Russia-Ukraine updates: Russian missile strikes hit multiple Ukrainian cities
Dozens of injuries were reported in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Russia has continued a nearly 19-month-long invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Recently, though, the Ukrainians have gone on a counteroffensive, fighting to reclaim occupied territory.
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Latest headlines:
Prigozhin plane may have been downed on purpose: Kremlin
The Kremlin on Wednesday acknowledged for the first time that a plane carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, mercenary chief of the paramilitary Wagner Group, was possibly downed on purpose.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that investigators are looking into the possibility that the 62-year-old Prigozhin was assassinated.
"It is obvious that different versions are being considered, including the version -- you know what we are talking about -- let's say, a deliberate atrocity," Peskov said when asked about the investigation.
The plane carrying Prigozhin and nine others crashed in Russia's Tver region on Aug. 23, killing everyone aboard, according to the press service of Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency.
The crash came about a month after Prigozhin led a chaotic armed rebellion that threatened the longstanding leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Friday, Peskov denied speculation that the Kremlin was involved in the plane crash, calling the allegation an "absolute lie."
The crash investigation is being conducted by the Russian Investigative Committee as a domestic incident and Peskov said that allowing in international investigators "is out of the question."
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
Ukraine carries out drone attack in Crimea
Ukraine conducted a massive drone attack in Crimea Thursday night into Friday morning, Ukraine Defense Intelligence spokesman Andrii Yusov told ABC News.
An attack was made on the Russian 126th Separate Guards Coastal Defense Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet in the village of Perevalne, Yusov said.
"We are still calculating enemy losses at the moment," Yusov said
-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman
Bomb likely cause of explosion that downed Prigozhin's plane, US officials say
The explosion that downed a plane carrying Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and nine others in Russia was likely caused by a bomb, two U.S. officials told ABC News on Friday.
A senior U.S. official said the preliminary belief is that the private jet was downed Wednesday by an explosion on board, potentially caused by a well-placed bomb.
Another U.S official said the United States believes that a bomb was very likely the cause of the explosion.
-ABC News' Josh Margolin and Luis Martinez
Putin had no recent meetings with Prigozhin, Kremlin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin had no recent meetings with Yevgeny Prigozhin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
We don't know yet how long the investigation procedures will be," Peskov said when asked if Putin will attend Prigozhin's funeral.
"The president has a busy schedule in general," he added.
Peskov would not comment on the cause of the plane crash.
-ABC News' Anastasia Bagaeva and Ellie Kaufman
Zelenskyy attends 1st meeting of NATO-Ukraine Council
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived for his first NATO summit meeting in Lithuania's capital on Wednesday where he received a jovial welcome from world leaders eager to shake his hand -- a mood in keeping with the more conciliatory tone Zelenskyy has struck since landing in Vilnius.
The Ukrainian leader ultimately made a beeline for U.S. President Joe Biden, as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg created a path for him through the crowd of world leaders. The two men -- Biden in a suit and Zelenskyy in a dark green polo -- greeted each other with smiles and shook hands before chatting briefly.
Everyone eventually took their seats for the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council -- the first of its kind -- and Stoltenberg began his remarks with a warm welcome to Zelenskyy, whom he called "our dear friend."
"Welcome to this first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council," Stoltenberg said. "This is truly a historic moment, allies and Ukraine sitting side-by-side as equals to address our common vision of Euro-Atlantic security."
"And I'm really honored to welcome in our midst our dear friend, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine. Welcome to Lithuania and it's great to have you here," he added.
Stoltenberg proceeded to give a very clear message about where NATO stands on Ukrainian membership, though no details on the pathway as has been a point of contention. He noted the summit has "reaffirmed that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance and we have made decisions to bring Ukraine closer to NATO."
"Today, we meet as equals," he said. "And I look forward to the day we meet as allies."
-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett