Russia-Ukraine updates: Russian missiles hit close to nuclear reactors: IAEA director
Shelling is ongoing near the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.
The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine's disputed Donbas region, capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol and securing a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
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Latest headlines:
- Russian missiles hit close to nuclear reactors: IAEA director
- IAEA hopes to go to Zaporizhzhia plant 'hopefully in the next few days'
- Zaporizhzhia '1 step away' from emergency radiation: Ukraine nuclear agency head
- All reactors at power plant shut down for 1st time in history
- Biden, Zelenskyy discuss weapons assistance, nuclear plant during phone call
Ukraine granted candidate status for EU membership
The European Council has granted Ukraine and Moldova candidate status for EU membership, European Council President Charles Michel tweeted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the announcement on Twitter, calling it a "unique and historical moment," adding, "Ukraine's future is within the EU."
It could take years for Ukraine to become an EU member. Five other countries that have been granted candidate status are currently negotiating their EU membership: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.
Russian forces advancing on Lysychansk in Luhansk region
Russian forces are advancing toward the city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk region, putting the Lysychansk-Severodonetsk pocket "under increasing pressure," the British Defense Ministry said. Some Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from Lysychansk, "probably to avoid being encircled," the officials said.
The Ukrainian army claims Ukrainian soldiers stopped the Russian offensive in the southern outskirts of Lysychansk on Thursday, inflicting losses and forcing them to retreat, and that to resume the offensive, Russian forces put forward reserves.
-ABC News' Fidel Pavlenko
$450 million military aid package to be announced
The U.S. is expected Thursday to announce a new $450 million military aid package that will include more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS.
Ukrainian Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov tweeted Thursday that the initial HIMARS package from the U.S. has arrived in Ukraine, and he thanked Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for the "powerful tools."
The new aid package will include more small arms, grenade launchers, vehicles and patrol craft.
The U.S. has committed over $6 billion to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began, according to the Pentagon.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
More than 8 million have fled Ukraine, UN says
More than 8 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, according to an update by the United Nations.
More than 4 million Ukrainians fled through Poland -- by far the preferred route for the displaced, the U.N. report said. Hungary, the second most used route, reported just over 800,000 crossings.
-ABC News' Edward Szekeres, Max Uzol, Fidel Pavlenko and Yuriy Zaliznyak