LIVE UPDATES: Organization of American States Votes to Suspend Russia's Status as Permanent Observer

The US conglomerate Koch Industries is working on the strategy of withdrawing from the Russian market over the sanctions, media reported.

According to The Hill newspaper, Koch Industries owns the Guardian Industries companies that has two glassworks plants in Russia.

“Sanctions announced in early April, combined with the Russian government’s response and other actions, have made conditions untenable for Guardian to continue operations in Russia,” President and Chief Operating Officer of Koch Industries Dave Robertson said in a letter to employees, as quoted by The Hill.

He added that another cause of the decision was the Russian proposed bill that make it illegal to comply with foreign sanctions.

The US Justice Department is in contact with the Ukrainian prosecutor general about collective efforts to gather alleged evidence of possible war crimes in Ukraine, Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

"We have now been in contact with the Prosecutor General of Ukraine... They've collected a group of international allies to assist and so we are helping in the collection of evidence and the preservation of evidence relating to possible war crimes - Yes we are," Garland said during a press conference on Thursday when asked if US prosecutors are helping collect evidence about potential war crimes involving Russia and Ukraine.

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in a statement on Thursday that he was not allowed to speak during the Organization of American States (OAS) meeting when a vote took place to suspend Russia's status as permanent observer.

"During the special meeting on this topic, Russia as the permanent observer to the Organization was denied the opportunity to speak at the meeting either before or after voting on the document," Antonov said.

The Phoenix Ghost drones have been developed by the United States in response to Ukrainian requirements and will require minimal training, a senior US defense official said during a press briefing.

"What I can tell you about the Phoenix Ghost [drone] is this was rapidly developed by the [US] Air Force in response specifically to Ukrainian requirements," the official said on Thursday. "It will require some minimal training for knowledgeable UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] operators to be able to use it and we are going to be working through those training requirements directly with the Ukrainian Armed Forces."

The Phoenix Ghost drones provide similar capabilities to the Switchblade but not exactly the same ones as there are some differences in the capabilities for the Phoenix, the official clarified.

Later in the day, Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby explained that the Phoenix Ghost drone had been in development by the US Air Force before the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine on February 24. The discussions that Pentagon had with Ukrainians made the US defense officials believe that this drone system will “nicely suit their needs, particularly in eastern Ukraine.”

The United States is not going to be involved in operations in the Black Sea, including in any attempts to break the alleged Russian blockade of Ukrainian sea ports, amid Moscow's ongoing special operation there, Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday.

“If you are asking is the United States Navy going to get involved in operations in the Black Sea? The answer is no, in terms of breaking a blockade [of Ukrainian ports] like this,” Kirby said during a press briefing.

The United States is currently not in discussions with Russia about the prospect of lifting Western sanctions imposed on Moscow, US Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh said on Thursday.

"We have channels of communication that are still open, but we're not at the point at which we're talking about sanctions relief," Singh said during a virtual panel discussion with the Bretton Woods Committee.

Singh said Western sanctions will have profound impact on Russia's supply chains and its productive capacity over time, including its military industrial complex.

The advisor also said that creating leverage through sanctions matters when it comes to negotiations for a diplomatic solution in Ukraine.

Any sanctions relief talks with Russia will be led by Ukraine, not the United States, and must include certain security guarantees, Singh said.

The United States continues to see no indication of support of Russia's military by the Chinese government, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday.

"We continue to see no indication that the Chinese have provided military assistance to Russia," Kirby said during a press briefing.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host several of his counterparts for a Ukraine Defense Consultative Group meeting in Germany on April 26, Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday.

"I can announce that the Secretary will be hosting a number of his counterparts for a Ukraine Defense Consultative Group at Ramstein Air Base on the 26th next week," Kirby said.

The Organisation of American States has voted 25 to 0 to suspend Russia’s status as permanent member at the organization, St. Lucia's Ambassador to the OAS Elizabeth Darius-Clarke announced after the vote, which was broadcast live.

“The permanent council hereby declares the draft resolution Suspension of the Status of the Russian Federation as a Permanent Observer of the Organization of American States approved,” said Darius-Clark, whose country chairs the council for the months of April to June.

The results of the vote were 25 in favor versus 0 against, with 8 abstentions and one nation (Nicaragua) absent.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal requested during the meeting an estimated $600 billion for reconstruction efforts.

Earlier in the day, the Danish prime minister and her Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, arrived in Kiev to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss the situation in the country.

140 Ukrainian planes, 106 helicopters, 512 drones, 254 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,422 tanks and other armoured vehicles, 266 multiple rocket launcher systems have been destroyed since the launch of the Russian special operation, the MoD said.