Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke out against American critics who are pushing for cuts to military support to his country stating there are "dangerous voices" in Congress and in the U.S.

Zelenskyy told reporters Wednesday that his team was in constant contact with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and other U.S. national security officials, stating he was "glad" Ukraine had the backing of the White House, enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress and received “a lot” of support from the American public.

However, Zelenskyy said the coming year will be "very difficult," referring to the U.S. presidential election, which "will definitely have an impact on support for Ukraine."

"I think we’re going to have a hard time," Zelenskyy said.

He said the election results could be positive or negative for Ukraine.

“For our part, we will do everything to ensure that the support of the United States does not decrease…we will give all our time, our energy to constantly work with the USA," Zelenskyy said. “I expect that our partners in the United States will continue to be our partners and friends.”

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was working on lobbying Biden for longer range missiles.

-ABC News' Tom Buridge and Natalya Kushnir

The U.S. Department of Defense announced an additional $400 million aid package to Ukrainian forces that includes more weapons and ammunition.

This marks the Biden administration's 43rd military aid package to Ukraine since August 2021.

Some of the equipment and weapons in this package include, additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); Stinger anti-aircraft systems and Javelin and other anti-armor systems and rockets.

-ABC News' Matthew Seyler

Ukraine has begun using the controversial cluster munitions that the U.S. recently began providing to Ukraine, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.

Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. are not signatories to the convention that bans the use of cluster munitions. Russia has used them in the war in Ukraine and so has Ukraine as they a supply of the weapons left over from the Soviet era.

"I believe they have started using them," Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said Thursday. "In terms of the effect on the battlefield, I'd really let Ukraine speak to how they intend to employ them. But you know, this is a powerful artillery that we have given them. They have ... committed to use it responsibly, to keep track and record where they are using it, so when this war is over, they can begin those de-mining efforts."

The weapons are considered dangerous to civilians because the small bomblets that are dispersed by the munitions can remain unexploded until someone accidentally stumbles upon them weeks, months or even years later.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Russian forces hit a three-story building and a garage in the city center of Mykolaiv Thursday morning, local time, injuring nine people, including five children, the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration said on Telegram.

There were fatalities stemming from the strikes, but it's unclear how many at this time, the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration added.

In another incident, Russian strikes hit Odesa early Thursday morning, the Odesa District Administration said on Telegram.

Two people were injured and hospitalized from the attack, according to the Odesa District Administration.

There is destruction "in the center" of Odesa and a fire broke out stemming from the strikes, the administration said.

-ABC News' Natalia Kushniir and Yuriy Zaliznyak

The Ukrainian military has landed troops on the Russian-held eastern bank of the Dnipro River across from the city of Kherson, according to Russian reports.

Media posted online by pro-Russian accounts suggested small boatloads of Ukrainian soldiers have managed to establish a small beachhead at the foot of the destroyed Antonivskiy Road Bridge that spanned the river before Ukraine brought it down last year.

The size of the Ukrainian force on the bank is unclear, but Russian accounts suggested it was relatively small.

Some Russian accounts posted dramatic video showing fighting on the eastern bank, including what appears to be a Russian armored vehicle firing intensively at Ukrainian soldiers as it recovers Russian wounded.

The video was undated but Russian reports suggested around several dozen Ukrainian troops landed on June 24 and Russian airborne units have been trying to dislodge them since.

Another video shows a small boat carrying perhaps a dozen Ukrainian soldiers landing by the ruined bridge, coming under shell fire.

The Russian military blogger account, Two Majors, reported a small group of Ukrainian soldiers had succeeded in digging in around the bridge. It noted Russian forces had been forced to pull back to a distance from the bank because their positions had been flooded after the Kakhovka dam was blown up earlier this month.

Russian military bloggers said Russian aircraft and artillery were firing on the Ukrainians Monday.

If Ukraine is able to keep hold of its foothold, it will put further pressure on Russia’s forces in the south, already battling to hold back Ukraine’s counteroffensive on the Zaporizhzhia front.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell