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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Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war

Russia and Ukraine exchanged over 200 prisoners of war on Tuesday, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Interfax, a Russian news agency.

During his daily evening address, Zelenskyy said 130 Ukrainians were "brought home from Russian captivity," including privates and sergeants from the army, navy and national guard.

"Just as we remember every corner of our country that is under occupation, we remember every single person in Russian captivity," he said.

Ninety Russians were released from the Ukrainian side back to Russia, though Russia said Ukraine originally agreed to release 160 Russians, Interfax reported.

"During the exchange of prisoners of war on Tuesday, the Ukrainian side agreed to return only 90 Russians, despite an earlier agreement on the exchange of '160 for 160,'" Tatyana Moskalkova, human rights ombudsman for the Russian Federation said, according to Interfax.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman


Up to 30,000 Russian casualties in Bakhmut: Western officials

Up to 30,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in Bakhmut over the last several months amid intense fighting in the eastern Ukrainian city, Western officials said in a briefing Tuesday.

The ratio of dead to injured was "unclear," said the officials, who described Ukraine’s refusal to withdraw from the city -- even though its forces are surrounded on three sides -- as "a sound tactic" given that "lots of Russians are being killed."

"What we're seeing is a horrific level of Russian casualties for minimal gains," they said, noting that an estimated 200,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded overall since the war began.

In the past 24 hours, 244 Russian troops were killed and 315 wounded in Bakhmut, Serhiy Chevrevaty, a spokesman for Ukraine's eastern group of forces, said during a national telethon on Tuesday.

The officials refused to say how many Ukrainians have been killed or injured in and around Bakhmut but claimed it was "significantly lower."

They also were unable to put a clear time frame on when a Ukrainian withdrawal might come, though noted the possibility of a Ukrainian counteroffensive should not be ruled out.

-ABC News' Tom Soufi Burridge


13 found dead after strike hits Zhaporizhzhia

Thirteen people have been found dead since a rocket struck an apartment building in Zhaporizhzhia, Ukraine, authorities said.

The governor there has called for a national day of mourning on Monday.

The State Emergency Situation of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia initially posted on their Telegram account Friday that seven people were dead.

So far, 11 people have been saved, and 20 people were able to evacuate the building.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman


Merrick Garland makes unannounced visit to Ukraine

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Friday at the invitation of the Ukrainian prosecutor general to join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other international partners at the United for Justice Conference.

Garland attended several meetings while he was there.

-ABC News' Alexander Mallin


Putin admits Russian military losses

Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Russian military losses from its ongoing invasion of Ukraine during his annual meeting with the federal security service Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, comrade officers, we know that there are losses in our ranks," Putin said.

Putin called on the FSB to provide "support" to the families of soldiers who have died in the war.

"We will always remember their heroism and bravery," he added.

Putin did not say how many soldiers have died in the war and the Russian Ministry of Defense hasn't disclosed an exact number of losses since September 2022 when Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said just shy of 6,000 troops had died.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other State Department officials said Russia has likely suffered 200,000 injured or dead soldiers since the start of the war.

Putin also called on the FSB to make sure its border guard "undertake special efforts to control the Russian state border with Ukraine."

A "special group" is currently deployed at the Russia-Ukraine border, made up of border agencies, the FSB air arm, the Russian Armed Forces and the Russian National Guard, according to Putin.

"Your mission is to prevent any incursions by sabotage groups and stop any attempts to smuggle weapons and ammunition into Russia," Putin told the FSB board.

-ABC News' Tanya Stukalova and Anastasia Bagaeva