The live blog session has concluded. For more news, views and updates, stay tuned with Moneycontrol.com.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict Highlights: The Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, which is surrounded by Russian troops, said it will restart efforts to evacuate civilians Sunday, after earlier efforts were scuppered by ceasefire violations, reported AFP.
"From 1200 (1000 GMT) the evacuation of the civilian population begins," city officials announced in a statement, which said a ceasefire was agreed with Russian-led forces surrounding the city. An earlier attempt on Saturday to allow civilians to leave by buses and private cars along the road northwest towards Zaporizhzhia failed when both sides accused the other of shelling.
Also, the Indian Embassy in Hungary began its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today and announced that all those students staying in their own accommodation (other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach the Hungaria City Centre, Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm.
More than 11,000 Russian troops have been killed since Moscow launched an invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian armed forces' general staff said on Sunday. Vladimir Putin threatened the existence of Ukrainian statehood as his army's invasion of the neighbour faces stiff resistance Sunday and his economy is increasingly asphyxiated by sanctions.
"The current (Ukrainian) authorities must understand that if they continue to do what they are doing, they are putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood," Putin said on Saturday.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that he had spoken to US President Joe Biden and discussed security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.
The number of Ukrainian refugees is expected to reach 1.5 million on Sunday as Russia continued its attack 11 days after invading Ukraine and Kyiv pressed for further Western action, including more sanctions and weapons.
Another round of talks is tentatively planned for Monday as Ukrainians who could escape spilled into neighboring Poland, Romania, Slovakia and elsewhere.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a special military operation before dawn on February 24, ignoring Western warnings and saying the "neo-Nazis" ruling Ukraine threatened Russia's security. Russia's assault is said to be the biggest on a European state since World War Two and threatens to upend the continent's post-Cold War order.
The live blog session has concluded. For more news, views and updates, stay tuned with Moneycontrol.com.
The United States and European partners are exploring banning Russian oil imports, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday, but stressed the importance of steady oil supplies globally.
"We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries, while of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil," Blinken said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" show.
Blinken, who is currently on a trip across Europe to coordinate with allies against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, added that he discussed oil imports with President Joe Biden and his cabinet on Saturday.
Blinken's comments came as oil prices have soared over the past week after the United States and its allies sanctioned Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Reuters
India on Sunday continued its efforts to evacuate over 700Indianstudents from the embattled northeasternUkrainiancity ofSumybut with little success as severe shelling and airstrikes continued. Read full report
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end Russia's military operations in Ukraine and to ensure the protection and security of Ukraine's nuclear sites, said an official from Macron's office. The French official confirmed that Macron had held a phone exchange of nearly two hours on Sunday with Putin. (Reuters)
More than 3,500 people were detained at protests across Russia on Sunday against President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to data provided by the interior ministry. Thousands of protesters chanted "No to war!" and "Shame on you!", according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers. Dozens of protesters in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg were shown being detained. One protester there was shown being beaten on the ground by police in riot gear. A mural in the city showing President Vladimir Putin was defaced. (Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday accused Ukrainian radicals for an incident on March 3 at theZaporizhzhianuclear power plant in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.French President Emmanuel Macron asked Putin by telephone about a fire at Europe's biggest nuclear power plant.
"Vladimir Putin informed [Macron] about the provocation by Ukrainian radicals in the area of theZaporizhzhianuclear power plant," the Kremlin said. "The radiation levels are normal."
Putin also accused Ukraine of preventing civilians from leaving Mariupol. (Reuters)
At least 364 civilians are confirmed to have been killed in Ukraine since Russian troops invaded on Feb. 24, and another 759 wounded, although the true numbers are probably "considerably higher", a U.N. monitoring mission said on Sunday.
The updated figures, relating to casualties through March 5, added a further 13 deaths and 52 injuries to the casualties that the monitors from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported on Saturday. (Reuters)
Pope Francis on Sunday rejected Russia's assertion that it is carrying out a "a special military operation" in Ukraine, saying the country was being battered by a war. "In Ukraine rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not only a military operation but a war which is leading to death, destruction and misery," the pope said in his weekly address to crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square. (Reuters)
An airport in central Ukraine'sVinnytisahas been destroyed following a barrage of Russian missile strikes, Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyrZelenskyysaid. The airport has been "completely destroyed", he stressed, adding that around eight rockets were fired by the Russian side targeting it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday his campaign in Ukraine was going according to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting, as efforts to evacuate the heavily bombarded city of Mariupol failed for a second day in a row.
He made the comments in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyep Erdogan, who appealed for a ceasefire in the conflict that the United Nations says has created the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two.
Russian television said Putin also held talks on Sunday with President Emmanuel Macron, who has stayed in regular contact but, as with other international efforts, has yet to convince Moscow to call off a campaign now in an 11th day. (Reuters)
