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Sean Penn Calls on Billionaires to Buy Military Equipment for Ukraine

Ukrainian officials thanked actor Sean Penn for appealing to billionaires to buy military equipment for Ukraine.

Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Zelensky's office, thanked Penn for his appeal.

"We appreciate this support very much," he said in a tweet.

On Thursday, Penn called for two squadrons of F-15s or 16s that he said would cost a private sector buying about $300 million. He said these 12 aircrafts would be better than "Russian MiGs or SUs."

Penn also asked for another $200 million in missile defense systems.

"One billionaire could end this war in Ukraine," he tweeted Thursday.

The Oscar-winner was filming a documentary about Zelensky in Ukraine when Russia's invasion began.

European Parliament President Meets with Zelensky in Kyiv

The President of the European Parliament met with Ukrainian lawmakers in Kyiv Friday.

Roberta Metsola addressed the Ukrainian Parliament to show Europe's continued support for Ukraine during its war with Russia.

"I am here today, as a representative of the European Parliament, of the people of Europe, to tell you one thing. We are with you. In good times and in less good times - we are with you," she said.

Metsola promised to continue to hold Russia accountable with "more and harder" sanctions, support Ukraine's membership into the European Unions and care for those who have fled their homes and rebuild Ukrainian cities that have been devastated by Russian attacks.

"You did not invite this invasion. Nor did you provoke it," she said. "You did not seek a confrontation. But you have risen to meet this moment that is testament to the greatness of a people, to your courage, to your strength of character.

Metsola called the experience "incredibly moving."

"Ukraine has shown the world how to stand up for freedom and democracy, for our shared humanity and for our common values," she said.

She then met with Ukrainian political leaders to reiterate Europe's support. Metsola said Europe will increase its financial humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine and promised to "go further" with more sanctions on Russia.

"Europe will remain united and will match strength against aggressors with compassion for those fleeing Ukraine," she said.

Metsola then met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

International Energy Agency to Release Oil from Emergency Stock

The International Energy Agency will release oil from its emergency reserves in solidarity against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

During an IEA Governing Board meeting, Ministers discussed their concerns about energy security in the wake of Russia's invasion and voiced their support for sanctions imposed on Russia in response.

"The Ministers noted that Russia's war in Ukraine continues to put significant strains on global oil markets, resulting in heightened price volatility," the IEA said in a statement. "This is taking place against a backdrop of commercial inventories that are at their lowest level since 2014 and a limited ability of oil producers to provide additional supply in the short term."

The large-scale disruptions to Russian oil production as a result of sanctions threatens to create a "global oil supply shock," as Russia plays an "outsized role on global energy markets," the IEA said.

Russia is the third-largest oil producer in the world, with about 60 percent of its exports going to Europe and another 20 percent going to China.

The 31 members of the IEA have 1.5 billion barrels on oil in their emergency stockpile. This agreement marks only the fifth time the IEA will release those stocks.

U.S. to Send Equipment to Ukraine to Protect Against Chemical Weapons

The U.S. will provide Ukraine with equipment in the event that Russia uses chemical or biological weapons.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. is providing "life-saving" equipment and supplies that could protect Ukraine against a potential attack.

Russia claimed the U.S. is involved in the production of chemical weapons at labs in Ukraine. The U.S. called these accusations a "conspiracy theory" and said Russia could be presenting these claims as a false flag to use chemical weapons themselves.

The White House said previously that there will be severe consequences from the global community if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine.

More Hits on Russia Are Coming, Ukraine Says After Blinken Call

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Friday after their recent meeting in Warsaw, Poland.

Blinken highlighted U.S. efforts to provide Ukraine the support it needs to defend against the Russian Federation's "unprovoked, unjustified, and brutal war."

He also "emphasized the United States' unyielding and steadfast support for Ukraine" and "lauded Ukraine's commitment to engaging in diplomacy," according to a read out from the State Department.

The U.S. and its allies will continue to "hold accountable those responsible for atrocities committed in Ukraine."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he and Blinken discusses ways to strengthen Ukraine economically and militarily to fight back against Russia.

More hits on Russia's economy, financial system, and trade are coming," he said.

Town of Bucha Liberated from Russian Forces, Mayor Says

The town of Bucha, Ukraine was liberated from Russian forces Thursday, mayor reports.

"March 31 will go down in the history of our town," Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk said, calling it a day of "liberation."

"This is a happy day of great victory! Glory to Ukraine!" he added.

Bucha is northwest suburb of capital city Kyiv. It faced heavy shelling and was occupied by Russia since Feb. 27.

The Ukraine General Staff of the Armed Forces said Ukrainian Armed Forces and National Guard managed to burned dozens of Russian fighting vehicles, tanks, Typhoon armored vehicles and trucks after "heavy artillery fire." Ukrainian forces also managed to "destroy the enemy's manpower."

"Our soldiers 'cleaned up' the area of concentration of the enemy in the Kiev direction," it said in a Facebook post. "The National Guard and the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to liberate settlements in the Kyiv region from the occupiers."

Over 100 Children Killed in Airstrikes, U.N. Reports

The death toll in Ukraine continues to climb, as the United Nations releases its latest report.

Since the war in Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 1,276 civilians have been killed and 1,981 have been injured.

The U.N. Human Rights office in Ukraine said most of the casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and launch rocket systems, as well as missile and air strikes.

The agency said the actual number of civilian casualties is likely much higher

Red Cross Unable to Complete Evacuations Out of Mariupol

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was unable to reach Mariupol to evacuate civilians in the city.

The team of three vehicles and nine personnel did not reach Mariupol or facilitate safe passage of civilians Friday, but they said they will try again tomorrow, the Red Cross said in a statement.

The Red Cross returned to Zaporizhzhia after it said the "arrangements and conditions made it impossible to proceed."

"For the operation to succeed, it is critical that the parties respect the agreements and provide the necessary conditions and security guarantees," the Red Cross said.

Turkey President Speaks With Putin on Phone

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone Friday.

The leaders discussed the negotiation talks between Ukraine and Russia.

Erdoğan said the meeting between the two delegations were positive and constructive and stressed the importance for both parties to maintain a dialogue, according to a translated statement from Erdoğan's office.

He also expressed a desire to declare peace by bringing together President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to the statement, Putin thanked Erdoğan for hosting the meeting between the Russian and Ukraine delegations in Istanbul.

Over 100 Ukrainian Healthcare Facilities Have Been Attacked

Over 100 healthcare facilities have been attacked since Russia began its invasion into Ukraine, officials report.

The Ukrainian Healthcare Center (UHC) said it documented 117 incidents of attacks against healthcare infrastructure in Ukraine as of April 1.

At least 89 healthcare facilities have been damaged and eight have been completely destroyed. Eleven healthcare personnel have been killed and at least 34 others have been injured.

UHC is a think tank based in Kyiv that was established in March 2021.

Before the war began over a month ago, UHC "provided consultancy, analytics, and educational services" and was one of the leaders in disseminating verified scientific information about the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine.

"With the start of a full-scale war, we began to record cases of attacks on the medical facilities and ambulances, and casualties among healthcare workers in Ukraine," UHC said in a tweet.

Red Cross Says Time is Running Out of Civilians in Mariupol

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is on its way to Mariupol to help

The ICRC Ukraine delegation is traveling from Zaporizhzhia to the besieged city of Mariupol to "ensure safe passage for the civilians who desperately want to flee the city."

The Red Cross said their effort "has been and remains extremely complex," as they hope to have the necessary conditions to complete the evacuations.

"If and when it does happen, our role as a neutral intermediary will be to lead the convoy out from Mariupol to another city in Ukraine," the ICRC said in a tweet.

ICRC spokesman Ewan Watson told reporters in Geneva that their efforts rely on agreements from both Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe humanitarian corridors out of the city.

"In order for us to start leading civilians out at the top of that convoy, we will need to have assurances that the route we are taking is safe," he said.

Watson added that the ICRC has not received permission to bring humanitarian aid into Mariupol Friday.

"Time is running out for the people of Mariupol. They are desperately in need of assistance," he said, describing the situation in the city as "horrendous and deteriorating."

Ukraine officials said they don't see a desire from Russians in Mariupol to allow residents to evacuate to Ukraine-controlled areas.

"Since yesterday, the occupiers have categorically not allowed any humanitarian cargo, even in small volumes, to enter the city," Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the Mariupol mayor, said Friday on Telegram.

Russian officials allowed 42 buses with Mariupol residents to leave from the occupied city of Berdyansk, according to the Associated Press.

U.S. Issues Sanctions to Target Russian Technology Companies

The U.S. issued new sanctions against Russian technology companies as the war in Ukraine continues.

Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted 21 entities and 13 individuals part of the Kremlin's networks and tech companies, "which are instrumental to the Russian Federation's war machine."

The Treasury also expanded sanction authority to include the aerospace, marine and electronic sectors of the Russian economy. This will allow the U.S. to impose sanctions on any individual or entity determined to operate or have operated in any of those sectors.

"Russia not only continues to violate the sovereignty of Ukraine with its unprovoked aggression but also has escalated its attacks striking civilians and population centers," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. "We will continue to target Putin's war machine with sanctions from every angle, until this senseless war of choice is over."

China Rejects Sanctions on Russia, Partially Blames NATO for War

China continues to be critical of Western sanctions against Russia as leaders met with the European Union at a virtual summit Friday.

EU leaders hoped China would not help Russia circumvent economic measured imposed in response to the war in Ukraine, noting their mutual responsibility to "use their joint influence and diplomacy to bring an end to Russia's war in Ukraine and the associated humanitarian crisis," Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry partially blamed the conflict in Ukraine on the United States' push to expand NATO and reiterated that sanctions are not effective.

"China disapproves of solving problems through sanctions, and we are even more opposed to unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing as the summit met.

He said the U.S. is the "culprit and leading instigator of the Ukraine crisis," saying the growth of NATO pushed Russia "to the wall."

Zhao said China will not be forced to "choose a side or adopt a simplistic friend-or-foe approach" when it comes to Ukraine.

"We should, in particular, resist the Cold War thinking and bloc confrontation," he said.

The European Union said it discussed Russia's military aggression against Ukraine "extensively" with China during the summit and called on China to "support efforts to bring about an immediate end to the bloodshed in Ukraine."

"Any circumvention of the effects of the sanctions or any aid provided to Russia would prolong the bloodshed and lead to even greater losses of civilian lives and economic disruption," the EU said in a statement.

Michel said the EU and China must work together to end Russia's war and maintain their "common responsibility to maintain peace and stability, and a safe and sustainable world."

"Key international norms and principles must be respected," he said. "We count on China's support to achieve a lasting ceasefire, to stop the unjustifiable war and address the dramatic humanitarian crisis it has generated."

China refused to condemn Russia's invasion but said it hopes to keep ties with the EU open to "steadily expand market access, protect fair competition and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation."

"China hopes that the EU will also provide a sound business environment to Chinese businesses investing and developing in Europe," Premier Li Keqiang was quoted saying in a news release following the first summit session.

Russian Forces Have Left Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

Russia forces have left the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukraine officials report.

The Ukraine Ministry of Defense confirmed Friday that Russian forces left the plant due to "losses caused by [the Ukraine] army and radiation exposure."

The Defense Ministry added that Russian forces "looted Chernobyl" before retreating.

During a news conference in Warsaw, Poland, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the Russians behaved irresponsibly at the site during their over four-week occupation. He said the Russians prevented the plant staff from performing their full duties.

Kuleba said Ukraine is working with IAEA to mitigate any danger at the plant.

On Thursday, Ukraine officials told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the Russian forces that took over Chernobyl on Feb. 24 transferred control to Ukrainian personnel and moved two convoys of troops towards Belarus, according to an IAEA report.

Ukraine reported that there are still some Russian forces on the Chernobyl NPP site but presumed that those forces are preparing to leave.

Ukraine has not reported any staff rotation at the Chernobyl NPP since 20-21 March.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said he will lead an assistance and support mission at Chernobyl "as soon as possible."

"It will be the first in a series of such nuclear safety and security missions to Ukraine," he said in a tweet.

Grossi is meeting with Russian energy leaders in Kaliningrad, Russia Friday.

"The general radiation situation around the plant is quite normal," he told reporters. "There was a relatively higher level of localized radiation because of the movement of heavy vehicles at the time of the occupation of the plant, and apparently this might have been the case again on the way out."

He added that the IEAE cannot confirm if any Russian troops were contaminated with radiation.

Peace Talks Resume Friday Over Video Conference

Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia have resumed Friday.

The negotiations will be conducted over video conference after an in-person meeting in Turkey Tuesday.

Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, shared photos of the talks with the Ukrainian delegation, led by Mykhailo Podolyak.

Medinsky said the Russian positions on Crimea and the Donbas "are unchanged," the Associated Press reported.

Kremlin Reacts to Gerard Depardieu's Condemnation of Putin

The Kremlin has responded to criticism of Vladimir Putin by his one time ally, the actor Gerard Depardieu.

The award-winning French star was pictured with Putin after he took Russian nationality in 2013 in protest at a proposed tax hike on the rich in his homeland.

But the unlikely alliance appeared to be over when Depardieu denounced Putin's "crazy, unacceptable excesses," over the war.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the actor "does not fully understand what is happening."

"He does not understand what happened in Ukraine in 2014," Peskov said, accusing Ukraine of bombarding civilians in the east of the country.

"If necessary, we will be ready to tell him about this and explain so that he understands better," Peskov added.

Ukraine Says 17,700 Russian Troops Have Died In War

Ukraine has provided its latest update on the number of losses Russia has suffered, claiming that 17,700 Russian troops have been killed and 1,751 armored personnel vehicles have been destroyed.

Other military equipment that has been wiped out includes 131 helicopters, 625 tanks and 143 aircraft.

Newsweek has not been able to verify these claims and has contacted the Russian defense ministry for comment.

Numbers of Russian troop deaths vary according to the source.

Last week, Russia claimed that 1,351 of its troops had died fighting since the start of the invasion on February 24 while NATO estimated the number to be between 7,000 and 15,000.

Video Said To Show Alleged Ukrainian Strike In Russia

Further to the fire at the oil depot in Belgorod—surveillance footage obtained by the Associated Press is said to show the moment a missile hit the facility.

Belgorod's regional governor said that Ukraine flew helicopter gunships into Russian territory early Friday morning and targeted the site.

If confirmed, it would be the first time Ukrainian aircraft had flown into Russian airspace to hit a target.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Ukrainian defense spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk neither confirmed nor denied Kyiv's forces were responsible.

In his daily briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked if the alleged attack meant an escalation of the conflict. "This is not something that can be perceived as creating conditions comfortable for the continuation of negotiations," he said.

Ukraine Neither Confirms Nor Denies It Struck Russian Oil Depot

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has batted away questions over whether his country's forces struck a fuel depot in Belgorod, in Russian territory.

Footage widely shared on social media shows a depot in the city close to the Ukrainian border on fire. The local governor said the attack was carried out by two Ukrainian helicopters although Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.

If confirmed, it would be the first time Ukrainian aircraft had flown into Russian airspace to hit a target.

But Kuleba told reporters in Warsaw on Friday "I am a civilian" when asked about the strike. Meanwhile, Ukrainian defense spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said, "I will not confirm or deny these allegations."

"Ukraine is currently conducting a defensive operation against Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine," he said according to Reuters, "this does not mean that Ukraine is responsible for every catastrophe on Russia's territory."

Newsweek contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment on this story which can be read here.

Ukraine Says It has Reclaimed 15 Settlements In Kyiv Region

Ukraine's defense ministry said on Facebook that its forces have "restored control" over 15 settlements in the Kyiv region from Russian troops.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that it had retaken the settlements of Demydiv, Dymer, Lytvynivka, Gavrylivka, Kozarovychi, Zhovtneve, Hlybivka, Yasnohorodka, Talakun, Sukoluchchya, Lypivka, Gavronshchyna, Makovyshche, Mykolaivka, Khmilna.

In its update on Friday, it said that Russian forces "are regrouping and are likely to focus on an offensive operation in the Eastern Operational Zone," according to a translation.

Ukraine said that Russian troops continue to blockade Chernihiv, the city in the north of the country that Moscow said this week it would draw down from.

It said that around Donetsk, Russian forces are conducting "fire and assault operations in some areas."

"The main efforts are focused on taking control of the settlements of Popasna and Rubizhne," in the Luhansk region it said, "as well as establishing full control over the city of Mariupol."

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it hopes to lead an evacuation of thousands of civilians from the besieged port city.