Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says war was ‘unleashed’ on Russia
The Russian president delivered his annual Victory Day speech.
More than a year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the countries are fighting for control of areas in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's forces are readying a spring counteroffensive, but Putin appears to be preparing for a long and bloody war.
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Latest headlines:
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.
Yellen said the money is part of the $45 billion Congress approved for Ukraine in December.
"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.
-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky
Russian strike damages clinic, injuring 1: 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.
-ABC News' Max Uzol
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
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
Ukraine says it's 'ready' for counteroffensive
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Friday the military is "ready" to launch a counteroffensive against Russian forces.
"It's up to the general staff and the command," Reznikov said during a press briefing in Kyiv. "We will do it as soon as there is God's will, the weather and the commanders' decision."
Ukraine has received Patriot missile defense systems from the United States as well as Germany and the Netherlands. The Ukrainian military has been trained on how to use the systems and "mastered" them within weeks, according to Reznikov.
"The exact number of batteries, I'm sorry, I won't say," he added. "Let the enemy guess."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged the world not to consider or call the anticipated counteroffensive "a decisive battle." Speaking at a press conference in Odesa on Friday, Kuleba said the decisive battle is the one that will lead to the liberation of all occupied Ukrainian territories.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky