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For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.
The latest developments in Russia's war on Ukraine. All times EST.
5:25 a.m.: French supermarket chain Auchan was accused of being a "weapon of Russian aggression" by Ukraine on Friday after media reports that its shops had been used to supply goods to the Russian army, Agence France-Presse reported.
The revelations in Le Monde newspaper in France and investigative websites Bellingcat and The Insider cast a fresh spotlight on the Mulliez family, which owns Auchan as well as DIY chain Leroy Merlin and sports retailer Decathlon.
Estimated to be France's eighth wealthiest, the family has resisted public pressure to stop trading in Russia despite the risks of being linked to the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.
The reports said employees at Auchan in Russia had collected store goods worth 2 million rubles ($27,000), including woolen socks and gas bottles, which were sent to soldiers marked as humanitarian aid.
The company said it was "very surprised" by the allegations.
"We are in the process of checking the assertions but to date the facts in our possession do not corroborate" the investigation, the group said.
4:15 a.m.: The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think tank, said in its latest Ukraine assessment that Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line. They also continued ground attacks around Bakhmut, in the Donetsk City-Avdiivka area, and in western Donetsk Oblast.
Additionally, Russian and Ukrainian military activity near Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, indicates that Russian forces are likely deployed to positions close bank of the Dnipro River.
3:12 a.m.: Nearly 50 lawmakers from both major U.S. political parties on Friday attended the start of Europe's premier annual security conference to affirm bipartisan support for U.S. aid to Ukraine, Reuters reported.
"We are here to send a clear message to this conference and everyone around the world: the U.S. is on a bipartisan basis totally behind the effort of help Ukraine," Mitch McConnell, the Democratic-controlled Senate's Republican minority leader, told Reuters after meeting conservative German politicians.
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder said McConnell's unequivocal support for Ukraine was welcome after the uncertainty of the former President Donald Trump administration's isolationist America First policy.
Other prominent U.S. lawmakers in Munich included Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Republican chairmen of the House foreign relations and intelligence committees and their Democratic Senate counterparts.
2:10 a.m.: The World Health Organization on Friday appealed for more funds to support Ukraine's health sector, which has been severely damaged by the Russian invasion, Reuters reported.
"We aim to reach 13.6 million people with this support this year," WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge told an online briefing from the Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr. "That's why we have increased our appeal for 2023 to $240 million - $160 million for Ukraine and $80 million for refugee-receiving countries."
He described its health system as "remarkably resilient" despite sustaining nearly 780 attacks against it.
But Ukraine also needed more mobility aids such as wheelchairs for those who sustained major injuries in the conflict.
A WHO survey showed that 10% of Ukrainians struggle to access medicine, including because of damaged or destroyed pharmacies and the unavailability of supplies, Kluge said.
One third of the people surveyed reported they could no longer afford the medication they require.
1:08 a.m.: A German intelligence officer who allegedly passed state secrets to Russia was asked to gather information about the Ukraine's artillery and air defense positions, media reported Friday, according to Agence France-Presse.
Russia's FSB intelligence service instructed the suspect to find out the exact positions of HIMARS precision rocket launchers supplied by the U.S. and the Iris-T air defense system supplied by Berlin, Der Spiegel magazine reported.
"People familiar with the case say it is rather unlikely that such data was passed on," it said.
But the alleged spy, identified only as Carsten L., did manage to pass on dossiers held by Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency on top-secret Russian communication systems, according to German magazine Focus.
Carsten L. was arrested on Dec. 22 on suspicion of treason.
In January, a second suspect identified as Arthur E. was also arrested and accused of being complicit in the treason by helping Carsten L. pass the information to Russia. Unlike Carsten L., Arthur E. was not employed by the BND.
12:02 a.m.: Belarus said Friday it was limiting access for Polish trucks on its territory and announced the expulsion of a liaison officer following Warsaw's decision to close a border crossing, Agence France-Presse reported.
The foreign ministry in Minsk summoned Poland's charge d'affaires to condemn Warsaw's decision to close one of its three existing border crossings with Belarus as "unilateral" and "inhumane."
In response, Polish trucks will now be able to enter and leave Belarus only through crossings on their common border, and no longer via third countries Lithuania and Latvia.
Minsk also said it would reduce staffing at Poland's consulate in Grodno to match staff numbers in the Belarusian consulate in Polish Bialystok, evoking a future expulsion of diplomats.
Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski later tweeted, "If Belarusian authorities go ahead and implement the announced restrictions against Polish carriers, Poland will respond in kind regarding Belarusian carriers."
Poland said last week it was closing the Bobrowniki border checkpoint for reasons of "state security," as tensions soared between the two neighbors.
Some information in this report came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.