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Michelle Troconis to be sentenced in case of missing Connecticut mom Jennifer Dulos

May 31, 2024.

(STAMFORD, Conn.) -- Michelle Troconis, who was convicted of helping her boyfriend cover up the murder of his estranged wife, faces up to 50 years in prison at her sentencing Friday.

The case began on May 24, 2019, when Jennifer Dulos, a Connecticut mother of five, disappeared amid a contentious custody dispute with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos.

Prosecutors alleged Fotis Dulos killed his estranged wife in her garage, and Troconis, his live-in girlfriend, helped him cover up evidence.

On March 1, Troconis was found guilty of all counts against her: conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with physical evidence, conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence and hindering prosecution.

Troconis faces between one and 20 years in prison if the judge orders the sentences to run concurrently, and up to 50 years in prison if the sentences run consecutively, according to The Stamford Advocate.

At trial, police testified that surveillance footage showed Fotis Dulos driving, with Troconis in the passenger seat, in Hartford later on the day Jennifer Dulos vanished, with Fotis Dulos making stops to throw out alleged evidence in trash cans, the Hartford Courant reported. In court, jurors were shown zip ties, gloves and stained clothing prosecutors said were pulled from the trash cans.

Prosecutors said Troconis also helped her boyfriend with an alibi and helped him clean a truck believed to have been used in the crime, according to The Stamford Advocate.

Troconis maintained her innocence, with the defense arguing Troconis never denied being in the car with her boyfriend, but she did deny having any involvement in or any knowledge of crimes Fotis Dulos may have committed.

Fotis Dulos died by suicide in January 2020, weeks after he was charged in Jennifer Dulos' murder.

Jennifer Dulos' body has never been found but a judge has declared her legally dead.

Fotis Dulos' friend and former lawyer, Kent Mawhinney, is also accused of helping cover up the crime. He pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and is awaiting trial.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow warns it could go to war with NATO over US move - as Germany follows Washington in approving strikes inside Russia with its weapons

Germany has followed the US in approving strikes inside Russia using its weapons - as Moscow warns the moves could cause a war with NATO. Meanwhile, Ukraine reportedly launched a large missile and drone attack overnight.

Saturday 1 June 2024 08:31, UK

• Biden partially lifts ban on Ukraine using US arms to attack Russia, US officials say - with cross-border strikes allowed  
• Moscow warns it could go to war with NATO over US move - as Putin ally says Russia 'not bluffing' over nuclear threats
• Germany follows US in announcing Ukraine can now use its weapons to strike targets in Russia
• At least four dead in Kharkiv from overnight Russian missile strikes
• Watch: Freed Ukrainian prisoners weep as they sing on way home after two years in captivity
• Analysis: Sharp change of US policy increases chance of direct confrontation with Russia
• The big picture : What you need to know about the war right now
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell and Dylan Donnelly

We'll be back with live updates soon.

Scroll down to read today's news.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has wrapped up a flurry of negotiations in Sweden and signed long-term security deals with Norway and Iceland.

Earlier, we reported that the Ukrainian president had struck an agreement while in Stockholm (see 13.26 post).

Now, Mr Zelenskyy has signed a 10-year deal with Norway, through which Oslo will focus on supporting Ukraine's maritime and air defence needs.

Norway would be "open" to the Norwegian defence industry localising production in Ukraine under the deal. Iceland has also committed to a 10-year pact.

The new agreements mean Mr Zelenskyy now has 15 written pacts with Western nations, including all five Nordic countries - which are all NATO countries.

He previously agreed security pacts with Denmark and Finland in February and April respectively.

Sweden's agreement means Stockholm will transfer two ASC 890 surveillance aircraft as well as its entire stock of armoured tracked personnel carriers.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said earlier: "You are literally fighting not only for your own freedom but also for our freedom and our security."

A Russian-American journalist will be detained until at least 5 August ahead of an investigation and trial.

Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty’s Tatar-Bashkir service, was taken into custody on 18 October.

She's been charged with failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information about the Russian military.

Later, she was also charged with spreading "false information" about the Russian military.

Ms Kurmasheva told reporters she suffered from various health conditions which could not be properly treated in detention. 

She also said she had last heard her children's voices in October, and held up two children's drawings for reporters which she said had been sent to her and had lifted her spirits.

She was the second American journalist detained in Russia last year, after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

He was arrested on espionage charges in March. A year later, President Joe Biden said  the US was "working every day"  to secure his release.

Read more about her charges  here...

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia is trying to disrupt Ukraine's peace summit in June by blackmailing world leaders.

Speaking in Stockholm after signing a security pact with Sweden, the Ukrainian president said: "The most important thing right now is the peace summit. It should become a truly global summit.

"At this moment, we already have about 100 states and international organisations that will participate in the summit, but Russia is blackmailing some leaders and trying to block the participation of some countries."

Earlier, China's foreign ministry spokesperson defended Beijing's refusal to attend the summit - held 15-16 June in Switzerland - which Russia is not invited to.

Mao Ning insisted its demands for an international peace conference that is recognised by both Russia and Ukraine are "fair" and "impartial" (see 10.53 post).

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said China's decision shows Beijing understands that holding a peace summit without Russia would be futile.

Mr Zelenskyy also said it's "a question of time" before Ukraine uses Western weapons to strike targets inside Russia (see 13.26 post).

The Kremlin has dismissed France's refusal to invite Russian officials to events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in the Second World War.

Yesterday, the French presidency said Russia would not be invited next week over what Paris called "Moscow's war of aggression" against Ukraine.

Despite Vladimir Putin and officials accusing the West of trying to "erase" Russia's contributions to the war effort, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was planning for next year's Victory Day.

He said "next year, you know, is an extremely important year for us", as it marks 80 years since the Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany.

"This is our main priority in terms of memorial actions."

Earlier this week, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Western countries of presenting D-Day as "the main event that decided the outcome of World War Two".

She said: "Of course, nothing is said in the West about the fact that no landing in Normandy would have been possible without the successes of the Red Army. 

"They are trying not only not to remember, but to erase it."

Kremlin officials have today been issuing various statements - including dire threats of war with NATO - in response to Western powers' decisions to let Ukraine use weapons they have supplied to attack inside Russia.

But Jens Stoltenberg, the military alliance's secretary-general, has dismissed the threats and insisted NATO was simply helping Kyiv defend itself.

"This is nothing new. It has… been the case for a long time that every time NATO allies are providing support to Ukraine, President Putin is trying to threaten us to not do that," he said in Prague.

"And an escalation – well, Russia has escalated by invading another country."

Citing Russia's northern offensive against the Kharkiv region in Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg added: "Ukraine has the right for self-defence, we have the right to help Ukraine uphold the right for self-defence, and that does not make NATO allies a party to the conflict.

"That was the case back in February 2022, that was the case last year, that remains the case."

Ten foreign ministers, including Lord Cameron, are demanding North Korea stop supplying weapons to Russia.

Earlier this month, Russia dismissed claims it was working with Pyongyang on military matters and said the relationship between the countries was not a threat to others.

But the ministers say Russia is using North Korean arms transfers "to strike Ukraine's critical infrastructure, prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people".

They also called for North Korea to end its nuclear weapons programme.

Yesterday, North Korea fired a barrage of ballistic missile to show it is willing to strike South Korea's "gangsters' regime" pre-emptively.

Meanwhile, some of the officials are in Prague for a two-day NATO summit, where they've discussed allowing Ukraine to use weapons they have supplied to strike inside of Russia.

Germany announced it will allow Kyiv to do so, to the anger of Russian officials (see 10.30am post).

Earlier, we reported that Ukraine and Russia had carried out their first prisoner swap since February (see 13.05 post).

Now, Ukraine's defence ministry has shared a video of freed prisoners singing Ukraine, originally by Taras Petrynenko, as they're brought back home.

Leading the sing-along is Kostyantyn Myrhorodskyi, who was in Russian captivity for more than two years.

Some of the men with him on the coach can be seen weeping as they are overcome with emotion by the moment. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed Joe Biden approved for US weapons to be used inside Russia. 

Speaking to reporters in the Czech Republic following a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Mr Blinken said Ukraine asked for authorisation to allow its forces to defend itself against Russian attacks, particularly in the city of Kharkiv.

The meeting of NATO foreign ministers comes before a summit in Washington from 9 -11 July. 

Mr Blinken said during the summit, "concrete steps" will be taken to bring Ukraine closer to NATO and the US will "ensure there's a bridge for Ukraine to NATO membership".

He said the summit is happening at a "pivotal time" when Russia is intensifying its attacks against frontline regions in Ukraine.

After last night's missile strike on a block of flats, Russia's defence ministry says it has carried out 25 attacks in Kharkiv.

According to the Interfax news agency, the strikes were carried out between 25 May and 31 May with precision-guided weapons, and targeted Ukrainian military facilities.

The ministry adds Russian troops are advancing in several directions - and have captured two villages - Berestove and Ivanivka - in the Kharkiv region.

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Russia invades Ukraine live updates: Russian military convoy stalls north of Kyiv as airstrikes destroy TV tower in the capital

A U.S. defense official says Russian troops stalled about 18 miles north of Ukraine's capital, short on fuel and food. Also, Russian strikes have hit the main television and radio tower in Kyiv, as well as a memorial to the site where Nazis killed tens of thousands of Jews during World War II.

Here's what we're following today:

The convoy stalls: As night fell on Ukraine on Tuesday, the 40-mile-long Russian convoy was still about 18 miles north of Kyiv — representing little or no change from Monday, the official said.

Apparent Russian strikes have hit the main television and radio tower in Kyiv , as well as a memorial to the site where Nazis killed thousands of Jews during World War II. Ukraine's foreign ministry confirmed the attack in a tweet, in which it equated Russia with barbarism.

The U.S. and 30 other countries will release oil from their reserves to try to calm markets

By Camila Domonoske

The United States and other members of the International Energy Agency are releasing 60 million barrels of oil from their strategic petroleum reserves after crude prices surged following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

That represents just 12 days' worth of Russian oil exports, and by itself, the move is seen as unlikely to significantly bring down oil prices. In fact, crude prices continued to rise despite the news — the global benchmark, Brent, soared past $107 a barrel to set a new 7-year high.

The global release is also smaller than a similar release coordinated by the U.S. with individual allies in November, which also did not move prices down.

This time around the U.S. will release 30 million barrels from its reserves as part of the IEA action.

• Major oil companies pull out of once-promising Russia
• Oil prices are surging. Here's what that means for you
• How a wrinkle in the oil futures market has clogged America's oil pump

So far Russian oil and gas exports have not been directly targeted with sanctions, as the U.S. and Europe are wary of disrupting global energy supplies. However, traders and analysts report that financial sanctions on Russia and concerns over the risk of future energy sanctions are already slowing down the sale of Russian oil and gas, though not stopping it completely.

The U.S. has also signaled that direct energy sanctions remain on the table, as Moscow shows no sign of backing off its military assault on Ukraine.

"We are prepared to use every tool available to us to limit disruption to global energy supply as a result of President Putin's actions," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Tuesday. "We will also continue our efforts to accelerate diversification of energy supplies away from Russia and to secure the world from Moscow's weaponization of oil and gas."

Oil markets are also waiting for an OPEC+ meeting Wednesday. Many analysts expect the powerful cartel will stick to a gradual increase in oil supplies, rather than accelerate production — another force keeping oil prices high.

Russia’s 40-mile convoy has stalled on its way to Kyiv, a U.S. official says

By Bill Chappell

Logistics problems are stalling Russia’s massive convoy that’s pushing its way toward Kyiv, according to a senior U.S. defense official. The convoy, which has been measured as stretching for 40 miles , is apparently being hampered by fuel and food shortages. The news comes as Russia continues to concentrate attacks on the large cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv .

As night fell on Ukraine Tuesday, the convoy was still about 18 miles north of Kyiv — representing little or no change from Monday, the official said. They added that some elements within the military column are “literally out of gas” and having difficulty feeding their troops.

“The U.S. says about 80% of the estimated 190,000 Russian troops that rimmed Ukraine are now in the country,” NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman reports. ”About 400 missiles have been fired by the Russians since the invasion began last week.”

Despite Russia’s vastly larger armed forces, Ukraine’s airspace remains contested, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s country currently mounting a viable defense, the senior defense official said.

As in the first days of the war, Russia appears to be having more military success in southern Ukraine, the official said.

Russia's invasion could trigger food shortages in and beyond Ukraine

Russia's escalating attacks on Ukraine are harming civilians, destroying infrastructure and sparking a massive exodus of refugees. They are also poised to limit access to food in hard-hit Ukraine as well as other countries around the world.

Ukraine could soon face a food shortage

A leader of a humanitarian group warned NPR's Tim Mak of a looming food shortage in western Ukraine.

(Side note: Mak has been live-tweeting updates from Ukraine throughout the day, and you can follow along here .)

Another problem is looming: a leader of a humanitarian group here warned me of food shortages in western Ukraine in a matter of days — basic supplies are having trouble crossing the border… exacerbating the refugee crisis here pic.twitter.com/OErXWvrItW — Tim Mak (@timkmak) February 28, 2022

Reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Programme highlight how conflicts are a primary driver of food insecurity.

Celebrity chef José Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen are among the volunteers providing food to refugees fleeing Ukraine at the Polish border , as well as in neighboring countries including Romania and Moldova .

Middle Eastern countries rely heavily on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine

Russia's war in Ukraine could also disrupt global grain markets, potentially wreaking havoc for the Middle Eastern nations that depend heavily on the region.

As NPR's Jason Beaubien reports, Egypt imports more wheat than any nation in the world, with 85% coming from Russia and Ukraine. Iraq, Syria, Iran and North African nations also rely on wheat imports.

Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter, followed by Australia. Last year, Ukraine surpassed the U.S. in wheat exports last year for the first time. Read more from Beaubien here , and continue below for likely short- and long-term effects.

Experts anticipate short- and long-term effects

The ongoing conflict will likely have immediate and longer-term effects on the global food supply, according to a report from the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Most wheat, barley and sunflower seed exports are completed by February, it says, though Ukraine maize exports typically remain heavy into the early summer. Most grain flows out of Odessa and western ports on the Black Sea, and could be disrupted by Russia's offensive.

"Military operations could have short- and long-term consequences in the capacity to move Ukraine’s crop production within and beyond its borders, especially if port facilities and railroads are damaged through terrestrial and aerial operations, or cyber-attacks targeting various infrastructures and their management," the report reads.

Looking farther ahead, it says that the world's response to Russia's aggression could impact its exports of natural gas and fertilizers. Sanctions from the EU, U.S. and others on Russia and Belarus could drive prices up, and the IFPRI says fertilizer shortages could take a particular toll on agriculture in developing countries.

The report argues that food and fertilizer exports should be allowed to "continue unimpeded," but if they do not, mitigation packages should be provided to the third-party countries affected by shortages.

"Placing sanctions on those sectors will only exacerbate world shortages and penalize mainly populations that are already food insecure," it explains.

Russian figure skaters are banned from this month’s world championships

The International Skating Union is banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in any of its events — including the upcoming figure skating world championships — because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The move comes one day after the International Olympic Committee recommended that no Russian or Belarusian athletes or officials should be allowed to take part in international sports. The ISU said it has received many calls asking for the ban.

Responding to the move, the Russian Figure Skating Federation said it is extremely disappointed , adding that it sees the ban as another sign of politics' influence in sports. It also complained that Russian athletes are suffering — but when the IOC issued its statement on Monday, it addressed that point by noting that Ukrainian athletes were also being sidetracked.

The ban is effective immediately, the ISU said . That status sets it apart from the IOC’s actions, which left open the possibility that Russian and Belarusian athletes might participate in the upcoming Beijing Paralympics, as long as they are seen as “neutral” and not representing their countries.

“The ISU Council reiterates its solidarity with all those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country,” skating's governing body said.

The world figure skating championships begin on March 21 in Montpelier, France. The contest had been widely anticipated, even after Russian female skaters’ historic successes in Beijing were marred by controversy over a positive doping test. In the end, Russian star Kamila Valieva was cleared to compete in Beijing, in a ruling that also would have allowed her to skate at the world championships.

Speed skating and short track championships are also being held this month, in Norway and Canada, respectively.

Photos: Some Ukrainians return home to find family and to fight

By Ryan Kellman and Claire Harbage

Thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing the country and entering Poland following Russia’s invasion last week. But some are returning to Ukraine to get to their families or to join the Ukrainian military and fight against Russian forces.

Oleksand Sashenko, 29, is going back into Ukraine to join the military and fight. He says he's scared, but adds that fear is important to stay safe, and he believes it is time to return home.

Natalia Belova, 50, is returning to Ukraine to pick up her children. She hopes to meet them and then leave as soon as possible, then travel to another EU country.

Sergei Smushko, who is Russian, says he will pick up Ukrainians who are fleeing and take them where they need to go.

“I’m proud [of] Ukrainians because they are fighting a war they didn’t start. And I think we should help each other and not fight each other. Because it’s a bad thing, it should not happen now and in the future. But it’s happening and we should do something, that is why I’m here,” he says.

Nadia Kyzhyl, 38, is returning to Ukraine to meet her family in Chernobyl.

Ihor Kobryn, 52, is proud to be a Ukrainian and is returning to his country to fight after working as a driver in Poland.

The mayor of a small Polish town becomes a wartime Santa

By Lauren Frayer

KROSCIENKO, Poland — With his red jacket and sack full of gifts for children, Jarosław Perzyński could easily be mistaken for Santa Claus.

Perzyński is a small-town mayor from northern Poland. Last weekend, he drove 7 hours on snowy roads to reach the Ukraine-Poland border, where he’s been handing out stuffed animals to Ukrainian children whose families are fleeing Russian bombardment.

“We need to help,” he tells NPR. “Because we’re scared we could be in the same situation.”

Russia is Poland’s historic foe, and Perzyński is one of the thousands of Polish officials and laypeople who’ve mobilized to help Ukrainian victims of Russian attacks.

NPR met Perzyński at the Kroscienko border crossing, where Ukrainian children squealed with delight when the mayor presented them with gifts: a sparkly pink rabbit for a 10-year-old girl, a puffy orange blowfish doll for a toddler.

He’d driven to the Ukrainian border with a truck full of what he said was more than 20,000 pounds of relief supplies for Ukrainian refugees — donated by residents of his town of Sierpca, population about 18,000, north of the Polish capital Warsaw.

“From our children, to the Ukrainian children!” he exclaims. Some of Sierpca’s children donated their own toys, he says.

Perzyński says he got the idea when he heard a rumor about a Ukrainian mother dropping her two children off at the Polish border, to ensure their safety. He’s a father of two himself.

“When you have children the same age,” the mayor trails off, choking up. “It’s very emotional.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by NPR (@npr)

Zelenskyy calls on the European Union to prove it stands with Ukraine

By Nicole Werbeck & AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called in a live video address to the European Parliament for the European Union to prove it is with Ukraine as it resists Russia’s invasion.

“Without you, Ukraine is going to be alone," he said. "We have proven our strength. We have proven that, at a minimum, we are exactly the same as you are. So do prove you are with us, do prove that you will not let us go."

The parliament, meeting in a special plenary session, gave Zelenskyy a standing ovation.

Zelenskyy has been calling for the EU to admit Ukraine, officially signing an application for membership on Monday. Here's how that process works .

EU leader welcomes Ukraine’s request, saying Europe’s way of life ‘is worth a cost’

The European Union has officially welcomed Ukraine’s application to join, with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola saying the union will work with Ukraine toward that goal. “We must face the future together,” Metsola said.

“The message from Europe is clear: We will stand up. We will not look away when those fighting in the streets for our values face down Putin’s massive war machine,” said Metsola, a Maltese politician who was elected as the Parliament’s president in January.

Metsola spoke at the start of a special plenary session on Russia's wide-scale invasion of Ukraine. Addressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — who received a standing ovation when he later appeared by video link —- the parliament president extended her gratitude.

“Mr. President, thank you for showing the world what it means to stand up,” she said.

Pointing out several instances of bravery and resistance shown by Ukrainians, Metsola said, “They showed the world that our way of life is worth defending. It is worth a cost.” She added, “For us, for the next generation, for all those in Ukraine and around the world who believe in Europe and in our way. For all those who want to be free.”

“This must be our “whatever it takes” moment,” she said, noting the sanctions the EU has enacted, as well as the moves by Ukraine’s neighbors to help people who are fleeing violence. Metsola also applauded European countries sending arms to Ukraine, as well as efforts to disengage from Russian oligarchs and propaganda.

Looking to the future, Metsola laid out four goals for the EU:

• Europe must end its reliance on “Kremlin gas.”
• Russian oligarchs can no longer “hide behind a veneer of respectability.”
• Europe must invest more in its own defense and security.
• The EU “must fight the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign.”

Singling out social media and big tech companies, Metsola said they should take their responsibilities seriously, adding that it’s not tenable to insist on neutrality when the choice is “between the fire and the fire brigade.”

Photos: Refugees arrive at a temporary shelter near the Polish-Ukrainian border

By Joanna Kakissis

Olena Karpenko is staying at a temporary shelter near the Korczowa-Krakovets border crossing after entering Poland by bus. She is a travel agency manager and a mother of three from Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine that was hard hit by Russian bombing. Sumy is near the border, but Karpenko said she never imagined the Russians would attack it.

“Now they’re bombing everything, including Kyiv and western Ukraine,” she says. “[They're] attacking us, everyday Ukrainians.”

Kseniia Onyshchenko contributed to this report.

Nadir Fayzullaev, who’s from Uzbekistan, fled Kyiv after the kebab shop he worked in was bombed. He was there when it happened and ran away with the clothes on his back — he’s still wearing his work uniform. Now he’s sipping hot tea at the shelter near the Korczowa crossing, waiting to go back home to Uzbekistan. “I am praying for Ukraine,” he says. “It’s been good to me.”

YouTube is the latest platform to drop Russian state media across Europe

Google announced on Tuesday that it is blocking YouTube channels connected to two Kremlin-backed outlets across Europe, effective immediately, citing the war in Ukraine.

"It’ll take time for our systems to fully ramp up," it said in a tweet . "Our teams continue to monitor the situation around the clock to take swift action."

YouTube is the latest platform to drop the state-sponsored media outlets Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik, after the European Union pledged on Sunday to ban them and their subsidiaries across the continent.

They "will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, adding that the body is "developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe."

Facebook, TikTok and Microsoft have all since announced steps to restrict access to the outlets in EU countries, with Google and Facebook also blocking them in Ukraine at the request of the government. For its part, Twitter is adding warning labels to tweets with links to stories from Russian media and making it less likely for people to see them.

Facebook, Google and Twitter are also blocking Russian state media from running ads on their platforms.

The crackdown follows mounting pressure on tech companies to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and curb the spread of misinformation and propaganda.

RT and Sputnik push a pro-Kremlin agenda to their millions of followers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, as NPR's Shannon Bond has reported .

"RT, which has more than 7 million followers on its main Facebook page and 4.6 million subscribers to its main YouTube channel, has framed Russia's invasion as a response to Ukrainian aggression and toed the Kremlin's line in calling it a 'special operation,'" Bond explained.

Editor's note: Meta pays NPR to license NPR content. Microsoft is among NPR's financial supporters.

A Ukrainian reporter describes day-to-day life in Kyiv under attack

By Nell Clark

Ukrainian forces have continued to hold control of Ukraine's capital Kyiv, but renewed bombardment by more Russian forces is expected soon . Many residents have evacuated and left Kyiv for safer areas.

Asami Terajima, a reporter at The Kyiv Independent , has no plans to leave.

"People are doing their best to stay calm," she says of Kyiv residents.

She's one of Ukraine's reporters covering the war from inside her country. She spoke to NPR's Steve Inskeep about daily life in Kyiv today.

She says while some people have evacuated, that wasn't an option for many residents. Not everyone can afford to leave, and some have stayed in the hopes of protecting their homes as well as their country, says Terajima.

She notes that much of the public left in Kyiv is remaining calm, despite the tense situation. She says the stress that comes from Russian aggression isn't new to residents and was last felt in 2014 when Russia attacked parts of Ukraine.

She said the line to get into a large supermarket to shop was so long yesterday, she ultimately went to a smaller store. There, she saw that fresh produce and grains were sold out, but the shelves were stocked with plenty of other food.

"No one is panic buying, everyone is only buying whatever they need for the next couple of days," Terajima reports.

Terajima says while some people have been staying in metro stations for safety from potential bombings, many residents of Kyiv are staying in their homes. She says many of those residents watch the news closely and are prepared to evacuate somewhere safer in the event of shelling or other attacks.

Ukrainian forces are still in control of Kyiv, but a 40-mile-long convoy of Russian tanks, armored vehicles and artillery appears to be headed to the capital.

"The upcoming days or even weeks could be very difficult for the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian people," says Terajima.

She says the Ukrainian military has been heroic in holding off Russia's forces for this long.

"We'll see what happens. We're doing our best to stay calm and analyze the situation rationally."

🔊 Listen to the full interview with Terajima here.

📰 Read Terajima's coverage in The Kyiv Independent here.

Across the U.S., communities gather to show solidary with Ukraine

By Emily Alfin Johnson

Thousands gathered in Boston on Sunday to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people. As GBH's Meredith Nierman reports:

Many waved the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag and sang the country's national anthem while others held up signs voicing their support and condemning Russia’s actions — and in particular, those of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“My parents and friends are all there," said Kateryna Slovodian, who is from Ukraine and attended the rally. "I’m so proud of how strong they are, how strong our spirit, and there is nothing, nothing that Putin can do that will change that. We are unbreakable.”

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Philadelphia

As WHYY's Tennyson Donyéa reports :

Hundreds gathered with Ukrainian Flags at Philadelphia's Independence Mall on Sunday to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was a sea of blue and yellow, as many came to stand up for their loved ones who sheltered in place throughout Ukraine

Some said they’ve lost contact with relatives because Russian forces have knocked out power grids. “It’s been 26 hours and I haven’t heard from [my grandmother],” Anastasia Dovbik said.

As Ideastream Public Media's Lisa Ryan reports :

Many people who came to the prayer service at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, Ohio, on Sunday were praying for loved ones still in Ukraine. Lena, who didn’t want to give her last name, has family in Kyiv. She's scared for them and feels hopeless.

"They're hiding, they're staying home," she said with tears in her eyes. "When I ask them if they move closer to the border, they got angry at me. They said they're not leaving, they're staying."

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Kansas City

As KCUR's Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga reports:

Volodymyr Kavetskyi, a Kansas State University student who was raised in Kyiv, said he came to the protest as a call for help on behalf of people still in Ukraine.

“I’m protesting to bring peace to Ukraine, for America to put sanctions on Russian Federation,” he said, “and to let U.S. citizens know that we are in danger. They have to make some steps to protect our country because if they don’t protect us, next day it can be them who will suffer from this.”

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Ukraine invasion — explained

U.N. Human Rights group says at least 136 Ukrainian civilians have been killed

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has killed at least 136 civilians, including 13 children, the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said today. But the agency warns that the death toll is “is likely to be much higher,” as it lists only the casualties it was able to cross-check and confirm.

“Hostilities must end now,” the agency said .

In addition to those killed, at least 400 civilians are injured, including 26 children, the office said on Tuesday. The Geneva-based agency said its figures cover the timeframe from the start of the war on the morning of Feb. 24 to midnight on March 1.

“Most of these casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and air strikes,” the rights office said. It warned that the use of such weapons brings “very high risks of indiscriminate and disproportionate impact on civilians.”

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights also provided an update on anti-war protests in Russia, saying that some 6,400 people have been arrested since last Thursday. Many of those arrested were reportedly released within hours, the agency said . But it added that arresting people who are exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly “constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of liberty.”

Russia shells Ukraine's second-largest city as a huge convoy approaches the capital

Kyiv and other cities remain in Ukrainian hands as the sixth day of Russia's invasion begins in the U.S.

But while initial Russian moves seem to have failed, dramatic images show the growing threat their forces pose to Ukrainian civilians in the country's two biggest cities, Kyiv and Kkarkiv.

Russian strikes hit a Kharkiv government building and residential areas

Kharkiv is Ukraine's second-largest city, home to 1.5 million people and thousands of university students.

When NPR's Eleanor Beardsley visited just a month ago, no one there was worried about an invasion — but fighting broke out over the weekend when Russian troops briefly pushed through to the city center. She has since spoken to several residents who are either fleeing the city or taking shelter in an underground bunker. Listen here.

Russia appears to be stepping up its assault on Kharkiv this week.

Video footage released by Ukrainian officials and verified by Reuters shows the bombardment of the northeastern city, where Russian forces shelled a government building as well as residential areas.

NPR's Tim Mak told Morning Edition from Ukraine that NPR has geolocated one of the videos — showing a series of explosions within the city — and identified it as a residential area, filled with a shopping mall, bank, apartments and a sushi and wine shop. Kharkiv's mayor says dozens of civilians were injured and at least nine were killed. Of those, four people died after they left a bomb shelter to try to get water.

Beardsley reports that an Indian student was among the victims of the shelling.

An Indian student died today in the shelling in Kharkiv. I was there in Ukraine’s university town in Jan. Many foreign students from India and Africa happy to study medicine, aeronautics etc. Putin’s ruthless invasion is a tragedy for the entire world! — Eleanor Beardsley (@ElBeardsley) March 1, 2022

A massive Russian convoy is heading towards Kyiv

Meanwhile, a huge convoy of Russian tanks, trucks and artillery appears to be heading towards Ukraine's capital.

Satellite imagery provided to NPR by the U.S. firm Maxar Technologies shows a column of armored vehicles stretching for nearly 40 miles, from near Antonov airport in the south to the northern end of the convoy near Prybirsk.

Here's what that looks like .

It's not the only threat facing Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says hundreds of "saboteurs" have been sent to undermine defense there, Mak reports.

Ukrainians continue to resist and fight back. In Kyiv's city center, they are erecting billboards addressing troops in Russian. According to Mak, one reads: "Stop. How can you look your children in the eyes? Leave. Stay human."

Zelenskyy calls Russia a 'terrorist state' after its military hits Kharkiv’s central square

Russia’s shelling of Kharkiv’s residential areas and city square is a war crime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today.

“Russia is a terrorist state,” Zelenskyy said in an address to his nation . “Obviously.”

Zelenskyy said Russia’s military used a cruise missile to strike at government offices in Kharkiv’s Freedom Square, leaving dozens of victims. The strike on the square of Ukraine’s second-largest city was caught on camera, with footage showing a massive fireball engulfing the façade of a large office building.

The president said the missile was fired from Belgorod, a Russian city that sits on the other side of the border, some 50 miles from Kharkiv. He noted that the two cities have shared a close relationship in the past, but that everything changed after a missile hit “the face of our Kharkiv.”

“This is terror against the city,” Zelenskyy said. “There was no military target on the square. Just as in those residential areas of Kharkiv hit by rocket artillery.”

Zelenskyy called on the international community to hold Russia responsible for war crimes, and he urged Ukraine’s citizens and military to keep resisting the Russian invaders.

“This is what the price of freedom is,” he said, adding that defending Kyiv, the capital, is of the utmost importance.

Rishi Sunak arrives in Cornwall on night train

The Prime Minister is in Cornwall and Devon on the campaign trail

• Updated 13:15, 29 MAY 2024

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may not be getting much sleep theses days - and now he's spent the night on a train. The Prime Minister is campaigning in Cornwall today as he tries to shore up votes for the beleaguered Conservative Party ahead of the General Election.

As the country prepares to go to the polls on July 4, Mr Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will be criss-crossing the country to try to sway the electorate. Along the way come myriad policy announcements, such as the Tory plan to reintroduce a form of National Service for all 18-year-olds.

Sir Keir set out his party's plans in his first major speech of the campaign yesterday.

And today Mr Sunak arrived on the Night Riviera sleeper train from Paddington Station in London at Penzance. He is meeting the press at a location in the area which has not been revealed for security reasons.

See below for updates as we get them.

Rishi Sunak's promises for Cornwall if he wins the election

National and regional media decamped to the seafront depot to watch a "well rested" Mr Sunak press the flesh and announce his latest election promise - to close down under-performing degrees and use that money to launch 100,000 high skilled apprenticeships a year, which he said would improve low wages in Cornwall .

More visibly relaxed than on his visit to nearby Nancledra school in February , Mr Sunak was on a mission to sell his recent promises of National Service, the 'triple lock plus' on pensions and today's apprenticeships announcement.

Read the full interview here .

More photos

Pictures from Mr Sunak's visit.

Rishi on Cornwall

Local democract reporter Lee Trewhela writes: "In a media huddle where you try to get as much info in your one allocated question I asked him what he would do about the impact of second homes and holiday lets on #Cornwall if he gets in again."

Full story shortly at www.cornwalllive.com

And he's off

Local democracy reporter Lee Trewhela says: "The Tory campaign trail has come to Cornwall. Rishi Sunak has just left GWR’s depot at Long Rock, Penzance, after talking to apprentices as he launches his promise to create 100,000 skilled apprenticeships a year."

Location, location, location

We are now allowed to reveal the first stop - after the cafe - of Mr Sunak's visit to Cornwall. He has spent some time with GWR staff at the Pernzance railway traction maintenance depot at Long Rock. He was joined by Derek Thomas, the Tory candidate hoping to be re-elected as St Ives and West Cornwall's MP.

Breakfast on the PM

The Prime Minister picked up breakfast for the media at a cafe near the train station in Penzance this morning. He arrived on the overnight train for a day campaigning in Cornwall and Devon.

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