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.
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Latest headlines:
- US sanctions Russian military shipbuilding and diamond mining companies
- Fox News' Benjamin Hall provides 1st update since being severely injured in shelling
- Situation in Borodyanka 'much worse' than other Ukrainian towns, Zelenskyy says
- Blinken shares graphic details of alleged atrocities in Ukraine
- UN votes to suspend Russia from Human Rights Council
Russia says 'special military operation' to continue until 'objectives are achieved'
Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine will continue "until the objectives are achieved," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday.
Shoigu claimed that Russian troops are "actively providing humanitarian assistance to the population of" the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics as well as Ukraine.
"As many as 684 humanitarian operations have been completed and 6,079 tons of cargo have been supplied to 210 populated localities," Shoigu said at a teleconference.
Deadly missile strike leaves gaping hole in Mykolaiv government building
Russian forces struck Mykolaiv's regional state administration building on Tuesday morning, Ukrainian authorities said.
A video posted on Telegram by Mykolaiv Oblast Gov. Vitaliy Kim and verified by ABC News shows the moment the building was hit. A live webcam over the southern city of Mykolaiv captured the missile crossing the camera. Moments later, smoke from an explosion fills the screen.
Another video posted on Facebook by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and verified by ABC News shows a gaping hole in the building where the missile hit. At least seven people were killed and 22 others were injured. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, according to the State Emergency Service.
An image posted on Twitter by Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security (Stratcom) also showed the destroyed building.
-ABC News' Monica Camacho and Fergal Gallagher
Macron to speak with Putin on Tuesday
French President Emmanuel Macron will speak via telephone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, according to the Elysee Palace.
Their phone conversation is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Paris time.
-ABC News' Ibtissem Guenfoud
Kremlin confirms Abramovich's involvement in peace talks
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is taking part in Russian-Ukrainian negotiations at the approval of both parties, although he is not an official member of the Russian delegation, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
"Abramovich has been engaged in ensuring certain contacts between the Russian and the Ukrainian side," Peskov said during a daily call with reporters Tuesday. "He is not an official delegation member."
"Nevertheless, he is also present on our side in Istanbul," Peskov added, referring to the peace talks currently underway in Turkey's capital.
Abramovich's participation in the negotiations has been endorsed by both sides, according to Peskov.
Peskov said it will be clear "today or tomorrow whether [the talks] hold some promise or not."
More than 600 residents of Mariupol evacuate heavily bombed city in private cars
About 631 residents of the bombed-out city of Mariupol in southeast Ukraine were able to evacuate on Thursday, according to a Ukrainian official.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said the residents fled the city in private vehicles after 45 buses reserved to drive them out failed to make it into the city. Vereshchuk said another 600 civilians still in Mariupol plan to try to evacuate again on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday in an address to lawmakers of Australia, the Netherlands and Belgium that more than 90% of all buildings in Mariupol have been completely destroyed by Russian strikes.
"Thousands of peaceful Mariupol residents died, people are buried just in the city, in the courtyards of high-rise buildings, or rather, what is left of the high-rise buildings," Zelenskyy said.
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou