Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says war was ‘unleashed’ on Russia

The Russian president delivered his annual Victory Day speech.

ByMorgan Winsor, Nadine El-Bawab, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso, Kevin Shalvey, Bill Hutchinson, and Patricio Chile
Last Updated: March 31, 2023, 1:29 PM EDT

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:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Mar 31, 2023, 1:29 PM EDT

Lukashenko warns Russian strategic nuclear weapons could be deployed in Belarus

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned that Russian strategic nuclear weapons could be deployed in his country, according to The Associated Press.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia intended to deploy tactical, comparatively short-range and small-yield nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya told the Security Council that the decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus does not violate international obligations. Nebenzya added that Russia has repeatedly called on the U.S. to return all its nuclear arsenals from Europe to U.S. territory.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin directly pointed out that we are not transferring nuclear weapons. We are talking about the transfer of the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system to the Republic of Belarus, the re-equipment of aircraft of the Belarusian Air Force and the training of crews, the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons at territory of Belarus," Nebenzya said.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

Mar 31, 2023, 1:09 PM EDT

Finland set to join NATO in 'coming days,' Stoltenberg says

Finland will formally join NATO in the "coming days," after the country was able to clear its final hurdle, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

"Their membership will make Finland safer and NATO stronger. Finland has highly capable forces, advanced capabilities and strong democratic institutions. So Finland will bring a lot to our alliance," Stoltenberg said in a statement Friday.

Turkey was the last of the 30 NATO allies to approve Finland's bid to join the alliance.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

Mar 30, 2023, 4:22 PM EDT

6 missiles fired at Kharkiv

Russia just struck Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine with multiple missiles, Ukrainian officials said Thursday night.

Local officials in Kharkiv said Russia fired six Soviet-era S-300 surface-to-air missiles.

ABC News reporters heard explosions outside the city center and saw Ukrainian air defense active just before and during the attacks.

There are currently no reports of casualties or damage to infrastructure as a result of the strikes in Ukraine's second-largest city.

There are also reports of Russian strikes in the Dnipro region.

-ABC News' Tom Soufi Burridge

Mar 30, 2023, 1:37 PM EDT

Russia to enlist 147,000 soldiers in April

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday ordering a spring conscription. Russia will call up 147,000 people to join the Russian Armed Forces from April 1 to April 15.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

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