Russia-Ukraine updates: Russian missile strikes hit multiple Ukrainian cities

Dozens of injuries were reported in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

Last Updated: June 26, 2023, 3:29 PM EDT

Russia has continued a nearly 19-month-long invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Recently, though, the Ukrainians have gone on a counteroffensive, fighting to reclaim occupied territory.

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Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Jun 26, 2023, 3:29 PM EDT

Putin to make statement following attempted rebellion

Russian President Vladimir Putin is slated to make public statements Monday evening, according to Russian media.

This will be his first public comment since the failed Wagner Group attempted rebellion.

-ABC News' Natalia Shumskaia and Ellie Kaufman

Jun 26, 2023, 12:52 PM EDT

Biden says US, NATO not involved in Wagner rebellion

President Joe Biden spoke out addressed the Wagner Group's actions over the weekend.

He said the U.S. and its allies convened on Friday when the rebellion began.

"They agreed with me that we had to make sure we gave Putin no excuse, let me emphasize, gave Putin no excuse to blame this on the West or to blame this on NATO," Biden said at a news conference at the White House.

The president added that the incident was "part of a struggle within the Russian system."

-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler

Jun 26, 2023, 12:44 PM EDT

European leaders respond to Wagner attempted rebellion

The European Union Foreign Affairs Council met Monday and discussed the attempted rebellion by the Wagner paramilitary group over the weekend.

Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, told reporters at a news conference after the meeting that "the situation remains complex and unpredictable" and 27 EU states are remaining vigilant.

U.K. Foreign Minister James Cleverly released a statement Monday claiming the "Russian government's lies have been exposed by one of President Putin's own henchmen."

"Prigozhin's rebellion is an unprecedented challenge to President Putin's authority, and it is clear that cracks are emerging in the Russian support for the war," he said.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman

Jun 26, 2023, 12:18 PM EDT

'We had no goal of overthrowing' the government: Prigozhin

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin released an 11-minute recording Monday explaining why his troops reversed course on their campaign against Moscow over the weekend.

Prigozhin said the purpose of the "march" was to prevent losses of his troops "and to bring justice to all persons who, through their unprofessional actions, made a huge number of mistakes during" the war in Ukraine.

A military column of Wagner private mercenary group drives along M-4 highway, which links the capital Moscow with Russia's southern cities, near Voronezh, Russia, June 24, 2023.
Stringer/Reuters

"We had no goal of overthrowing the regime," he added, referring to Putin's government.

Prigozhin said that the march escalated after their convoy was hit by a missile attack from Russian forces.

Prigozhin said that the marched stopped when his troops approached "Moscow deployed artillery."

This still made from undated video footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry on June 26, 2023, show Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu gesturing between officers as they look at a map in an undisclosed location.
Russian Defence Ministry/AFP via Getty Images

"We did not want to shed Russian blood. We went to demonstrate our protest and not to overthrow the government in the country," he said.

He claimed that several of his troops were wounded and two were killed.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman, Natalia Shumskaia and Tanya Stukalova

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