Biden administration announces $450 million in additional military ...

(CNN) The Biden administration on Thursday announced an additional $450 million in military aid for Ukraine, with the US giving the war-stricken country four more multiple launch rocket systems and artillery ammunition for other systems.

The package, which will be drawn from existing Defense Department stocks, also includes 18 patrol boats for monitoring coasts and rivers, and small arms.

The most significant part of the package is the four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, wheeled vehicles capable of launching barrages of guided rockets at targets up to approximately 40 miles away.

The US approved the first four rocket systems at the beginning of the month. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced Thursday on Twitter that they had entered the country. Training for 60 Ukrainian soldiers on the systems concluded last week.

Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration has approved more than $6 billion in security assistance.

Fact check: Trump's misleading claims on Obama-Biden aid to Ukraine

Washington (CNN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky virtually address ed members of Congress on Wednesday to press the United States for more assistance as his country attempts to counter Russia's invasion. Afterward, President Joe Biden detailed the latest aid package, which includes both defensive equipment and lethal weapons.

The last time Russia invaded Ukraine, then-President Petro Poroshenko also addressed a joint session of Congress and famously said in 2014 that "one cannot win the war with blankets," as part of an emotional plea for help arming his troops. In response, the Obama administration announced $46 million in security assistance to Ukraine, which included body armor and night vision goggles but no lethal aid.

Over the weekend, former President Donald Trump criticized the Obama-Biden aid efforts to Ukraine by saying, "They sent blankets. I sent Javelins."

Trump's complicated history with aid to Ukraine aside, it's a misleading oversimplification for him to suggest his predecessor did not provide any military aid to Ukraine. While the Trump administration was the first willing to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, the Obama administration did provide defense and military equipment. By March 2015, the US had pledged $75 million worth of equipment including UAVs, counter-mortar radars, night vision devices, medical supplies and 230 armored Humvee vehicles, according to the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

As Biden contemplates what additional assistance to provide Ukraine in its latest fight with Russia, here's a look at the aid the US has previously provided Ukraine.

Since Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, the US has committed more than $3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. These aid packages have included military equipment to "enhance Ukraine's defensive capabilities," according to a March 14 report from the Congressional Research Service.

Through the Presidential Drawdown Authority and the Department of Defense's Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the US has provided sniper rifles, grenade launchers, Javelins and small arms in addition to essential nonlethal equipment. The Biden administration in particular sent Stinger anti-aircraft weapons as part of the first PDA package of 2022 and has committed to redirect Mi-17 helicopters originally intended for Afghanistan through the Excess Defense Articles program.

Over the past year, the US has given more than $1 billion in total security assistance to Ukraine, according to a February 26 statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

In 2021, Blinken authorized $260 million in military assistance to Ukraine and after the invasion began, he authorized an additional aid package of $350 million for "immediate support" for Ukraine.

Biden administration officials have said they are continuing to send security assistance to Ukraine, even as the Russian invasion continues. Just last week, Congress approved a $13.6 billion emergency aid package for Ukraine and lawmakers have indicated bipartisan support for more aid.

Senate votes to pass $40 billion Ukraine aid package | CNN Politics

(CNN) The Senate voted Thursday to pass a roughly $40 billion bill to send aid to Ukraine as the country fights back against Russia's brutal and unprovoked attacks .

The measure passed the House earlier this month and will now go to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The final tally in the Senate was 86 to 11.

Biden will sign the aid package while he is in South Korea, an official says, with the bill being flown overseas to the President's location. Biden left Thursday on his first trip to Asia while president.

The legislation provides money for military and humanitarian aid, including funding to assist Ukrainian military and national security forces, help replenish stores of US equipment sent to Ukraine, and provide public health and medical support for Ukrainian refugees.

Aid to Ukraine has been a rare area of bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill with many Democrats and Republicans rallying around calls to help the embattled nation.

Not all lawmakers are on board with the push to send an additional $40 billion in aid to Ukraine, however. Some Republican senators have taken issue with the high price tag of the legislation and the fact that the cost is not offset, and have expressed concerns that European countries are not contributing enough funds.

Eleven Republican senators voted against final passage of the bill: Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, John Boozman of Arkansas, Mike Braun of Indiana, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Mike Lee of Utah, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

Ahead of the vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell rebuked lawmakers "concerned about the cost" of helping Ukraine, making clear he thinks that voting against the roughly bill is a big mistake.

"Anyone concerned about the cost of supporting a Ukrainian victory should consider the much larger cost should Ukraine lose," he said in remarks on the Senate floor.

What's in the bill

The bill includes an increase in presidential drawdown authority funding from the $5 billion the Biden administration originally requested to $11 billion. Presidential drawdown authority funding allows the administration to send military equipment and weapons from US stocks.

The bill also provides $6 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funding, another way the Biden administration has been providing Ukraine with military assistance. The funding allows the administration to buy weapons from contractors and then provide those weapons to Ukraine, and as a result does not draw directly from US stocks.

According to a fact sheet from House Democrats, the funding will be used to assist Ukrainian military and national security forces and will go toward weapons, equipment, training, logistics and intelligence support as well as other needs.

There will also be roughly $9 billion to help restock US equipment that has been sent to Ukraine, which comes as many lawmakers have raised concerns about replacing US stocks of weapons the US is giving to Ukraine, especially stingers and javelin missiles.

The bill provides $3.9 billion for European Command operations, which includes "mission support, intelligence support, hardship pay for troops deployed to the region and equipment, including a Patriot battery," according to a House Democrat fact sheet. The Department of Defense has added additional US troops in Eastern European countries to bolster support for NATO allies near Ukraine since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

To address humanitarian needs, the bill will include $900 million to bolster refugee assistance, including housing, trauma support and English language instruction for Ukrainians fleeing the country.

The measure provides an additional $54 million that will be used for public health and medical support for Ukrainian refugees.

Biden administration announces $100 million security package as Biden set to sign aid bill

The Biden administration announced another $100 million security package for Ukraine on Thursday as Biden is set to sign the new bill authorizing billions more in assistance.

In a statement, Biden said the additional security assistance will "provide additional artillery, radars, and other equipment to Ukraine, which they are already using so effectively on the battlefield."

"These weapons and equipment will go directly to the front lines of freedom in Ukraine, and reiterate our strong support for the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their country against Russia's ongoing aggression," Biden said.

The Biden administration has made it a top priority to get shipments into Ukraine as quickly as possible, cutting down the approval and delivery process from weeks to days. But officials had warned that money was running out from the last supplemental funding package and that Congress had to act quickly to keep the critical weapons shipments flowing.

The announcement of the latest security package comes as Biden is set to sign the new $40 billion aid bill into law.

Ukraine aid delayed in Senate

Bipartisan Senate leaders had hoped to approve the emergency funding bill last week to swiftly send billions in military aid to Ukraine as the war enters almost its third month.

But Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, blocked passage of the aid package until Thursday, which is the day the Biden administration said additional funds must be approved to avoid a lapse in support for Ukraine.

Paul has demanded that language be added to the bill that provides a special inspector general new authority to oversee how the Ukraine aid is being spent. And while members from both parties broadly agree with that notion, forcing a change to the bill at such a late stage is time consuming and would slow getting the needed emergency aid to country.

Under Senate rules, any one senator can slow down the process. It took about a week to overcome Paul's objection through timely procedural steps that the majority leader had to take on the Senate floor.

"I think we should have an inspector general," Paul told CNN earlier this week. "We have one out there and overseeing Afghan waste. He's been very good at it. You don't have to wait for an appointment. He's got a team up and running. And I think that's what we should do."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed Paul for delaying the emergency funding aid, arguing it was for "purely political motives" and only "strengthens Putin's hand."

Schumer said ahead of the vote that he expects that on Thursday the Senate would "finish the critical task of approving another round of military, humanitarian and economic aid for the people of Ukraine."

He continued to say, "This should already have been done and over with, but it is repugnant that one member from the other side, the junior senator from Kentucky, chose to make a show and obstruct Ukraine funding knowing full well he couldn't actually stop its passage."

Paul said in a floor speech before objecting to the legislation's passage last week that his "oath of office is the US constitution not to any foreign nation" and, "we cannot save Ukraine by dooming the US economy."

This story and headline have been updated to reflect additional developments Thursday.

Why the Biden administration is giving new, heavier weapons to ...

(CNN) For the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US is providing Kyiv with the types of high-power capabilities some Biden administration officials viewed as too much of an escalation risk a few short weeks ago.

The $800 million list is driven not only by direct requests from Ukraine, but also in preparation for a new type of fight on the open plains of southeast Ukraine right next to Russia, terrain that plays into Russia's natural military advantages.

The new weapons package represents the starkest sign to date that the war in Ukraine is shifting -- and with it the weapons Ukraine will need if it hopes to continue to stymie a Russian military that has regrouped and resupplied after its initial failures in the opening weeks of the war.

The Biden administration announced the new package included 11 Mi-17 helicopters that had initially been earmarked for Afghanistan, 18 155 mm Howitzer cannons and 300 more Switchblade drones, in addition to radar systems capable of tracking incoming fire and pinpointing its origin.

This package stands out from previous security assistance in part because this tranche includes more sophisticated and heavier-duty weaponry than previous shipments. A US official tells CNN that's by design, arguing that because Russia, which was unable to capture Kyiv, has shifted its strategy to concentrate forces in eastern Ukraine, the US is shifting its own strategy in what it gives Ukraine.

"The contours of what they need is very different," the US official said.

The newly authorized package was announced days after national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spent more than two hours on the phone with their Ukrainian counterparts reviewing requests. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also spoke with Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov twice in the last week. Reznikov gave an update of the situation on the ground, which allowed Austin to determine what weapons Ukraine most needed.

Biden delivered the news of the assistance package during a 58-minute phone call with Zelensky from the Oval Office on Wednesday. There was one item Zelensky asked Biden for directly: Mi-17 helicopters. According to a source familiar, the helicopters had initially not been included in the package as of Tuesday night because US officials weren't clear on whether the Ukrainians wanted or needed them at this time. Zelensky made clear to the President on Wednesday that they did.

'A little bit like Kansas'

The weapons being provided are focused on the type of fighting that's likely to take place in the Donbas region -- open terrain rather than the close fighting in urban and wooded areas that's occurred in areas around Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. The region also borders southwest Russia, allowing Russian forces to avoid the sorts of sustainment, logistics and communication problems that derailed their all-out invasion of the country nearly from the beginning.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Wednesday that the package was tailored to the fight in Donbas, a topography he described as "a little bit like Kansas."

"It's a little bit flatter. It's a little bit more open. And it's the kind of place where we can anticipate that the Russians will want to use tanks and long-range fires, artillery and rocket fire to achieve some of their objectives before committing ground troops," Kirby said.

The new weapons package, Kirby added, was "very much an effort to give the Ukrainians every possible advantage in this fight that's coming."

The Biden administration has faced bipartisan pressure to do more to help Ukraine, particularly in calls to send more powerful weapons. But the administration resisted for weeks, wary of how Russian President Vladimir Putin, with his forces already deployed, would respond. Officials warned the Kremlin may see it as escalatory or an indication that the United States was joining the fight.

The issue was most acutely felt with the MiG-29 fighter jets Ukraine requested. The administration refused to take part in a transfer of the Soviet-era jets from a third country to Ukraine via the United States, rejecting a proposal from Poland.

The US worried, Kirby said on March 9, that "the transfer of combat aircraft right now could be mistaken by Mr. Putin and the Russians as an escalatory step." A large part of the concern internally was over the proposal to fly them into Ukraine from a NATO air base.

Now the rhetoric of the Biden administration appears to have shifted along with the scope of the war. As the US prepares to send in the types of weapons it has not sent since the invasion began, the Pentagon insisted this was part of the US commitment "from the very beginning" to help Ukraine defend itself.

"How that gets interpreted by the Russians -- you can ask Mr. Putin and the Kremlin," Kirby said Wednesday.

'Very quickly in a different place'

For weeks, Zelensky pleaded with world leaders for more arms and equipment. In March, he spoke with the parliaments of 17 countries, as well as three international organizations. He never strayed far from his core message: Ukraine needs more weapons.

He asked Congress for new air defense systems to help defend Ukraine's skies. He requested 1% of NATO's tanks and planes to fight back against Russian forces. And he sought more weapons from Belgium, warning that if Ukraine loses, the European Union loses.

But his calls for heavier firepower went largely unanswered. For the most part, countries sent more small arms ammunition, anti-armor missiles and anti-aircraft missiles, as well as protective and medical equipment.

Now, with Russian forces preparing for a massive assault on the Donbas region, the tide is turning.

"The envelope of what people are prepared to provide has grown considerably in the last couple of weeks," the US official said. Once Ukrainian forces were able to hold off the Russian invasion for the first few days, it put the options for security assistance "very quickly in a different place."

Slovakia provided Ukraine with S-300 anti-aircraft missiles. The Czech Republic sent in T-72 tanks. The United Kingdom announced that it would ship 120 armored vehicles to Ukraine. And now the United States has authorized a range of new and more powerful weapons.

As a sign of the coordination on assistance to Ukraine, the European Union announced it would provide another $544 million in aid on the same day the White House authorized its own $800 million.

Pentagon says it's working as quickly as possible

The package announced Wednesday marked the first time the US was providing Ukraine with howitzer cannons. Kirby said that several systems would require additional training for the Ukrainians to use them, including the howitzers and counter-artillery radars.

Many of the weapons that are being directed toward Ukraine are heavier, making them more difficult to transport across the country. Ukraine has collected the weapons provided to date from the US and other countries at its western border before moving them to forces around the country.

Kirby said the Pentagon knows "time is not our friend" as Russia prepares its next offensive but that it's working to move equipment into Ukraine's hands as quickly as possible:

"Even before this was announced, we had been moving at very, very fast speed all the other security assistance that we've been providing, frankly at an unprecedented rate."

The Pentagon hosted the CEOs of the military's eight largest prime contractors Wednesday to figure out how to arm Ukraine faster, according to a readout of the classified meeting. The roundtable discussion, led by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, focused on the Pentagon's objectives to keep supplying Ukraine with arms while being able to maintain the readiness of US forces and support the defense of allies.

This story has been updated with additional developments Wednesday.

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US prepping another $800 million weapons package for Ukraine ...

Washington (CNN) The US is prepping another $800 million military assistance package for Ukraine, according to three senior administration officials and two sources familiar with the planning.

Details of the latest package are still being privately discussed and could change, but earlier Tuesday, President Joe Biden said the US plans to send more artillery to Ukraine.

Upon arrival in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Biden was asked by reporters on the tarmac if he plans to send more artillery to Ukraine.

Biden told reporters, "Yes," before boarding his motorcade.

The senior administration official said the newest package could be approved within the next 36 hours, though another administration official said the timing isn't locked down and it could come within the coming days.

Read More

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Alex Marquardt
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Jennifer Hansler

Biden to ask Congress for $33 billion in aid to Ukraine as war enters ...

(CNN) President Joe Biden on Thursday asked Congress for a $33 billion supplemental funding bill aimed at supporting Ukraine over the next several months as Russia's brutal and unrelenting war enters a new phase.

In another significant request, Biden outlined a proposal that would further pressure Russian oligarchs over the war in Ukraine , including using money from their seized assets to fund Ukraine's defense.

The size and scope of the President's latest proposed package comes as his administration prepares to provide long-term support to Ukraine as Russia's invasion of the nation stretches into its third month. The package is significantly larger than the other packages that have been put forward, and is more than twice as much as the $13.6 billion infusion of military and humanitarian aid that Congress approved last month.

"The cost of this fight is not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen. We either back Ukrainian people as they defend their country, or we stand by as the Russians continue their atrocities in Ukraine," Biden said.

He added, "We need this bill to support Ukraine in this fight for freedom."

The massive proposal comes as Russia refocuses its campaign to seize new territory in the country's eastern region. The President said last week Russia's war has entered a "critical window," making western military aid all the more essential.

The $33 billion request includes $20.4 billion requested for military and security assistance, including $5 billion in additional drawdown authorities, $6 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $4 billion for the State Department's Foreign Military Financing Program, a senior administration official told reporters ahead of Biden's remarks.

The President added that the new package would provide more artillery, armored vehicles, anti-armor systems and anti-aircraft capabilities to the Ukrainian military, as well as humanitarian assistance, including food, water, medicine and shelter to Ukrainians displaced by the war.

The goal of the funding is to both address the immediate needs of the Ukrainian military and Ukrainian people as well as help the nation "transition to longer-term security systems," Biden said.

The President said the US was working with other nations -- including Korea, Japan and Qatar -- to support European allies being threatened by Russia "with gas blackmail," in order to help the countries get their energy needs met. Russia has started to suspend natural gas supplies to certain European countries after they rejected Putin's ultimatum to pay in rubles, rather than euros.

"We will not let Russia intimidate or blackmail their way out of these sanctions. We will not allow them to use their oil and gas to avoid consequences for their aggression," Biden said.

Billions in aid for Ukraine's defense

The official said a portion of the $20 billion in military assistance could be used to backfill contributions of munitions and equipment from other countries, allowing those countries to "be able to defend themselves fully."

Also included in the request is $8.5 billion in economic assistance "to help the government of Ukraine respond to the immediate crisis and continue to provide basic services to the Ukrainian people," the official said. A fact sheet from the White House suggested that funding would also help counter Russian disinformation and propaganda narratives and support independent media.

Additional humanitarian assistance and food security funding will be included as well, to the tune of $3 billion, including "wheat and other commodities" for those in need, per the official. Part of that funding will go to job training, mental health services and resources for US school districts to help support Ukrainians arriving in the US and other efforts to support Ukrainian refugees and the countries providing them sanctuary.

It also includes targeted funding "to address economic disruptions at home and around the world due to Putin's aggression," which will help increase US production of food crops like soybeans, as well as funding to allow the use of the Defense Production Act to expand US production of critical reserves of minerals and other materials disrupted by the war.

"It's going to help support American farmers produce more crops like wheat and oil seed, which is good for rural America, good for the American consumer and good for the world," Biden said.

The President announced last week the US would send an additional $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine. The President said the package included heavy artillery weapons, dozens of howitzers -- longer-range weapons -- and 144,000 rounds of ammo for those howitzers and more tactical drones.

The US had earlier this month announced another roughly $800 million security assistance package. That package included Mi-17 helicopters, Switchblade drones, protective equipment to guard against chemical attacks, Javelin anti-tank missiles, M113 armored personnel carriers, counter-artillery radars and body armor and helmets.

Holding Russian oligarchs to account

The President said another one of his proposals would strengthen US law enforcement capabilities to seize property linked to Russia's kleptocracy.

"It's going to create new expedited procedures for forfeiture and seizure of these properties and it's going to ensure that when the oligarchs assets are sold off, funds can be used directly to remedy the harm Russia caused and help rebuild Ukraine," Biden said.

The package -- developed through an interagency process including the Treasury Department, Justice Department, State Department and Commerce Department -- will "establish new authorities for the forfeiture of property linked to Russian kleptocracy, allow the government to use the proceeds to support Ukraine and further strengthen related law enforcement tools," the White House said in a fact sheet.

One element of the package would streamline the federal government's efforts for seizing the assets of Russian oligarchs by creating a new administrative process through Treasury and the Justice Department "for the forfeiture of property in the United States that is owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs and that has a connection to specified unlawful conduct." It would make it a criminal offense for people to "knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government."

The proposal would also help direct proceeds from "forfeited funds related to corruption, sanctions and export control violations, and other specified offenses to remediate harms of Russian aggression toward Ukraine," with the Justice Department, Treasury and State working together on these efforts. Earlier this week, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Biden administration would support legislation allowing for some of the proceeds from assets the DOJ seizes from Russian oligarchs "to go directly to Ukraine."

The proposed package would allow for "forfeiture of property that Russian oligarchs can use to facilitate the evasion of sanctions," a shift from the current US law which only allows for the US to forfeit the proceeds of sanctions violations. It also would categorize sanctions evasion as "racketeering activity," extend the statute of limitations for pursuing money laundering prosecutions based on foreign offense from five to 10 years, and would enhance the US ability to work with allies and partners to recover assets linked to foreign corruption.

Officials said the Department of Justice has the authority to seize assets involved in criminal wrongdoing. They said they were seeking from Congress an "expanded and expedited administrative process" that would allow for the forfeiture of property.

People with an interest in the property will be able to conduct judicial review and other safeguards to ensure due process, but the first official said the administration feels "confident" the set-up will satisfy constitutional requirements.

While members have agreed that more money for Ukraine is necessary, it's still not clear how the supplemental would move swiftly through Congress nor is it clear how quickly this proposal on oligarchs could move. A likely path would be to tie the two pieces of legislation together, but Republican and Democratic leaders are in the early stages of talks on how to pass the broader funding for Ukraine.

Asked whether the Ukraine funding should move alongside new money for the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a second official said, "it certainly makes sense for them to move together," but declined to get ahead of the legislative process. Biden said he doesn't care if his administration's requests for Covid funding and aid to Ukraine are tied together or in separate pieces of legislation as long as Congress approves both.

"I don't care how they tie -- how they do it," Biden told reporters on Thursday. "I'm sending them both up. I mean, I they can do it separately or together, but we need them both."

However, his letter to Congress requesting the Ukraine funding suggested that the Covid assistance and Ukraine support be tied together: "To avoid needless deaths in the United States and around the world, I urge the Congress to include this much needed, life-saving Covid funding as part of this supplemental funding request," the letter states.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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Ukraine aid has surpassed $3 billion under Biden

Since August, U.S. military aid to help Ukraine repel Russia has surpassed $3 billion under Biden.

The aid has provided more than 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems and some 5,500 Javelin missiles.

Biden provided another $800M Wednesday to widen Ukraine's military capabilities for a drawn-out war.

WASHINGTON – More than 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems. About 5,500 Javelin missiles. More than 7,000 small arms. And 50 million rounds of ammunition.

Vowing to "stand with Ukraine," President Joe Biden and his administration have committed nearly $2.6 billion in U.S. military aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion Feb. 24, supplying a range of weapons for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression.

Biden announces hundreds of millions in new security aid for ...

Washington (CNN) President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine as he sought to answer his Ukrainian counterpart's impassioned call for help and leadership delivered to Congress earlier in the day.

"The world is united in our support for Ukraine and our determination to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin pay a very heavy price," Biden said before signing a presidential memorandum at the White House to deliver the military assistance. "America is leading this effort, together with our allies and partners, providing an enormous level of security and humanitarian assistance that we're adding to today and we're going to continue to do more in the days and weeks ahead."

The new details about the US' military assistance to Ukraine comes hours after Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, addressed US members of Congress , renewing his calls for more assistance as his homeland continues to battle Russian military's invasion.

Biden, in his remarks on Wednesday, attempted to level with Americans about the long road ahead in the war.

"I want to be honest with you," the President said. "This could be a long and difficult battle. But the American people will be steadfast in our support of the people of Ukraine in the face of Putin's immoral, unethical attacks on civilian population."

According to the White House, the $800 million in security assistance will provide Ukraine with: 800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, 100 drones, "over 20 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenade launcher and mortar rounds," 25,000 sets of body armor, 25,000 helmets, 100 grenade launchers, 5,000 rifles, 1,000 pistols, 400 machine guns, 400 shotguns, as well as "2,000 Javelin, 1,000 light anti-armor weapons, and 6,000 AT-4 anti-armor systems."

The US will specifically provide Switchblade drones to Ukraine, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The small, portable, so-called kamikaze drones carry warheads and detonate on impact. The smallest model can hit a target up to 6 miles away, according to the company that produces the drones, AeroVironment. It's unclear which model the US will send to Ukraine.

The Switchblade drones were added to Ukraine's extensive list of requested military and technological assistance after Ukrainian officials consulted with congressional partners over the weekend on a draft of the list.

The assistance stops short of the no-fly zone or fighter jets that Zelensky has said are necessary to sustain Ukraine's fight against Russia.

News of the additional assistance, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal , comes as the White House continues to face intense pressure from Congress and Zelensky to find new ways to aid Ukraine.

The Ukrainian President, who remains in his country, delivered an impassioned message for Biden at the end of his remarks to Congress.

"You are the leader of your grand nation," Zelensky told Biden. "I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace."

Biden said later Wednesday that he watched Zelensky's speech from the White House residence, calling it "convincing" and "significant."

"He speaks for a people who have shown remarkable courage and strength in the face of brutal aggression, courage and strength that's inspired not only Ukrainians, but the entire war," Biden continued.

The $800 million in security assistance comes from the massive spending bill the President signed into law on Tuesday, which includes $13.6 billion total in new aid to Ukraine.

The Biden administration will look to get these hundreds of millions in new aid to Ukraine as quickly as possible, with the President noting Tuesday that it is becoming "exceedingly difficult" to get new supplies into Ukraine, though they are still able to do so.

The Biden administration is also continuing to develop sanctions targeting top Russian officials and those in President Vladimir Putin's inner circle, with plans to ramp up the number of targets in the coming days and weeks, according to multiple US officials.

The process has been ongoing, and has taken into account specific suggestions of targets provided by top Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky, the officials said. In a call with Biden last week, Zelensky laid out a more specific range of targets for individual sanctions, one of the officials said. The administration is currently working to address those requested targets.

In his virtual remarks to Congress, Zelensky went further when he requested the US impose sanctions on all Russian politicians who continue to support the government. While some Zelensky requests, including the implementation of a no-fly zone, remain off the table for Biden, the sanctions are viewed by the administration as a tool they can readily deploy.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US has slapped sanctions on dozens of top Russian officials and oligarchs, as well as their family members. Biden also signed off on targeting Putin directly with individual sanctions, in coordination with the European Union and United Kingdom.

JUST WATCHED Biden calls Putin a war criminal Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Biden calls Putin a war criminal 01:19

In a sign of the speed with which US officials are looking to move to support Ukraine, the administration has sent about $300 million of the $350 million Biden recently authorized for Ukraine in a little over two weeks.

As Russia's invasion has raged on, Zelensky has pressured Biden and NATO to do more, expressing frustrations over Western allies' concerns about provoking Putin. He renewed those calls on Wednesday.

"Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people," he told Congress as he described the use of missiles, bombs and drones by Russian troops to inflict brutal and deadly attacks on his country. "We are asking for a reply to this terror from the whole world."

"To create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people, is this too much to ask?" he said. Zelensky went on to say, "You know how much depends on the battlefield, on the ability to use aircraft, powerful strong aviation to protect our people, our freedom, our land, aircraft that can help Ukraine, help Europe. You know they exist and you have them, but they are on Earth not in the Ukrainian sky."

"I need to protect our sky," he said.

This story has been updated with additional reporting on Wednesday.

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Ukraine recap: Biden calls Putin 'war criminal', pledges $800M

Editor's note: This page recaps the news from Ukraine on Wednesday, March 16. Follow here for the latest updates and news from Thursday, March 17, as Russia's invasion continues.

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that an additional $800 million in military aid will be sent to Ukraine, just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's address to the U.S. Congress, a speech Biden called "convincing."

Biden said the U.S. is adding to its assistance, which now totals $1 billion just this week, to help "fend off Russia's assault."

"America is leading this effort, together with our allies and partners, providing enormous levels of security and humanitarian assistance that we're adding to today, and we're going to do more in the days and weeks ahead," he said, adding the fight is "about the right of people to determine their own future, about making sure Ukraine never will be a victory for Putin, no matter what advances he makes on the battlefield."

Biden, speaking for just over seven minutes early Wednesday afternoon, said the war in Ukraine is “a struggle that pits the appetites of an autocrat against humankind’s desire to be free.”

On a day when he called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "war criminal'' for the first time publicly, Biden also stressed the U.S. will not get involved militarily, but added that it will help Ukraine for as long as it takes.

"We're going to stay the course," he said, while warning, "This could be a long and difficult battle.''

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Earlier Wednesday, Zelenskyy gave an impassioned address to an overwhelmingly supportive Congress, pleading for more military support, a "no-fly" zone over his country and even tougher sanctions on Russia. Zelenskyy's presentation included a gripping video showing graphic images of the brutal human and property damage inflicted by the Russians as the invading forces continued their relentless attack.

In his virtual address — three weeks into his nation's fierce struggle to repel invading Russian troops — Zelenskyy drew parallels to horrific moments in American history to explain his country's plight and called on the U.S. to ramp up its aid to Ukraine.

"Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided, the destiny of our people," said Zelenskyy, who drew a standing ovation from Congress at the start of his speech from Kyiv. "Whether Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve their democracy."

Latest developments:

►Ukrainian military forces have hit the airport in Kherson, which Russian troops had seized early in the war, the General Staff said late Wednesday. It said the Russians were trying to remove any surviving military equipment.

►Ivan Fedorov, the 33-year-old mayor of the southeastern city of Melitopol (pop. 150,000), was freed from Russian captivity, Ukrainian officials said.

►The 2015 Ukrainian satirical comedy series "Servant of the People," which Zelenskyy starred in, is available on Netflix. Zelenskyy plays a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president after a video of him complaining about corruption goes viral.

►The International Chess Federation suspended the national teams of Russia and Belarus from participation in official tournaments "until further notice." Chess is extremely popular in Russia.

►Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law allowing foreign planes to be seized and used domestically, Russia's Tass News Agency reported. Most foreign airlines have paused service to Russia due to the war and sanctions.

►At least 103 children have died and more than 100 others have been injured, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova.

FULL COVERAGE:Latest updates, analysis, commentary on Ukraine

Biden calls Putin ‘a war criminal’ for the first time

For the first time in public, President Joe Biden on Wednesday called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a war criminal” for his continued assault on Ukraine, which has killed hundreds of civilians.

“I think he is a war criminal,” Biden said in response to a question from a reporter after delivering remarks at the White House on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

Earlier in the afternoon, Biden authorized an additional $800 million in military aid for Ukraine. He vowed that the American people will be “steadfast in our support of the people of Ukraine in the face of Putin's immoral, unethical attacks on civilian populations.”

“We are united in our abhorrence of Putin's depraved onslaught,” he said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president was “speaking from his heart and speaking from what you’ve seen on television, which is barbaric actions by a brutal dictator through his invasion of a foreign country.”

The State Department has said it is reviewing Russia's actions for potential war crimes, a legal process Psaki said is ongoing.

-- Joey Garrison

Missile strike destroys theater that served as shelter in besieged Mariupol

The fate of hundreds of Ukrainians hung in the air Wednesday as the Mariupol theater where they were sheltering was destroyed by Russian forces, Ukrainian authorities said.

There was no immediate word on deaths or injuries in what the Mariupol city council said was an airstrike on the theater. The word “children” in Russian was written in large white letters in front of and behind the theater, as shown by an image taken Monday by the Maxar space technology company, in what appeared to be an attempt to dissuade the Russians from targeting the theater.

Mariupol, a southern port city of 430,000, has been the site of some of the fiercest attacks since the invasion began Feb. 24. Local officials say missile strikes and shelling have killed more than 2,300 people, and a siege that has lasted more than two weeks has left people struggling for food, water, heat and medicine.

Local authorities said Russian forces took hundreds of people hostage at a Mariupol hospital and were using them as human shields.

In central Kyiv, a 12-story apartment building burst into flames after being hit by shrapnel. And in the northern city of Chernihiv, 10 people were killed while standing in line for bread, the Ukrainian General Prosecutor’s Office said.

Presidential adviser warns Russia not to deploy chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine

President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, warned a Russian counterpart against the use of chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine, the White House said Wednesday.

Sullivan "warned General (Nikolay) Patrushev about the consequences and implications of any possible Russian decision to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine," said a White House readout of a phone call with Nikolay Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council.

Biden did not mention Russian threats of chemical and biological weapons during his remarks on U.S. assistance to Ukraine on Wednesday.

In the call, Sullivan repeated "the United States’ firm and clear opposition to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine," the readout said.

It added: "Mr. Sullivan clearly laid out the United States’ commitment to continue imposing costs on Russia, to support the defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank, in continued full coordination with our Allies and partners."

— David Jackson

Russia ponders how to replenish; Odesa now in its sights

Russian commanders are deliberating how to replace troops, equipment and aircraft they’ve lost in their invasion of Ukraine, a senior Defense Department official said Wednesday.

The losses mount daily due to spirited resistance from Ukrainian forces, said the official, who discussed intelligence assessments on condition of anonymity. However, the Russians still have the majority of the combat forces they deployed for the invasion.

The Russian advance on Ukraine’s major cities, including Kyiv, remains largely stalled. In the south, Russian naval vessels have begun shelling towns around the port city of Odesa, possibly in advance of an attack by ground forces, the official said.

Meantime, the United States and its allies continue to send weapons to Ukraine on a daily basis, the official said. The latest shipment of war materiel, announced Wednesday by President Joe Biden, includes 100 drones. The official indicated the drones will be armed, saying they will “deliver a punch.”

U.S. Defense officials are working with other European countries to provide Ukraine with air defense systems. Among those systems are S-300 surface-to-air missiles launchers, according to a congressional source.

-- Tom Vanden Brook

Biden: We're providing up to $1 billion in new military assistance

President Joe Biden on Wednesday emphasized the strength of the new military assistance, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons aimed at helping Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.

Biden said the $800 million package, combined with a previous appropriation, adds up to $1 billion "just this week." In total, the administration has committed $2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Biden took office.

The new package includes:

800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems

2,000 Javelin, 1,000 light anti-armor weapons, and 6,000 AT-4 anti-armor systems

100 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems

100 grenade launchers, 5,000 rifles, 1,000 pistols, 400 machine guns and 400 shotguns

Over 20 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenade launcher and mortar rounds

25,000 sets of body armor

25,000 helmets

"More will be coming," Biden said.

— David Jackson

Biden: Humanitarian aid will continue to flow

President Joe Biden on Wednesday spelled out the $300 million in humanitarian assistance – “tens of thousands of tons of food, water, medicine and other basic supplies” – that the U.S. has provided both to Ukraine and the neighboring countries that have harbored their refugees. He said that aid, which is separate from the $800 million announced Wednesday in security assistance, would not stop.

“We're going to continue to mobilize humanitarian relief to support people within Ukraine and those who have been forced to flee Ukraine,” he said. “Our experts on the ground in Poland and Moldova and other neighboring countries are there to make real-time assessments of a rapidly evolving crisis to get urgently needed humanitarian supplies to the people in need when they need it.”

“And we will support Ukraine's economy with direct financial assistance as well,” Biden said, though he did not provided specifics.

— Ledyard King

Putin: The West ‘underestimates’ Russia, laments losses on battlefield

In a speech aired on Russian TV, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s so-called “special operation” in Ukraine is going according to plan, again declining to call it an invasion.

“The West thinks we will step back,” Putin said, according to a translation from Meduza, a Latvia-based media outlet. “The West does not understand Russia.”

Putin repeated a number of false claims about the invasion, including the conspiracy theory that Ukraine was developing “weapons of mass destruction” like nuclear and bioweapons. There is no evidence, though Russia watchers note the argument may be a reference to Putin’s continued anger over the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Putin said that in enacting sanctions, the West is trying to “cancel” Russia and that measures targeting Russia’s Central Bank showed that foreign currency reserves can be “stolen.”

Signaling an even greater crackdown on Russian civil liberties at home, Putin called for a purge of “traitors” by “patriots,” arguing that “such a natural and necessary self-purification of the society will only strengthen our country."

— Matthew Brown

McConnell: US not doing enough, says it’s ‘depressing’ to compare Biden to Zelenskyy

After listening to Zelenskyy’s speech, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said President Joe Biden needs to “step up his game.”

“Were not doing enough, quickly enough to help the Ukrainians. And I think comparing Zelenskyy (to Biden) is depressing. President Biden needs to step up his game – right now – before it’s too late.”

The Kentucky Republican said he agrees with the president on one point: the U.S. shouldn’t be creating a no-fly zone over Ukraine due to concerns that it could potentially escalate a direct confrontation with Russia.

— Ledyard King

Lindsey Graham's resolution would pressure Biden on jets for Ukraine

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is planning to bring a resolution to the Senate floor Wednesday afternoon that would put pressure on the Biden administration to reverse course and accept Poland's proposal to provide up to 28 Soviet-built MiG-29 fighter jets to the U.S. to give to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy has asked the U.S. for more air power and Graham believes there’s enough bipartisan support to pass the nonbinding resolution calling for the administration to deliver the planes and change the trajectory of the war.

“Control of the skies is the missing link,” Graham told reporters on Capitol Hill shortly after listening to Zelenskyy's address to Congressional lawmakers. “It’s the biggest advantage the Russians have.”

— Ledyard King

NATO chief: Efforts aimed at stopping war between allies, Russia

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said his alliance’s main goal with the invasion of Ukraine is to keep it from escalating into “full-fledged war between NATO and Russia.”

Stoltenberg told CNN that he understands Zelenskyy’s desperation and pleas for help, noting that NATO has provided “significant support” to Ukraine.

“NATO's core responsibility, main responsibility is to protect 1 billion people living 30 NATO allied countries,” he said, adding that the alliance has “implemented the biggest reinforcements on collective defense since the end of the Cold War” to prevent Russian attacks from spilling over Ukraine’s borders.

Stoltenberg declined to give specifics on what military aid is being sent to Ukraine beyond describing “advanced systems also to protect them in the air, air defense systems, drones and other means to also deal with attacks that are faced within the airspace.” He said he welcomed President Joe Biden’s announcement on increased military aid from the U.S.

— Katie Wadington

Russian assault continues as Zelenskyy pleads US for more help

As Zelenskyy spoke to Congress, Kyiv residents huddled in homes and shelters amid a citywide curfew while Russian troops shelled neighborhoods, homes and businesses.

In central Kyiv, shrapnel from an artillery shell slammed into a 12-story apartment building, obliterating the top floor and igniting a fire, according to a statement and images released by the Kyiv emergency agency. The neighboring building was also damaged. The agency reported two victims, without elaborating.

Russian forces also have intensified fighting in Kyiv suburbs, notably around the town of Bucha in the northwest and a highway leading west, said Oleksiy Kuleba, head of the Kyiv region.

To the south, Russian forces also continued pounding beleaguered Mariupol, a seaport city of 430,000 that has faced three weeks of siege, leaving people struggling for essentials including food, water and heat. It has also has forced the digging of mass graves.

Remember Pearl Harbor': Zelenskyy invokes US tragedies as he pleads with Biden, Congress for help

Zelenskyy speech draws rave reviews from Congress

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Zelenskyy’s address to Congress differed from his past remarks in that it was “not a more desperate ask, but a more resolved ask.”

“Zelenskyy was very firm, very clear in what he needed,” Murkowski said. “And if his words were not enough, if you did not look at that video and feel that there is an obligation for not only the United States, but for countries of the world to come together in support for Ukraine, you had your eyes closed.”

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said the U.S. needs to do more, specifically mentioned MIG-29’s, anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems and armed drones.

"There’s a powerful message that came out of that video," Portman said. "For all that we’ve done, it’s not enough to protect innocent lives."

“We need to do more and specifically we need to provide them the armaments they need at a minimum to be able to protect themselves,” he added.

Sen. Murphy questions public US debate over military support

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, said he doesn’t think it’s wise for Congress and the Biden administration to broadcast disagreements over the best military support for Ukraine.

“I'm open to increasing our level of military commitment to Ukraine, I just don't think it is wise policy for all of those debates to play out in public in the United States Congress,” Murphy said.

“This is a bit of a strange way to prosecute a war to have daily, open, public debates about exactly which weapons and exactly which planes we're sending,” Murphy said. “Russia is not doing that, Russia is not having a public debate about how many planes they send in Ukraine and exactly what weapons systems they send in.”

– Dylan Wells

Europe's human rights group expels Russia

The Council of Europe's ministers has decided to exclude Russia as a member following its invasion of Ukraine. The council, focused on human rights and democracy, was founded after World War II and Russia joined in 1996, following the Soviet Union's collapse.

A day after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the group began to assess Russia's membership. On Tuesday, Russia informed the council it would be withdrawing and the ministers formally expelled Russia on Wednesday.

“As leaders of the Council of Europe we expressed on several occasions our firm condemnation of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine," the council said in a statement. "This unjustified and unprovoked aggression led to the decision of the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly to initiate the procedure of expulsion."

– Katie Wadington

Ukraine terrain adds to Russian military struggles

Russia’s invading troops are struggling with Ukrainian terrain, forcing them to remain on roads where Ukrainian forces have slowed their progress, according to British Defense Ministry assessment. The Russians have been reluctant to drive off-road in Ukraine, and Ukrainians have further stalled their advance by blowing up bridges, British defense attache Mick Smeath said in a statement Wednesday morning.

Russian warplanes have failed to control Ukrainian airspace, according to the British and U.S. military, further limiting the invaders’ ability to protect its ground forces.

“The tactics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have adeptly exploited Russia’s lack of maneuver, frustrating the Russian advance and inflicting heavy losses on the invading forces,” Smeath said in the statement.

– Tom Vanden Brook

Zelenskyy calls for new alliance, U24

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the creation of a “United for Peace” alliance of "responsible countries that have the strength and consciousness to stop conflict immediately."

"We need to create new tools to respond quickly and stop the war the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine," he said.

Dubbing it “U-24,” Zelenskyy referenced 24 nations that are actively working with Ukraine to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

– Matthew Brown

Zelenskyy asks US companies to pull out of Russia

Saying Russia is “flooded with our blood,” Zelenskyy called on U.S. companies to abandon their operations in Russia.

As he made his address to a joint session of Congress, the Ukrainian president asked for more U.S. sanctions against the Kremlin and to establish a no-fly zone in Ukraine.

“We propose that the United States sanctions all politicians in the Russian federation who remain in their offices and do not cut ties with those who are responsible for the aggression against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

– Rick Rouan

Blinken: Russia, Ukraine peace deal must be 'irreversible'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed that a diplomatic solution ending Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine will require “irreversible” moves on Moscow’s part should global backlash to the conflict end.

“We will want to make sure, (the Ukrainians) will want to make sure, that anything that’s done is in effect irreversible. That this can’t happen again,” Blinken said during an interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep.

Blinken left the door open to lifting crippling Western sanctions on Russia’s economy should the invasion end while cautioning that the moves are already making global business and finance hesitant of investing in Russia in the long term.

“If the war ends, Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity, sovereignty are restored then many of the tools that we’re using to get to that result — of course, that’s the purpose of them, they’re not designed to be permanent,” Blinken said.

Blinken declined to say whether the U.S. is in active communication with the Kremlin over Putin's invasion but said “there are always ways of communicating” should it be necessary.

— Matthew Brown

Mom who fled Ukraine now worries about life in US: 'I don't know what to do'

Last week, single mom Olga Kovalchuk was hunkered down in a Ukraine basement with her children in a basement while bombs and missiles rained over Cherkasy, a city of 278,000 on the Dnieper River.

This week, they are in a foreign land – San Diego – where Kovalchuk has no place to live, no relatives, no job. But her kids are safe.

Like more than 3 million other Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, the 37-year-old says she is simultaneously looking back and ahead. In Ukraine, a career as an interpreter allowed Kovalchuk to work mostly from home, looking after the children. Now, the kids will need to find schools, learn English, adapt to a new culture.

“I was very angry. I didn’t want to leave. I’m a patriot," she says, adding that she had to go "to save the lives of our children. Still, sometimes I feel shame because I left." Read more here.

– Dennis Wagner

International students trapped at Ukraine university finally get home

International students who had been studying at Ukraine's Sumy State University have finally returned to their home countries after being trapped in the school's six hostels for two weeks with little food and water as the war raged.

The students — from India, Nigeria, Turkey and South Africa, among other countries — eventually found their way home over the course of last week and weekend after many days of travel by bus, train and plane throughout Ukraine and across borders.

Students had turned to social media to plead for help, using the hashtag “SaveSumyStudents.” But with limited access to electricity, calling attention to their plight was also difficult.

"We never had a plan, and every method of communication was lost, I couldn't communicate with my parents," said Samuel Olaniyan, a fourth-year student who returned to Nigeria a few days ago. "It was very, very scary." Read more here.

– Christine Fernando and Cady Stanton

Contributing: The Associated Press

Ukraine news recap: Russia holds fire, opens some Ukraine corridors

Editor's note: This page recaps the news from Ukraine on Sunday, March. 6. Follow here for the latest updates and news from Monday, March 7, as Russia's invasion continues.

NATO countries supporting Ukraine against the Russian invasion have a “green light” to send fighter jets as part of their military aid, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday.

The push for more air support comes as Russia battered a string of southern cities in Ukraine, throttling evacuation efforts and leading to rising numbers of civilian deaths and displacement. Ukraine’s military has used fighter jets, drones and anti-aircraft systems largely supplied by NATO to down the Russian aircraft bombing the area.

“We're talking with our Polish friends right now about what we might be able to do to backfill their needs if, in fact, they choose to provide these fighter jets to the Ukrainians,” Blinken said during an interview with CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for a no-fly zone over his country continues to draw no support. Zelenskyy said in a video address on Sunday that “the world is strong enough to close our skies." He also appealed for stronger sanctions on Russia.

NATO countries have ruled out policing a no-fly zone, which would bar all unauthorized aircraft from flying over Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as "participation'' in the armed conflict.

Blinken also said the U.S. and its allies are in talks to ban Russian oil imports, a move that would require successful efforts to provide an "appropriate supply of oil on world markets." Russia supplies about 30% of Europe's oil and 40% of its natural gas.

Over the weekend, the Russian military continued seeking to isolate Ukraine’s major cities, including Kyiv, a senior Defense Department official said Sunday. But forces attacking near Kyiv, Kharkiv and Chernihiv in northern and eastern Ukraine are facing strong resistance, the official said.

The airspace over Ukraine remained contested, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings.

Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook

Latest developments:

►Netflix said Sunday it’s suspending service in Russia, joining the growing list of companies shunning the country. Earlier in the day, TikTok and American Express said they would suspend operations in the country. TikTok also said it will start labeling content from accounts used by state-controlled media.

►The State Department is urging Americans to leave Russia immediately, citing the “unprovoked and unjustified attack” against Ukraine and the potential for harassment of U.S. citizens by Russian government security forces.

►Gas in the U.S. has topped $4 a gallon for the first time in over a decade as the price continues to soar in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The national average of a regular gallon of gas is $4.009, according to AAA, up 8 cents from Saturday and up 40 cents from last week.

►Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett returned from a surprise trip to Russia where he discussed the war with Putin. The trip was “in coordination and with the blessing” of the Biden administration, the latest attempt at diplomacy in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Israel is one of few countries that has good working relations with both Russia and Ukraine.

Quick links:

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VISUALS: Mapping and tracking Russia's invasion of Ukraine

UKRAINE WAR DIARY:Illarion Pavliuk checks in with his family. He's ready to fight

Russian military to hold fire, open corridors in several Ukrainian cities

Russia's military will hold fire and open humanitarian corridors in several Ukrainian cities Monday. This comes a day after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south.

The corridors will open at 10 a.m. Moscow time Monday, the 12th day of the war, for civilians from the capital Kyiv, the southern port city of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and Sumy. According to Reuters, the corridors are being set up at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday.

The announcement follows two failed attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, from which the International Committee of the Red Cross estimated 200,000 people were trying to flee. Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for the failure.

But despite the announcement, Russia's armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings. Officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday.

— Kelly Tyko

New Zealand will rush through new law to sanction Russia

New Zealand's government said Monday it plans to rush through a new law that will allow it to impose economic sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Unlike many countries that have already introduced sanctions, New Zealand's existing laws don't allow it to apply meaningful measures unless they're part of a broader United Nations effort. Because Russia has U.N. Security Council veto power, that has left New Zealand hamstrung.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the new legislation would allow it to target people, companies and assets connected to those in Russia associated with the invasion, including oligarchs. It would allow New Zealand to freeze assets and stop superyachts or planes from arriving.

The bill will be specific only to the Ukraine invasion but could allow New Zealand to impose sanctions on countries seen to be helping Russia, such as Belarus.

Ukraine evacuations stall as Russia shelling pummels cities

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south, leaving corpses in the streets. Ukrainian officials said the shelling only worsened as darkness fell Sunday and described a "catastrophic" situation during failed evacuation efforts in Kyiv's suburbs.

Officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to fight on, urging his people in a weekend television address to take to the streets to "drive this evil out of our cities, from our land."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow's attacks could be halted "only if Kyiv ceases hostilities." As he has often done, Putin blamed Ukraine for the war, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Kyiv needed to stop all hostilities and fulfill "the well-known demands of Russia."

Australian missiles 'on the ground' in Ukraine

Australia’s prime minister has described Russia and China’s closer relationship as opportunistic rather than strategic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday labeled the alliance an “Arc of Autocracy” and said Russia and China would prefer a new world order to the one that has been in place since World War II.

Morrison has criticized Beijing’s failure to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s expansion of trade in Russian wheat while other countries are imposing sanctions.

Australia last week promised Ukraine $50 million in missiles, ammunition and other military hardware to fight Russian invaders.

Morrison said on Monday: “Our missiles are on the ground now.”

Oil prices jump $10 a barrel

The price of oil jumped more than $10 a barrel late Sunday as the conflict in Ukraine deepened amid mounting calls for harsher sanctions against Russia.

Brent crude oil briefly surged over $10 to nearly $130 a barrel late Sunday. Benchmark U.S. crude was up nearly $9 at more than $124 a barrel.

The surge followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukrainian statehood was imperiled as Russian forces battered strategic locations.

A temporary cease-fire in two Ukrainian cities failed — and both sides blamed each other

GAS PRICES ARE RISING:What can Biden do to lower costs at the pump amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

OIL FROM RUSSIA:How much oil does the US buy from Russia? Not much, but gas prices are rising amid Ukraine invasion

Biden administration to request $10B in aid to Ukraine

The Biden administration has requested $10 billion in humanitarian, military, and economic support for Ukraine, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced in a news release Sunday evening.

Biden has strongly affirmed that he will not send U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine, but the funds, which will be part of the federal government’s omnibus funding legislation, will likely provide military equipment and support U.S. allies who are supplying airplanes to Ukraine, Pelosi’s release said.

She also said the U.S. House of Representatives is exploring “strong legislation” that would ban the import of Russian oil and energy products into the U.S., repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, and take the first step in denying Russia access to the World Trade Organization.

— Celina Tebor

Zelenskyy appeals for stronger sanctions as Russians boost attack

With his requests for a no-fly zone over Ukraine falling on deaf ears, President Volodymyr Zelensky is appealing for stronger sanctions against Russia as the invaders boost their shelling.

Zelenskyy criticized Western leaders in a video statement Sunday for not responding to the Russian Defense Ministry’s announcement that it would strike Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. Zelenskyy also told employees of those defense plants not to go to work.

“I didn’t hear even a single world leader react to this,” Zelenskyy said. “The audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal to the West that the sanctions imposed on Russia are not sufficient.”

Western sanctions have damaged the Russian economy and cratered the ruble, but the country's attack on its neighbor has continued undeterred.

Cease-fire in Mariupol collapses as Russians keep up offensive

A second attempt at a cease-fire meant to allow civilians and the wounded to be evacuated from besieged Mariupol in southern Ukraine came apart under shelling from Russian forces Sunday, leaving the port city in dire need of food, water, medicine and other supplies.

Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks quickly closed the humanitarian corridor that had been negotiated, dashing hopes that more people could escape the fighting.

“There can be no ‘green corridors’ because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom,“ Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram.

Efforts to evacuate civilians also fell through in Volnovakha in the east as well as the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, where presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich described the situation as “catastrophic.”

Although the Ukrainians were putting up stiff resistance and ruining Russian plans for a quick takeover, the conflict has taken a heavy toll as the invading forces have launched 600 missiles since the war started Feb. 24.

Russian airstrikes damaged the Donetsk-Mariupol gas pipeline, likely leaving dozens of Ukrainian towns and villages in the area without gas or heat, officials in the Donetsk region said. A Russian missile strike hit a gas line in Irpin, 15 miles west of Kyiv, cutting off gas and heat to local residents, the government said.

Also, Ukraine notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that regular staff operates the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, but that plant management is now under orders from the commander of the Russian forces that took control of the site last week. Ukraine reports that any action of plant management – including measures related to the technical operation of the six reactor units – requires prior approval by the Russian commander.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed "grave concern" about the reorganization, saying professional staff must have the "capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure."

Ukraine defense minister: 'Myth' of Russian might destroyed

Ukraine Defense Minister Alexei Danilov said his country has survived the first wave of Russia's large-scale offensive but Russia is preparing a second wave. Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Odesa remain strategically important cities for Russia's war, he said. Russian troops want to encircle key cities, bleed the Ukrainian army and create a humanitarian catastrophe, Danilov said.

"The myth of Putin's most modern and powerful army in the world has been destroyed and burned on the roads of Kyiv and Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mykolaiv," Danilov said. "But the enemy is still dangerous."

American Express suspends operations in Russia

American Express said Sunday that it is suspending all operations in Russia "in light of Russia’s ongoing, unjustified attack on the people of Ukraine." Globally issued American Express cards will no longer work at merchants or ATMs in Russia. Additionally, cards issued in the country by Russian banks will no longer work outside of Russia on the American Express global network. The company said it is also terminating all business operations in Belarus.

On Saturday, Visa and Mastercard said they will drop any cards issued by Russian banks off their networks and not allow their cards issued outside of Russia to work with Russian vendors or ATMs.

CREDIT CARDS NOT ACCEPTED:'We don't take this decision lightly': Mastercard, Visa are suspending operations in Russia

SALES SUSPENDED:Joining Apple and others, Microsoft stops sales in Russia amid invasion: 'We stand with Ukraine'

More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine

Over 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine into neighboring nations, the U.N. refugee agency said, making it the worst such crisis in Europe since World War II. The Polish prime minister's office said 922,400 people had crossed its border alone since fighting began 11 days ago. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is in Moldova to discuss security and humanitarian assistance for the refugees, said officials have seen "very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians" that could constitute war crimes.

Blinken said the U.S. is investigating and documenting the reported attacks to determine whether war crimes are being committed.

HELP FOR UKRAINE:Support to Ukrainian refugees comes in different forms: Online groups, financial aid, housing

DRIVING REFUGEES:He 'drove for 12 hours to save us': One man's efforts to transport Ukrainian refugees to safety

'We have to stop Putin all together': Kyiv mayor says world must unify

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Sunday urged the world to rally around Ukraine as it fights to remain independent amid Russia’s invasion of the country.

“We see our future as a democratic, modern European country, and we expect support from (the) whole world, because we are fighting not just for Ukraine, we are fighting for wellness,” he said on ABC’s "This Week.'' “We are fighting for all (the) world. We have to stop Putin all together.”

In addition to global unity and the weapons Ukraine has requested from its global allies, Klitschko said the country needs more pressure and sanctions on Russia, and that despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threat made Saturday to eliminate Ukraine, the country has “great ambition” to remain independent from Russia.

“Our country is not just buildings; people (are our) main power,” he said. “Ukraine was always a friendly nation, we (were) always a friendly country. We never (were) aggressive to anyone. But right now we have a huge motivation to defend our future and our country.”

– Ella Lee

Rubio warns 'no-fly' zone over Ukraine means World War III

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Sunday warned that those calling for a "no-fly" zone over Ukraine may not fully understand the ramifications of the act.

“That means flying AWACS 24 hours a day. That means the willingness to shoot down and engage Russian airplanes in the sky. That means, frankly, you can't put those planes up there unless you're willing to knock out the anti-aircraft systems that the Russians have deployed, and not just in Ukraine, but in Russia, and also in Belarus,'' Rubio said on ABC’s "This Week."

“Basically, a no fly zone – if people understand what it means – means starting World War III,” he continued.

The Florida senator also responded to online criticism he faced Saturday for sharing pictures of a Zoom call with Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian ambassador asked Congress to refrain from doing so for security reasons, saying the ambassador made that request late into the call and that he does not believe he put Zelenskyy at risk.

– Ella Lee

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UN ambassador: Offer to negotiate with Putin is ‘still on the table’

U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Sunday doubled down on the United States’ position that it will not be enacting a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

“President Biden has been very, very clear that American troops will not be put on the ground or in the air to escalate this war and make this an American war against the Russians,” she said on ABC’s "This Week." “But we've also been very clear that we will support Ukraine in every other way possible.”

Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. is in talks with Poland and NATO to provide jets to Ukraine or crack down on tougher sanctions for Russia but stopped short of confirming that help is guaranteed. She added that despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued aggression in Ukraine, negotiation is still on the table.

“We have been working since the beginning of this to bring the Russians to the negotiating table, and that offer is still on the table – not just by us but also by our European colleagues,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

– Ella Lee

UK: Russian tactics mimic Syria, Chechnya

Defense officials in the United Kingdom said they believe Russia is targeting populated areas in multiple locations, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol in an effort to break Ukrainian morale, according to a statement released early Sunday.

"Russia has previously used similar tactics in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016, employing both air and ground-based munitions," the statement said. It also credited the scale and strength of the Ukrainian resistance for targeting Russian supply lines and slowing the advance of ground forces.

"There is a realistic possibility that Russia is now attempting to conceal fuel trucks as regular support trucks to minimise losses," the statement read.

Moody's slashes Russia's credit rating

Moody's on Sunday again slashed Russia's credit rating and listed its future outlook as "negative." The financial services company downgraded Russia's rating based on expectations that the Central Bank will further restrict payments across borders, including debt service on government bonds.

The rating – Ca – is now closer to junk status, "driven by severe concerns around Russia's willingness and ability to pay its debt obligations," Moody's said in a statement issued early Sunday.

"Concerns around the government's willingness to pay and the unpredictability of government actions could result in larger than historical average losses for investors," the statement said.

– Katie Wadington

Radio Free Europe suspends operations in Russia

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is suspending operations in Russia because of government pressures since the start of the war in Ukraine.

RFE/RL, which describes itself as an editorially independent media company supported by a grant from Congress and the U.S. Agency for Global Media, issued a statement late Saturday saying it had stopped operating in Russia “after local tax authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings against RFE/RL’s Russian entity on March 4 and police intensified pressure on its journalists.”

The media entity also referenced a law signed Friday by Russian President Vladimir Putin that could subject journalists to prison sentences if they deviate from Kremlin-approved descriptions of the war. It said RFE/RL journalists would “continue to tell the truth about Russia’s catastrophic invasion of its neighbor,” reporting on developments from outside Russia.

“This is not a decision that RFE/RL has taken of its own accord, but one that has been forced upon us by the Putin regime’s assault on the truth,” President and CEO Jamie Fly said.

Russia’s federal communications agency announced Friday that it would block the websites of RFE/RL, the BBC, Voice of America and other foreign outlets for spreading what it termed “fake” information.

RFE/RL, which has maintained a physical presence in Russia since 1991, said nine of its Russian language websites have been blocked in the last week after it refused to comply with demands to delete information about the invasion of Ukraine.

– Bill Keveney

Contributing: The Associated Press