Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says war was ‘unleashed’ on Russia

More than three dozen of the world’s top news media organizations are calling on Russia to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

The news groups joined the Wall Street Journal and the Committee to Protect Journalists, in penning a letter to Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, writing Gershkovich's "is a journalist, not a spy." The media organizations -- including the Associated Press, New York Times, the Washington Post and The Times of London -- wrote that Kershkovich's "unwarranted and unjust arrest" represents "a significant escalation" of anti-press actions by the Russian government.

"Russia is sending the message that journalism within your borders is criminalized and that foreign correspondents seeking to report from Russia do not enjoy the benefits of the rule of law," the letter reads.

The media groups urged Russia to immediately give Gershkovich access to a lawyer hired by the Wall Street Journal and allow him to communicate with his family.

The Kremlin has yet to publicly respond to the letter.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned that Russian strategic nuclear weapons could be deployed in his country, according to The Associated Press.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia intended to deploy tactical, comparatively short-range and small-yield nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya told the Security Council that the decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus does not violate international obligations. Nebenzya added that Russia has repeatedly called on the U.S. to return all its nuclear arsenals from Europe to U.S. territory.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin directly pointed out that we are not transferring nuclear weapons. We are talking about the transfer of the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system to the Republic of Belarus, the re-equipment of aircraft of the Belarusian Air Force and the training of crews, the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons at territory of Belarus," Nebenzya said.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

Finland will formally join NATO in the "coming days," after the country was able to clear its final hurdle, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

"Their membership will make Finland safer and NATO stronger. Finland has highly capable forces, advanced capabilities and strong democratic institutions. So Finland will bring a lot to our alliance," Stoltenberg said in a statement Friday.

Turkey was the last of the 30 NATO allies to approve Finland's bid to join the alliance.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

Russia just struck Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine with multiple missiles, Ukrainian officials said Thursday night.

Local officials in Kharkiv said Russia fired six Soviet-era S-300 surface-to-air missiles.

ABC News reporters heard explosions outside the city center and saw Ukrainian air defense active just before and during the attacks.

There are currently no reports of casualties or damage to infrastructure as a result of the strikes in Ukraine's second-largest city.

There are also reports of Russian strikes in the Dnipro region.

-ABC News' Tom Soufi Burridge