March 11, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Zelensky added that the mayor's detention was "not only against a particular person, not only against a particular community and not only against Ukraine." Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called the detention of Fedorov a "war crime," saying the Geneva Convention prohibits civilian hostages from being taken.From CNN’s Taylor BarnesTechnicians began working on Thursday to repair damaged power lines serving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, according to the United Nations' nuclear watchdog.The lines were entirely cut earlier this week, with the last one “destroyed as a result of the occupant’s shelling” on Wednesday, Ukraine's energy minister said. And even if Russian forces are enable to encircle it, it will still be an almighty battle for them to get to the heart of it."From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite in LondonRussian air and missile forces have conducted strikes against the western Ukrainian cities of Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk in the past 24 hours, the UK Ministry of Defence said in its latest intelligence update on Friday.The ministry added that Russian tactical aircraft supporting ground forces are relying on "unguided 'dumb' munitions," which are "relatively inaccurate and indiscriminate and their use significantly increases the likelihood of civilian casualties."From CNN's Kaitlan CollinsPrior to his address on Friday, US President Joe Biden spent 49 minutes on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, detailing the new measures he was going to announce regarding US trade with Russia, two officials familiar with the call tell CNN. While most of Biden and Zelensky's calls since the invasion have hovered in the 30- to 40-minute range, this was one was a bit longer as Biden highlighted how the US was moving to suspend normal trade relations with Russia in another effort to punish the Kremlin.Zelensky tweeted that he gave Biden an "assessment of the situation on the battlefield, informed about the crimes of Russia against the civilian population" and they agreed on "further steps to support the defense of Ukraine and increase sanctions against Russia."From CNN's Priscilla AlvarezAn independent US government agency is calling on the Biden administration to push for Russia to be permanently expelled from Interpol — a step further than the suspension the administration has already sought — citing the invasion of Ukraine and previous abuses by Russia, according to a letter obtained by CNN.Earlier this week, Attorney General Merrick Garland joined justice ministers from several allied countries to demand that Interpol immediately suspend Russia from accessing its systems, according to Justice Department spokesperson Anthony Coley.