Good morning. Today is Saturday, April 16th. I'm Marietta-Dezakumar, filling in for Ali Valshi.

Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine has been raging for 52 days, and there's no sign of it letting up.

Overnight, the outskirts of Ukraine's capital city,

Kiev, came under fire, according to the city's mayor. He says explosions rocked a district on the

outskirts of the city, and that one person was killed in the attack, and several others were

injured. Rescue crews and medics are currently on the scene. However, the mayor added that

casualties were so far unknown. Russia's defense

ministry is vowing to increase missile strikes on Kiev after the sinking of its flagship

Mosquefaxv vessel, the pride of Russia's Black Sea fleet. U.S. officials say it was hit by two

Ukrainian Neptune missiles while Russia claims an accidental fire broke out on the warship. The threat of more

violence comes amid the horrifying discovery of the bodies of more than 900 civilians in the

region surrounding the Ukrainian capital, following Russia's withdrawal from that area.

Loebuckold police say that most of the civilians were simply executed and bodies were abandoned

in the streets or given temporary burials.

Overall, the United Nations has recorded 4,633 civilian casualties in the country so far,

and that number is continuing to climb, sadly. Meanwhile, Russia's relentless bombardment

of the key port of Maripole has left the besieged city in ruins. Although the city has been

able to withstand the Kremlin's attacks thus far and prevent Russians from fully taking over,

weapons and supply shortages could weaken the Ukrainian's resistant efforts. Maripol's governor

says the city has, quote, been wiped off the face of the earth by Russian forces. With that, surely in mind,

President Zelensky is asking the Biden administration to designate Russia as a state sponsor of

terrorism. That designation could trigger some of the most aggressive sanctions the U.S.

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