Zelensky pleads with US to pass aid bill as second anniversary nears

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized how important a delayed $60 billion US aid package would be to his embattled nation as the war neared the two-year mark with no end in sight.

The US package is being held up in the US House of Representatives by Republican lawmakers, some of whom feel the US has given too much already, while others kowtow to former president Donald Trump in a US domestic political tussle.

"This package is not ordinary, it is of fundamental importance for our defence, both in terms of its content and the signal that supporting or not supporting this package sends to the world," Zelensky said in his nightly video address having met US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and his delegation in western Ukraine.

"Democracies should not withdraw from the historical process - from the process of defending all the values that have defined our modern world."

The aid package has passed the Democrat-controlled US Senate but so far House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has refused to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote - much to Zelensky's anger.

"I informed the senators today about the situation on the battlefield - about the direct connection between the weapons that our soldiers have and the results that our common enemy is achieving," he added.

The Ukrainian armed forces have recently suffered serious setbacks on several sections of the front due to a shortage of ammunition and a lack of air defence.

"We have discussed the corresponding priorities with the American delegation," Zelensky said.

On the ground, Russia killed at least four people in two drone attacks on the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odessa, local authorities said, as the deaths continue to mount ahead of the second anniversary of the start of Russia's all-out war on Ukraine on Saturday.

In a first attack, the drones were shot down but one crashed into a sewing factory.

"There was a fire over an area of 500 square metres. Unfortunately, it took a very long time to fight it," Natalya Humenyuk, spokeswoman for the southern grouping of the Ukrainian army, told reporters as she explained that the three people could not be saved.

"This time, nine drones were used in the direction of Odessa."

Later on Friday the local military administration said a residential building was destroyed in a second attack. At least one person was killed and three others were injured and taken to hospital, Odessa region military governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram.

Odessa is of enormous economic importance for Ukraine. The port city is Ukraine's gateway to the world and Russia is attempting to cut off foreign trade - especially its all-important grain exports.

Of Ukraine's 18 seaports, only six including Odessa are in operation, said Dmytro Barinov, deputy head of the state harbour authority.

Oleh Kostyuk, managing director of the Ukrainian logistics group and top grain exporter GTI, said that while ships can be insured by large companies, this does not apply to loading periods in harbours.

"Our industry is not currently about growth. It's about survival," he said.

Destruction was also reported in Dnipro following a drone attack.

According to the Ukrainian air defence, a total of 23 out of 31 Russian drone attacks were shot down on Friday.

Air force chief Mykola Oleshchuk also said it shot down a Russian A-50 reconnaissance aircraft, which crashed over the southern Russian region of Krasnodar.

There was no official confirmation of the incident from the Russian side. Russian state agency TASS reported a fire near Krasnodar caused by a "falling flying object."

The leadership in Kiev has again called for more support from the West to expand its air defence system in order to better protect the country's cities from attacks by rockets, cruise missiles and drones.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, congratulated Russian soldiers for their courage in the conflict during the Defender of the Fatherland Day, one of Russia's most important national holidays.

Russia also slapped entry bans on representatives of European law enforcement agencies, trade organizations and EU citizens of countries providing military support to Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry announced in response to new EU sanctions levied on Friday.

However, Moscow did not mention specific names or numbers.

The EU sanctions are aimed at 106 individuals and 88 organizations that are "responsible for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine," according to a statement from the EU Commission and the EU states.

These include individuals involved in arms deliveries from North Korea to Russia, as well as the North Korean defence minister.

Further EU sanctions could be levied in the future following the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny last week.

US President Joe Biden meanwhile announced more than 500 new sanctions on Russia on Friday.