'Everything is sinking': Hear Wagner leader discuss supply problems

And tonight, ready for anything, Ukraine's military preparing for provocative acts by Russia to mark the one-year anniversary of its invasion and telling Russia its air force will be ready 24-7 to respond. The warning, as President Biden made an unprecedented surprise visit to Kyiv to meet with President Zelensky, sending a painful reminder to Putin of how his invasion plans have failed. The visit also stinging Russian troops already dealing with major morale issues. A telegram account managed by Russian military bloggers noting Biden has done something Putin has not, saying, quote, Almost a year after the beginning of the special military operation, we are waiting in the Russian city of Kyiv for the president of the Russian Federation, but not for the president of the United States. And the man Putin has turned to in hopes of winning this war is also now complaining he lacks the necessary equipment. If any, Progosian, the head of the Wagner Group, the brutal private mercenary group, saying this. All the questions I raised about ammunition, unfortunately, stay completely unresolved.

And it is the most serious problem. I'm unable to solve this problem, despite all my connections, contacts and everything is sinking and sticking. But Russia is still knowing, showing no signs of retreat at all, including in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, which is under constant shelling, as Putin looks for any claim to victory just hours before a major speech to his country. We have reporters tonight in Ukraine and Russia for a plight can is in Moscow, but let's start with Alex Markhardt and Kyiv. Alex, what is the latest there on the ground where you are? Well, Pamela, President Biden is now back across the border. He is in Warsaw tonight. He was here in Kyiv, of course, not just at a symbolic moment because we are marking the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine later this week, but at a strategic moment as well.

This is a real inflection point in this conflict. Ukraine is expected in the coming weeks to mount a new counteroffensive to try to take back territory, likely in the southern part of the country. That is what at least some of the $500 million military aid package was going to be aimed at that was announced today at near-term offensive objectives. At the same time, Pamela, we are starting to see the early stages of a new Russian offensive on at least four different axes in the eastern part of the country. It is not going well for them. They are losing a lot of men. Now both of the offensives due to start early as this war enters its second year.

Pamela. Russian forces trying and so far failing to make real headway in the opening stages of a new offensive in eastern Ukraine, a devastating toll on both sides in the months-long battle for Bakhmut, where Ukraine is mostly facing mercenaries and convicts from the private Wagner group. Today, a Ukrainian soldier in Bakhmut taking the time to thank President Joe Biden for his historic visit to Ukraine. This is the most powerful message of support for Ukraine at this moment. In the capital, the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents seemingly undeterred by an air raid siren trying to show the world they are in lockstep.

Together briefly visiting St. Michael's Church before emerging to lay a pair of reeds, the Ukrainian and American flags in front of a wall of portraits of soldiers who died in the fight with Russia. Biden keen to remind Russian President Vladimir Putin of his failures in the past year. Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. As you know, Mr. President, I said to you in the beginning, he's counting on us not sticking together. He thought he could outlast us.

I don't think he's thinking that right now. Mr. Zelensky called the moment the most important in the history of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship. This is the visit in this most difficult period for Ukraine when Ukraine is fighting for our own liberty. Today, our negotiations were very fruitful.

They were very important and crucial. Negotiations about continued military aid. Today, President Biden announcing an almost half-billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine, including ammunition, howitzers and air defenses. But big-ticket items that Ukraine wants, like longer-range missiles and fighter jets, still up for discussion. Say, some of this conversation brings us closer to victory. This surprise unprecedented visit on the eve of a bloody anniversary. Extreme secrecy shrouding Biden's journey.

No word, but there were signs. Desserted streets and a heavy police presence suggesting a prominent arrival. President Biden quietly left Washington for Poland just after 4 a.m. under the cover of darkness and after a long train ride across western Ukraine arrived to warm smiles and laughter from Ukraine's first couple. His feelings left in a handwritten message about solidarity and friendship, which was echoed on the streets of Kiev. It is support for us and a message for the Russians that this issue must be resolved and Ukraine must win.

We hope that his visit will speed up the events. And Pamela, the White House says that they warned the Kremlin that Biden would be here in Ukraine several hours before he arrived, part of what they call the deconfliction process. Now, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who was with Biden, he did not say what the message was to the Kremlin nor what their response was. But it's clear that they did not want anything to happen to Biden while he was here for almost 24 hours in Ukraine. Pamela? Yeah, it's notable that he described it as deconfliction, not diplomatic reasons or anything. It was deconfliction. They didn't want anything to happen.

And Alex Markhardt and Keev, thank you.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, world news, top news, ukraine & russia, wagner, vladimir putin, president joe biden, volodymyr zelensky