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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US announces $400 million more in military aid for Ukraine

The U.S. Department of Defense announced $400 million in new military aid for Ukraine, including eight folding armored bridges for the first time.

This is the Biden administration's 33rd drawdown of equipment from Department of Defense inventories for Ukraine.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez


5,000 remain in Bakhmut as Russian shelling intensifies

Around 5,000 people still remain in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, including 37 children, according to Donetsk Oblast Regional Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

The losses in Bakhmut stand at the rate of one Ukrainian solider to seven Russian soldiers, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksii Danilo said on TV.

Russian forces fighting for control of Bakhmut intensified shelling at access roads to the west, making it harder for Ukrainian forces to move in and out, Reuters reported Friday.

-ABC News' Yulia Drozd


Blinken, Ukrainian foreign minister discuss Lavrov meeting

The State Department said Friday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about the brief conversation that took place at the G-20 summit between Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"The Secretary underscored to Foreign Minister Kuleba the United States’ enduring support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal attacks, including the ongoing targeting of civilian infrastructure and resulting civilian casualties," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford


US to announce more weapons for Ukraine on Friday

The U.S. will announce another assistance package for Ukraine on Friday, White House spokesperson John Kirby announced Thursday afternoon, but did not detail the exact size of this next round of support.

"You'll see us tomorrow, just unilaterally, the U.S. will have another round of assistance for Ukraine coming tomorrow. And it will include mostly ammunitions and munitions that the Ukrainians will need for the systems that they already have, like the HIMARS and the artillery."

The new aid comes as President Joe Biden meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House Friday to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine as Russia's invasion continues.

Kirby said the leaders would discuss the "kinds of capabilities that Ukraine continues to need in the weeks and months ahead."

He also said this will be a "true working visit" between Biden and Scholz and they are expected to discuss "recent engagements with Ukrainian officials, including the President's trip to Kyiv and meeting with President Zelenskyy, as well as Chancellor Schultz’s meeting with President Zelensky in Paris last month."

-ABC News' Justin Gomez


Blinken says he views WSJ reporter as 'wrongfully detained' in Russia

At a press conference following a bilateral NATO meeting in Brussels, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters the U.S. is going through a formal process to determine whether it will designate Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as wrongfully detained in Russia, but said he has no doubt that is the case.

"In Evan’s case, we are working through the determination on wrongful detention, and there's a process to do that, and it is something that we are working through very deliberately but expeditiously as well," Blinken answered a WSJ reporter who had asked about the determination.

"I'll let that process play out. In my own mind, there's no doubt that he's being wrongfully detained by Russia, which is exactly what I said to Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov when I spoke to him over the weekend and insisted that Evan be released immediately," Blinken added.

Blinken said he expected the formal process to be "completed soon."

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford