WASHINGTON: The United States will announce new sanctions on Russia on Friday over the death in prison of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the White House said.
“At President Biden’s direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week to hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr.Navalny,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Tuesday.
He said the sanctions would also be in response to “all its actions over the course of this vicious and brutal war that has now raged on for two years.”
Russia on Friday announced the death of Navalny, a persistent critic of President Vladimir Putin who survived a 2020 poisoning, at a remote prison in the Arctic where the anti-corruption campaigner was serving a 19-year sentence.
“Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it’s clear President Putin and his government are responsible,” Kirby said.
“Absent some credible investigation into his death,” Kirby said, “it’s hard to get to a point where we can just take the Russians’ word for it.”
“We’re calling for complete transparency by the Russian government for how he died.”
US to announce new Russia sanctions after Navalny death
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US to announce new Russia sanctions after Navalny death
- “We will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters
- “Absent some credible investigation into his death”
Kyiv under ‘massive’ missile attack, Russian village evacuated after drone strike
- "A mass attack on the capital is still underway," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram early Thursday
- Simultaneously, a Ukrainian drone attack deep inside Russia ignited a fire at a Ministry of Defense facility in the Volgograd region
KYIV/MOSCOW: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated sharply early Thursday as both sides launched significant aerial assaults, targeting critical infrastructure and residential areas.
The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, came under a “massive” attack from Russian missiles, officials said, while Russian authorities ordered the evacuation of a village in the Volgograd region following a drone strike on a military facility.
"A mass attack on the capital is still underway," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram early Thursday. He reported hits on both residential and non-residential buildings on both sides of the Dnipro River, which bisects the city.
According to preliminary reports, falling fragments struck near two residential buildings in one district. While no fires broke out and no immediate casualties were reported, emergency medical teams were dispatched to the affected areas.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration, confirmed at least one hit in an eastern suburb, as witnesses reported explosions resounding across the city.
The southeastern city of Dnipro was also targeted. Regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha stated that while some private homes and cars sustained damage, there were no indications of casualties. Air raid alerts remained in effect in both Kyiv and Dnipro well after midnight.
Drone Strike in Russia
Simultaneously, a Ukrainian drone attack deep inside Russia ignited a fire at a Ministry of Defense facility in the Volgograd region.
"Falling debris caused a fire on the grounds of a Ministry of Defense facility near the village of Kotluban," Governor Andrey Bocharov posted on Telegram.
Authorities declared an immediate evacuation of the nearby village "to ensure civilian safety from the threat of detonation during firefighting," Bocharov added.
The exchange of strikes follows a deadly day in eastern Ukraine. On Wednesday, a Russian strike on the city of Bogodukhiv in the Kharkiv region killed four people, including three young children.
Regional military head Oleg Synegubov reported that two one-year-old boys and a two-year-old girl were killed, along with a 34-year-old man. A 74-year-old woman and a 35-year-old pregnant woman were also wounded in the attack. The Kharkiv region has seen intensified Russian attacks on transport and energy infrastructure in recent weeks.
The ongoing violence stands in stark contrast to diplomatic efforts. Ukrainian and Russian officials have been holding US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the four-year invasion. While the two sides successfully conducted a prisoner swap last week, a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict remains elusive.
The human toll continues to mount. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), approximately 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since Russia invaded in February 2022. The agency noted that 2025 was the deadliest year of the conflict so far, with more than 2,500 civilians killed.
