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

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

ByKevin Shalvey, Nadine El-Bawab, Ivan Pereira, Morgan Winsor, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: July 12, 2023, 5:51 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.
Jul 12, 2023, 5:51 PM EDT

Russian intel director claims he had call with CIA director

Russian Foreign Intelligence Director Sergey Naryshkin claims he had a phone conversation with CIA Director William Burns in late June, according to the Russian state media outlet TASS.

"The bulk of the conversation was focused on discussing Ukraine and events around it. We gave some thought to and deliberated on what should be done about Ukraine," Naryshkin claimed to the outlet.

The CIA declined to comment about the alleged call.

The alleged conversation lasted "about an hour," according to Naryshkin.

The Russian intel chief noted that arranging an in-person meeting between him and the CIA leader remained a possibility.

-ABC News' Anastasia Bagaeva

Jul 12, 2023, 4:10 PM EDT

Russian FM says NATO has 'returned to the schemes of the Cold War'

The NATO summit in Vilnius showed that the NATO "alliance has finally returned to the schemes of the Cold War," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

"NATO consistently lowers the threshold for the use of force and strengthens the nuclear component in military planning," the statement added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also noted NATO countries "promised to continue supplying more and more long-range weapons to Kyiv," saying they are doing so in order to "prolong the conflict."

-ABC News' Tanya Stukalova

Jul 12, 2023, 1:57 PM EDT

Zelenskyy says he received 'unambiguous statement' Ukraine will be in NATO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he received assurances that Ukraine will become a member of NATO and told reporters he believes it will happen "as soon as the security situation is stabilized," when answering questions after the conclusion of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday.

When asked what Zelenskyy got out of the summit, he said he received "support from the leaders and an unambiguous statement that Ukraine will be in NATO."

"I believe that we will be in NATO as soon as the security situation is stabilized. In simple terms, the moment the war is over, Ukraine will definitely be invited to join NATO and Ukraine will definitely become a member of the alliance. I have not heard any other opinion today," Zelenskyy said.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman

Jul 12, 2023, 2:51 PM EDT

Wagner forces turn over weapons, military equipment to Russian forces

Wagner forces are turning over weapons and military equipment to the Russian Armed Forces, the country's defense ministry said Wednesday.

More than 2,000 pieces of equipment and weapons were transferred to the Russian Armed Forces from Wagner forces, including hundreds of tanks, air defense systems, self-propelled artillery mounts, armored personnel carriers and more, the defense ministry said.

Among the equipment, dozens of units have never been used in combat before.

PHOTO: A view shows howitzers, which were handed over by the Wagner mercenary group to Russia's regular armed forces, according to Russian Defense Ministry, at an undisclosed location, in an image from video, July 12, 2023.
A view shows howitzers, which were handed over by the Wagner mercenary group to Russia's regular armed forces, according to Russian Defense Ministry, at an undisclosed location, in this still image taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry, July 12, 2023.
Russian Defense Ministry via Reuters

Russian forces also received more than 2,500 tons of various ammunition and about 20,000 small arms, the defense ministry said.

Separately, the Belarusian Interior Ministry has "begun talks seeking to invite Wagner Group members to train its troops," Interfax, a Russian news agency, reported Wednesday.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman

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