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 calls Kremlin drone accusation 'ludicrous'
Responding to Russia's accusation that the U.S. was behind Wednesday's drone attack on the Kremlin, White House spokesperson John Kirby said it was a "ludicrous claim."
"There's a word that comes to mind that I'm obviously not -- not appropriate to using on national TV," Kirby said on CNN on Thursday.
"I will just tell you Mr. Peskov is lying, and I mean, that's obviously, it's a ludicrous claim," he added. "The United States had nothing to do with this. We don't even know exactly what happened here, Kaitlin. But I can assure you, the United States had no role in it whatsoever."
Kirby said the U.S. does not have any information on who is behind the strike but are "trying to learn more about this as best we can."
-ABC News' Justin Gomez
Kremlin blames US for drone attack in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman accused the United States of being involved in the drone attack on the Kremlin on Wednesday.
"We understand well that the decision about such terror attacks are taken not in Kyiv, but in Washington," Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a briefing. "Often targets are determined not in Kyiv but in Washington. They don't Kyiv the right everytime in choosing the means. In Washington they also clearly understand that we know that."
He added, "Without question. Such decisions -- the determining of targets and means -- are all dictated to Kyiv from Washington."
Peskov said it was important that Washington understand the "danger" of such involvement in an attack.
-ABC News' Patrick Reevell
Russia attacks Kyiv with drones and missiles; no casualties or injuries reported
Russian forces launched a "complex air strike" with "drones and missiles" on Kyiv early Thursday morning, the Kyiv City Military Administration said on Telegram.
The air raid siren went off in Kyiv for three and a half hours during the attack, the Kyiv City Military Administration said.
There were no casualties or injuries from the strikes.
"According to preliminary information, all the missiles and UAVs were destroyed," the Kyiv City Military Administration added.
This was the third attack on the capitol in four days, the administration said.
-ABC News' Natalia Kushniir
US Embassy in Ukraine warns of 'ongoing heightened threat of missile attacks'
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine sent an alert to Americans on Wednesday warning of an "ongoing heightened threat of missile attacks," including in Kyiv.
"In light of the recent uptick in strikes across Ukraine and inflammatory rhetoric from Moscow, the Department of State cautions U.S. citizens of an ongoing heightened threat of missile attacks, including in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast," the alert stated.
The U.S. Embassy urged U.S. citizens to follow guidance from local authorities and to observe air alarms and shelter appropriately.
Air raid sirens go off across Ukraine, air defense activated in Kyiv
Air raid sirens went off across Ukraine around 5 a.m. local time Tuesday.
Air defense systems were activated in the Kyiv region.
The Russian airstrike on Kyiv was the "fifth air attack" on the capital since the beginning of May, the Kyiv City Military Administration said on Telegram.
About 15 Russian missiles were launched at Kyiv and intercepted by the Ukrainian air defenses around Kyiv with "no casualties and major damage," the city military administration added.-ABC News' Yulia Drozd and Yuriy Zaliznyak