The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressed his thanks to the United States during his regular address on Thursday for imposing “strong and impactful sanctions” on over 220 Russian organizations involved in aggressive actions.

On Thursday, the United States enforced sanctions on over 100 individuals and businesses from China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates for assisting Russia in obtaining necessary tools and equipment for their invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leader said every sanction “must work in full, so that there is no chance for Russia to circumvent sanctions.” Zelenskyy said, “The power of sanctions is the power of the world.”

On Thursday, authorities in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region reported that two civilians, an 81-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man, were killed in the latest round of Russian shelling. This adds to the ongoing casualties caused by Russia’s attack on the area.

According to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, multiple villages were the focus of the shelling. The strikes caused injuries to four individuals and also caused damage to buildings.

Two fatalities occurred following the death of one individual on Wednesday due to Russian shelling in the capital city of the region, known as Kherson. Prokudin described the aftermath of the attack as “a scene out of the apocalypse.”

In November of last year, Ukraine regained control of Kherson following a period of almost nine months under Russian occupation. The Kherson region is a key location in the ongoing conflict, as it is situated near the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014 and is currently being used as a base for important logistical operations by Russia.

On Thursday, Russia expressed concern over Ukraine’s actions of launching a drone attack near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear station, stating that they were “playing with fire”. The nuclear plant has been under Russian authority since March 2022.

According to the Defense Ministry of Russia, nine Ukrainian drones were downed by Russian forces.

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, accused Kyiv of engaging in criminal and reckless provocations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has consistently expressed concern about the potential for a nuclear incident at the facility.

General Valery Zaluzhny reported that the ongoing counteroffensive in Ukraine, which has lasted for over four months, has resulted in a stalemate between the opposing forces.

According to The Economist, the current state of technology has brought us to a stalemate similar to that of the First World War. The source also predicts that there will not be any significant advancements in the near future.

The description of the war was denied by Moscow, according to Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov who stated, “Russia is continuously executing the special military operation and all objectives should be achieved.”

This report contains information from Reuters, The Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse.