Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday announced the dismissal of ambassador to the U.K. Vadym Prystaiko after he called comments Zelenskyy made about the U.K. defense minister unhealthy.

Zelenskyy issued a presidential order that did not specify a reason.

In other news, Russian missile and drone strikes on southern Ukraine and port areas continued for a fourth night Thursday, according to Ukrainian authorities, as the White House confirmed Ukraine has begun using U.S.-supplied cluster bombs in its defensive operations in Russia-occupied areas.

National security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters the U.S. had received feedback that the munitions, which arrived from the U.S. last week, were being used “effectively.”

In his daily address, Zelenskyy said nearly 70 missiles were fired at Odesa, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr and Kharkiv this week.

Since Monday, concerns have been growing over global food supplies following Russia’s suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has provided a key export route since July 2022.

Wheat prices have moved sharply higher as the European Union’s foreign policy chief warned the move could imperil global food security.

And on Tuesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it was carrying out a “mass retaliatory strike” for an attack on the Crimean bridge early Monday which it blamed on Ukraine.

Tensions are also mounting in the Black Sea after Russia said it would consider all vessels sailing toward Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea as military cargo carriers. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said it “may” do the same from midnight Friday. It has not yet provided an update.