War in Ukraine: Civilians flee the port city of Odesa after a Russian strike kills at least 8 people

Published April 25, 2022 at 8:41 AM EDT
A pink stuffed pony and a pink stuffed hippo peek through tulips and other colorful flowers on a platform.
Anastasia Vlasova
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Getty Images Europe
Residents have placed toys and flowers in remembrance of a mother and 3-month-old girl who died in a rocket strike on a residential building in Odesa.

Among the dead at a heavily damaged apartment building are a mother and her 3-month-old child. The attack came as a shock on Orthodox Easter weekend in a city that had felt relatively safe.

Here's what we're following today:

In Mariupol: Russia says it will open a humanitarian corridor for civilians to leave their shelter in a steel plant; Ukraine warns it's not safe.

The White House plans to nominate a new ambassador to Ukraine: Bridget Brink is a career diplomat and current ambassador to Slovakia.

Blinken and Austin in Kyiv: The U.S. secretary of state and the U.S. defense secretary met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a show of support.