Russia-Ukraine updates: US sanctions Russian military shipbuilder, diamond miner

Russia's largest military shipbuilding and diamond mining firms were targeted.

ByMorgan Winsor, Emily Shapiro, Nadine El-Bawab, Ivan Pereira, Julia Jacobo, Meredith Deliso, Bill Hutchinson, Kevin Shalvey, Celia Darrough, Mary Kekatos, and Samara Lynn
Last Updated: April 8, 2022, 4:34 AM EDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation” into Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with troops crossing the border from Belarus and Russia. Moscow's forces have since been met with “stiff resistance” from Ukrainians, according to U.S. officials.

Russian forces retreated last week from the Kyiv suburbs, leaving behind a trail of destruction. After graphic images emerged of civilians lying dead in the streets of Bucha, U.S. and European officials accused Russian troops of committing war crimes.

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Two Men at War

A look at the two leaders at the center of the war in Ukraine and how they both rose to power, the difference in their leadership and what led to this moment in history.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Mar 18, 2022, 10:28 AM EDT

Putin speaks at massive concert in Moscow

At a massive concert in Moscow on Friday in support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the main goal of the military special operation to stop the genocide of the population of Donbass -- a false claim Putin has been spreading.

“It is precisely to save people from this suffering, from this genocide that is the main, main reason, motive and goal of the military operation that we launched in the Donbass and Ukraine,” Putin told the packed crowd in the city’s main stadium.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on a podium, delivers his speech at the concert marking the eighth anniversary of the referendum on the state status of Crimea and Sevastopol and its reunification with Russia, in Moscow, March 18, 2022 .
Evgeny Biyatov/Sputnik Pool Photo via AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin seen on the big screen as he delivers his speech at the concert marking the eighth anniversary of the referendum on the state status of Crimea and Sevastopol and its reunification with Russia, in Moscow, March 18, 2022.
Vladimir Astapkovich/Sputnik Pool Photo via AP

The concert was timed to mark the eight-year anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Mar 18, 2022, 6:48 AM EDT

Russian foreign minister threatens countries arming Ukraine

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that any foreign supplies to Ukraine containing military equipment will be considered "legitimate targets" for Russian strikes.

"We clearly said that any cargo moving into the Ukrainian territory which we would believe is carrying weapons would be fair game. This is clear because we are implementing the operation the goal of which is to remove any threat to the Russian Federation coming from the Ukrainian soil," Lavrov said in an English-language interview with the RT television channel.

Mar 18, 2022, 6:29 AM EDT

Putin says Ukraine 'seeking to drag out' negotiations

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call with Germany’s leader Olaf Scholz accused Ukraine of “seeking to drag out” negotiations with Russia to end the war by putting forward “new unrealistic proposals."

Putin told Scholz Russia was “nonetheless ready to continue the search for a solution within the bounds of its well-known principled approaches,” the Kremlin said in a readout of the call.

It’s a negative sign for the ongoing talks with Ukraine that both sides have suggested have made some progress this week.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

Mar 18, 2022, 4:41 AM EDT

Lviv struck by missiles for the first time

Russian missiles have hit the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for the first time Friday, a key location that had been spared from the assault until now.

Smoke rises from a factory building near Lviv airport, in Lviv, Ukraine, March 18, 2022.
Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

People walk as a cloud of smoke rises after an explosion near the airport, in Lviv, western Ukraine, March 18, 2022. The mayor of Lviv says missiles struck near the city's airport early Friday.
Ismail Coskun/IHA via AP

The missiles struck the area around the city's airport, according to the mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, around 6:30 a.m. local time, hitting an aircraft repair facility and destroying the building.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the attack, according to the mayor.

Preliminary data indicated that six cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea, according to the country's western military command. Two were destroyed by anti-aircraft missile systems.

-ABC News' Martha Raddatz

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