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Biden administration officials told lawmakers late Thursday that they feared the capital would soon fall, with Russian mechanized forces having crossed over from Belarus on its outskirts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that he remained in Kyiv, though enemy “sabotage groups” were in the capital.
Here’s what to know
Kyiv could fall quickly under Russian attack, Biden administration says
Return to menuSenior U.S. government officials believe Ukraine’s capital could fall quickly to advancing Russian forces, according to details of a phone call they had with congressional lawmakers Thursday evening.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were among those on the call.
The Kremlin’s mechanized forces deployed from Belarus were closing in on Kyiv, lawmakers were told. Axios first reported on Austin’s briefing.
The Pentagon is looking for ways to continue training Ukrainian soldiers even if the government in Kyiv falls, Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), who chairs the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, told The Washington Post after attending the briefing.
“The clarity of the discussion was that even if Kyiv is taken by the Russians, the Ukrainian government would continue to exist and we would continue to support them,” Garamendi said.
A congressional source confirmed the U.S. stance on backing Ukraine, adding that Washington will provide military aid and resources as long as “a viable Ukrainian government exists.”
Japan announces new sanctions on Russia, including export bans
Return to menuTOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday announced fresh sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, joining its Western allies in responding to Moscow’s aggression.
Kishida said the new sanctions include export controls on semiconductors and other products, as well as a freeze on assets held by Russian financial institutions. Japan is a major producer of semiconductors and other new technologies that are now being used to pressure Russia.
He said Japan also will suspend visas for certain Russian individuals and entities, which will have limited impact because Japan is currently not issuing new visas to foreigners.
Kishida announced the sanctions following a virtual meeting with other Group of Seven countries. He said the new sanctions symbolize “the strength of unity” in the allies’ efforts to prevent a further Russian escalation.
Earlier this week, Japan announced a round of largely symbolic sanctions. The announcement Friday is an important step for the country, as it works to show that it is in lock-step with the West despite its long-running efforts to not antagonize Russia due to sensitivities over territorial issues.
Deputy defense minister urges Ukrainians to take up arms, make Molotov cocktails
Return to menuUkraine’s deputy defense minister Ganna Malyar urged the country’s citizens to take up arms, including by manufacturing molotov cocktails or small arms, as Russia’s invasion entered its second day.
“The Russian military has already felt the power of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” she said in a Facebook post on Friday, later adding that molotov cocktails — usually a glass bottle filled with flammable material that functions like a hand grenade — are “a minus for Russia and a plus for Ukraine.”
“It is important that everyone be strong in spirit. This is our land. We won’t give up,” Malyar said.
On Friday morning, occasional explosions could be heard in live video footage from Kyiv’s Maiden Square, though none could be directly seen.
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