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: June 24, 2023, 7:44 AM 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 24, 2023, 6:31 AM EDT

'Operational combat' underway north of Rostov, official says

A governor of the Voronezh region, about 300 miles south of Moscow, says Russia's armed forces are conducting "operational combat operations" there as part of "counter terrorism operation."

PHOTO: Russian traffic police officers block off a road as part of a counter-terrorist operation declared after an armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group on the outskirts of Voronezh, Russia, June 24, 2023.
Russian traffic police officers block off a road as part of a counter-terrorist operation declared after an armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group on the outskirts of Voronezh, Russia, June 24, 2023.
Stringer/Reuters

Earlier the region's government reported a column of Wagner Group fighters was moving through the region, an area between Rostov-on-Don and Moscow.

PHOTO: 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.
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

"In the bounds of the counterterrorist operation on the territory of the Voronezh region, the armed forces of the Russian Federation are conducting necessary operational combat operations," the official said. "We will inform further about the development of the situation."

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

Jun 24, 2023, 6:03 AM EDT

Russia in 'so much chaos that no lie can hide it,' Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia appeared to be suffering "full-scale weakness" after the Wagner Group mercenaries said they'd taken hold of a key Russian city.

PHOTO: Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group stand guard in a street near the headquarters of the Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023.
Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group stand guard in a street near the headquarters of the Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023.
Stringer/Reuters

"Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it," he said on Twitter.

Jun 24, 2023, 5:47 AM EDT

Prigozhin responds to Putin, says Wagner not going to surrender

The Wagner Group's Yevgeny Prigozhin responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin's calling him a "traitor," by saying he will not surrender or turn back.

"Putin was deeply mistaken about the betrayal. We are patriots of our homeland, we fought and are fighting," Prighozin said in an audio message. "No one is going to turn around at the request of the president, the FSB or anyone else, because we do not want the country to live longer in corruption, deception and bureaucracy."

PHOTO: Wagner private mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks with Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, at the headquarters of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces in Rostov-on-Don, Russia on June 24, 2023.
Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks with Russia's Deputy Minister of Defense Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, at the headquarters of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in this screen grab from a video released on June 24, 2023.
Video Obtained By Reuters

Prigozhin accused Russia's military of targeting a Wagner column with helicopters and jets.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

Jun 24, 2023, 5:37 AM EDT

Chechen leader backs Putin, says forces moving into 'zones of tension'

The powerful head of Chechnya, the semi-independent Russian region, Ramzan Kadyrov, said on Saturday he supported President Vladimir Putin.

Kadyrov saiud he fully backs Putin and called Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's actions "treacherous."

PHOTO: In this file photo Chechnya's regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov, arrives to attend a ceremony to sign the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 30, 2022.
In this file photo Chechnya's regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov, arrives to attend a ceremony to sign the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 30, 2022.
Mikhail Metzel/AP

Kadyrov has tens of thousands of heavily armed fighters. He said his forces are already moving to "zones of tension."

It raises prospect of Chechen forces fighting with Wagner Group troops.

Kadyrov has previously been friendly with Prigozhin -- his coming out in support of Putin is a boost for Putin, but also raises prospect of serious clashes in Russia.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

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