Ukraine dealt a symbolic blow to Russia by sinking the Moskva missile cruiser on Thursday – a victory that led to retaliation in Kyiv. And while Kharkiv and the eastern parts of the country are under bombardment again, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that when it comes to “restoring peace … our armed forces are doing a great job.” “The success of our army on the battlefield is really important,” he said in a presidential speech. “Historically important. But not enough to clear our land of the conquerors. We will defeat them more.” In other news: • Germany pledges 1 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine • The Ukrainian prime minister will attend World Bank and IMF meetings in Washington next week, US media reports • Russia warns the West about “Unforeseen consequences” • Many of the 900 civilians killed around the Kyiv area were “simply executed”, says police chief Image: The Moskva in Sevastopol, in occupied Crimea, on April 7. Photo: Maxar Technologies via AP Ukraine says 900 bodies have been found in the Kiev region – live updates Russia “will no longer be accepted anywhere” Mr Zelensky said his armed forces were “repelling the occupiers’ attacks” and “carrying out counterattacks”. He added: “They have already tortured – in the true sense of the word – the Russian conventional air force so much that they are forced to use long-range strategic aircraft.” He said Russian troops in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions “were looking for anyone who had ever been linked to the Ukrainian army or government services”. “The occupiers believe that this will somehow make it easier for them to control the land. But they are wrong. They are deceiving themselves,” he said. “The problem with the occupiers is not that they are not accepted by some activists, veterans or journalists. Russia’s problem is that the whole Ukrainian people do not accept it and will never accept it again. Russia has lost Ukraine forever. “In fact, he lost the whole world. It will not be accepted anywhere anymore.” Image: Anton Kuprin, captain of Moskva flagship sunk in Black Sea Moscow “hit by two Ukrainian anti-ship missiles” Following the sinking of a Russian warship off the Black Sea off Odessa, Moscow said it would step up attacks in Kyiv in response to alleged Ukrainian military “diversions” on its territory. Ukraine said the ship was hit by rockets fired from the coast, but Russia said the Moskva sank as it was being towed to the port in a turbulent sea following an ammunition explosion that caused a fire. The United States has said it believes the ship was hit by two Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, shared a claim in the Telegram messaging app that the ship’s captain, Anton Kuprin, had died during an “explosion and fire on the ship”. Explosions were heard in Kyiv and other cities after the sinking of the ship. Earlier on Friday, Russia claimed to have hit a factory in the capital that manufactures and repairs anti-ship missiles. Russia is “setting up operations” in view of Donbas’s push In addition to Kyiv, explosions were heard on Friday in the southern city of Kherson, the eastern city of Kharkiv and the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk. The Ukrainian capital gradually showed some signs of pre-war life as Russian troops failed to occupy the city and retreated to focus on a concentrated offensive in eastern Ukraine. But the casualties in the Kiev region are growing. The district police chief said the bodies of more than 900 civilians had been found since Russia withdrew – more than 350 of them in Bukha. The data showed that 95% of them were shot dead, said Andriy Nebytov. “People were just executed in the streets,” he said. Evacuation efforts continued across the country and on Friday, a total of 2,864 were able to flee the conflict zones, including 363 people from the besieged port city of Mariupol, according to Ukraine. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:25 Drive through Mariupol, which has collapsed since the war However, in Kharkov, seven people were killed and 34 others were injured in a bomb blast near a residential area, the district governor said. In the southern city of Kakhovka, two civilians were killed by shrapnel wounds after a rocket was fired and five were injured, local authorities said. Meanwhile, the Kremlin continues to mobilize for a new offensive in eastern Ukraine. Additional equipment has reached the northern Donbass region and western Russia, according to a senior U.S. defense official. Image: A torn flag in front of a ruined apartment building in Mariupol The official said Russia had “formed the operations” but that the new attack had not yet begun. Further south, the besieged city of Mariupol remains controversial between defenders and Russian forces. Russia’s navy has also moved further south after the sinking of Moskva, the US official added. Subscribe to Ukraine War Calendars on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker