Latest news about Russia and the war in Ukraine

Russian forces have expanded the area of ​​active combat by about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) by launching their latest offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Sersky said on Friday.

In a Google-translated post on Telegram, Sirsky said Russian forces sought to force Ukraine to deploy additional reserve brigades in the fighting.

“The enemy launched an attack long ahead of schedule when it noticed the coup of our forces, but it failed to penetrate our defenses,” Sirsky said. But we realize that there are difficult battles ahead and the enemy is preparing for them.”

Sersky said that Ukrainian forces are preparing to defend the northern Sumy region.

-Sam Meredith

A massive Ukrainian drone attack set a major Russian oil refinery on fire and caused a power outage in Crimea's largest city, according to Russian authorities.

The operations headquarters of the Krasnodar region in southern Russia said on Friday that debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones caused a fire at an oil refinery in Tuapse. The fire has since been extinguished and no injuries were reported.

CNBC was unable to independently verify developments on the ground.

Separately, power supplies were cut off in parts of Sevastopol after debris from a Ukrainian drone fell on a power station, according to Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol.

Razvozaev said via Telegram that restoring power supplies could take up to 24 hours, while schools and kindergartens have been suspended. No injuries were reported.

-Sam Meredith

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Russian forces advanced 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, Reuters reported, citing media outlet RBC-Ukraine.

But Zelensky told reporters that Ukrainian forces had now succeeded in “stabilizing” the situation. His comments come as Russian forces seek to build on recent gains in Ukraine's second-largest city.

“Today, our defense forces succeeded in stabilizing the Russians where they are now. The deepest point of their advance is 10 kilometers,” Zelensky said.

-Sam Meredith

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Friday urged the United States to respond to its prisoner exchange proposals, blaming Washington for slow progress and calling for a “realistic search for solutions,” Russian news agency TASS reported.

“Who can exchange and under what scheme is a separate issue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not a direct participant in these exchanges, and the talks are held via a dedicated communication channel, but in general, I can say that the United States has Our proposals so far.

He added, “But we call on them to focus on the realistic search for solutions based on Moscow's proposals, which they are well aware of.”

A US State Department spokesperson was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

-Sam Meredith

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Friday that proposals to use frozen Russian financial assets to help Ukraine need to comply with international law.

Finance ministers of the Group of Seven major countries are scheduled to meet in Italy next week to discuss the issue of how to use proceeds from frozen Russian assets.

“Japan will join the discussions at the next meeting from this basic perspective,” Suzuki said during a regular press conference after the Cabinet meeting.

The G7 froze financial assets worth $300 billion shortly after the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022.

Since then, G7 countries and the European Union have discussed whether and how to use the money to help Ukraine.

– Reuters

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was hit by several drone strikes overnight, according to its regional governor, during the country's longest air raid alert since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Russian forces attacked the northeastern city with at least five drone strikes, Kharkiv Governor Oleh Sinyhopov said late Thursday in a Google-translated post via telegram. It was not clear whether there were any casualties.

CNBC was unable to independently verify developments on the ground.

Reuters reported, citing Ukrainian public broadcaster Sospilin, that an air raid alert in the city lasted more than 16 and a half hours. This represents the longest air warning recorded in the country since Russia launched its war with Ukraine in February 2022.

Sinyhopov said on Friday that Ukrainian forces repelled eight attacks by Russian forces in the Liptsy, Staritsa and Vovchansk regions of the Kharkiv region.

-Sam Meredith

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia and China can be proud of their economic cooperation, adding that Moscow is ready to provide Beijing with clean energy.

Speaking at the Russia-China Expo in the Chinese city of Harbin during a state visit, Putin said Russia is building close strategic cooperation with China.

He added that Russia is diversifying its supplies to China, including through agricultural exports such as fish, crops and pork.

Putin on Thursday praised Chinese President Xi Jinping at the start of a two-day state visit and thanked Beijing for its efforts in trying to resolve what he called the “crisis” in Ukraine.

Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine entered its third year in late February.

-Sam Meredith

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Thursday, described the Russian and Chinese people as “brothers forever,” in a speech he delivered before a concert in Beijing marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Putin said Russian-Chinese relations have reached their “highest level in history” with the “character of a truly comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction,” according to an English-language text published by the Russian presidential office.

“A song popular at that time, 75 years ago, is often sung today. It contains a phrase that has become a slogan – 'Russians and Chinese are brothers forever.' I am confident that we will continue to promote a harmonious Russia – and the Chinese partnership in this fraternal spirit,” Putin said.

The two countries have repeatedly emphasized their friendly relations and so-called “borderless partnership,” with Beijing embroiled in trade disputes and the West largely isolated from Moscow.

-Jenny Reed

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, where he was briefed on the situation on the battlefield as the new Russian offensive made progress.

Zelensky said on Telegram that he met with Ukrainian Army Commander Oleksandr Sirsky and other military officials to discuss “the operational situation, tasks and needs of each participating brigade, each unit, in particular in the Kharkiv region, and in the Vovchansk and Liptsy regions.” “, according to a translation by NBC News.

Both regions are hotspots in the war, with Russian forces occupying parts of Vovchansk and on the verge of seizing Liptse, according to Russian officials.

The Ukrainian military said earlier on Thursday that it was slowing the Russian advance and that its units “continue to carry out combat missions within the Vovchansk urban area in the northern part of the city, keeping the enemy under fire control.”

CNBC was unable to verify battlefield ratings.

In his latest update, Zelensky admitted that the situation in the Kharkiv region “remains very difficult,” but that it was “generally under control.” He added that Ukraine “is strengthening our units.”

Zelensky said that the current combat situation in Ukraine, upcoming threats and “Ukrainian opportunities to counter Russian offensive plans” were discussed.

In a subsequent post, the Ukrainian leader said he also visited soldiers who were injured during fighting in Kharkiv.

– Holly Eliatt