Ukraine said Thursday that at least 49 people were killed in a Russian strike on a grocery store in the Kharkiv region, reflecting one of the worst attacks on civilians since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion last year.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as "demonstrably brutal" and said "Russian terror must be stopped."
In other news, the Kremlin refused to answer questions about Russian naval operations Thursday after the Wall Street Journal reported that Russia had withdrawn the bulk of its Black Sea Fleet from its main base in annexed Crimea.
The WSJ said the move had been a response to Ukrainian attacks but the Kremlin's press secretary directed questions on the matter to the defense ministry.
For insight on Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle and what makes the president tick — from those that work with him now and have done in the past, read here.