Russia Ukraine News Highlights | Russian accusations that Kyiv has biological and chemical weapons are false and illustrate that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering using them himself in his war against Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday, without citing evidence.
Putin's "back is against the wall and now he's talking about new false flags he's setting up including, asserting that we in America have biological as well as chemical weapons in Europe, simply not true," Biden said at a Business Roundtable event.
"They are also suggesting that Ukraine has biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine. That's a clear sign he's considering using both of those."
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Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | Ukraine urges China to play more visible role to halt war
Ukraine wants China to play a more "noticeable role" in halting the war being waged by Russia on its territory and also to become a future guarantor of its security, a senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday.
Andriy Yermak, who heads Zelenskiy's office, also said he expected a dialogue "very soon" between Ukraine's leader and Chinese President Xi Jinping, without elaborating.
China, the world's no. 2 economy, has long been forging closer energy, trade and security ties with Russia but is also Ukraine's biggest trading partner. It has resisted pressure from Western countries to condemn Russia's invasion.
"So far we've seen China's neutral position. And, as I said before, we believe that China ... should play a more noticeable role in bringing this war to (an) end and in building up a new global security system," Yermak told a virtual news conference. (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | No indication of imminent Russian chemical weapons attack in Ukraine: US defence official
The United States has not yet seen any concrete indications of an imminent Russian chemical or biological weapons attack in Ukraine but is closely monitoring streams of intelligence for them, a senior USdefense official said on Tuesday.
President Joe Biden said on Monday, without providing evidence, that Russia's false accusations that Kyiv has biological and chemical weapons illustrated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering using them himself in the war against Ukraine.
The U.S. official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, shared Biden's assessment but added: "There's no indication that there's something imminent in that regard right now." (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | PM Modi, Boris Johnson discuss Ukraine situation
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi andhis UK counterpart Boris Johnson discussed Ukraine situation over a phone call on March 22. Modi reiterated India’s consistent appeal for "cessation of hostilities" anda "return to dialogue anddiplomacy", the PMO said in a statement. Modi also emphasised India's belief in "respect for international law" and"territorial integrity of all states", it added.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | No indications of imminent Russian chemical weapons attack in Ukraine: US defense official
The United States has not yet seen any concrete indications of an imminent Russian chemical or biological weapons attack in Ukraine but is closely monitoring intelligence, a senior U.S. defense official said on Tuesday. President Joe Biden said on Monday that Russia's false accusations that Kyiv has biological and chemical weapons illustrate that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering using them himself in the war against Ukraine. The U.S. official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, shared Biden's assessment but added: "There's no indication that there's something imminent in that regard right now."
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Nearly 200,000 Ukraine refugees have left Poland by train
Of the two million refugees who fled Ukraine for Poland after Russia's invasion, nearly 200,000 have since taken the train abroad, Poland's railway operator said Tuesday. "Nearly 400 regular trains have transported more than 140,000 people, while 45,000 people made use of the 113 extra trains," Miroslaw Siemieniec, spokesman for the PLK operator, told AFP. Most have gone on to Berlin, but some have also travelled to Prague and Vienna.The refugees have been able to ride without a ticket since all of Poland's trains -- both regional and international -- are currently free for those who fled the war.Others have left Poland for other countries by car or plane, though no overall figures are available since it involves travel within the visa-free Schengen zone.According to Poland's border guard service, more than 2.1 million people have crossed into Poland from Ukraine since the war erupted late last month.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | One dead in drone attack on Kyiv science institute
At least one person was killed when drones attacked a scientific institute in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Tuesday, AFP journalists and officials said.Military rescuers removed a body covered with a black plastic sheet from the scene, AFP journalists saw.Smoke rose from the white seven-storey building at the Institute for Superhard Materials in northwestern Kyiv, part of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine.Soldiers at the scene pointed out a winged vehicle about a metre (three feet) long, smashed into two large pieces, that they said was a Russian drone.A defence ministry intelligence official said at the scene that three people had died, but there was no other confirmation of the toll."During today’s air raid the armed forces of the Russian Federation used Orlan drones, one of which dropped a bomb, as a result of which the premises caught fire," the official, who asked not to be identified by name, told AFP."Later two more drones appeared and also tried drop bombs, they were downed. It used to be an industrial workshop here, a civilian institution. No military."
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | S Jaishankar, US Under Secretary of State discuss bilateral ties, Indo-Pacific, Ukraine situation
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said he held a "good discussion" with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland on issues like ways to expand bilateral ties, Indo-Pacific and the Ukraine situation. The discussion came a day after delegation-level talks between Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Nuland, who is on a three-nation tour of India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka."Pleased to meet @UnderSecStateP. Good discussion on expanding our bilateral cooperation, on South Asia, Indo-Pacific and the Ukraine situation," Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting. A statement issued after the Shringla-Nuland talks held under the framework of India-US Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) had said both sides looked forward to the India-US 2+2 ministerial meeting. The 2+2 defence and foreign ministerial talks were originally slated to be held in November.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Euronews channel says it’s blocked in Russia
International news channel Euronews says it has been blocked from broadcasting in Russia due to its Ukraine war coverage.“We firmly condemn this intolerable restriction imposed on millions ... in Russia who relied on us to get impartial news,” Euronews said, adding that Russian authorities pulled the channel off air and blocked its websites in Russia.Euronews said it might launch legal action to continue to freely broadcast in the country. Euronews is broadcast in 160 countries.Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified a crackdown on media and individuals who fail to toe his line on Russia’s war in Ukraine, blocking Facebook and Twitter and signing into law a bill that criminalizes the intentional spreading of “fake” reports.Euronews said it strongly rejected Russian claims it spread “fake news” and that it allegedly called on Russians to protest the war. It said it faced an “unacceptable threat of criminal liability” due to the new Russian law.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine says 300,000 people are running out of food in occupied Kherson
Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Tuesday about 300,000 people in the occupied city of Kherson were running out of food and medical supplies, and accused Russia of preventing civilians evacuating to Ukraine-controlled territory. "Kherson's 300k citizens face a humanitarian catastrophe owing to the Russian army's blockade. Food and medical supplies have almost run out, yet Russia refuses to open humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians," ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter. Russia did not immediately comment on Nikolenko's remarks. Moscow denies targeting civilians.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Israelis held by Russian troops in Ukraine freed
Three Israelis detained by Russian troops in Ukraine have been freed, the head of the Ukrainian journalists union said Tuesday.Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk had said on Monday that Mykhailo Kumok, his wife and daughter -- all Israeli nationals -- had been kidnapped by Russian soldiers in the southeastern city Melitopol, currently held by Russian forces."The family of Mykhailo Kumok were finally released by the occupants," Sergey Tomilenko said on his Facebook account.Tomilenko had indicated they were freed several hours later on Monday after having been interrogated and their telephones confiscated.Kumok was described as being the publisher of the local newspaper Melitopolskie Vedomosti.Three of the newspaper's journalists were also briefly held on Monday and then released, Tomilenko said."The Ukrainian National Journalists Union condemns the intimidation and pressure being put on journalists and the residents of Melitopol, Berdyansk and Kherson," he wrote.On March 11, Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov wasabducted by Russian forces and released several days later.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Kremlin dismisses U.S. warning of potential Russian cyber attacks
The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected U.S. warnings that it may be preparing to conduct cyber attacks in response to Western sanctions, and said it did not engage in "banditry". U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday told businesses to do more to protect themselves against possible cyber attacks by Russia, warning there was "evolving intelligence" that Moscow was exploring options on that front. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "The Russian Federation, unlike many Western countries, including the United States, does not engage in state-level banditry." Russia has previously rejected similar allegations, including accusations that it was responsible for hacks on Ukrainian banking and government websites in February. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday said the U.S. Department of Defense has not suffered any cyberattacks, adding that U.S. officials were open with American business leaders at Monday's meeting about the likely risk to corporations. "We haven't seen anything affect our infrastructure or critical U.S government infrastructure," he told MNSBC. "We wanted to make sure that leaders knew and were aware that the Russians would probably try this kind of tactic going forward." Important U.S. companies that provide critical infrastructure should improve their cyber defenses, but there was "no certainty" such an attack would occur, senior White House cybersecurity official Anne Neuberger said on Monday.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Serbia refuses to slap sanctions on Russia
A senior Serbian official says Belgrade will never impose sanctions or join the Western “hysteria” against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.Serbia’s Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin said Tuesday: “Serbia will never be part of the anti-Russian hysteria in which the property of Russian citizens and the property of the Russian Federation is stolen, just as we will not ban Russian media.”The Balkan country is a staunch ally of Russia, though it has condemned its invasion of Ukraine.Serbia is seeking membership of the European Union, but it is the only European country that has refused to join international sanctions against the Kremlin.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Wildfires near Chernobyl plant extinguished
Ukraine’s natural resources minister says wildfires have been extinguished in the area of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which is under the control of Russian forces.The fires have raised concern about the possible release of radiation from the plant, where a 1986 explosion and fire sent radioactive emissions across large parts of Europe.But Natural Resources Minister Ruslan Strelets said Tuesday that radiation levels in the area are within the norms.Ukrainian officials had earlier accused Russian forces of deliberately setting the fires or causing them with artillery shelling.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Russian newspaper blames army death toll report on hackers
A Russian newspaper has accused hackers of planting fake news on its website after a report briefly appeared there saying nearly 10,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in Ukraine. The incident marked the second apparent breach within a week of the tightly controlled war narrative that the Kremlin promotes through loyal Russian media. An online article on the site of mass-market paper Komsomolskaya Pravda, still accessible via a web archive tool, quotes the Russian defence ministry as saying 9,861 Russian servicemen have been killed and 16,153 wounded in what Moscow calls its special military operation in Ukraine. Those figures had been removed from a version of the same article visible on the website on Tuesday.
Instead, an advisory said: "On March 21, access to the administrator interface was hacked on the Komsomolskaya Pravda website and a fake insert was made in this publication about the situation around the special operation in Ukraine. The inaccurate information was immediately removed." Russia has not officially updated its casualty figures since stating on March 2 that 498 servicemen had been killed and 1,597 wounded. Since then its offensive has run into further heavy resistance from Ukraine's army and volunteer defence forces. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call on Tuesday that he could not comment on the incident with Komsomolskaya Pravda, saying it was a question for the newspaper. He said he had no information on casualty figures.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Russia adopts bill on jail terms for 'fake' news on state actions abroad
Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved legislation imposing jail terms of up to 15 years for the publication of false information about Russia's actions abroad, as Moscow's military operation in Ukraine approaches one month.The bill, adopted after a third reading, sets out jail terms and fines against people who publish "knowingly false information" about actions abroad by Russian government agencies.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates |
EU opens arms to fleeing Ukrainian researchersThe EU is extending an online welcome to Ukrainian scientists and researchers fleeing the war in their country, on Tuesday opening a website pointing them towards jobs and accommodation.The ERA4Ukraine portal aims to be a "one-stop shop for information and support services" for them, a statement said.It builds on an existing online research network used by EU countries and others linked to the bloc's Horizon Europe funding research. It also aims to provide information on getting Ukrainian degrees recognised in the European Union."We stand with the researchers and innovators of Ukraine who are faced with unprecedented circumstances as a result of the Russian invasion against their country," the EU commissioner for research, Mariya Gabriel, said.The website (https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/ukraine), to be available in English and Ukrainian, links to official sites in EU countries and neighbouring nations such as Britain, Switzerland, Norway and Turkey offering services to researchers and scientists.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine leader calls on Pope to mediate in conflict
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Tuesday on Pope Francis to mediate in his country's conflict with Russia to help alleviate human suffering, nearly one month into Moscow's invasion.Zelensky said he had held a telephone call with the pope and that he had "told His Holiness about the difficult humanitarian situation and the blocking of rescue corridors by Russian troops.""The mediating role of the Holy See in ending human suffering would be appreciated," Zelensky wrote on Twitter following the call.Negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv have held ongoing talks aimed at ending nearly four weeks of fierce fighting, but have failed to announce any progress so far.Pope Francis has called for an end to the conflict on more than one occasion, and although he has condemned the "massacre" in Ukraine, he has avoided mentioning Russia by name.Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and Francis earlier this month held talks on Ukraine and urged negotiations to continue to reach a "just peace".Shortly after the start of Russia's military operation last month in Ukraine, Patriarch Kirill called Moscow's opponents in Ukraine "evil forces".
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Govt closely monitoring global commodity price movements amid Russia-Ukraine war: FinMin
The government is closely monitoring the global commodity price movements and their impact on the Indian economy through trade in the aftermath of global supply disruptions amid the Russia-Ukraine war, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhury said the government is also committed to supporting initiatives for releases from Strategic Petroleum Reserves to mitigate market volatility and calm the rise in crude oil prices.To a question on whether the government has made any review of the economy consequent upon the breakout of war between Russia and Ukraine, the minister said the geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine has led to global supply disruptions, resulting in a steep increase in global commodity prices, including crude oil, gas, edible oils and fertilisers, among others. "Government of India is closely monitoring the global price movements and their impact on India's economy through trade," he said. He said India's GDP in 2021-22 is estimated to grow at 8.9 per cent, which will take the country's GDP past the most recent pre-pandemic output of 2019-20 to complete the recovery process. "In addition, Government is also committed to supporting initiatives for releases from Strategic Petroleum Reserves, for mitigating market volatility and calming the rise in crude oil prices," Chaudhury said.International oil prices started rising this year and jumped to a 13-year high of USD 140 per barrel earlier this month as an aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war. Brent was trading at USD 118.59 per barrel on Tuesday. India relies on overseas purchases to meet about 85 per cent of its oil requirement, making it one of the most vulnerable in Asia to higher oil prices.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ten Ukrainian hospitals destroyed since start of war, minister says
Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said on Tuesday that 10 hospitals had been completely destroyed since Russia invaded Ukraine, and others could not be restocked with medicines and supplies because of fighting nearby. Speaking on national television, he said COVID-19 testing was being carried out only in areas where there was no fighting, and this was complicating efforts to track the disease. Reuters could not independently verify his comments.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukrainians return to Bulgaria holiday resort as refugees
They've been here before as holidaymakers. Now they're back as refugees -- hundreds of Ukrainian children and their mothers, sheltering in a Bulgarian Black Sea summer camp.Everything has been shut for the winter in the tiny resort of Kiten and there's hardly a soul in the streets under the sunny but chilly March sky.One hotel however hums with activity -- toddlers running around, women chatting in the corridors, distributing towels and snacks or sitting glued to the news on their phones.Hotel owner Kostadin Milev, 32, has been welcoming Ukrainian holidaymakers every summer for the past 10 years. When Russia invaded its neighbour, it was only natural for Milev to open up earlier than usual to offer them shelter.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Five dead in Russian strikes in east Ukraine, Kyiv says
Five people have been killed and more than a dozen wounded in Russian strikes on a war-scared town in eastern Ukraine, an official in Kyiv said Tuesday, nearly one month into Moscow's invasion."In the Donetsk region, Avdiivka was fired on by artillery and aircraft, the city was razed to the ground. Five civilians were killed and 19 were injured," Ukraine's ombudswoman, Lyudmyla Denisova, said in a statement.She said the attack occurred late Monday.Avdiivka in the east of Ukraine is adjacent to the de-facto capital of pro-Moscow separatists, who wrested control of two self-proclaimed republics in 2014.Ukraine has accused Russian troops of indiscriminately targeting medical facilities, residential areas, and bomb shelters since Moscow sent troops over the borders of its pro-Western neighbour on February 24.Russia denies purposefully targeting civilians and has instead accused Ukrainian forces of using civilians as human shields.Denisova said in a separate post on the Telegram that a Russian tank in the Kharkiv region had targeted a civilian-marked car and that three adults and a child were killed.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | 500,000 refugees from Ukraine have mental health issues: WHO
About half a million refugees from Ukraine who have fled to Poland need support for mental health disorders, and 30,000 have severe mental health problems, the representative for the World Health Organisation in Poland said on Tuesday. Refugees arriving in Poland are suffering from a range of health problems, including diarrhea and dehydration, but the main need is for support due to trauma, Paloma Cuchi, WHO representative in Poland, told a briefing in Geneva.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Kremlin says wants more 'substantial' talks on Ukraine
The Kremlin said Tuesday it would like the negotiations with Kyiv aimed at ending Russia's military action in Ukraine to have more substance."There is some kind of process happening. We would like more active and substantial (talks)," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine urges Russia to let supplies into Mariupol and to let civilians leave
Ukraine made a new appeal to Russia on Tuesday to allow humanitarian supplies into the besieged southern city of Mariupol and to let civilians leave. "We demand the opening of a humanitarian corridor for civilians," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Ukrainian television. Vereshchuk also said Russia's armed forces were preventing humanitarian supplies reaching residents of the southern city of Kherson. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians since invading Ukraine on February24.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Exclusive: Amid Ukraine crisis, top US official visiting New Delhi expected to allay fears over sanctions
After weeks of worrying rhetoric, the US is sending over one of its top diplomats in an effort to calm the nerves of policymakers in New Delhi and provide an assurance that India will not face sanctions over its business and military ties to Russia, sources in the know toldMoneycontrol.US assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs Donald Lu will be in India on Tuesday on a one-day visit. Lu’s visit gains significance against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has seen India and the US take opposing diplomatic stances. Incidentally, Lu is the same US official who had been in the news for saying earlier this month that India’s defence deals with Russia remain plausible ground for sanctions and that US President Joe Biden was still considering his options.India has faced flak from US lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, for choosing to abstain from multiple votes at the United Nations condemning Russia’s unilateral attack on Ukraine. The Biden administration has also been irked by India’s refusal to stop trade with Russia nearly a month after the invasion began.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Pakistan PM Imran Khan suggests Islamic states consider mediating in Russia-Ukraine conflict
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday suggested Islamic countries should discuss how to mediate and bring about a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "May I suggest that OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) during its discussion with foreign ministers, we should think about how ... we can mediate, how we can bring about the ceasefire," Khan told an OIC conference in Islamabad.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | EU eyes 'trust fund' for war-torn Ukraine
EU leaders intend to set up a "trust fund" for Ukraine as it battles Russia's invasion and to help it rebuild after the war, according to a draft document seen by AFP Tuesday.Leaders from the 27-nation bloc meet in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day summit focused on dealing with the fallout from the Kremlin's assault on its pro-Western neighbour."Bearing in mind the destruction and enormous losses brought upon Ukraine by Russia's military aggression, the European Union is committed to provide support to the Ukrainian Government for its immediate needs and, once the Russian onslaught has ceased, for the reconstruction of a democratic Ukraine," the draft conclusions for the meeting said. "To that end, the European Council agrees to set up a Ukraine Solidarity Trust Fund and calls for preparations to start without delay."
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine urges Russia to let supplies into Mariupol and to let civilians leave
Ukraine made a new appeal to Russia on Tuesday to allow humanitarian supplies into the besieged southern city of Mariupol and to let civilians leave. "We demand the opening of a humanitarian corridor for civilians," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Ukrainian television. Vereshchuk also said Russia's armed forces were preventing humanitarian supplies reaching residents of the southern city of Kherson. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians since invading Ukraine on February.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine's cultural crucible embraces the art of war
A brick-sized printer head scoots back and forth, spraying a furled plastic banner with the silhouette of a mythical fighter pilot. Next door a drying glossy poster shows a tractor carting off a crippled Russian tank.A nearby computer is loaded with a caricature of a slain invader. From his skeletal remains sprouts the stem of a sunflower, a national emblem of Ukraine.Since Russia invaded Ukraine three weeks ago, the Zovnishnya Reklama print works has been a publishing hive for unashamedly patriotic billboards, posters, banners and stickers.The back alley studio -- enveloped in the heady odour of ink -- is one of many outlets flooding the western city of Lviv with wartime messaging urging Ukraine on to victory."For us it is not propaganda," says manager Volodymyr Kotovych, 26, clambering over reams of industrial paper stacked like logs on the workshop floor."These are patriotic slogans that motivate our people and our soldiers to have a better fighting spirit."
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Oil slips below $114 as EU split on Russian ban
Oil slipped below $114 a barrel on Tuesday, giving up some of the previous day's 7% surge, as European Union members disagreed on a potential oil embargo on Russia, although persistent supply risks limited the decline. European Union foreign ministers are split on whether to join the United States in banning Russian oil. Some countries, including Germany, say the bloc is too dependent on Russia's fossil fuels to withstand such a step. Brent crude fell $1.92, or 1.7%, to $113.70 a barrel at 0920 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slipped $2.82, or 2.5%, to $109.3. Both contracts had settled up more than 7% on Monday. Oil also slipped as the U.S. dollar strengthened after comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Monday that flagged a more aggressive tightening of monetary policy than previously anticipated.A strong dollar makes crude more expensive for other currency holders and tends to weigh on risk appetite. "The word 'transitory' regarding inflation is a distant memory, chiefly due to rising commodity prices," said Tamas Varga of broker PVM. "Central banks, led by the Federal Reserve stand ready to increase the cost of borrowing significantly."
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine refugee exodus surpasses 3.5 million
The U.N. refugee agency says more than 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, passing another milestone in an exodus that has led to Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II.UNHCR reported Tuesday that 3.53 million people have left Ukraine, with Poland taking in the lion’s share — more than 2.1 million — followed by Romania with more than 540,000 and Moldova with more than 367,000.Shortly after the invasion on Feb. 24, UNHCR predicted that some 4 million refugees might leave Ukraine, though it has been re-assessing that prediction. The outflows have been slowing in recent days after peaking at more than 200,000 each on two straight days in early March.The International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 6.5 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine, suggesting that some if not most of them might to flee abroad if the war continues.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | More than 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine
The number of Ukrainians fleeing abroad is now 3,528,346, the United Nations' Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday, with more than 2 million crossing the border into Poland.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Mayor urges people to flee Ukrainian city close to international airport
The mayor of the Ukrainian city of Boryspil, which is close to Boryspil international airport, advised civilians on Tuesday to leave the city if they can because of fighting nearby. Mayor Volodymyr Borysenko said in a video address that there was fighting in the Kyiv region where Boryspil is located. "There is no need to be in the city now as there is already fighting going on in the area around it. I call on the civilian population to be smart, reach out to our call centre and leave town as soon as an opportunity arises," he said.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Lviv radio gets 'new mission' after Russian invasion
The Lvivska Khvylya local radio station in west Ukraine changed its broadcast output dramatically the day Russia invaded the country. The first thing staff did was to ease off on the entertainment programming and ramp up coverage of the war for their tens of thousands of listeners. "We are an entertainment and music radio station but we're doing a lot of news because citizens need a lot of information in these times," Volodymyr Melnyk, a 28-year-old host on Lvivska Khvylya ("Wave of Lviv"), told AFP.
He was speaking in the station's brand-new studio in Lviv, a city 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Polish border. Between Ukrainian pop hits, Melnyk and his colleague Andryi Antoniuk, 41, lighten the mood with quips about the conflict. "In times of war, we need to be positive. We can make fun of Putin and of the Russian troops who can't take our cities, but we can't have so much fun as we had before the war," says Melnyk who has been working for the station for eight years.
Years before Russia sent troops to Ukraine on February 24, the station had already once before pivoted to war. Staff shook up their programming in 2014, when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine and threw its weight behind separatists in the east of the country.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates
| Russia shells Zhytomyr Oblast, 3 houses destroyed, 10 damaged. Buildings near Malyn were shelled by Russian troops: The Kyiv Independent quotes Ukraine’s State Emergency Service
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | OYO to offer free accommodation to Ukraine refugees
Homegrown hospitality technology platform OYO on Tuesday said it will offer free accommodation to refugees fleeing Ukraine. Starting with Poland, the company has initiated concerted efforts to appeal to its 600-plus Belvilla homeowners on its platform in Poland to open their holiday homes to refugees. "These stays will be free for refugees who cannot pay for them, and the costs will be borne by the company and its homeowners, who volunteer to host refugees. The company will support administratively, and help cover operational expenses incurred by the homeowners," OYO said in a statement.
Commenting on the move, OYO founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal said, "We are deeply inspired by our homeowners who are opening their homes and hearts to people in dire need. We are committed to supporting them and driving this effort in every way we can. We will continue to explore every avenue to ensure all possible support for refugees in European countries".
He further said the company is also in conversation with multiple organisations locally to ensure that refugees are matched with available accommodation in the region. "At OYO, we are also channelling resources to help raise funds for NGOs, who are at the forefront of this crisis," Agarwal said. The hospitality platform further said it is also encouraging not only homeowners in Poland but also those in other European countries to open up their homes. It is also in conversation with non-profits organisations for partnering to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers who are fleeing Ukraine are matched with available housing facilities.
OYO said it has also launched a fundraiser campaign, encouraging its employees and the public at large for voluntary donations. The funds collected will go back to homeowners, opening up their homes to refugees and non-profit organisations aiding in housing the refugees. The company has thousands of homes across Europe. OYO's European business of vacation homes, through its subsidiary OYO Vacation Homes, (OVH) operates multiple brands - Belvilla by OYO, DanCenter and Traum-Ferienwohnungen. There are growing concerns over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Ukraine and the ensuing humanitarian due to Russia's invasion of the central Asian nation.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine announces no new agreements with Russia on corridors to evacuate civilians
Ukraine said on Tuesday its efforts to evacuate civilians from besieged towns and cities were focused on the city of Mariupol but did not announce any new agreement with Russia to allow safe passage for trapped residents. "We are focusing on evacuations from Mariupol," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. She listed a number of places from where buses would try to evacuate civilians but Mariupol was not among them. She also made no mention of any new agreements with Russia on establishing "humanitarian corridors" to evacuate civilians.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | China, Pakistan share concern about sanctions on Russia, China says
China and Pakistan share concern about "spill-over effects of unilateral sanctions" on Russia over its war against Ukraine and called for a ceasefire and diplomatic resolution of the crisis, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Old allies China and Pakistan have refrained from condemning Russia over its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, unlike Western countries that have imposed unprecedented financial and corporate sanctions in response to what Russian President Vladimir Putin calls a "special military operation".
"Both expressed concerns about the spill-over effects of unilateral sanctions," the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement following a meeting on Monday in Pakistan between the neighbours' foreign ministers. "Both called for a ceasefire through diplomatic dialogue and hope that based on the principle of indivisible security, a fundamental solution to the Ukraine problem can be found, the Chinese ministry said. Pakistan's foreign ministry also issued a statement on the talks in Islamabad, echoing the call for a ceasefire, but it did not mention concern about sanctions.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | PM Modi, Scott Morrison express concern over Ukraine conflict, call for immediate end to hostilities
Expressing concern over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India and Australia have underlined the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and stressed that the contemporary global order has been built on UN Charter, international law and respect for states' sovereignty and territorial integrity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison made the assertion during their virtual summit on Monday, according to a joint statement which was put out by the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday.
At the virtual summit with Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Russia must be held accountable for the loss of lives in Ukraine and care must be taken to ensure that such "terrible events" never occur in the Indo-Pacific region. The joint statement noted the two leaders expressed their serious concern about the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Modi and Morrison reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, it said. They emphasised that the contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states, the statement mentioned. The two leaders agreed to remain closely engaged on the issue and its broader implications for the Indo-Pacific, it added. At a media briefing after the summit, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Monday that Morrison expressed understanding of India's position on the issue of Ukraine.
There was a clear sense that a conflict in Europe "should not be a reason for us to divert our attention from the Indo-Pacific region", he said. Noting there was a "serious concern" about the conflict and humanitarian situation in Ukraine, the foreign secretary said Modi and Morrison spoke about the need for a cessation of hostilities and violence.
The joint statement mentioned that at the summit, the two leaders also expressed their shared commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific supported by a robust regional architecture with the ASEAN at its centre. They reaffirmed their commitment to an inclusive and prosperous region in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free from military, economic and political coercion, the statement said.
Modi and Morrison also underscored their commitment to cooperation between India, Australia, Japan and the United States in advancing the Quad's positive and ambitious agenda to promote regional stability and prosperity. They welcomed the virtual meeting between Quad leaders in March 2022 and looked forward to the next in-person leaders' meeting in the coming months, the statement said.
They also welcomed the close cooperation between India and Australia on the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. Prime Minister Modi appreciated the briefing by Morrison on the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) partnership and the leaders recognised Australia's commitment to not develop nuclear weapons and to uphold the highest standards of non-proliferation, the statement noted.
The leaders affirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean region and with other Indian Ocean countries, including their support for the Indian Ocean Rim Association. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Australia's enhanced engagement in the Indian Ocean in maritime and disaster preparedness, trade, investment and connectivity, according to the joint statement.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | UNGA Emergency Special Session on Ukraine to resume on March 23
The Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Ukraine will resume on Wednesday after 22 member states, including France, the UK and the US, wrote to the President of the 193-member UN body, Abdulla Shahid, to convene the meeting. The UN General Assembly, the most representative body of the United Nations, had on February 28 convened the rare emergency session on Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Shahid presided over the unprecedented session from February 28 to March 2. It was only the 11th such emergency session of the General Assembly since 1950. Shahid received a letter from 22 member states calling for the resumption of the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UNGA. In a tweet on Monday, the UNGA president said he will be convening the Emergency Special Session on March 23 in the General Assembly Hall.
A draft resolution sponsored by Ukraine and other member states has been submitted and is being processed, said Paulina Kubiak Greer, spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly. The countries that wrote to Shahid calling for the resumption of the session include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, the UK and the US. Before the end of the session on March 2, the General Assembly had voted to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders and deplored in the strongest terms Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
India, along with 34 other nations, had abstained on the resolution, which was adopted with 141 votes in favour and five member states voting against. The resolution urged the immediate peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through political dialogue, negotiations, mediation and other peaceful means. Nearly 100 UN member states -- including Afghanistan, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Kuwait, Singapore, Turkey, Ukraine, the UK and the US -- had co-sponsored the resolution titled Aggression Against Ukraine'.
In the Explanation of Vote in the General Assembly, India had said it was deeply concerned over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Ukraine and the ensuing humanitarian crisis. It had demanded safe and uninterrupted passage for all its nationals, including students, who were stranded in Ukraine and cities in the conflict zones. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti had said that India remained firm in its conviction that differences can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and added that New Delhi supported the international community's call for an immediate ceasefire.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | China's Russian traders smell profit as Ukraine sanctions bite
For Marat, a Russian businessman based in Shanghai, sanctions on his home country have heralded an unexpected opportunity in China as companies struggle to keep their supply chains open. The 42-year-old has already been contacted by a components company hunting for partners in China after being cut off from its suppliers in Europe and North America.
"'Just be ready'", he said was the message from the firm based in Belarus, a Russian ally also under sanctions for supporting its invasion of Ukraine. "It will be a bigger workload for me, and for sure, as a result, bigger rewards," said Marat, who gave one name only due to the sensitivity of commenting on the war inside China.
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the bloody assault on Ukraine, Western capitals have frozen Moscow out of the global financial system, tipping its currency into freefall and pushing the country to the verge of default. But China -- a longtime Russian ally -- has refused to follow suit, throwing Moscow a potential economic lifeline to match the diplomatic cover it has provided by refusing to condemn the invasion. Beijing is already Moscow's largest trading partner, with trade volumes last year hitting $147 billion, according to Chinese customs data, up more than 30 percent on 2019.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Joe Biden says Putin considering using chemical, biological weapons in Ukraine
US President Joe Biden said Monday that it’s "clear" Russia is considering the use of chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine and warned of a "severe" Western response if it chose to do so. "His back is against the wall," said Biden of Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that Russia has recently accused the United States of holding chemical and biological weapons in Europe.
"Simply not true. I guarantee you," he told a gathering of US business leaders in Washington. "They are also suggesting that Ukraine has biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine. That's a clear sign he's considering using both of those," he said. His warning echoed statements made by his administration earlier this month as well as other Western nations, after Russian officials accused Ukraine of seeking to hide an alleged US-backed chemical weapons program.
"Now that Russia has made these false claims... we should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them," tweeted White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Civilians fleeing Mariupol describe street-to-street battles
Civilians making the dangerous escape from Ukraine's embattled southern port of Mariupol described fleeing through street-to-street gun battles and past unburied corpses as a steady Russian bombardment tried to pound the city into submission. While Russian forces carried on with the siege after the city's defenders refused demands to surrender, the Kremlin's ground offensive in other parts of the country advanced slowly or not at all, knocked back by lethal hit-and-run attacks by the Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian army said early Tuesday that it had forced Russian troops out of a strategically important Kyiv suburb following a fierce battle. The regained territory allowed Ukrainian forces to retake control of a key highway to the west and block Russian troops from surrounding Kyiv from the northwest. But Ukraine's Defense Ministry said Russian forces battling toward Kyiv were able to partially take other northwest suburbs, Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, some of which had been under attack almost since Russia's military invaded late last month.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces are increasingly concentrating their air power and artillery on Ukraine's cities and the civilians living there, killing uncounted numbers and sending millions fleeing. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the military’s assessment, said Russia had increased air sorties over the past two days, carrying out as many as 300 in the past 24 hours, and has fired more than 1,100 missiles into Ukraine since the invasion began.
In a video address Monday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed those who have fought back against Russia. “There is no need to organize resistance,” Zelenskyy said. “Resistance for Ukrainians is part of their soul.” In Mariupol, with communications crippled, movement restricted and many residents in hiding, the fate of those inside an art school flattened on Sunday and a theater that was blown apart four days earlier was unclear. More than 1,300 people were believed to be sheltering in the theater, and 400 were estimated to have been in the art school.
Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol has been a key target that has been besieged for more than three weeks and has seen some of the worst suffering of the war. But no clear, independent picture emerged of how close its capture might be. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that their forces were still defending the city and had destroyed a Russian patrol boat and electronic warfare complex.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Lviv radio gets 'new mission' after Russian invasion
The Lvivska Khvylya local radio station in west Ukraine changed its broadcast output dramatically the day Russia invaded the country. The first thing staff did was to ease off on the entertainment programming and ramp up coverage of the war for their tens of thousands of listeners. "We are an entertainment and music radio station but we're doing a lot of news because citizens need a lot of information in these times," Volodymyr Melnyk, a 28-year-old host on Lvivska Khvylya ("Wave of Lviv"), told AFP.
He was speaking in the station's brand-new studio in Lviv, a city 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Polish border. Between Ukrainian pop hits, Melnyk and his colleague Andryi Antoniuk, 41, lighten the mood with quips about the conflict. "In times of war, we need to be positive. We can make fun of Putin and of the Russian troops who can't take our cities, but we can't have so much fun as we had before the war," says Melnyk who has been working for the station for eight years.
Years before Russia sent troops to Ukraine on February 24, the station had already once before pivoted to war. Staff shook up their programming in 2014, when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine and threw its weight behind separatists in the east of the country.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Explainer-Talks on Ukraine: peace deal or more Russian war?
Russia and Ukraine are talking about a peace deal while their soldiers kill each other after the Feb. 24 Russian invasion but the question of territory could sink any chance of an agreement to end the war. Turkey, which is trying to mediate, has said the two sides are nearing agreement on critical issues. Britain has warned that President Vladimir Putin could be using peace talks as a smokescreen to regroup Russian forces.
Putin says the "special military operation" in Ukraine is necessary because the United States was using Ukraine to threaten Russia and Russia had to defend against the "genocide" of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine. Ukraine says it is fighting for its existence against a Russian imperial-style land grab and that Putin's claims of genocide are nonsense. The West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia that the Kremlin says amount to a declaration of economic war by the United States and its allies. China has called for calm.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Russia stops peace treaty talks with Japan
Japan denounced Russia on Tuesday over its decision to discontinue peace treaty talks over the disputed Kuril islands and withdraw from joint economic projects in retaliation for Tokyo’s sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two countries never signed a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities because of their dispute over the Russian-held islands north of Hokkaido, which Moscow took at the end of the war.
The latest situation has been all caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters Tuesday. He called Russia’s response extremely unjustifiable and absolutely unacceptable. Japan has imposed a series of sanctions on Russia in recent weeks, including freezing some individual assets, banning exports of luxury goods and high-technology equipment to the country and revoking Russia’s most favoured nation trade status.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address Japanese parliament
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to virtually deliver his address to the Japanese parliament on Wednesday to rally international support for his country’s fight against Russian invasion. Japan, unlike in the past, has been acting tough against Russia, in line with other Group of Seven countries, though Tokyo’s steps have triggered Moscow’s retaliation. A compromise could set a bad precedence in East Asia, where China is increasingly making assertive military actions.
Zelenskyy’s speech, expected to be about 10 minutes, will be shown in a meeting room at the lower house — the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber parliament which Prime Minister Fumio Kishida belongs to. Zelenskyy has made virtual addresses to the U.S. Congress, as well as parliaments in Europe, Canada, and Israel.
Foreign dignitaries, including former U.S. President George W. Bush and former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, have delivered their addresses in person during visits to Japan as state guests, but an online speech by a foreign leader is unprecedented. On Monday, Russia announced a decision to discontinue peace treaty talks with Japan over the disputed Kuril islands and withdraw from joint economic projects there, citing Tokyo’s sanctions against Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Volodymyr Zelensky renews offer of Vladimir Putin talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed an offer of direct peace talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin late Monday, declaring the status of disputed territories could be up for debate and a possible referendum. Zelensky told local media that he was ready to meet Putin "in any format" to discuss ending the almost one-month-old war that has shattered several Ukrainian cities.
Zelensky said even the status of Russian-occupied Crimea and Russian-backed statelets in Donbas was up for debate. "At the first meeting with the president of Russia, I am ready to raise these issues," he said. "There will be no appeals or historical speeches. I would discuss all issues with him in great detail" Zelensky said.
Russia has declared Crimea part of Russia and recognised the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine. All three areas were part of Ukraine following the collapse of the Soviet Union and are at the centre of a decade-old crisis that on February 24 spilt into invasion and full-scale war. "If I have this opportunity and Russia has the desire, we would go through all the questions," he told Ukrainian journalists in an interview published by media outlet Suspilne.
