Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary force, released a social media video from Paraskoviivka, where he called for Ukraine to withdraw from Bakhmut. /Reuters via third party.
TOP HEADLINES
· The head of Russia's Wagner private army says Russian forces have almost completely surrounded the city of Bakhmut.
· Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to order the evacuation of Bakhmut to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
· German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is due to meet U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House to discuss additional military aid to Ukraine. Germany makes the Leopard tanks that are expected to be the core of a new Ukrainian armoured force when they arrive later this year.
· Washington will announce its latest military aid package worth $400 million, mainly comprising ammunition and armoured vehicles. The United States has provided nearly $32 billion in weaponry to Ukraine since the conflict began.
· Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that additional measures were being taken to protect the Ukrainian border after accusing Ukraine of carrying out a terrorist attack on the city of Bryansk.
· Ukrainians living in Kherson say they were pressured to register babies as Russian citizens during Moscow's time in the region.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will meet U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday, where he will discuss military aid for Ukraine. /Annegret Hilse/Reuters
IN DEPTH
Russia vows to bolster border defences
Russia said on Friday it would take measures to prevent new border incursions, a day after accusing Ukraine-backed nationalists of killing two people in a cross-border raid in southern Russia.
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia had been hit by a "terrorist attack" in the southern Bryansk region bordering Ukraine, and vowed to crush what he said was a Ukrainian sabotage group that had fired at civilians.
A Ukrainian presidential adviser accused Russia of staging the incident as a false "provocation" to justify aggression against Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that additional measures were being taken to protect the border.
"Of course, yesterday's terrorist attack will be investigated and measures will be taken to prevent similar events in the future," he said.
The FSB security service released video and photos of Thursday's incident showing two shot-up cars with their drivers slumped dead inside.
Putin was due to hold a regular meeting of his Security Council later on Friday.
Subscribe to Storyboard: A weekly newsletter bringing you the best of CGTN every Friday