows that it is neo-Nazis whom we are fighting against," Putin said.
-ABC News' Patrick Reevell
Talks between Russia and Ukraine delegations end
Talks held between Russia and Ukraine on Thursday have stopped, according to officials.
Ukraine's presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, tweeted, "Unfortunately, the results Ukraine needs are not yet achieved."
Russia’s lead negotiator said the two sides agreed to open “humanitarian corridors” for civilians to leave Ukrainian cities.
The negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, who is an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that both sides had agreed to a possible “temporary cease-fire” in some “sectors” connected to the humanitarian corridors.
Medinsky called the result "substantial."
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou and Patrick Reevell
Blinken steps into Ukraine after meeting with foreign minister
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken crossed the border into Ukraine Saturday after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the Korczowa Border Crossing Point.
"The entire world stand with Ukraine," Blinken said, and Kuleba added that he hopes Ukrainians will see this as a "clear manifestation that we have friends who literally stand by us."
Blinken said the sanctions imposed so far against Russia are "producing very, very concrete results" and that the pressure will "grow" until this "war of choice is brought to an end."
When asked directly about helping Kuleba with more firepower, Blinken said, "the support for Ukraine not only has been unprecedented, not only is going to continue, it's going to increase."
Kuleba said Ukraine "appreciates" sanctions that have been announced in the last week, but that more economic and political pressure and "necessary weapons," would "save many lives in Ukraine... many sufferings will be avoided."
Kuleba also said that they are “satisfied" with already arranged supplies of anti-tank weapons and ammunition, but that “it’s no secret” they still want fighter jets and air defense systems.
He also thanked the U.S. for sending stingers, and said they were used on Saturday.
"Just today we shot down three Russian attack aircrafts, which were bombing our cities with the use of stingers but we need -- so to say -- big air defense systems to ensure the safety of our skies. If we lose the skies, there will be much, much more blood on the ground,"Kuleba said.
In response to questions about NATO’s refusal to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, Kuleba said it’s a "sign of weakness," but stayed optimistic that they will change their minds.
"The time will come," he said.
-ABC News' Conor Finnegan and Justin Gomez