Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says 'certain positive movements' in negotiations
A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without any resolution.
Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance, coming within about 9 miles as of Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
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Latest headlines:
- Ukrainian air force claims Russia carried out false flag airstrike in Belarus
- UN has credible reports of Russian cluster bomb use, attacks on health care
- Putin claims 'certain positive movements' in Ukraine negotiations
- Russian general prosecutor wants Meta declared 'extremist organization'
- Putin orders Russian military to help volunteer fighters from Middle East travel to Ukraine
UN refugee agency says 874,026 people have fled Ukraine
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Wednesday that 874,026 people have fled Ukraine, more than half of which have fled to Poland, according to its count.
According to the UNHCR, 453,982 Ukrainians have fled to Poland, 116,348 people to Hungry and 79,315 to Moldova. The agency said 69,600 people have fled to other European nations.
WHO warns of possible COVID surge in Ukraine
The World Health Organization on Wednesday warned of a possible COVID-19 surge in Ukraine and critical oxygen shortages with at least three major oxygen plants in the country closed.
Ukraine is experiencing a critical shortage of oxygen impacting the ability to treat those patients.
WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus said that just prior to the war, Ukraine was experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.
With low testing rates since the start of the conflict, there's likely to be significant undetected transmissions, Ghebreyesus said.
Ghebreyesus warned that with low testing and vaccination rates in Ukraine, the risk of large numbers of people developing severe disease increases.
The WHO said it is seeking ways of accessing oxygen from neighboring countries and ways to deliver it safely, saying there is an urgent need to establish a corridor for humanitarian workers and supplies to reach people in need.
Ghebreyesus said he is deeply concerned about the unfolding humanitarian emergency in Ukraine. The first WHO shipment meant to meet the needs of 1,000 patients in Ukraine will arrive in Poland on Thursday. It contains 6 metric tons of supplies for trauma care and emergency surgery.
The WHO has released $5.2 million from their contingency fund for emergencies and said it will need $45 million for Ukraine for the next 3 months and $12.5 million to support neighboring countries in their care for refugees.
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou
Ukrainian nationalists, army lost nearly 2,900 people, some 3,700 injured
Nearly 2,870 Ukrainian nationalists and army have died and some 3,700 have been injured, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
According to confirmed data from the Russian Defense ministry, 572 Ukrainian troops have been captured.
Russia said civilians wishing to leave Kyiv in the direction of Vasylkiv won't be stopped by its forces.
"Russian troops are not hindering the exit of the civilian population," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
The Russian Defense Ministry also said civilians can leave the city of Mariupol.
"I would like to emphasize that all civilians wishing to leave Mariupol for safety reasons can exit in the eastern direction via the Mariupol-Shyrokyne motorway," Konashenkov said.
-ABC News' Anastasia Bagaeva
Ukraine president praises UN for vote to condemn Russian invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday praised the United Nations General Assembly for its vote to condemn the Russian invasion and call for the withdrawal of Russian troops.
Zelenskyy called the results of the vote "destructive" for the aggressor, and said it shows "a global anti-Putin coalition has been formed and is functioning."
“I praise the approval by the #UN GA with an unprecedented majority of votes of the resolution with a strong demand to Russia to immediately stop the treacherous attack on. I’m grateful to everyone & every state that voted in favor. You have chosen the right side of history," Zelenskyy said in a tweet.
"The world is with us. The truth is on our side. Victory will be ours!” Zelenskyy said.
UN has credible reports of Russian cluster bomb use, attacks on health care
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has "received credible reports of several cases of Russian forces using cluster munitions, including in populated areas," spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell said Friday.
"Due to their wide-area effects, the use of cluster munitions in populated areas is incompatible with international humanitarian law principles," Throssell said.
Throssell added, "We remind Russian authorities that directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects as well as so-called bombardment in towns and villages and other forms of indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international law and may amount to war crimes."
To date, there have been 26 attacks on health care facilities in Ukraine, killing at least 12 people and injuring 34 people, according to Jašarević. Two of those killed and eight of the injured were healthcare workers.
That number is "shocking," said Throssell.
Throssell and WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević declined to pin the blame for all of them on Russia.
This number of attacks includes Wednesday's strike on a children's hospital and maternity ward in Mariupol. On Thursday, Russian officials claimed that the attack was staged, but they first confirmed they bombed it and claimed the hospital was being used by Ukrainian "radicals."
Throssell told reporters that is not true; "It was a functioning hospital," she said.
-ABC News' Conor Finnegan