Blinken confirms death of U.S. citizen in Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Thursday the death of a U.S. citizen in Ukraine, although he didn’t have more details to share. A State Department spokesperson said the death occurred on March 17.

Blinken made the announcement during a press briefing on Thursday.

“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss,” the State Department spokesperson said. “Out of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment.”

Earlier Thursday, a Ukrainian official said that an American had been killed in the country. 

Thursday marked three weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine, with the latest U.S. and British intelligence reports suggesting Russia’s military advance on major cities has stalled. 

But in Chernihiv, southeast of Kharkiv, Russian missile and artillery strikes have pummeled the area for weeks. Ukraine’s emergency service said Thursday that a hostel there was shelled, killing a mother, father and three of their children, including 3-year-old twins.

Also on Thursday, 21 people were killed by Russian artillery that destroyed a school and a community center in Merefa, near Kharkiv, officials said.

The Kharkiv region, like most other major population centers in eastern Ukraine, has seen heavy bombardment as stalled Russian forces try to advance in the area.  

President Biden on Wednesday called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal,” hours after Mr. Biden authorized an additional $800 million in military assistance going straight from the U.S. to Ukraine — including 9,000 shoulder-mounted javelin missiles, 800 stinger anti-aircraft systems and more than 20 million rounds of ammunition. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Kathryn Watson

Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.