On 24 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin had unleashed a ‘special military operation’ on the East European country Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly described authorities in Ukraine as neo-Nazis and nationalists -- labels that Kyiv says are being used as propaganda to justify the conflict.
On the 100th day of the war, fighting is raging across the east, where Moscow's forces are tightening their grip on Ukraine's Donbas region. Kyiv earlier had announced Moscow was in control of a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas seized in 2014.
Russia claims they achieved ‘Certain Results’
The Kremlin on Friday announced that the special military operation launched on 24 February upon Ukraine achieved ‘certain results’ after 100 days or war.
Russia had sent troops to its pro-western neighbour, to defend residents of two breakaway pro-Moscow regions, the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, from Kyiv's military.
"Certain results have been achieved," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the first 100 days of what Russia calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.
"In terms of ensuring their protection, measures are being taken and certain results have been achieved," Peskov said.
"Many settlements have been liberated from the pro-Nazi armed forces of Ukraine and directly from nationalist elements," he said.
"The opportunity has been provided for people to start establishing a peaceful life," Peskov said. "This work will continue until the time when all of the goals of the military operation are achieved."
Zelensky vows to win war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday his country's military would fend off the Russian invasion, in a video marking 100 days of Moscow's all-out assault on its pro-democracy neighbour.
"Victory will be ours," Zelensky said in the video.
It included Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and presidential advisor Mykhaylo Podolyak, recalling an impromptu message they posted outside government buildings at the onset of the war, vowing to remain in the country.
EU bans most Russian oil
The EU formally adopted a ban on most Russian oil imports on Friday, hitting Moscow with its toughest sanctions over the war on Ukraine after weeks of wrangling with Hungary.
The sanctions -- the sixth wave imposed by the 27-nation bloc since the Kremlin launched the invasion in February -- include cutting Russia's biggest bank Sberbank from the global SWIFT messaging system, the text published in the EU's official journal said.
