March 9, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

By Kathleen Magramo, Jack Guy, Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt and Matt Meyer, CNN

Updated 0502 GMT (1302 HKT) March 10, 2023

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3:10 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Death toll in Lviv missile strike rises to 5

From CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova

Rescuers work at a site of residential buildings destroyed in Lviv region, Ukraine, on March 9. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Reuters)

At least five people have now been confirmed dead in Lviv following a Russian missile strike Thursday, according to officials in the the western Ukrainian city.

Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv regional military administration, said the fifth victim was a man who was found under the rubble after the strike in a residential area in the city's Zolochiv district

Ukrainian officials reported earlier that at least two people were injured in the capital Kyiv after Russian strikes targeted energy facilities in at least seven regions across Ukraine on Thursday.

An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the Kyiv victims' injuries were fatal. Their condition remains unknown.

2:32 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Georgia withdraws "foreign influence" bill that sparked protests and drew comparisons to Ukraine

From CNN's Rhea Mogul

Police in riot gear face protesters in Tbilisi early on March 9. (Zurab Tsertsvadze/AFP/Getty Images)

Georgia's ruling party has withdrawn a controversial "foreign influence" bill, the country's public broadcaster announced Thursday.

The proposed law sparked two nights of widespread protests in the capital Tbilisi over fears it would drive a wedge between the Caucasian nation and Europe.

The bill had been compared to a draconian set of laws adopted in Russia and condemned by rights groups as a bid to curtail basic freedoms and crack down on dissent in the country.

Analysts have noted similarities between the situation in Georgia and Ukraine — both former Soviet republics which have found themselves caught between the East and the West.

Read the full story here.

3:01 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

At least 4 killed in Lviv after Russian missile strike

From CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova

Personnel conduct work at the scene following a Russian attack that hit a residential area in the Zolochiv district in Lviv on Thursday. (The State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

At least four people were killed following a Russian missile strike that hit a residential area in the Zolochiv district in Lviv on Thursday, the head of the Lviv regional military administration Maksym Kozytskyi said.

“At the moment, we know about four dead. These are four adults. Two men and two women. They were at home when the missile hit,” he said. “The rubble is still being dismantled. There may be other people under them.”

Kozytskyi said the fire destroyed three residential buildings and had since been extinguished.

Ukrainian officials reported earlier that at least two people were injured in Kyiv after Russian shelling targeted energy facilities in at least seven regions across Ukraine on Thursday.

An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the Kyiv victims' injuries were fatal. Their condition remains unknown.

3:01 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Russian shelling targets at least 7 regions across Ukraine, minister says

From CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova

Russian shelling targeted energy facilities in at least seven regions across Ukraine early on Thursday, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said on Telegram.

Halushchenko said Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Dnipro and Zhytomyr were hit in the strikes.

At least two people were injured in Kyiv and about 15% of the capital was without electricity following the strikes, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said earlier on Telegram.

An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the Kyiv victims' injuries were fatal. Their condition remains unknown.

1:46 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant "completely disconnected" from power grid again, officials say

From CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova

A general view of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is pictured in Nikopol on March 3. (Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has once again been “completely disconnected” from Ukraine’s power grid due to Russian shelling, state energy company Energoatom said on Telegram Thursday.

“Currently, the plant is disconnected and in blackout mode for the sixth time during the occupation, Units 5 and 6 are being put into cold shutdown, and 18 diesel generators have been switched on to power the plant's own needs,” the post read, adding the plant has enough fuel to operate for 10 days.

The plant sits in the Russian-occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region and is the largest in Europe. It has been held by Russian forces for some 12 months but is operated by its Ukrainian staff.

The facility's latest disconnection from the power grid Thursday comes as officials across Ukraine reported Russian missile attacks targeting energy infrastructure.

"In addition, all domestic nuclear power plants located on the territory controlled by Ukraine have discharged their power due to the threat of missile attacks,” the Energoatom statement said.

3:00 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

At least 2 injured in Kyiv strikes, mayor says

From CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova

An explosion in western Kyiv injured at least two people, the capital's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram Thursday.

"Another explosion in the capital. Svyatoshynskiy district. All services are heading to the scene. Cars are burning in the yard of a residential building," the post read.
"Two victims in Svyatoshynskiy district. Medics are providing assistance at the scene."

Earlier, Klitschko reported that a series of explosions had hit the Holosiivskyi district in southwestern Kyiv and that roughly 15% of the city was without electricity due to an emergency cut to the power supply.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the victims' injuries were fatal. Their condition remains unknown.

12:25 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

About 15% of Kyiv is without power due to missile attack, mayor says

From CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova

About 15% of Kyiv is without electricity due to an emergency cut to the power supply following a Russian missile attack Thursday, the capital's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.

“Due to the missile attack, the energy industry used a technological emergency to cut off the power supply in the capital. Currently, about 15% of consumers are without electricity,” the post said.

Earlier, Klitschko reported that a series of explosions had hit the Holosiivskyi district in southwestern Kyiv.

12:20 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Explosions reported in southwestern Kyiv, mayor says

From CNN’s Josh Pennington and Sophie Jeong

Explosions were heard in southwestern Kyiv on Thursday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on his official Telegram account.

“There were explosions in the Holosiivskyi district of the capital. All response teams have been dispatched to the scene. Update to come,” the post read.

12:20 a.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Russian missiles strike Odesa and Khmelnytskyi regions as explosions reported in Kharkiv

From CNN's Josh Pennington

Russia targeted energy infrastructure with missile strikes in several parts of Ukraine early on Thursday, according to Ukrainian officials.

In the southern Odesa region, missile strikes were reported on energy facilities and homes.

Maxim Marchenko, head of the Odesa regional military administration, said no casualties were reported.

"Power supply is currently being restricted. Our air defense units have shot down missiles," Marchenko said in a Telegram post, adding that a second wave could hit and residents should take shelter.

Northwest of Odesa, missiles also struck the Khmelnytskyi region.

"Remain in your shelters! The enemy is striking the country's critical infrastructure. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!" Serhiy Hamaliy, head of the Khmelnytskyi regional military administration, said in a Telegram post.

In northeastern Kharkiv meanwhile, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said there was a series of explosions.

"I don't have details yet, but I ask that everyone be careful," he said on Telegram. "Our energy infrastructure is in the crosshairs. We are having problems with electricity in some parts of Kharkiv. But we will survive and everything will be repaired."

Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv's military administration, wrote there were at least 15 strikes. "There is a threat of repeat strikes! Stay in your shelters!" he wrote.