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Ukraine marks this Friday – the 401st day of the war – one year since the liberation of Bucha, a city that was under Russian occupation for 33 days and where civilian corpses were discovered in the streets. The day was also marked by the US President’s request to Russia to release the Wall Street Journal journalist accused of espionage.

Wall Street Journal correspondent detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage. Newspaper denies accusations

These are The main events that marked the last hours:

What happened during the afternoon?

• Ukraine has estimated around 173,360 Russian soldiers killed in action, including more than 460 in the past day. Since the start of the war, 2,675 artillery systems and 3,615 main battle tanks have also been destroyed.
• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made it clear that Finland will formally join NATO “in the coming days” after the Turkish parliament ratified the Nordic country’s membership of the Atlantic Alliance.
• The Kremlin says that all accredited foreign journalists can continue to work in Russia. It is the first statement Moscow has made since a Wall Street Journal correspondent was detained on suspicion of espionage, a charge denied by the American newspaper.
• As he left the White House this Friday morning, Joe Biden called on Russia to release the Wall Street Journal journalist who was detained on suspicion of espionage. “Let him go,” the US president told CNN International.

What happened in the morning?

• Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has argued that Russia’s plans to place tactical nuclear weapons in the country are a safeguard and protection against Western threats. Lukashenko claimed, according to The Guardian, that the West is increasing its military forces in Poland to invade his country.
• The Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, Oleh Nemchinov, revealed, in statements to Ukrainian television, that “a protocol decision was made” to prevent Ukrainian athletes from participating in the qualifying phase for the 2024 Olympic Games, which will be will take place in Paris, if they have to compete against the Russians.
• Russia’s ambassador to Portugal said democracy was “not an impetus to fill Ukraine’s black hole with ever deadlier weapons.” For the Russian ambassador in Lisbon, democracy is not “infusing billions of euros into the neo-Nazi and corrupt regime in kyiv.”
• Russian forces attacked Zaporizhia early on Friday. The information was provided by the region’s military administration, cited by the Kyiv Independent.
• Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said nearly 500 children have died in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began more than a year ago. In addition, according to CNBC, 943 minors were injured with “varying degrees of severity.”
• Japan’s Ministry of Commerce has announced that the country will begin banning exports of steel, aluminum, aircraft, construction machinery and ship engines to Moscow.
• Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for the US Pentagon, confirmed that 65 Ukrainian soldiers have completed their training in Oklahoma with Patriot missile systems. The Kyiv Independent reports that the soldiers are already returning to Europe.