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Russia meets resistance from Ukrainians

Ukraine’s capital was preparing for battle Friday as the Russian advance reached the city and its leader issued a desperate plea to the outside world for help.

Coverage here has ended but find the latest updates here.

Ukraine’s capital was rocked by explosions and the sound of air-raid sirens early Friday, on the second day of a Russian advance that left residents and leaders bracing for the city to be overrun.

Ukraine said that hundreds of Russian troops were killed and injured as they bore down on Kyiv — with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling on Western governments to take stronger action against Russia and anyone with military experience in Europe to help defend the country's independence.

Russia is meeting "greater resistance" from the Ukrainians than they might have expected, a senior U.S. defense official told NBC News on Friday. "They are fighting for their country," the official said, referring to Ukrainian troops and freedom fighters.

Zelenskyy said that at least 137 people had been killed and 316 injured after Russia launched its invasion Thursday, attacking key cities and taking control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Follow our in-depth coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis here.

Pope calls for weapons to be 'silenced,' urges support for those fleeing Ukraine

Pope Francis called for weapons to be "silenced" in Ukraine Sunday, and he urged the international community to support those fleeing the country.

"God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence," he said during the Sunday Angelus, according to Vatican News, an outlet officially affiliated with the Catholic Church.

He also condemned the "diabolical and perverse logic of weapons." 

Francis said those fleeing Ukraine were "brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open humanitarian corridors and who must be welcomed, with an aching heart, for what is happening in Ukraine."

The pontiff also reminded people not to forget about the conflicts unfolding elsewhere in the world, pointing to conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia.

Ukrainian ambassador to U.S. accuses Russia of war crimes

Russia has committed war crimes, taken civilians hostage and attacked an orphanage with 50 children inside, Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, said at a press conference Friday.

"The Russian propaganda machine says that civilians were not targeted. I want to tell you that is not true," she said, claiming that Russian rockets hit residential areas and ambulances, injured children and destroyed strategic gas pipelines.

She said that Ukrainian armed forces are keeping the situation under control, claiming that 2,800 Russians were dead in the conflict and that 80 Russian tanks, 10 planes and seven helicopters had been destroyed.

NBC News has not confirmed the numbers of any injuries or deaths on either side.

The ambassador also raised concerns about the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which remains irradiated and a key storage facility for atomic waste after the infamous 1986 meltdown. The Russians seized control and took 92 hostages, she said, forcing them to work in shifts that do not comply with international regulations.

"All responsibility now lies with the Russian army," she said regarding the continued maintenance of Chernobyl. 

Markarova noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Joe Biden had another call Friday to discuss an anti-war coalition that included 73 countries, "working hand in hand," though she said those countries should also work to further defend Ukraine from Russian attacks.

While she applauded the sanctions the U.S. and other countries have announced on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, she said the sanctions on Russia should go further to fully "exclude it" from the international financial system.

The press conference concluded with Markarova thanking Russians who had "protested against Putin's attack on Ukraine."

"We would like to say, we see you, and it gives us hope that there are forces in Russia that don’t support a brutal attack on this nation," she said. 

Russian offensive unexpectedly slowed by stiff Ukrainian resistance

Two days in, the Russian offensive appeared to be stymied by stiffer-than-expected resistance from highly motivated Ukrainian armed forces.

Despite an overwhelming advantage in manpower and equipment, the Russian advance lost some of its momentum Friday and the quick victory Russian President Vladimir Putin was counting on is no longer assured, a senior United States defense official told NBC News.

"We do assess that there is greater resistance by the Ukrainians than the Russians expected," the official said. “They are fighting for their country.”

Read more here.

Biden, in call to Zelenskyy, praises 'the brave actions of the Ukrainian people'

President Joe Biden touched base with his counterpart in Ukraine on Friday, commending "the brave actions of the Ukrainian people" in the face of Russia's onslaught.

After conferring with NATO allies over the current conflict, Biden said he reached out to Volodymyr Zelenskyy to praise his nation's resistance against invaders.

"Immediately after the NATO Summit, I spoke with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. I commended the brave actions of the Ukrainian people who were fighting to defend their country," according to a White House statement. "I also conveyed ongoing economic, humanitarian, and security support being provided by the United States as well as our continued efforts to rally other countries to provide similar assistance." 

White House will directly sanction Putin

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced Friday it would join the European Union in directly sanctioning President Vladimir Putin, as Russian forces continued a brutal invasion of Ukraine, threatening to take over the capital city of Kyiv.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that following a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the U.S. would join European allies in sanctioning Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other members of the Russian national security team.

The Biden administration has been ratcheting up sanctions against Moscow over the past few days, working in coordination with European allies to take unprecedented measures in hopes of deterring Putin from launching a wide-scale attack against Ukraine.

But those efforts appeared to have done little to keep Putin from pushing Russian forces further into Ukraine on Friday, as Kyiv was rocked by explosions and the sound of air raid sirens.

Read the full story here.

Ukrainian defense minister urges Russian citizens to protest invasion

Ukraine's defense minister on Friday urged Russian citizens to "come to the streets" and protest Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion.

Oleksii Reznikov pleaded with Russians to oppose the war and act in self-interest by saving the lives of those in uniform.

He specifically addressed "the wives, mothers, girlfriends of Russian soldiers and officers."

"In a few days of intervention in Ukraine, as many Russian troops will be destroyed as in two Chechen wars. Thousands. Thousands," Reznikov wrote on Facebook. "The ruler of Russia has become a murderer. Not only the murderer of Ukrainians, but also Russians." 

Reznikov celebrated his military's work so far in opposing the Russian invaders.

"Ukrainians are now fighting for the future they have long deserved. Both our own and for the whole Europe," he wrote. "We will definitely win!" 

A growing number of cultural, sports institutions cut ties with Russia

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed several cultural and sports institutions to take a stand. Eurovision banned Russia from its competition, Manchester United severed its sponsorship deal with the Russian airline Aeroflot, and the German soccer club Schalke removed the logo of its main sponsor, the Russian state-owned energy powerhouse Gazprom, from player jerseys.

“Given our norms today, [the invasion] is such a gross violation of what we see as our humanity that we’re going to react that way," said Matthew Schmidt, a professor of national security and political science at the University of New Haven, who specializes in Russian affairs.

Some Russian athletes joined in reacting to the country's invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow-born tennis star Andrey Rublev scrawling "No war please" on the lens of a camera at a tennis competition in Dubai.

Read the full story here.

NATO deploys elements of Response Force for first time for collective defense

Josh Lederman

NATO has deployed elements of its Response Force for the first time for collective defense, Gen. Tod Wolters, the commander of the U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said Friday.

“These deterrence measures are prudent and enhance our speed, responsiveness and capability to shield and protect the one billion citizens we swore to protect,” he said in a statement. 

“This is an historic moment and the very first time the Alliance has employed these high readiness forces in a deterrence and defense role. They represent a flexible, combat credible force that can be employed in multiple ways and we are utilizing fully their inherent agility,” he said. 

“Your soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines stand ready to protect every meter of Allied territory,” he added.

Biden, Zelenskyy hold phone call as Russian troops attempt to enter Kyiv

President Joe Biden held a secure call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday as his administration warned that the capital city, Kyiv, could soon fall to Russia. 

The White House said that the two leaders spoke for roughly 40 minutes, with the call ending at 12:32 p.m. ET.

Zelenskyy, who remains in Ukraine, has been urging Western governments to do more to help his country. In a video address Friday, he said he was Russia's "No. 1 target."

Earlier Friday, Biden held a virtual meeting with NATO leaders to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

Biden has given several speeches on Ukraine over the past few days, but he did not have any planned remarks regarding the situation on his public schedule for Friday.

Video shows military vehicle run over car in Kyiv; driver survives

Harrowing video shows a military vehicle running over a moving car in Kyiv during the Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital.

Onlookers can be heard crying out in horror as the tank appears to swerve toward and then crush the car.

Subsequent videos showed good Samaritans were seen trying to free the driver from the wreckage after he survived the incident.

Russia will be held "accountable" for its actions, NATO secretary-general says

The world will hold Russia and Belarus accountable for their actions in Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at a news conference Friday. 

Russia would be seen as "the aggressor, Belarus as the enabler," he said. 

"The Kremlin’s war on Ukraine will not make Russia more secure," he added. "It will not make Russia more respected in the world."

Paying his respects to Ukrainian forces who were "bravely fighting," he said the alliance was continuing to support Ukraine with air defense systems and different types of military equipment, as well as help with its cyber defenses. 

He added that more troops had been deployed in NATO territory. "We are increasing our presence not to provoke a conflict but to prevent a conflict," he said.   

"We will do what it takes to defend every ally and every inch of NATO territory," he added. 

United Kingdom to sanction Putin, Russian foreign minister

The United Kingdom plans to introduce sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday.

In a meeting with NATO leaders Friday, Johnson said Putin was carrying out "a revanchist mission to over-turn post-Cold War order. He warned the group that the Russian President’s ambitions might not stop there and that this was a Euro-Atlantic crisis with global consequences," the spokeswoman said.

The sanctions against Putin and Lavrov will be in addition to the more general sanctions package announced Thursday, the spokeswoman added.

NATO secretary-general warns cyberattacks could trigger Article 5

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that cyberattacks could trigger Article 5 of the organization's charter, the so-called "commitment clause" that considers an attack on any NATO ally an attack on all.

Stoltenberg's comment comes as national security professionals and cybersecurity industry professionals remain on high alert for any major attacks. While conflict on the ground in Ukraine continues to escalate, little has been seen thus far in terms of major cyberwar activities. 

Still, some hacker and activist groups have sprung into action. One ransomware group announced Friday that it supported the Russian government and would respond to cyberattacks on Russia by going after "critical infrastructures of an enemy."

As for attacks on Ukraine, the country's computer emergency response team said Friday that it had seen a large email phishing campaign from Belarus targeted at military personnel.

NATO leaders promise that Russia and Putin "will pay a severe price" for Ukraine invasion

The heads of state of the 30 countries in the NATO alliance blasted Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in a shared statement Friday, stating that "Russia bears full responsibility for this conflict."

In the statement, the NATO leaders said they mourned those who had lost their lives in the conflict and the rampant destruction and suffering "caused by Russia's actions," and accused the nation led by President Vladimir Putin of violating international law and the United Nations Charter.

They said Russia and Putin had abandoned their responsibilities in the NATO-Russia Founding Act, which established mutual protections and a diplomatic relationship between NATO and Russia, and promised they would "pay a severe price, both economically and politically, for years to come."

"Peace on the European continent has been fundamentally shattered," the leaders wrote. "The world will hold Russia, as well as Belarus, accountable for their actions. We call on all states to condemn this unconscionable attack unreservedly. No one should be fooled by the Russian government’s barrage of lies."

The statement also noted that the NATO countries were coordinating and meeting with nations that were not part of the alliance, including Sweden and Finland, as well as representatives from the European Union.

The leaders said they had also activated their defense plans against Russia to secure their territory and that they remained committed to their collective defense. 

"We stand united to protect and defend all Allies," they wrote. "Freedom will always win over oppression."

 

Barren grocery store shelves in Kyiv spark fears

Empty grocery store shelves seen in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv have some worried and recalling historical famines that Ukraine experienced.

One Twitter user said it triggered "the worst possible scenario in my head."

In the immediate term, food shortages and supply issues could add to the problems facing residents of the capital city, where subway stations continue to serve as shelters for many.

From 1932 to 1933, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin took control of Ukraine's agricultural output, resulting in a famine known as Holodomor, "a combination of the Ukrainian words for 'starvation' and 'to inflict death.'" More than 7 million people died as a result of the man-made famine.

Amnesty International says Russia's 'indiscriminate attacks' may constitute 'war crimes'

The human rights organization Amnesty International blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin's offensive in Ukraine on Friday, calling on Russian forces to cease "indiscriminate attacks" on a democratic country.

"The Russian troops should immediately stop carrying out indiscriminate attacks in violation of the laws of war. The continuation of the use of ballistic missiles and other inaccurate explosive weapons causing civilian deaths and injuries is inexcusable," the organization said.

Amnesty added that Russia's attacks might constitute war crimes.

Karim Khan, a prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, said he was watching the conflict with “increasing concern” and added his office may investigate possible war crimes in the country.

Russia to limit Facebook access in response to media 'censorship'

Reuters

Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor on Friday said it was partially limiting access to Facebook in response to restrictions the U.S. social media giant has imposed on Russian media, accusing Facebook of "censorship".

It was not immediately clear what the restrictions would involve.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Russia captures Chernobyl site. What if it were hit by a missile?

NBC News

U.S. concerned Russia will use disinformation to encourage Ukrainian surrender

Abigail Williams

American officials believe there is a Russian effort to induce surrender through disinformation, a U.S. official said Friday.

"Our information indicates Russia is creating a disinformation campaign by publicizing false reports about the widespread surrender of Ukrainian troops," the official said, adding that Russia plans to threaten the family members of Ukrainian soliders if they do not surrender. 

Russian acts not allowed in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest

The European Broadcasting Union announced Friday that Russian acts will not be allowed to participate in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

The decision was made based on "the rules of the event and the values of the EBU," said an EBU statement.

"The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competition into disrepute," the statement said. "We remain dedicated to protecting the values of a cultural competition which promotes international exchange and understanding, brings audiences together, celebrates diversity through music and unites Europe on one stage."

Head of European Space Agency says member states 'will take any decisions needed'

The head of the European Space Agency said Friday that he is monitoring the evolving situation in Ukraine but that spaceflight operations are continuing uninterrupted for now.

"I am sad & worried as the aggression continues to worsen in #Ukraine," Josef Aschbacher, ESA's director general, wrote in a tweet. "With @esa Member States, we will take any decisions needed. But for now, support for our missions & colleagues continues until further notice."

The European Space Agency has 22 member states, including the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany. For more than two decades, ESA has been a partner with Russia on the International Space Station, along with the space agencies of the United States, Canada and Japan. The European agency is also working with Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, on an upcoming mission to send a robotic lander and rover to Mars. The so-called ExoMars mission, which is expected to launch later this year, aims to search for signs of life on the Red Planet.

Aschbacher said the agency remains committed to the space station and ExoMars mission, tweeting earlier on Friday: "Notwithstanding the current conflict, civil space cooperation remains a bridge."

Russia has launched an amphibious assault near the city of Mariupol, U.S. defense official says

Russia has launched an amphibious assault to the west of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official told NBC News on Friday. 

Indications suggest that thousands of naval forces are being put ashore there, said the defense official, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The official added that it was assumed those forces would move toward the Donbas region, where Russian-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014. 

“We do assess that there is greater resistance by the Ukrainians than the Russians expected. They are fighting for their country,” the official said, adding that the Russians had lost a little bit of momentum and had not advanced as far as they had expected to. 

The majority of Russian targets were military related, including air and missile defenses, aircraft and areas where the Ukrainian military was located, the official said. 

Kyiv resident sings the national anthem as she clears apartment debris after bomb

Katya Gulenko calmly sang Ukraine's national anthem while cleaning shards of glass from windows in her mother's Kyiv home that were blown out by a Russian bomb.

Her mother's home was one among the dozens of civilian sites bombed by Russia during its assault on Ukraine.

"I was sleeping. There was a sharp explosion and I was thrown 3 meters from the room I was in, into the corridor," her mother, Oksana Gulenko, said. 

The shards of glass ruined ingredients Katya Gulenko had planned to use for a birthday cake. Her patisserie was supposed to host a party Friday.

Image: UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT
Ukrainian troops ride in a tank toward the front line with Russian forces in the Luhansk region of Ukraine on Friday.Anatolii Stepanov / AFP - Getty Images

Ukraine's capital in 'defense phase,' Kyiv mayor says

Ukraine's capital has entered a "defense phase," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said. 

In a statement on Telegram on Friday, he said "shots and explosions" had been heard in parts of the capital.

It was not immediately clear where exactly the shots and explosions had been heard from. 

"Ukrainian military is neutralizing the sabotage groups of Russians," he said.

"We must fight for the capital that the enemy wants to put on its knees and destroy!" Klitschko said, as he called on "all who can defend the city" to join the fight.

"The Ukrainian Army holds defense around Kyiv. The situation is complicated. But we believe in our armed forces. We support them and help everybody," he said.

Embassies, Boris Johnson turn to Chinese social media to mediate Russia-Ukraine conflict

Alyssa Chen

HONG KONG — In the lead-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the international war of words found an unusual battlefield: Chinese social media.

Earlier this week, the Ukrainian Embassy in China took to Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, to criticize Russia for recognizing the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. Last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson attempted to defuse Ukraine tensions with a Weibo post urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in dialogue.

But some Weibo users expressed surprise that officials would debate the Ukraine issue so visibly on that platform, where embassies typically post about relations with China or the culture and history of their home countries.

“I did not expect that I could see an international event escalating on Weibo,” one user wrote in the top-ranked comment on the Ukrainian Embassy’s statement. 

Read the full story here

NBC News

People wait to board an evacuation train from Kyiv central train station to Lviv, Ukraine, on Friday.

Image: People wait to board a evacuaition train from Kyiv to Lviv at Kyiv central train station
Umit Bektas / Reuters

U.S. public sees Russia-Ukraine conflict as a critical threat, Gallup finds

Before Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this week, just more than half (52 percent) of Americans viewed the conflict between the two nations as critical to U.S. interests, a Gallup poll released Friday found

That is considerably more than the 44 percent who thought in 2015 that Russia annexing the Crimean Peninsula was critical to U.S. interests.  

Similar percentages of Republicans (56 percent) and Democrats (61 percent) are likely to see the conflict as a critical threat to U.S. vital interests, the polling taken between Feb. 1 and Feb. 17 found. 

Russia’s image has also deteriorated further, with 85 percent of Americans viewing the nation unfavorably, an 8 percentage point increase from 2021. Just 15 percent have a positive opinion of it.

Hillary Clinton calls on U.S., European allies to move 'more quickly' on sanctions, targeting Putin and Russian oligarchs

Rebecca Shabadis in Washington, D.C.

Hillary Clinton said in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Friday that she believes the Biden administration and U.S. allies need to impose harsher sanctions on Russia that target President Vladimir Putin himself and his oligarchs.

The former secretary of state said she hopes the U.S. and its European allies "move even more quickly" to impose sanctions not only on the Russian economy, but also on individual actors "all the way up to Putin." 

"I think that the only pressure that Putin would respond to, or that could have any kind of impact on his thinking, would be [sanctioning] those who he relies on to launder his money, to keep the funding going into his secret accounts," she said. "We've got to go after those oligarchs who are supporting Putin financially."

Clinton said the U.S. needs to call the oligarchs out by name and go after their assets, such as by a temporary suspension of access to things such as their yachts or huge houses or their bank accounts. 

"Because if we don't up the pressure now, whatever we are doing, which I think is absolutely right to bring the world together to bring more troops to protect our NATO allies, it will take longer and Ukraine will be burning," she warned. 

She said there is an "urgency" to imposing these more powerful sanctions because some of the attacks haven't gone as well as Russia had wanted in Ukraine. As a result, she said, "They will get more vicious and they will attack even more randomly and indiscriminately.”

Reports of at least 25 civilians killed, more than 100 injured, U.N. human rights office says

The United Nations' human rights office says it has received reports of at least 25 people killed and more than 100 injured in Ukraine due to "shelling and air strikes." 

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement Friday that the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine had received reports of at least 102 people injured, in addition to the 25 killed, as of midnight Thursday going into Friday.

"This is more than the total number of civilian casualties recorded by the U.N. Human Rights Office on both sides of the contact line for the whole of 2021," it said, noting that the figures for 2021 were 25 killed and 85 injured.

Of those civilians killed or wounded, the U.N. human rights office said 23 were killed and 91 injured in government-controlled territory, including in the Donetsk, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kherson and Luhansk regions. 

"Because of the security situation, civilian casualties in Government-controlled territory are likely to be under-reported, and real figures, therefore, could be higher," the office said. 

In armed group-controlled territory, it said, two people were killed and 11 injured in Donetsk and Horlivka on Thursday.

"Our colleagues on the ground are working to corroborate these figures. However, as indicated, the figures we have are likely to be under-estimates," it said, adding that it is "currently difficult to verify information, given both the security situation as well as the number of false reports emerging amid an information war."

NBC News

Ukrainian official says Russian shrapnel hit orphanage but no casualties

Iryna Venediktova, prosecutor general of Ukraine, said Friday that an orphanage in the village of Vorzel outside Kyiv was hit by shrapnel from a Russian missile.

"As a result of these illegal actions, there are no victims, as at the time of the hit the children and staff of the orphanage were in other premises," Venediktova wrote on Facebook.

NBC News has not confirmed the damage to the orphanage, which Venediktova said houses 50 children.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs, said on Twitter that the situation constituted a war crime.

"Together with the General Prosecutor’s Office we are collecting this and other facts, which we will immediately send to the Hague," he wrote.

Formula One cancels Russia Grand Prix

Formula One’s governing body has stripped Russia of the right to host a Grand Prix. 

"We are watching developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the current crisis,” the sport's governing body, the FIA, said in a statement Friday. The Russian Grand Prix last took place in September 2021 and was due to take place again in September this year.

"The FIA Formula 1 World Championship visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together," it added. 

Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel said Thursday he would not race in Russia, and current champion Max Verstappen agreed with him but stopped short of saying he would skip the event.

It comes after European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, pulled the Champions League final from Russia replacing St. Petersburg with Paris. 

German soccer club Schalke also said Thursday that it would remove its sponsor, Russian gas company Gazprom, from its shirts.

Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine, Putin tells Xi

Russia is ready to conduct high-level negotiations with Ukraine, Putin told Chinese President Xi Jinping in a phone call Friday.

According to a summary of the call from China's Foreign Ministry, Putin discussed his view of the historical background of the Ukraine situation, as well as Russia's position on its special military operation in eastern Ukraine.

He told Xi that the U.S. and NATO, the U.S.-led military alliance that Ukraine has expressed interest in joining, had ignored Russia's "legitimate security concerns" for a long time. They repeatedly reneged on their commitments and instead expanded their military deployment to the east, he said, challenging Russia's "strategic bottom line." 

Xi told Putin that China supports Russia and Ukraine in solving the issue through negotiation, and he repeated China's position that "Cold War thinking" should be abandoned and that the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be valued and respected. 

NBC News

Pope Francis visits Russian embassy in Rome to express personal concerns over conflict

Claudio Lavanga

Chantal Da Silva and Claudio Lavanga

Pope Francis visited the Russian Embassy in Rome on Friday in an extraordinary gesture to convey his personal concerns about the conflict in Ukraine. 

The Vatican confirmed to NBC News that the pope had made the visit, which appears to have no recent precedent. 

Typically, popes receive ambassadors and heads of state in the Vatican, with the Vatican foreign minister expected to summon the ambassador under expected diplomatic protocol.

In this case, however, Francis took it upon himself to make the visit in a move appearing to reflect how upset he is at the situation unfolding in Ukraine.

Russian Ambassador to the Vatican Alexander Avdeev told Russia's state-run Tass news agency Friday that Francis "wanted to personally ask about the situation in Donbass and Ukraine."

The pope made the visit after the Vatican had announced that he had canceled a scheduled visit to Florence for Sunday and would not preside over Ash Wednesday commemorations next week due to "acute" knee pain.

The Vatican said Francis' doctors had prescribed a period of rest, with the pope having long suffered from sciatica nerve pain. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainians donate blood in large numbers as fighting continues

Ukrainians are queuing up in large numbers across the country to donate blood after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed on Thursday for the “wounded soldiers in hospital who need blood.”

Almost 500 people donated blood in the capital city of Kyiv alone, three times the average, the administration of Kyiv said on its Telegram channel. The city will also operate blood centers 24 hours a day.

Anyone over the age of 18 can donate blood as long as there are no medical complications.

NBC News

The wreckage of an unidentified warplane lay in a residential area of Kyiv on Friday. Ukrainian forces claimed it was shot down in the early hours.

NBC News

Servicemen of the Ukrainian National Guard take positions in central Kyiv, Ukraine on Friday.

Servicemen of the Ukrainian National Guard take positions in central Kyiv
Gleb Garanich / Reuters

Sean Penn is in Ukraine making a documentary about Russia’s invasion

Actor Sean Penn is in Ukraine documenting Russia’s invasion as tensions escalate in the region.

Penn, 61, is working on a documentary with VICE Studios, in association with VICE World News and Endeavor Content, a spokesperson for VICE confirmed. The spokesperson declined to provide NBC News with further comment or information about the project.

A representative for Penn did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

Read the full story here

Zelenskyy says he missed call with Italy's PM due to deadly fighting: 'Next time I'll try to move the war schedule'

Claudio Lavanga

Chantal Da Silva and Claudio Lavanga

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he missed a bilateral call with his Italian counterpart due to deadly fighting in Ukraine.

"Next time I'll try to move the war schedule to talk to #MarioDraghi at a specific time," he said, in what appeared to be an exasperated response to a comment from Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi noting Zelenskyy had missed the morning meeting.

"Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to fight for its people," he said.

The comments came after Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said he had been meant to have a call with Zelenskyy Friday morning, but he said the discussion could not take place as the Ukrainian president was "no longer available."

Reflecting on an "extraordinary European council meeting" attended by Zelenskyy Thursday, Draghi said: "The connection with the President was a very dramatic moment."

"He is hiding somewhere in Kyiv. He said he is running out of time, that Ukraine is running out of time. That he and his family are the target of the Russian invasion. It was a dramatic moment that touched all the participants of the European council," Draghi said.

"This morning he looked for me and we scheduled a phone call at 0930, but then we couldn’t talk because President Zelenskyy was no longer available," he said, with his words appearing to prompt Zelenskyy's swift response.

NBC News

As many as 4 million people could flee Ukraine 'if the situation escalates,' UN refugee agency warns

As many as 4 million people could flee Ukraine to other countries "if the situation escalates further," the United Nations refugee agency said Friday.

"According to our estimates, up to 4 million people may flee Ukraine to other countries if the situation escalates further," Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, told NBC News.

In a tweet earlier Friday, the UNHCR said it estimated that more than 100,000 people "must have already moved out of their homes in Ukraine, seeking safety in other parts of the country."

It said it was also aware of thousands of people having already crossed into Moldova, Romania and other countries.

In a statement on Thursday, the UN high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, said the agency was "gravely concerned about the fast-deteriorating situation and ongoing military action in Ukraine."

"The humanitarian consequences on civilian populations will be devastating," he said. "There are no winners in war, but countless lives will be torn apart."

Age restriction removed for joining Ukrainian military

Ukraine has removed age restrictions and further simplified procedures for its citizens to join the military, Brigadier General Yuri Galushkin said in a statement on Friday. Previously, only those aged between 18 and 60 could join.

Oleksii Reznikov, minister of defense, said on Facebook: “I decided, in agreement with the Commander of the territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Brigadier General Yuri Galushkin, to involve in the territorial defense the Patriots over 60 years old, who are morally and physically ready to resist and defeat the enemy.”

Ukrainians have been advised to simply carry their identification to join the armed forces. 

“So, if you 'get lost', good luck,” he added.

NBC News

Russia retaliates to sanctions, bans all British flights from its airspace

Anisha Kukreja

Russia has banned all flights from the U.K. from landing or crossing its airspace, including transit flights, Russia's Federal Agency of Air Transport said in a statement on Friday.

The agency said it proposed talks with British aviation authorities but this was declined. Russia’s ban comes after the U.K. suspended Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot from landing at its airports, as announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday.

Virgin Atlantic airlines has apologized to its customers and said flights to and from Asia will take longer as a result.

NBC News

People hide in a bomb shelter in Kyiv in the early hours of Friday.

Image: UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT
Sergei Chuzavkov / AFP - Getty Images

UEFA moves Champions League soccer final to Paris from St. Petersburg

The governing body of European soccer, UEFA, has pulled the Champions League final from Russia replacing St. Petersburg with Paris following “the grave escalation the security situation in Europe,” it said in a statement on Friday.

The final will be held at Stade de France, the 80,000-seat national stadium of France, which is also the venue for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 local time (3 p.m. ET).

UEFA has also decided that the Russian and Ukrainian clubs as well as their national teams will be “required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.”

The body also said it would "ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement.”

 

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Pacific island nation severs diplomatic ties with Russia

Anisha Kukreja

The Federated States of Micronesia, a country made up of more than 600 islands in the western Pacific, has severed diplomatic ties with Russia following what it called the “brutal invasion of Ukraine.”

“The FSM, with great sympathy to the People & Government of Ukraine, recognizes that Ukraine has been violently and unjustifiably invaded by the Russian Federation,” he said" the country's president, David W. Panuelo said in a statement Friday.

Micronesia is the first nation to have taken this step after Ukraine called on other countries and international organizations to suspend ties with Russia, after Ukraine severed its own diplomatic relationship with Russia on Thursday.

China says it opposes any 'illegal' sanctions against Russia

China said Friday that it opposes any "illegal" sanctions that harm the "legitimate rights and interests" of Russia, a country with which it has growing ties.

"The U.S. has imposed more than 100 sanctions on Russia since 2011, but this is not a fundamental and effective means to solve the problem," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing, according to CCTV, China's state broadcaster.

Although Wang continued to call for all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity to be respected, China has so far declined to describe Russia's actions as an invasion. On Thursday, China said it would lift all restrictions on imports of Russian wheat, part of a deal reached when Putin met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing this month.

Earlier on Friday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison criticized China over what he said was a weak response to Russian actions, including the announcement on wheat.

"You don't go and throw a lifeline to Russia in the middle of a period when they are invading another country," he said. "That is simply unacceptable."

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A woman walks around the wreckage of an unidentified aircraft that crashed into a house in a residential area of Kyiv on Friday, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine.

Residential areas damaged after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Kyiv
Umit Bektas / Reuters

Ukraine warns Russian forces are using disguise to enter the country

Ukraine has warned Russian forces are using disguise to enter the country and “penetrate deep into the rear of Ukrainian positions.”

Russia's armed forces seized two vehicles from the National Guard of Ukraine on Friday and changed into the uniform of Ukrainian military, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on Facebook.

They were moving at speed towards Kyiv’s center from Obolon in northern Kyiv and were followed by a column of Russian military trucks, she said. The armed vehicles were later stopped, and no damage was reported, she added.

“The enemy uses our equipment!” Ukraine’s Joint Forces Operation said in a statement.

“We ask the citizens of Ukraine to be vigilant and in case of receiving any information to inform law enforcement agencies,” it said on Facebook.

Gamma radiation dose rates exceed control levels after Russian troops seize Chernobyl, officials say

Ukrainian officials have said gamma radiation dose rates at the Chernobyl exclusion zone have exceeded "control levels" at a "significant number of observation points" after the power plant was captured by Russian forces.

In a Twitter statement Friday morning, Ukraine's Parliament said data from the automated radiation monitoring system of the exclusion zone had reflected a change in dose rates, which refer to the quantity of radiation that can be absorbed per unit time.

"But now it is currently impossible to establish the reasons for the change in the radiation background in the exclusion zone because of the occupation and military fight in this territory," it said. 

In a separate statement, the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine said that fluctuations in the performance of sensors could potentially be attributed to the disruption of topsoil "due to the movement of a large number of heavy military equipment through the exclusion zone and the release of contaminated radioactive dust into the air." 

"The condition of nuclear facilities and other Chernobyl facilities is unchanged," it said. 

The Chernobyl nuclear accident unfolded on April 26, 1986, near Pripyat, in the north of the country, which was then part of the Soviet Union.

International Criminal Court says it may investigate possible war crimes after Russian invasion

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan has said he is following Russia's invasion of Ukraine "with increasing concern" and warned he may investigate possible war crimes in the country.

"I remind all sides conducting hostilities on the territory of Ukraine that my office may exercise its jurisdiction and investigate any act of genocide, crime against humanity or war crime committed within Ukraine," he said in a statement shared on Twitter.

Russia is not a member of the ICC. But the court can still investigate alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine regardless of the nationality of those accused of carrying them out, he said.

"Any person who commits such crimes, including by ordering, inciting, or contributing in another manner to the commission of these crimes, may be liable to prosecution before the Court, with full respect for the principle of complementarity," Khan said.

Taliban calls for peaceful resolution of Ukraine conflict

The Taliban, which retook control of Afghanistan in August last year after the U.S. forces' withdrawal, called for restraint in the Ukrainian conflict and expressed concerns about the “real possibility of civilian casualties” in a statement on Friday.

“The Islamic Emirate calls for restraint by both parties. All sides need to desist from taking positions that could intensify violence,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called on both sides to resolve the conflict through dialogue.

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Ukrainian forces blow up bridges to impede Russian forces, interior ministry says

Ukrainian armed forces blow up a bridge near the town of Irpin so as not to let the Russian army come closer to Kyiv on Feb. 25, 2022.
Ukrainian armed forces blow up a bridge near the town of Irpin so as not to let the Russian army come closer to Kyiv on Feb. 25, 2022.via Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs

Ukrainian military forces blew up two bridges near the capital of Kyiv to impede Russian forces, Ukraine's interior ministry said Friday.

The development comes after Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday and launched missiles against the country. 

Russian forces were believed to be around 20 miles away from Kyiv, a top U.S. Pentagon official told lawmakers in America on Thursday night.

Ukraine's Ministry of Interior Affairs said that Ukrainian armed forces blew up a bridge in Irpin, around 15 miles west of Kyiv, to prevent Russian forces from approaching the capital.

Another bridge in Hostomel, which is also west of Kyiv, was also blown up, according to the interior ministry. Photos were shared by an adviser to the Ukrainian ministry. NBC News has not independently confirmed the claims. 

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A damaged residential building is seen in Kyiv on Friday, a day after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine.

A residential building is damaged, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Kyiv
Umit Bektas / Reuters

'We'll prevail,' Ukraine minister says

A Ukrainian government official vowed that the country's armed forces would resist for as long as they are able in the face of a Russian attack.

As sirens sounded in Kyiv on Friday morning, Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said Russian forces were trying to penetrate from the Chernobyl zone toward the capital.

"They're not far from Kyiv, but they Ukraine defense forces are fighting," Tkachenko said on MSNBC. "And I believe and I'm sure that we'll prevail. And freedom will prevail."

Zelenskyy said Russia continued missile strikes against Ukraine on Friday morning. More than 130 people have been killed in Ukraine and over 300 wounded since Russia invaded Thursday, he has said.

Ukraine prohibits men ages 18 to 60 from leaving

Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service announced late Thursday that all Ukrainian men ages 18 to 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the border guard service said the rule will apply for the period of martial law. It did not provide further details as to why. 

Many people who have been trying to leave the country have struggled to find a way to get to the nearest border. 

Alisa Rodionova, 20, said she is in Kyiv with her mother. "We don’t have transport to move anywhere," she said through the Telegram app.

Zelenskyy imposed martial law Thursday morning, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. No end date has been given.

Sirens activate in Kyiv as city warns to seek shelter

Image: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy makes a statement in Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes a statement in Kyiv, on February 25, 2022.Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / via Reuters

Sirens sounded in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Friday morning with warnings from the city to immediately seek shelter, and Zelenskyy said Russian forces continued to fire missiles at Ukraine. 

"Attention, this is not a training alarm! An air threat has been announced!" the Kyiv city government warned in a message on Telegram and its website after the sirens sounded around 7 a.m. local time.

The message told people to seek shelter and reminded residents that all subway stations were available as shelter.

Sirens were also heard in the city of Lviv, in western Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said Friday that Russian forces continued firing missiles at Ukraine at 4 a.m. Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted that there have been "horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv."

Zelenskyy said in a speech Friday that fighting continued, and he was defiant. "Russia expects us to get tired, but we’re not tired," he said. 

A top Pentagon official told lawmakers in the U.S. on Thursday night that Russian forces were around 20 miles from Kyiv.

Large explosion rocks Kyiv apartment building

Image: Firefighters work to put out a residential building fire after debris or an explosive device from a downed Russian aircraft hit it, in Kyiv, Ukraine on Feb. 25, 2022.
Firefighters work to put out a fire at a residential building in Kyiv after debris or an explosive device from a downed Russian aircraft hit it Friday.Ukranian State Emergency Services

An apartment building in Kyiv was hit by debris after an aircraft was shot down over the capital city Thursday evening, according to Ukrainian officials and the country's emergency services.

Photos shared with NBC News producers in Kyiv showed a multistory apartment building that had sustained heavy damage. The state emergency service said on Telegram that eight people were injured and that 150 were evacuated from the building.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter that Ukraine had been the victim of "horrific Russian rocket strikes." Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior ministry, said on Telegram that Kyiv was attacked by either cruise or ballistic missiles. Details about any damage or casualties were not immediately available, and NBC News reporters on the ground were not able to independently verify the accounts.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, said on Twitter that "at least three dozen missiles" appeared to have been fired at Kyiv in under an hour. He did not specify where he received that information from.

Macron says he called Putin because Zelenskyy couldn't reach him

Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron held a "frank, direct and quick" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to ask him to stop military operations because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had asked him to.

"It was also to ask him to discuss with President Zelenskyy, who had requested that, because he could not reach him," Macron told reporters after an E.U. summit in Brussels.

Top Pentagon official: Russian troops 20 miles from Kyiv

Leigh Ann Caldwell

Leigh Ann Caldwell and Courtney Kube

A top Pentagon official told lawmakers Thursday that Russian troops are just 20 miles from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, according to a source on the call.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, made the comments in an unclassified call with House lawmakers, the source said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who was also on the call, described the current phase of the Russian military operation as the tip of the spear as the vast majority of Russian troops are still farther back, a person on the call and a senior defense official said.

Without providing a timeline, Austin said he expects the next phase to involve more Russian forces and focus on consolidating gains in populations centers, the member on the call and the senior defense official said. He also warned that civilians could be killed and injured, especially by missile and air strikes, a senior defense official said.

'Enemy sabotage groups' in Kyiv, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy said Thursday that Russian "enemy sabotage groups" had entered Kyiv, the capital, and that he was the "number one target."

"They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state," he said in a video address.

He said his family was the "number two target" but that they were still in Ukraine. Zelenskyy gave no additional details about the groups. 

"My family is not traitors. They are the citizens of Ukraine," he said. "But I have no right to say where they are now."

Zelenskyy said he was still in the government quarter "together with all those who are necessary for the work of the central government."

E.U. leaders vow 'massive and targeted' sanctions on Russia

European Union leaders have approved "massive and targeted" sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

The sanctions target 70 percent of the Russian banking market, von der Leyen said. Others will target oil exports, ban the sale of aircraft and parts to Russian airlines and limit access to technology like semiconductors, she said.

The agreed-upon legal texts for the sanctions are expected to be finalized overnight and be ready for approval Friday, The Associated Press reported.

"President Putin chose to bring back war to Europe. This is a fully fledged invasion of Ukraine," von der Leyen said. She called Russia's actions "atrocious and unprovoked attacks" on Ukraine.

IOC condemns Russia for violation of Olympic Truce

Image: Olympics
The Olympic flag is carried into the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Beijing, on Feb. 4, 2022.Jae C. Hong / AP file

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday condemned what it called Russia's breach of the Olympic Truce, which is intended to ensure a peaceful environment during the Games.

In a statement, the IOC said its president, Thomas Bach, reiterated the call for peace he made during the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. “Observe your commitment to this Olympic Truce. Give peace a chance," Bach said during the Opening Ceremony, according to the IOC.

The truce, which began seven days before the start of the Beijing Games on Feb. 4, extends seven days past the March 13 closing of the Paralympic Games. The truce resolution was adopted in December by the U.N. General Assembly and by consensus of all 193 U.N. member states, including the Russian Federation.

The IOC said Thursday that it was deeply concerned about the safety of the Olympic community in Ukraine following Russia's invasion. "It has established a task force to closely monitor the situation and to coordinate humanitarian assistance to members of the Olympic Community in Ukraine where possible," it said.

The truce dates back 3,000 years to when the ancient Greeks established the "ekecheiria" to allow the Games to take place despite conflicts among Greek city-states, according to the IOC.

Lawmakers received unclassified briefing with White House officials on invasion

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Teaganne Finn

Ali Vitali

Teaganne Finn, Julie Tsirkin, Scott Wong and Ali Vitali
Image: White House, night
The White House on Feb. 24, 2022.Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

House and Senate lawmakers received unclassified briefings with administration officials Thursday night and discussed a variety of issues pertaining to the invasion. 

Multiple sources on the call said they were told what the administration has said publicly already. There was some discussion of potential humanitarian assistance and the talked-about supplemental spending, as well as future steps on sanctions. 

Separately, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., asked specifically about humanitarian assistance on the House call, but Blinken made no formal requests, saying the State Department and the Defense Department are still assessing what’s needed, two sources on the House call said. 

Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., also pressed Treasury Secretary Yellen about why the Biden administration wasn’t blocking Russia from SWIFT. Yellen defended the decision and echoed Biden, saying new sanctions were more consequential, but she said all options remain on the table at Treasury.

Nothing new was discussed on the Senate call that isn’t publicly being circulated, a source said. Senators asked generally about the administration's next steps for sanctions and spoke about working on a supplemental spending measure in a bipartisan way but didn’t share specifics or formal requests. 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., tweeted after the meeting: "Military leaders, Sec of State, Treasury & Commerce Secretaries just briefed senate. Strong denouncement of Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine by senators of both parties. Emphasis on need for immediate coordinated sanctions with rest of world. We stand with Ukraine 🇺🇦"

U.N. Security Council to vote Friday on condemning invasion

Teaganne Finn

The U.N. Security Council will meet Friday to vote on a resolution to end Russia's aggression in Ukraine. 

Norway's U.N. mission tweeted that the Security Council will meet at 3 p.m. ET. and "call upon all UN Members States to co-sponsor this resolution." 

White House is aware of Zelenskyy's location

Teaganne Finn

The White House said it is aware of Zelenskyy's whereabouts after sharing that he is in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

"We are aware of where he is located and are in touch with him," Psaki told reporters Thursday. 

Russia sanctions are a ‘big deal,’ experts say. But effects could take years.

The flurry of sanctions the U.S. announced this week against Russia are some of the hardest-hitting that Moscow has ever faced, but the slow pain they inflict may not be enough to deter President Vladimir Putin from escalating his invasion of Ukraine, experts said.

President Joe Biden and several U.S. allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and Japan, have vowed to review further restrictions on Moscow as punishment for the invasion.

The sanctions already announced are significant in size and scope, former U.S. Treasury and State Department officials who handled American sanctions in the past said, but the longtime American reliance on the national security tool has left the U.S. with few other options if Putin and Russia do not respond.

Nevertheless, the Russian economy is already feeling the effects of war, and the sanctions could over time further cause the Russian stock market to falter, deflate the value of the ruble — which hit an all-time low Thursday — and make doing business in Russia increasingly difficult.

Read more here.

Sanctions are focused on preventing 'worst-case scenario,' Price says

Sanctions being pushed on Russia as a "primarily punitive" measure are part of a larger strategic move against Putin, State Department spokesman Ned Price told MSNBC on Thursday. 

The sanctions, which were initially imposed Monday but escalated Thursday after Putin's attack on Ukraine, target 80 percent of Russia's banking assets. But they also limit Russia's ability to import about half of the technologies it needs, Price said.  

"This is to do everything we can to prevent, to deter, a worst-case scenario," Price said. "We know that what Putin has put in place is the ability to mount a massive, large-scale, bloody, devastating campaign against Ukraine, but also against the Ukrainian people."

Price said the sanctions will build and gain momentum over time. Russia has been hit with sanctions by the U.S. several U.S. allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and Japan. 

The ruble plummeted to an all-time low against the U.S. dollar Thursday as a result, but Russia's central bank promised to support any bank hurt by sanctions, insisting that it has the ability to maintain economic stability. 

White House says Biden administration is prepared to welcome Ukrainian refugees

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that the Biden administration was prepared to welcome refugees from Ukraine into the U.S. but thought many would want to stay in nearby European countries. 

Humanitarian groups and Eastern European governments have warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could trigger a major refugee crisis. Already, Psaki said, some Ukrainians have begun to cross the border into Poland. 

"We certainly expect that most — if not the majority — will want to go to Europe and neighboring countries," Psaki said, adding that the U.S. had been engaging with European allies about how to best prepare for the flow of people.

Asked whether the U.S. was considering extending temporary protected status — a program that allows immigrants from countries experiencing instability to stay in the U.S. and work — to Ukrainians, Psaki said it would be a decision for the Department of Homeland Security to make. 

Biden was criticized early in his presidency after he announced he would keep a Trump-era cap on refugees admitted to the U.S. Following significant blowback from Democrats, Biden reversed course and raised the cap.