MOSCOW/KYIV/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States hit Russia's major oil companies with sanctions on Wednesday and accused the Russians of a lack of commitment toward ending the war in Ukraine, as Moscow conducted a major training exercise involving nuclear arms.

The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies as it called on Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the war with Ukraine.

The Russian foreign ministry accused U.S. Senators of undermining the work of Moscow and Washington on the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families, an effort spearheaded by First Lady Melania Trump.

Kim Jong Un made the comments at the groundbreaking ceremony for a memorial for North Korean soldiers who fought for Russia in its war with Ukraine, state media said.

Russia will need to attract millions of skilled migrants to achieve an economic growth rate of at least 3.2% and sustain its economy, the country's top banker and longtime ally of President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed that his country's alliance with Russia will "advance non-stop," and is now "rising to its historic peak," state-run media said Friday.

As a Ukrainian, I’ve seen firsthand how Russia has learned to emulate American soft power for authoritarian ends.

Russia conducted the drills for all three forces to rehearse their readiness and command structure as the Ukraine war rages on