The United States said Wednesday it would provide Ukraine with the advanced Patriot air defense system to help counter Moscow's relentless aerial attacks.

The system is part of $1.85 billion in assistance unveiled in parallel with a visit to Washington by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his first trip outside the country since Russia invaded

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday directly appealed for long-term U.S. support on his first foreign trip since Russia's invasion, saying aid was not "charity" and had helped keep his country "alive and kicking."

Three hundred days after Russian leader Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine with hopes of swift conquest, Zelensky enjoyed a

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Kremlin-linked businessman and Wagner Group founder, has voiced his support for commuting the sentences of female prisoners in Russia who agree to fight in Ukraine, according to a Wednesday press release.

Women could serve "not only as nurses and signallers but also in sabotage groups and sniper pairs," Prigozhin said, adding