Russia invades Ukraine

By Aditi Sangal, Joe Ruiz, Helen Regan, Ivana Kottasová and Sana Noor Haq, CNN

Updated 12:19 a.m. ET, April 10, 2022
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3:03 p.m. ET, April 9, 2022

All 99 injured in the Kramatorsk railway strike have been evacuated to other cities, official says

From CNN's Ben Wedeman in Donetsk region, Ukraine

Calcinated cars are pictured outside a train station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, that was being used for civilian evacuations, after it was hit by a rocket attack killing dozens, on April 8.
Calcinated cars are pictured outside a train station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, that was being used for civilian evacuations, after it was hit by a rocket attack killing dozens, on April 8. (Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images)

All the people injured in the railway station strike on Friday have been evacuated from the city, most moved to the regional center of Dnipro, and some to Kyiv, a local hospital official in Kramatorsk told CNN.

A total of 80 adults and 19 children were injured. 20 of the injured are in serious condition.

Ukrainian officials have said 52 people were killed in the strike.

1:56 p.m. ET, April 9, 2022

More than 10 billion euros raised for people fleeing Russian invasion in global pledging event

From CNN's Nina Avramova and Radina Gigova

A woman waves to say good bye to her husband as she leaves on a bus in Kramatorsk, Ukraine on April 9.
A woman waves to say good bye to her husband as she leaves on a bus in Kramatorsk, Ukraine on April 9. (Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images)

The “Stand Up for Ukraine” global pledging event and campaign aimed to help Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion has raised more than €10 billion since its launch on March 26, the European Commission said in a statement Saturday. 

From the total funds, €1 billion come from the European Commission and €1 billion in a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to cover the needs of the people displaced by the violence in and outside Ukraine, according to the statement. 

The "Stand Up For Ukraine" online pledging event concludes a broader social media campaign launched by the European Commission and the government in Canada that "answers a call for support launched by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky," according to the statement. 

“The solidarity of countries, companies and people worldwide offers some light in this dark hour," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the statement. "We will continue providing support. And once the bombs have stopped falling, we will help the people of Ukraine rebuild their country. We will continue to Stand up for Ukraine.”

"Whether it's food, water, shelter, or medical aid – we will continue to have your backs and provide the assistance you need at this time. We are standing up for Ukraine," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in the statement. 

2:17 p.m. ET, April 9, 2022

Ukraine's state railway leaves symbolic seats vacant in memory of Kramatorsk victims

From CNN's Oleksandra Ochman in Lviv

Ukrainian servicemen stand next to a fragment of a Tochka-U missile after Russian shelling at the railway station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on Friday, April 8.
Ukrainian servicemen stand next to a fragment of a Tochka-U missile after Russian shelling at the railway station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on Friday, April 8. (Andriy Andriyenko/AP)

Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine's state railway, will leave seat number 52 vacant on trains across the country in memory of the 52 people killed in in a Russian missile strike on a train station in Kramatorsk, it said in a statement Saturday.

"The brutal murder of 52 Ukrainian civilians by a Russian missile at the Kramatorsk railway station cannot be forgotten," the statement read. "Today, April 9, Ukrzaliznytsia is leaving seats No. 52 empty in several trains across the country in memory of those killed in Kramatorsk. Instead of passengers, flowers will go in their places today."

An Ukrzaliznytsia official said earlier Saturday the railway had evacuated 3.5 million people since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

12:45 p.m. ET, April 9, 2022

Russian forces strike nitric acid tank amid heavy shelling, says Luhansk regional governor

From CNN staff

Russian forces had hit a storage tank holding "remnants" of nitric acid, sending up a plume that he said was not a threat to the local population, Serhii Haidai, the head of Ukraine's Luhansk regional military administration, said Saturday.

"There were some remnants of nitric acid — around three tons," he said in televised remarks. "The local population is not under threat, as the impact zone around the acid tank is not more than 550 meters. Thank God, there wasn't that much acid left." 

A video posted on Haidai's official Telegram channel showed an orange plume in the sky from the site of the shelling. 

Haidai also reported heavy Russian shelling of communities of Rubizhne, Popasna and Hirske.

Ukrainian authorities were continuing evacuations of civilians, one day after a Russian missile strike on a train station where Ukrainian civilians had assembled to evacuate from the eastern Donbas region, he added.

"We have changed the railway stations for evacuation, I'm not going to name those, but we have changed them and the evacuation is ongoing," he said. 

"It's difficult to say how many people are still staying, because there is constant shelling and people are hiding in the shelters," Haidai said. "But in total, only 30% of population of all region has stayed."

12:30 p.m. ET, April 9, 2022

Ukrainian military claims to find dead Russian servicemen in common grave

From CNN staff

The Ukrainian military's Office of Strategic Communications posted a photo Saturday that purports to show dead Russian servicemen left behind in a common grave after fighting in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.

"The myth is that the Russians do not leave their dead," the statement read. "When clearing the settlement of Vilkhivka, a common grave of the occupiers was discovered by soldiers the 92nd Mechanized Brigade near Kharkiv." 

CNN could not immediately verify the authenticity of the photo, which shows at least 10 bodies in Russian uniform.

"We don't leave ours behind" is one of the unofficial slogans of the Russian war in Ukraine. 

The statement claimed that soldiers of the 92nd Mechanized Brigade and volunteer detachments near Kharkiv destroyed two Russian battalion tactical groups on March 30. 

Fighting has continued in the region of the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

It was "being shelled practically all day long" and a Russian offensive was expected in Kharkiv region, from direction of Izium, Vadym Denysenko, an adviser to the Interior Minister of Ukraine, had said in remarks on national television Saturday.

"Russians continue to build up the forces on this direction," he said. "We understand that one of the key tasks of RF [Russian forces] is to reach Donbas, Donetsk region, or to be more specific Slovyansk and Kramatorsk from Izium side. So this is one of the most difficult directions as of today."

12:33 p.m. ET, April 9, 2022

Zelensky to Boris Johnson: 'Welcome to Kyiv, my friend!'

From CNN's Radina Gigova in Atlanta

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 9.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 9. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Saturday, the Press Service of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said on its official Twitter account Saturday. 

Johnson "is one of the most principled opponents of the Russian invasion, a leader on sanctions pressure on Russia and defense support for Ukraine. Welcome to Kyiv, my friend!," Zelensky is quoted as saying in the caption. 

The press service also released several photos from the unannounced visit showing the two leaders holding a meeting. 

Johnson also tweeted about the meeting on Saturday, saying the meeting with Zelensky in Kyiv was "a show of our unwavering support for the people of Ukraine."

"We're setting out a new package of financial & military aid which is a testament of our commitment to his country's struggle against Russia’s barbaric campaign," Johnson said in a post that features a photo of the two leaders shaking hands.

Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer also traveled to Kyiv and met with Zelensky on Saturday

On Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell also traveled to Ukraine to meet with Zelensky and Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 9.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 9. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP)

12:39 p.m. ET, April 9, 2022

Austria's chancellor calls for war crimes investigation, more sanctions following Zelensky meeting

From CNN's Radina Gigova in Atlanta

Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer speaks at a press conference on April 9 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer speaks at a press conference on April 9 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images)

Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday his country is military neutral, "but we understand we have to help where injustice and war crimes take place."

Austria supports European Union sanctions against Russia and the bloc is ready to implement more sanctions, Nehammar said at a joint news conference Saturday in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Nehammer will visit the town of Bucha on Saturday, which he called "a place of war crimes."

"We have to make those war crimes known to the UN and international justice must begin investigating and fight these crimes," he said. 

Zelensky thanked him for the support Ukraine has received so far and reiterated his call for more sanctions on Russia. 

Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speak during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 9.
Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speak during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 9. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images)

11:24 a.m. ET, April 9, 2022

At least 176 children have died, more than 324 injured due to Russian aggression, Ukrainian Parliament says

From CNN's Lindsay Isaac in London

At least 176 children have died and more than 324 have been injured as a result of Russian aggression, the Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said in a tweet on Saturday. 

"These figures are not final, as work is underway to establish them in places of active attacks, in the temporarily occupied and liberated territories," the Parliament said.

CNN cannot independently verify these figures.

11:21 a.m. ET, April 9, 2022

YouTube terminates Russia’s lower house of parliament channel

From CNN’s Alex Hardie, Radina Gigova and Nina Avramova in London

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin speaks during the session of the Duma on April 7 in Moscow, Russia.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin speaks during the session of the Duma on April 7 in Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)

YouTube has terminated Russia’s State Duma [lower house of parliament] YouTube channel due to recent US government sanctions, Google confirmed to CNN on Saturday.

“Google is committed to compliance with all applicable sanctions and trade compliance laws," a Google spokesperson said. “If we find that an account violates our Terms of Service, we take appropriate action. Our teams are closely monitoring the situation for any updates and changes."

Russia’s telecom watchdog Roskomnadzor demanded that Google lift the restrictions and explain the reason behind them, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Saturday.

The watchdog demanded that Google "immediately restore access to the Russian State Duma’s ‘Duma TV’ YouTube channel”, adding that blocking it “impedes the free flow of information," according to TASS.

In response to previous YouTube restrictions, Russia’s telecom watchdog banned Google advertising and access to Google services including Google Search and Gmail in Russia on Thursday, Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti reported Saturday.