Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the southeastern Donbas region where the Russian attacks are focused is “completely destroyed.”<\/p>\n
“There are constant strikes on the Odesa region, on the cities of central Ukraine, and the Donbas is completely destroyed,” he said in a video address Thursday night.<\/p>\n
Zelensky accused Russia of a “deliberate and criminal attempt to kill as many Ukrainians as possible.”<\/p>\n
He repeated his allegation that Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine. Many people have died in a Russian missile strike on a village in Chernihiv, in northern Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian leader.<\/p>\n
Zelensky was voted the “most influential” person of the year in TIME magazine readers’ poll.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in the country, a dozen people were killed in an attack in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, reports quoting Ukrainian military officials said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate has approved nearly $40 billion in aid for Ukraine – the largest financial package in support of Ukraine’s fight against the Russia invasion.<\/p>\n
President Joe Biden held discussions with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinist\u00f6 at the White House.<\/p>\n
He underscored his commitment to support both countries as they seek formal NATO accession, including by working with NATO Allies and Congress to welcome them into the Alliance as quickly as possible. <\/p>\n
The leaders also discussed their ongoing cooperation on shared global challenges and their commitment to continued strong support for Ukraine. <\/p>\n