The Senate confirmed Bridget Brink as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine on Wednesday, the latest signal of American diplomatic efforts during Ukraine’s ongoing battle against the Russian invasion.
Brink was confirmed unanimously by the Senate without a formal roll call vote. The position has been vacant since 2019.
The same day as Brink’s confirmation, the U.S. opened its Ukrainian embassy in Kyiv, with diplomats returning on a permanent basis to the city. Brink told senators during her confirmation hearing earlier this month that she would work to reopen the embassy.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “the Ukrainian people, with our security assistance, have defended their homeland in the face of Russia’s unconscionable invasion, and, as a result, the Stars and Stripes are flying over the Embassy once again.”
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Latest developments
►Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia has fired over 2,000 missiles during its attack on Ukraine, which he said was a large part of its arsenal.
►Russia will close the Moscow bureau of Canada’s CBC broadcaster, after Canada stopped broadcasting state-run Russian TV channels, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said.
Russian officials concerned about abuse in Mariupol: US intelligence
New U.S. intelligence revealed that some Russian officials are concerned that Russian forces are carrying out abuses in Mariupol, a U.S official familiar with the findings said Wednesday.
The alleged abuses include beating and electrocuting city officials and robbing homes, according to the intelligence finding.
The U.S. official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Russian officials are worried the abuse will further inspire Ukrainian residents in Mariupol to resist the Russian occupation and undermine Russia’s claim that it liberated the port city.
After holding out for weeks in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, most Ukrainian troops have abandoned the city. The soldiers are regarded as heroes in Ukraine, which hopes to negotiate their return home in a prisoner swap.
Contributing: The Associated Press