April 13, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt, Helen Regan, Matias Grez, Jeevan Ravindran, Laura Smith-Spark, Maureen Chowdhury and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 12:01 a.m. ET, April 14, 2022
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2:25 p.m. ET, April 13, 2022

US President Biden unveils $800 million security package for Ukraine in call with Zelensky

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

US President Joe Biden told his Ukrainian counterpart Wednesday that the US was sending an additional $800 million worth of weapons, ammunition and other security assistance.

"The Ukrainian military has used the weapons we are providing to devastating effect. As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself," Biden said in a statement.

The package will include both new types of weapons and the types of equipment the US has been providing to Ukraine for weeks.

The new equipment includes "artillery systems, artillery rounds, and armored personnel carriers," the statement from Biden read. 

"I have also approved the transfer of additional helicopters," he wrote.

The $800 million shipment brings to more than $3 billion the total amount of military assistance the US has provided to Ukraine.

"The steady supply of weapons the United States and its Allies and partners have provided to Ukraine has been critical in sustaining its fight against the Russian invasion. It has helped ensure that Putin failed in his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine. We cannot rest now," Biden wrote in a statement.

The US President said he assured Zelensky that the "American people will continue to stand with the brave Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom."

1:45 p.m. ET, April 13, 2022

Russian military threatens to strike Ukrainian "decision-making centers"

From CNN staff

The Russian military in a statement Wednesday threatened to strike Ukrainian "decision-making centers" — including those in Ukraine's capital — in response to what Russia said were "attempts of sabotage and strikes" on Russian territory.

"We see attempts of sabotage and strikes by Ukrainian troops on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation," said Russian Ministry of Defense spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, in a statement. "If such cases continue, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will strike at decision-making centers, including in Kyiv, from which the Russian army has thus far refrained."

Russia, earlier this month, accused Ukraine of mounting a helicopter attack on a fuel depot inside Russian territory. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has neither confirmed nor denied the attack.

1:15 p.m. ET, April 13, 2022

Biden and Zelensky spoke today, the White House confirms

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

US President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Wednesday to update him on ongoing US support for Ukraine, according to the White House.

They spoke from 11:41 a.m. ET to 12:39 p.m. ET, a White House official said. 

Zelensky tweeted about the call, writing that they “assessed Russian war crimes" and "agreed to enhance sanctions.”

See Zelensky's tweet:

1:50 p.m. ET, April 13, 2022

WHO director urges Russia to work for peace "for the sake of humanity"

From CNN’s Naomi Thomas

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a media conference in Brussels on February 18.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a media conference in Brussels on February 18. (Johanna Geron/Pool/AP)

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday urged Russia to work for peace “for the sake of humanity.”

“Tomorrow marks 50 days since Russia invaded Ukraine. In that time, 4.6 million refugees have left the country. Thousands of civilians have died, including children. There have been 119 verified attacks on health care. Health services continue to be severely disrupted, particularly in the east of the country,” Tedros said, during a news briefing in Geneva on Wednesday. 

“For the sake of humanity, I urge Russia to come back to the table and to work for peace,” he said. 

Until then, evacuation corridors need to be established so that civilians can move to safety and medical supplies, food and water can be delivered, he said. 

WHO has verified nearly 120 attacks on health care since the invasion of Ukraine began. 

Tedros also noted that WHO has received almost 53% of its funding requirement for Ukraine for the first three months. He thanked countries and organizations for both timely contributions and for committing to additional support. However, additional resources will be needed to cover long-term needs, he said. 

12:57 p.m. ET, April 13, 2022

A legal review is underway after US President Biden called atrocities in Ukraine a "genocide"

From CNN's Kylie Atwood 

US President Joe Biden described the atrocities in Ukraine as "genocide" for the first time Tuesday, adding "we'll let the lawyers decide, internationally, whether or not it qualifies."

In doing this, Biden made a “clear moral determination," Michael Carpenter, US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), said Wednesday, adding that a legal review is underway and that is “going to take some time to be completed.”

“As President Biden concluded it will be up to the international law experts to determine if the actions meet the legal definition of genocide, under the Genocide Convention. And the legal review based on meticulous collection of evidence is underway. That's going to take some time to be completed," Carpenter told reporters in an off-camera briefing Wednesday.

Remember: The Geneva Convention defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group” and lays out some examples of how that could be done. 

Carpenter pointed to increasing evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is trying to wipe out the idea of being Ukrainian.” He cited images of Russians’ barbaric treatment of Ukrainian civilians, speeches by Russian government officials and Russian media reports that “deny Ukraine the right to exist as an independent state.”

The US is aware of reports of women and children being forcibly taken to Russia and enforced disappearances, Carpenter also said, adding that those reports will require “thorough investigation and follow up” since such action would be a violation of international law or crimes against humanity if they are systematic.

12:25 p.m. ET, April 13, 2022

Defense official: US military looking at options to train Ukrainians on Switchblade drones and other systems

From CNN's Jeremy Herb and Michael Conte

The Pentagon is examining options for how it can train more Ukrainian forces to use Switchblade drones that the US is providing to the Ukrainian military, according to a senior defense official.

Future trainings might occur with the US troops who have deployed to bolster NATO’s eastern flank over the past several months amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the official told reporters Wednesday.

The Pentagon was looking at “a range of options” for training Ukraine on the Switchblade drones and other weapons systems, the official said, on top of the trainings that occurred with Ukrainians who already were in the United States for previously scheduled engagements.

One option would be the troops that are on NATO’s eastern flank, the official said, adding that no decisions had been made yet.

“We have absolutely added to our ability in these eastern flank countries,” the official said. “Soldiers with various sets of capabilities and various professional skills, whether it’s artillery, long-range missiles, air defense, infantry, armor — you name it. And so if there’s a need for additional training to be done on any systems that are provided to Ukraine, we will look at a range of options for how that training would have to be delivered.”

Additionally, the official said that the US continues to see “significant morale issues” anecdotally among Russian forces, a senior US defense official said Wednesday.

The official said that the US has recent evidence that Russian troops “have been disillusioned by this war, weren’t properly informed, weren’t properly trained, weren’t ready, not just physically, but weren’t ready mentally for what they were about to do.”

The US also has indications that Russian officers are “frustrated with their troops’ performance, frustrated with their colleagues’ performance,” said the official.

The official also reminded reporters on a background call that “almost half” of the invading Russian forces are “conscripts who don’t receive a lot of training.”

“So, there still are morale and unit cohesion problems that are bedeviling the Russians even as they now try to refit, resupply, and focus on a more concentrated geographic area,” the official said.

11:50 a.m. ET, April 13, 2022

Russia could relaunch offensive to "conquer" Donbas region in days, French military spokesperson says

From CNN’s Camille Knight and Joseph Ataman in Paris

The Russian military is potentially preparing for a “large-scale offensive” in the east of Ukraine in the coming days, French military spokesperson Col. Pascal Lanni said on Wednesday. 

“Within the next few days, 10 days or so maybe, Russia could relaunch its efforts with a large-scale offensive in the east and south to conquer the Donetsk and Luhansk regions […] or even to push as far as the Dnipro [river] if its capacities allow it,” Lanni told journalists.

The spokesperson said that the Russian forces were carrying out air strikes and bombings in Ukraine not only “to weaken the coherence of the Ukrainian defense system, but also to disrupt Ukrainian logistical movements and capacity,” which explained the “total destruction” of Dnipro's airport by Russian troops. 

He also noted that there were “no significant advances at this stage in terms of territorial gains for the Russian forces on the eastern front.”

11:40 a.m. ET, April 13, 2022

Italy will not veto sanctions on Russian energy, but wants EU ceiling on gas prices

From CNN's Abby Baggini

Italy will continue its efforts to lower its dependency on Russian oil and gas as a response to the invasion of Ukraine despite concerns about rising fuel costs, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio has told CNN.

"The cost of energy is our first worry at the moment," but Italy "is not going to put up any veto to these sanctions that affects energy," Di Maio said Wednesday.

"There are businesses, for example, that are paying 400% more for electric energy. At this moment in time, we have to stop that speculation which is happening by putting a ceiling on energy prices," Di Maio told CNN. "We are trying to get that through the EU and if we can do that through the European energy stock exchange, we will be able to at least stabilize the increase in prices for families. We are going to certainly put that forward before the next European Council."

Di Maio's comments come after Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced Monday that an initial deal had been struck to increase energy imports from Algeria after a meeting with the country’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Algeria.

11:22 a.m. ET, April 13, 2022

European Union approves further military aid to Ukraine, taking total to $1.63 billion 

From CNN’s James Frater in Brussels 

The European Union on Wednesday approved a further $543 million in military aid for Ukraine. In total, the EU has allocated $1.63 billion of aid to help the country defend itself against Russian forces.

The new package would finance the provision of equipment and supplies to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which includes “personal protective equipment, first aid kits and fuel, as well as military equipment designed to deliver lethal force for defensive purposes," the European Council said in a statement.

“As Russia prepares for an offensive on the east of Ukraine, it is crucial that we continue and step up our military support to Ukraine to defend its territory and population and prevent further suffering,” Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said in a statement.