Ukraine withdrawing some troops from Avdiivka, sends in elite unit; Zelenskyy heads to Berlin and Paris

This is CNBC's live blog tracking developments on the war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Germany and France on Friday in a bid to secure crucial military assistance and bilateral security commitments.

Berlin and Paris could become the second and third Ukrainian allies to sign bilateral security pledges with Kyiv, after the U.K.'s January deal. The commitments aim to shore up military support until Ukraine can achieve its long-coveted NATO membership.

The trip, Zelenskyy's first foreign excursion since replacing his popular army chief, comes as Ukrainian troops are withdrawing from some areas of the eastern town of Avdiivka to seek better positions after months of intense combat.

Military spokesperson Dmytro Lykhoviy said in televised remarks that one of Ukraine's most renowned fighting units, the Third Assault Brigade, had been scrambled to Avdiivka as reinforcement, according to Reuters.

The White House on Thursday confirmed that Russia is developing an "antisatellite capability," though National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters in a briefing that "there is no immediate threat to anyone's safety."

The intelligence declassified by the government does not confirm whether there is a nuclear component to the Russian weapon, but Kirby said it "would be a violation of the Outer Space Treaty to which more than 130 countries have signed up, including Russia."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Germany and France on Friday in a bid to secure crucial military assistance and bilateral security commitments.

Berlin and Paris could become the second and third Ukrainian allies to sign bilateral security pledges with Kyiv, after the U.K. signed a