Ukraine updates: Zelenskyy hails troops for 'good results'

US moves to assist the ICC in investigating Russia

US President Joe Biden has ordered his administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into Russia's alleged war crimes in Ukraine, said a US official.

Previously, the US had been hesitant to cooperate with the ICC due to fears that it would pave the way for the court to prosecute American troops deployed overseas.

Both Russia and the US are not members of the ICC.

"Since the beginning of Russia's assault on Ukraine, the president has been clear — there needs to be accountability for the perpetrators and enablers of war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine," said a US national security council spokesperson.

He added that due to confidentiality clauses of the ICC, the specifics regarding the historic cooperation with the court cannot be divulged.

Western and Ukrainian authorities have said that there is evidence of multiple war crimes like murders and executions, shelling of civilian infrastructure, forced deportations, child abductions, torture, sexual violence and illegal detention.

Russia denies these allegations.

In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for suspected deportation of children from Ukraine.

Ukraine air force says it downed 36 Russian missiles

Ukraine said that it had "destroyed" 36 cruise missiles launched by Moscow in a fresh wave of attacks.

Without specifying whether the missiles hit their targets, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk said via a Telegram channel that the missiles were heading towards western Ukraine.

Ukraine's air force also mentioned another Russian strike that targeted the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine, which has already borne witness to multiple attacks by Moscow.

Authorities said information regarding that strike was being "clarified" and that the missiles used in that attack were particularly difficult to intercept.

Zelenskyy during his evening address thanked the air force for having shot down "the vast majority" of the missiles.

"There were a few hits, and some missile fragments fell. But it is very important that the audacity of this attack was destroyed," he added.

Since exiting the Black Sea grain deal recently, Russia has amped up its attack on Ukrainian cities, particularly targeting the port city of Odesa.

President Zelenskyy hails his troops for 'good progress' against Russia

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian soldiers have "made very good progress on the front."

“Good for them! Details will follow," he added.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that the offensive launched by Kyiv last month in the eastern and southeastern parts of the country is proceeding more slowly than desired.

Meanwhile, drone production in Ukraine has increased to support the counteroffensive and Kyiv intends to arm itself along the Russian frontlines with 1,700 new drones.

"They're all now being transported to the frontlines in order to protect the lives of our soldiers...and destroy the enemy," said deputy head of government Machailo Fedorov.

He added that more than 10,000 drone pilots have been trained and another 10,000 will soon follow.