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

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

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.

Mar 30, 2022, 8:01 PM EDT

Zelenskyy said he had detailed conversation with Biden, questions reports of Russian withdrawal

In his daily address Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he held a very "detailed" conversation with President Joe Biden on various topics.

Zelenskyy said he thanked Biden for $1 billion in new humanitarian aid and an additional $500 million in direct support.

Zelenskyy said he stressed the current moment is a turning point

"I told President Biden what Ukraine needs, and I was as sincere as possible with him," he said. "The support of the United States is vital for us, and now it is especially important to lend a hand to Ukraine, to show all the power of the democratic world."

In this photo released by the Ukrainian Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks from Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 30, 2022.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Office

The Ukrainian president said he reiterated his calls for more weapons and resources to fight Putin's forces.

He also said he didn't buy Russian's "withdrawal" from Kyiv and Chernihiv.

"We do not believe anyone," he said. "We will not give up anything, and we will fight for every meter of our land, for every our person."

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou

Mar 30, 2022, 3:44 PM EDT

Pentagon refers to Russian claims of withdrawing troops near Kyiv as 'spin'

Over the last 24 hours, the Pentagon has seen less than 20% of the Russian troops that had been around Kyiv "reposition" northward, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

A Ukrainian serviceman looks out from a tank in Lukyanivka, a neighborhood of Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 27, 2022.
AP

Kirby said Russian claims that they are withdrawing troops to deescalate fighting amid peace talks with Ukraine is just "spin."

Kirby said he was intentionally using the term "reposition" instead of withdrawal to describe the movement of Russian forces "because the way it's being spun by the Ministry of Defense is that they're pulling back and they're trying to deescalate and depressurize the situation. And we just don't believe we haven't seen any evidence of that."

Kirby said the U.S. assesses that the Russians are instead “going to refit these troops, resupply them, and then probably ... employ them elsewhere in Ukraine."

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Mar 30, 2022, 3:19 PM EDT

Shelling continues in Chernihiv and Kyiv suburbs

Shelling is continuing in Chernihiv and the suburbs of Kyiv, one day after the Kremlin said Russian operations near the two cities would be "scaled down dramatically."

The city market is seen damaged by night shelling in Chernihiv, Ukraine, March 30, 2022.
Vladislav Savenok/AP

In Chernihiv, in northern Ukraine, Gov. Viacheslav Chaus said shelling lasted all night and that civilian targets were being destroyed, including shopping malls and libraries. Local authorities said at least one civilian was killed and six were wounded.

Activity was relentless Wednesday in Irpin, near Kyiv, and bombardments in the suburbs have continued into the night.

Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, said Wednesday that Russian troops have not completely abandoned attempts to capture or at least surround Kyiv and Chernihiv. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said some Russian military units are being relocated but that there's no mass withdrawal of troops.

-ABC News' James Longman, Bruno Roeber, Irene Hanatiyuk and Oleksii Pshemyski

Mar 30, 2022, 12:37 PM EDT

Biden tells Zelenskyy US will give Ukraine $500 million in 'direct budgetary aid'

President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on the phone from 11:08 a.m. ET to 12:03 p.m. ET, according to the White House.

Biden said the U.S. will provide Ukraine with "$500 million in direct budgetary aid," according to a White House readout. The $500 million is for financial assistance that Ukraine can use for budgetary expenses such as paying salaries and maintaining government services, according to the White House.

A view of the building damaged by the shelling in Donetsk, on the territory which is under the Government of the Donetsk People's Republic control, eastern Ukraine, March 30, 2022.
Alexei Alexandrov/AP

"The leaders discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfill the main security assistance requests by Ukraine, the critical effects those weapons have had on the conflict, and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country," the White House said.

A woman cries as she holds her baby after they have arrived with other evacuees from Mariupol, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, March 29, 2022.
Marko Djurica/Reuters

Zelenskyy in a tweet said they "talked about specific defensive support, a new package of enhanced sanctions, macro-financial and humanitarian aid."

-ABC News' Justin Ryan Gomez

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