Russia Ukraine News Highlights | President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday peace talks with Ukraine had hit a dead end, using his first public comments on the conflict in more than a week to vow that his troops would win and to goad the West for failing to bring Moscow to heel.
In other major updates, Moscow had said it hit four S-300 launchers near the central city of Dnipro that had been provided by a European country it did not name. Slovakia gave Ukraine just such a system last week but denied it had been destroyed. Russia previously reported two strikes on similar systems in other places.
The failure to win full control of Ukraine’s skies has hampered Moscow’s ability to provide air cover for troops on the ground, limiting their advances and likely exposing them to greater losses.
With their offensive in many parts of the country thwarted, Russian forces have relied increasingly on bombarding cities — a strategy that has left many urban areas flattened and killed thousands of people.
Ukrainian authorities accuse Russian forces of committing atrocities, including a massacre in the town of Bucha, outside Kyiv, airstrikes on hospitals and a missile attack that killed at least 57 people last week at a train station.
In Bucha on Monday, the work of exhuming bodies from a mass grave in a churchyard resumed.
Galyna Feoktistova waited for hours in the cold and rain in hopes of identifying her 50-year-old son, who was shot and killed more than a month ago, but eventually she went home for some warmth. “He’s still there,” her surviving son, Andriy, said.
In Mariupol, about 120,000 civilians are in dire need of food, water, warmth and communications, the mayor said.
Only those residents who have passed the Russian “filtration camps” are released from the city, Boychenko said. He said improvised prisons were organized for those who did not pass the “filtering,” while at least 33,000 were taken to Russia or to separatist territory in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the U.N. children’s agency said that nearly two-thirds of all Ukrainian children have fled their homes in the six weeks since Russia’s invasion began. The United Nations has verified that 142 children have been killed and 229 injured, though the actual numbers are likely much higher.
Elsewhere, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he met Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for talks that were “very direct, open and tough.”
In a statement released by his office, Nehammer said his primary message to Putin was “that this war needs to end, because in war both sides can only lose.” Nehammer said he also raised the issue of war crimes committed by the Russian military and said those responsible “will be held to account.”
Austria is a member of the European Union and has backed the 27-nation bloc’s sanctions against Russia, though it so far has opposed cutting off deliveries of Russian gas. The country is militarily neutral and is not a member of NATO.
In other developments, the head of the separatist rebel government in Donetsk said Ukrainian forces have lost control of the port area of Mariupol.
“Regarding the port of Mariupol, it is now under our control,” Denis Pushilin, president of the Donetsk People’s Republic, told Russian state television, according to Russian news agencies. The claim could not immediately be confirmed.
The mayor said fighting continues.
“It is difficult, but our heroic military holds on,” Boychenko said. “There are fights in the port. Yesterday, our heroic warriors knocked out several positions of equipment and, accordingly, rebuffed the infantry.
Russia has appointed a seasoned general to lead its renewed push in the eastern Donbas region, where Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014 and have declared independent states.
The Pentagon’s latest assessment is that Russia is gearing up for an intensified offensive there as more troops and materiel move toward the area.
A senior U.S. defense official said a lengthy convoy is headed toward the eastern city of Izyum with artillery, aviation and infantry support.
More artillery is being deployed near the city of Donetsk, while ground combat units that withdrew from around the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas appear destined for refitting and resupplying before they position in Donbas, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. military assessments.
Both sides are digging in for what could be a devastating war of attrition.
Russian forces will likely try to encircle the Donbas region from the north and the south as well as the east, said retired British Gen. Richard Barrons, co-chair of the U.K.-based strategic consulting firm Universal Defence & Security Solutions.
The ground in that part of Ukraine is flatter, more open and less wooded — so the Ukrainian ambush tactics used around Kiev may be less successful, Barrons said.
“As to the outcome, it’s finely balanced right now,” Barrons said. If the Russians learned from their previous failures, concentrated more force, connected their air force to ground forces better and improved their logistics, “then they might start to overwhelm the Ukrainian positions eventually, although I still think it would be a battle of enormous attrition.”
In a video address to South Korean lawmakers on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy specifically requested equipment that can shoot down Russian missiles.
But those armaments could increasingly come under attack as Russia looks to shift the balance in the 6-week-old war.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said the military used cruise missiles to destroy the four launchers Sunday on the southern outskirts of Dnipro. He said the military also hit such systems in the Mykolaiv and Kharkiv regions.
The Russian claims could not be independently verified.
The Pentagon said it had seen no evidence to support Russia’s claims. And Lubica Janikova, spokeswoman for Slovakia’s prime minister, denied Monday that the S-300 system it sent Ukraine had been destroyed. She said any other claim is not true.
Questions remain about the ability of depleted and demoralized Russian forces to conquer much ground after their advance on Kyiv was repelled by determined Ukrainian defenders.
Britain’s Defense Ministry said Monday that Ukraine has already beaten back several assaults by Russian forces in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions — which make up the Donbas — resulting in the destruction of Russian tanks, vehicles and artillery.
Western military analysts say Russia’s assault increasingly is focusing on an arc of territory stretching from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, in the north, to Kherson in the south.
A residential area in Kharkiv was struck by incoming fire on Monday afternoon. Associated Press journalists saw firefighters putting out the fire and checking for victims following the attack, and saw that at least five people were killed, including a child.
Oleh Synyehubov, the regional governor of Kharkiv, said earlier Monday that Russian shelling had killed 11 people over the last 24 hours.
The live blog session has concluded. For more news, views and updates, stay tuned with Moneycontrol.com.
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE |
OPEC on Tuesday cut its forecast for growth in world oil demand in 2022 citing the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rising inflation as crude prices soar and the resurgence of the Omicron coronavirus variant in China. Read full report
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | Bulgaria eases travel rules for NATO troops, neighbouring states
Bulgaria will allow NATO troops, as well as travellers from some neigbouring countries, to arrive in the Balkan country without showing any coronavirus-related documents as of April 13, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
The European Union and NATO member country lifted all domestic COVID restrictions from the beginning of the month, including wearing of face masks indoors as the number of new inflections eased.
The Black Sea state, which is setting up a 1,000-strong battle group as NATO is bolstering its eastern flank amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, will allow access of foreign allied forces to its territory without any COVID certificate. (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | Ukraine says it thwarted Russian cyberattack on electricity grid
Ukraine said on Tuesday it had thwarted an attempt by Russian hackers to damage its electricity grid last week with a cyberattack. "This is a military hacking team," said government spokesman Victor Zhora. "Their aim was to disable a number of facilities, including electricity substations."
"They did not succeed, and we're investigating."Kyiv blamed the attack on a group dubbed "Sandworm" by researchers and previously tied to cyberattacks attributed to Russia. (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | After week of silence, Putin goads West, vows triumph in Ukraine
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday vowed Russia would triumph in all of its "noble" war aims in Ukraine, using his first public comments on the conflict in a week to goad the West for failing to bring Moscow to heel with an economic Blitzkrieg.
Addressing the war in public for the first time since Russian forces retreated from northern Ukraine after they were halted at the gates of Kyiv, Putin said the situation in Ukraine was a tragedy.
However Russia had no choice but fight, he said, because it had to defend the Russian speakers of eastern Ukraine and prevent its former Soviet neighbour from becoming an anti-Russian springboard for Moscow's enemies. (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | Russian hackers tried to sabotage Ukrainian power grid, claim officials
Russian hackers attempted to launch a destructive cyberattack on Ukraine's electricity grid last week, Ukrainian officials and cybersecurity researchers said on Tuesday. The group, dubbed "Sandworm" by security researchers and previously tied to destructive cyberattacks attributed to Russia, deployed destructive and data-wiping malware on computers controlling high voltage substations in Ukraine, the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine (CERT-UA) said in a statement on its website.
"The victim organisation suffered two waves of attacks. The initial compromise took place no later than February 2022. The disconnection of electrical substations and the decommissioning of the company's infrastructure was scheduled for Friday evening, April 8, 2022," the CERT-UA statement said.
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | World Bank says it is preparing $1.5 billion aid package for Ukraine
The World Bank is preparing a new, $1.5 billion support package for war-torn Ukraine, including a $1 billion payment from the development lender's fund for the poorest countries, World Bank President DavidMalpasssaid on Tuesday.
Malpass, speaking in Warsaw, said the package was enabled by Monday's approval of $1 billion in International Development Association aid, as well as a $100 million payment to neighboring Moldova. (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE | Russia will launch a lunar probe and deepen space links with Belarus: Putin
Russia will launch a lunar probe later this year and deepen cooperation with Belarus on space infrastructure and technology, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday. Speaking at a meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East, Putin recalled Soviet successes in space and said no sanctions on Russia could halt its progress.
What Russia calls its "special military operation" to demilitarise and "denazify" Ukraine triggered a barrage of sanctions from Western countries including restrictions on scientific funding and cooperation.
Putin said Russia would develop a new generation transport spaceship and technologies for nuclear energy in space. (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine Crisis LIVE Updates | Putin warns the West: Russia cannot be isolated - or held back
President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Tuesday that attempts to isolate Moscow would fail, citing the success of the Soviet space programme as evidence that Russia could achieve spectacular leaps forward in tough conditions.
Russia says it will never again depend on the West after the United States and its allies imposed crippling sanctions on it to punish Putin for his Feb. 24 order for what he called a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
Sixty one years to the day since the Soviet Union's Yuri Gagarin blasted off into the history books by becoming the first man in space, Putin travelled to the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East, 3,450 miles (5550 km) east of Moscow. (Reuters)
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Concern over possible use of chemical weapons as battle rages in besieged Ukrainian port
Civilians were fleeing from areas of eastern Ukraine on Tuesday ahead of an anticipated Russian offensive, while Kyiv said it was checking reports that Russian forces had used chemical weapons in the besieged port city of Mariupol. The battle for Mariupol was reaching a decisive phase, with Ukrainian marines holed up in the Azovstal industrial district.
Should the Russians seize Azovstal, they would be in full control of Mariupol, the lynchpin between Russian-held areas to the west and east. The city has already been laid waste by weeks of Russian bombardments that have killed possibly thousands of civilians. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said the government was checking unverified information that Russia may have used chemical weapons while besieging Mariupol.
"There is a theory that these could be phosphorous munitions," Malyar said in televised comments. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had said on Monday night that Russia could resort to chemical weapons as it amassed troops in the eastern Donbas region for a new assault on Mariupol. He did not say if they actually had been used.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine war set to push record US inflation even higher
US government data will on Tuesday likely confirm what many Americans already suspected: prices continued to rise at record rates last month, continuing a phenomenon that began last year but which has been exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Labor Department's consumer price index (CPI) report for March will be the first to fully encompass the shock caused by the war in Ukraine and the Western sanctions against Moscow, and is almost certain to show a spike in prices for gasoline and other petroleum products.
"Russia's invasion of Ukraine has definitely added upside risks to US inflation through channels such as energy, food and also elevated risks of supply bottlenecks lingering for longer," Pooja Sriram of Barclays said. Americans have been weathering steadily accelerating price increases that hit 7.9 percent over the 12 months to February, a rate not seen in four decades. But as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, some economists believe the report will also mark the peak of the inflation wave that began last year as the economy recovered from Covid-19 -- though it could be a while before consumers feel relief.
"The subsequent slowing may not be meaningful given all the supply restrictions on products from Russia and Ukraine as well as the growing supply chain bottlenecks on finished goods from China due to the Covid lockdowns there," Karl Haeling of LBBW said. The inflation wave has become a political liability for President Joe Biden, and before the data's release, the White House temporarily waived a seasonal ban on sales of E15 gasoline, which is cheaper but usually not allowed to be sold during the summer.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Vladimir Putin flies into Russian far east for Ukraine talks with Belarusian leader
President Vladimir Putin flew into Russia's far east Amur region on Tuesday for talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expected to focus on Ukraine and Russian-Belarusian integration. The two leaders were due to head to the Vostochny Cosmodrome to mark Russia's annual Cosmonautics Day, commemorating the first manned space flight made in 1961 by the Russian Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
They were also expected to inspect the spaceport and meet staff, and to give a joint news conference at around 1100 GMT. Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 from both Russian and Belarusian territory in what it called a "special military operation" designed to demilitarise and "denazify" its neighbour.
Ukraine has mounted fierce resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions designed to force Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Lukashenko, who has a track record of sometimes saying things that appear to jar with his closest ally's stated positions on a range of issues, has insisted that Belarus must be involved in negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and has said that Belarus had been unfairly labelled "an accomplice of the aggressor".
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine says checking unverified information that Russia used chemical weapons in Mariupol
Ukraine is checking unverified information that Russia may have used chemical weapons while besieging the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said on Tuesday. "There is a theory that these could be phosphorous munitions," Malyar said in televised comments, adding: "Official information will come later."
Russia's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned on Monday that Russia could use chemical weapons in Ukraine. Britain and the United States have said they are aware of reports that Russia may have already used chemical agents in Mariupol. Britain said it was working with partners to verify the reports.
Russia has previously accused Ukraine of preparing to use chemical weapons, without providing evidence. Last month the Kremlin said U.S. talk of Russia using such weapons was a tactic to divert attention away from awkward questions for Washington. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands and displaced millions. Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to destroy Ukraine's military capabilities and capture what it views as dangerous nationalists, but Ukraine and the West say Russia launched an unprovoked war of aggression.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | As EU eyes stopping Russian gas imports, Israel sees an opening
As Europe aims to wean itself off Russian fossil fuel because of the Ukraine invasion, Israel hopes to help fill the gap with gas from its offshore reserves. EU states remain divided on the time scale, but European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the bloc hopes to phase out its dependency on Russian gas, oil and coal by 2027.
Israel could build one or more pipelines, potentially via Greece or Turkey, or increase the quantity of gas piped to Egypt to be liquified and shipped off, say officials and experts. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said after a recent visit to Athens that "the war in Ukraine stands to change the structure of the European and Middle Eastern energy market".
"We are also examining additional economic cooperation, with an emphasis on the energy market." The Jewish state has worked for years to create gas export routes, with mixed results so far. Turkey, whose ties with Israel have recently thawed after over a decade of rupture, has expressed new interest in a pipeline, and its energy minister is expected in Israel in the coming weeks.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Austrian chancellor tells Putin to end Ukraine war
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Monday that he urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine and raised the issue of “serious war crimes” committed by the Russian military. Nehammer was the first European leader to meet Putin in Moscow since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine Feb. 24. In a statement released after the meeting, the Austrian chancellor said his primary message to Putin in the “very direct, open and tough" talks was that “this war needs to end, because in war both sides can only lose.”
Nehammer told Putin all those responsible for war crimes in the Ukrainian city of Bucha and elsewhere would be “held to account." He also stressed the need to open humanitarian corridors so that civilians trapped in cities under attack can access basic supplies like food and water, according to his statement. The Austrian leader called the Moscow trip to Moscow his “duty” to exhaust every possibility for ending the violence in Ukraine, coming just two days after travelling to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Nehammer said face-to-face talks to look “each other in the eye, discussing the horrors of war,” could have a greater impact over the long term. But he said he walked away from the meeting without much optimism for an end to the war any time soon. “It might be necessary to do it 100 times,” Nehammer said of the meeting. “But I think it's necessary to do it, so that peace reigns again and the people of Ukraine can live safely.”
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Czechs provide free shooting training for local Ukrainians
Of the first four shots Olha Dembitska fired from an AK-47 assault rifle in her life, one hit the target. “It’s pretty difficult the first time,” the 22-year-old Ukrainian woman acknowledged. On this occasion, the target was the shape of a human body at a shooting range in the Czech Republic. Next time, it might be for real, in Ukraine, and the target could be one of the Russian troops who have invaded her homeland.
Dembitska is one of at least 130 men and women who have so far undergone free-of-charge training for Ukrainians living in the Czech Republic who want to learn how to fight the aggressor. “I might return to Ukraine if they need me,” she said. Almost none of the participants had any experience with weapons before war struck their homeland.
Since Russia launched its brutal attack, Ukrainians from all parts of the country and elsewhere have been arriving in the Czech Republic's second-largest city, Brno, attracted by courses designed to teach them essentials and skills to safely handle lethal rifles while being able to inflict damage on their enemy. Beside learning to shoot, the courses give them the basics about guns, movement around the battlefield and a lesson in providing first aid, something that can save lives if they‘re mobilized by their embattled country or decide to return home as volunteers to join the Ukrainian army.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Indian Oil removes Russian Urals from latest tender, sources say
Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has excluded several high-sulphur crude grades, including Russian Urals, from its latest tender, trade sources said on Tuesday. India's top refiner informed market participants that Das, Eugene Island, Thunder Horse and Urals crude were no longer on the list of grades under its latest tender, which closes on Tuesday, the sources said.
IOC imports crude for itself and on behalf of its Chennai Petroleum subsidiary. U.S. President Joe Biden had told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Monday that buying more oil from Russia was not in India's interest and could hamper the U.S. response to the war in Ukraine. IOC did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The refiner is running two tenders this week, seeking sweet and sour crude separately for May-June loading. In previous tenders, IOC bought 6 million barrels of Russian Urals for May loading.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | All options on table if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine: UK minister
All options would be on table in response to any use of chemical weapons in Ukraine by Russia, British armed forces minister James Heappey said on Tuesday. British Foreign Minister Liz Truss on Monday said Britain was working with its partners to verify the details of reports Russian forces may have used chemical agents in an attack on Mariupol, where thousands are believed to have died under a near-seven week siege.
"There are some things that are beyond the pale, and the use of chemical weapons will get a response and all options are on the table for what that response could be," Heappey told Sky News, adding that British defence intelligence so far had been unable to verify the reports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that Russia could resort to chemical weapons and called on the West to impose strong sanctions on Moscow that would deter even talk of the use of such weapons.
"If chemical weapons have been used, that is a very important moment for our prime minister and other heads of government around the world to consider how we would respond to that," Heappey told BBC TV. "(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin should be clear that the use of chemical weapons is simply not acceptable and he shouldn't expect the West to stand by if they were used."
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | India probably buys less oil from Russia in month that what Europe does in afternoon: Jaishankar
India's total purchase of oil from Russia in a month is probably less than what Europe does in an afternoon, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday. "I noticed you refer to oil purchases. If you are looking at energy purchases from Russia, I would suggest that your attention should be focused on Europe. We do buy some energy, which is necessary for our energy security. But I suspect looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon," Jaishankar told a reporter when asked about India's oil purchase from Russia.
Jaishankar was addressing a joint news conference with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with their American counterparts Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after the conclusion of the 2+2 ministerial. Jaishankar said India has made a number of statements (on Russia-Ukraine war) which outline its position in the United Nations, in Indian Parliament, and in other forums. "And briefly, what those positions state is that we are against the conflict. We are for dialogue and diplomacy. We are for urgent cessation of violence, and we are prepared to contribute in whatever way to these objectives," he asserted.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Volodymyr Zelenskyy asks South Korea to provide arms to fight Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged South Korea on Monday to provide his country with arms to help it fight Russia's military. Zelenskyy made the request in a video address to South Korean lawmakers that came hours after Seoul’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had rejected a Ukrainian request for anti-aircraft weapons during a call between the countries’ defense ministers last week. The ministry cited the South Korean government’s principle of limiting its military help to Ukraine to non-lethal supplies.
“The Republic of Korea has tanks, ships and various equipment that can block Russian missiles and we would be grateful if the Republic of Korea could help us fight back against Russia,” Zelenskyy said, using South Korea’s formal name. “If Ukraine is able to receive such weapons, it will not only help us save the lives of our ordinary citizens but also provide Ukraine an opportunity to survive as a nation, and also help prevent other countries from being attacked by Russia,” said Zelenskyy, whose comments were dubbed over by a translator during the televised speech.
Joining U.S.-led international sanctions against Moscow, South Korea has already banned the export of strategic materials to Russia and ended transactions with key Russian banks and sovereign wealth funds. Zelenskyy thanked South Korea for those efforts but said sanctions alone haven't been enough to meaningfully stop the Russian aggression. “Russia doesn't care how many people die," he said.
Zelensky highlighted Russia’s takeover of Mariupol, where he said at least tens of thousands of citizens were likely killed. He briefly stopped his speech to play a graphic video showing buildings hit by rockets, Russian tanks firing as they rolled through destroyed streets and people wailing over dead relatives at overwhelmed hospitals. He said Ukrainian forces haven’t been able to enter Mariupol since the start of March and that Russian forces have cut off humanitarian shipments. “This war is far from over,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia is aiming to end Ukraine’s independence and separate the country. It is trying to eliminate the culture and language of the Ukrainian nation.”
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Russia's war to shrink Ukraine economy 45%, World Bank says
The World Bank says Ukraine's economy will shrink by 45.1% this year because of Russia's invasion, which has shut down half of the country's businesses, choked off imports and exports, and damaged a vast amount of critical infrastructure. Unprecedented financial and export sanctions imposed by Western allies in response to the war, meanwhile, are plunging Russia into a deep recession, lopping off more than a tenth of its economic growth, the World Bank said in a report Sunday.
The war is set to inflict twice the amount of economic damage across Europe and Central Asia that the COVID-19 pandemic did, the Washington-based lender said in its “War in the Region” economic report. Besides Ukraine, it focuses on central and Eastern Europe, former Soviet republics, the Balkan countries and Turkey. “The magnitude of the humanitarian crisis unleashed by the war is staggering," said Anna Bjerde, the World Bank's vice president for the Europe and Central Asia region. "The Russian invasion is delivering a massive blow to Ukraine’s economy and it has inflicted enormous damage to infrastructure.”
The report said economic activity is impossible in "large swaths of areas" in Ukraine because infrastructure like roads, bridges, ports and train tracks have been destroyed. Ukraine plays a major role as a global supplier of agricultural exports like wheat but that's in question now because planting and harvesting have been disrupted by the war, the report said. The war has cut off access to the Black Sea, a key route for exports, including 90% of Ukraine's grain shipments, it said. “The war is having a devastating impact on human life and causing economic destruction in both countries, and will lead to significant economic losses in the Europe and Central Asia region and the rest of the world,” the report said.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | 'It's not the end': The children who survived Bucha's horror
The coffin was made from pieces of a closet. In a darkened basement under a building shaking from the bombardment of war, there were few other options. Six-year-old Vlad watched as his mother was carried out of the shelter last month and to the yard of a nearby home. The burial was hurried and devastating. Now Russian forces have withdrawn from Bucha after a monthlong occupation, and Vlad’s father, Ivan Drahun, dropped to his knees at the foot of the grave.
He reached out and touched the dirt near his wife Maryna’s feet. “Hi, how are you?” he said during the visit last week. “I miss you so much. You left so soon. You didn’t even say goodbye.” The boy also visits the grave, placing on it a juice box and two cans of baked beans. Amid the stress of war, his mother barely ate. The family still doesn’t know what illness caused her death. They, much like their town, barely know how to move on.
Bucha witnessed some of the ghastliest scenes of Russia’s invasion, and almost no children have been seen in its silent streets since then. The many bright playgrounds in the once popular community with good schools on a far edge of the capital, Kyiv, are empty. The Russians used a children’s camp in Bucha as an execution ground, and bloodstains and bullet holes mark a basement. On a ledge near the camp entrance, Russian soldiers placed a toy tank. It appeared to be connected to fishing wire — a possible booby trap in the most vulnerable of places.
Steps away from Vlad’s home, some of the Russians used a kindergarten as a base, leaving it intact while other nearby buildings suffered. Casings of used artillery shells were left along a fence in the yard. In a nearby playground, white and red tape marked off unexploded ordnance. The booms of de-mining operations were so strong they set off car alarms. At the apartment block where Vlad, his older brother Vova and sister Sophia live, someone had spray-painted “CHILDREN” in child-high letters on an outside wall. Under it, a wooden box once used for ammunition held a teddy bear and other toys.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Nokia to stop doing business in Russia
Telecoms equipment maker Nokia is pulling out of the Russian market, its CEO told Reuters, going a step further than rival Ericsson, which said on Monday it was indefinitely suspending its business in the country. Hundreds of foreign companies are cutting ties with Russia following its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and after Western sanctions against Moscow.
While several sectors, including telecoms, have been exempted from some sanctions on humanitarian or related grounds, Nokia said it had decided that quitting Russia was the only option. "We just simply do not see any possibilities to continue in the country under the current circumstances," CEO Pekka Lundmark said in an interview.
He added Nokia would continue to support customers during its exit, and it was not possible to say at this stage how long the withdrawal would take. Nokia is applying for the relevant licences to support customers in compliance with current sanctions, it said in a statement. Both Nokia and Ericsson made a low single-digit percentage of sales in Russia, where Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE have a bigger share.
Nokia does not expect this decision to impact its 2022 outlook but said it would lead to a provision in the first quarter of about 100 million euros ($109 million). Russia is also at loggerheads with Finland and Sweden, the home countries of Nokia and Ericsson respectively, over their interest in joining the NATO military alliance. Russia had also been pushing for companies to start building networks using only Russian equipment, seeking to persuade Nokia and Ericsson to set up factories in the country.
Lundmark said Nokia would not implement a plan announced in November to set up a joint venture with Russia's YADRO to build 4G and 5G telecom base stations. Nokia's decision to leave Russia will affect about 2,000 workers, and some of them might be offered work in other parts of the world, Lundmark said. Nokia has about 90,000 employees globally. "A lot would have to change before it will be possible to consider again doing business in the country," Lundmark said.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Russian war worsens fertilizer crunch, risking food supplies
Monica Kariuki is about ready to give up on farming. What is driving her off her 10 acres of land outside Nairobi isn’t bad weather, pests or blight — the traditional agricultural curses — but fertilizer: It costs too much. Despite thousands of miles separating her from the battlefields of Ukraine, Kariuki and her cabbage, corn and spinach farm are indirect victims of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. The war has pushed up the price of natural gas, a key ingredient in fertilizer, and has led to severe sanctions against Russia, a major exporter of fertilizer.
Kariuki used to spend 20,000 Kenyan shillings, or about $175, to fertilize her entire farm. Now, she would need to spend five times as much. Continuing to work the land, she said, would yield nothing but losses. "I cannot continue with the farming business. I am quitting farming to try something else,’’ she said.
Higher fertilizer prices are making the world's food supply more expensive and less abundant, as farmers skimp on nutrients for their crops and get lower yields. While the ripples will be felt by grocery shoppers in wealthy countries, the squeeze on food supplies will land hardest on families in poorer countries. It could hardly come at a worse time: The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said last week that its world food-price index in March reached the highest level since it started in 1990.
The fertilizer crunch threatens to further limit worldwide food supplies, already constrained by the disruption of crucial grain shipments from Ukraine and Russia. The loss of those affordable supplies of wheat, barley and other grains raises the prospect of food shortages and political instability in Middle Eastern, African and some Asian countries where millions rely on subsidized bread and cheap noodles.
“Food prices will skyrocket because farmers will have to make profit, so what happens to consumers?’’ said Uche Anyanwu, an agricultural expert at the University of Nigeria. The aid group Action Aid warns that families in the Horn of Africa are already being driven “to the brink of survival.’’
The U.N. says Russia is the world’s No. 1 exporter of nitrogen fertilizer and No. 2 in phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Its ally Belarus, also contending with Western sanctions, is another major fertilizer producer.
Many developing countries — including Mongolia, Honduras, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Mexico and Guatemala — rely on Russia for at least a fifth of their imports.
The conflict also has driven up the already-exorbitant price of natural gas, used to make nitrogen fertilizer. The result: European energy prices so high that some fertilizer companies “have closed their businesses and stopped operating their plants,’’ said David Laborde, a researcher at the International Food Policy Research Institute.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Austrian chancellor tells Putin to end Ukraine war
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Monday that he urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine and raised the issue of “serious war crimes” committed by the Russian military. Nehammer was the first European leader to meet Putin in Moscow since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine Feb. 24. In a statement released after the meeting, the Austrian chancellor said his primary message to Putin in the “very direct, open and tough" talks was that “this war needs to end, because in war both sides can only lose.”
Nehammer told Putin all those responsible for war crimes in the Ukrainian city of Bucha and elsewhere would be “held to account." He also stressed the need to open humanitarian corridors so that civilians trapped in cities under attack can access basic supplies like food and water, according to his statement. The Austrian leader called the Moscow trip to Moscow his “duty” to exhaust every possibility for ending the violence in Ukraine, coming just two days after travelling to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Nehammer said face-to-face talks to look “each other in the eye, discussing the horrors of war,” could have a greater impact over the long term. But he said he walked away from the meeting without much optimism for an end to the war any time soon. “It might be necessary to do it 100 times,” Nehammer said of the meeting. “But I think it's necessary to do it, so that peace reigns again and the people of Ukraine can live safely.”
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Warsaw takes over Russia-built compound to give to Ukraine
A disputed compound in the Polish capital of Warsaw administered by Russia’s diplomatic mission is being taken over by the city and will be made available to the Ukrainian community, the mayor said Monday. Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski was at the site early Monday and said a bailiff had entered the two apparently empty, fenced buildings, nicknamed “Spyville” by Warsaw residents, to check on their condition and to mark them as seized by the city.
Trzaskowski said Warsaw was getting back the compound “unlawfully” occupied by Russia. Last month he said Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine added urgency to the decades-long procedure. “It is very symbolic that we are closing this procedure of many years now, at the time of Russia’s aggression” against Ukraine, Trzaskowski said on Twitter.
Ukraine's ambassador, Andrii Deshchytsia, told Poland’s state news agency PAP that Ukraine will file to lease the compound, which could be used for a school or a Ukrainian culture center. One of Trzaskowski's proposals for the 100-odd apartments there is to accommodate war refugees from Ukraine. More than 2.6 million of them have crossed into Poland since the Russian invasion began.
Photos from the inside the buildings were published later Monday by the Onet.pl news portal. They showed peeling paint, broken glass on the floor and torn-out flooring. Russia’s Embassy, which had the tall apartment blocks built in the 1970s on land obtained from the city, has been refusing court orders to pay to lease the land or hand it over.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Russia starting to reinforce positions in eastern Ukraine: US official
The United States believes that Russia has started reinforcing and resupplying its troops in Donbas in eastern Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official said on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday thousands of Russian troops were massing for a new offensive in the east, and Russia said it would not halt its military operation in Ukraine for any further peace talks.
Despite the resupply efforts in Donbas, the United States did not believe this was the start of a new offensive in the region, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We believe that this is an effort to reinforce and resupply their forces in the Donbas, they're still north of Izyum," the official told reporters, referring to a town about 180 km (112 miles) north of the city of Donetsk.
Russian vehicles being sent to the region included command and control elements and support personnel for aircraft and infantry units, the official said. Last week, Russia completed its withdrawal from around Kyiv and had sent some troops to Belarus to be refit and resupplied. The official said there was evidence that some of those troops in Belarus were moving east.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | India probably buys less oil from Russia in month that what Europe does in afternoon: Jaishankar
India's total purchase of oil from Russia in a month is probably less than what Europe does in an afternoon, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday. "I noticed you refer to oil purchases. If you are looking at energy purchases from Russia, I would suggest that your attention should be focused on Europe. We do buy some energy, which is necessary for our energy security. But I suspect looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon," Jaishankar told a reporter when asked about India's oil purchase from Russia.
Jaishankar was addressing a joint news conference with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with their American counterparts Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after the conclusion of the 2+2 ministerial. Jaishankar said India has made a number of statements (on Russia-Ukraine war) which outline its position in the United Nations, in Indian Parliament, and in other forums. "And briefly, what those positions state is that we are against the conflict. We are for dialogue and diplomacy. We are for urgent cessation of violence, and we are prepared to contribute in whatever way to these objectives," he asserted.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Volodymyr Zelenskyy asks South Korea to provide arms to fight Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged South Korea on Monday to provide his country with arms to help it fight Russia's military. Zelenskyy made the request in a video address to South Korean lawmakers that came hours after Seoul’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had rejected a Ukrainian request for anti-aircraft weapons during a call between the countries’ defense ministers last week. The ministry cited the South Korean government’s principle of limiting its military help to Ukraine to non-lethal supplies.
“The Republic of Korea has tanks, ships and various equipment that can block Russian missiles and we would be grateful if the Republic of Korea could help us fight back against Russia,” Zelenskyy said, using South Korea’s formal name. “If Ukraine is able to receive such weapons, it will not only help us save the lives of our ordinary citizens but also provide Ukraine an opportunity to survive as a nation, and also help prevent other countries from being attacked by Russia,” said Zelenskyy, whose comments were dubbed over by a translator during the televised speech.
Joining U.S.-led international sanctions against Moscow, South Korea has already banned the export of strategic materials to Russia and ended transactions with key Russian banks and sovereign wealth funds. Zelenskyy thanked South Korea for those efforts but said sanctions alone haven't been enough to meaningfully stop the Russian aggression. “Russia doesn't care how many people die," he said.
Zelensky highlighted Russia’s takeover of Mariupol, where he said at least tens of thousands of citizens were likely killed. He briefly stopped his speech to play a graphic video showing buildings hit by rockets, Russian tanks firing as they rolled through destroyed streets and people wailing over dead relatives at overwhelmed hospitals. He said Ukrainian forces haven’t been able to enter Mariupol since the start of March and that Russian forces have cut off humanitarian shipments. “This war is far from over,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia is aiming to end Ukraine’s independence and separate the country. It is trying to eliminate the culture and language of the Ukrainian nation.”
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Russia's war to shrink Ukraine economy 45%, World Bank says
The World Bank says Ukraine's economy will shrink by 45.1% this year because of Russia's invasion, which has shut down half of the country's businesses, choked off imports and exports, and damaged a vast amount of critical infrastructure. Unprecedented financial and export sanctions imposed by Western allies in response to the war, meanwhile, are plunging Russia into a deep recession, lopping off more than a tenth of its economic growth, the World Bank said in a report Sunday.
The war is set to inflict twice the amount of economic damage across Europe and Central Asia that the COVID-19 pandemic did, the Washington-based lender said in its “War in the Region” economic report. Besides Ukraine, it focuses on central and Eastern Europe, former Soviet republics, the Balkan countries and Turkey. “The magnitude of the humanitarian crisis unleashed by the war is staggering," said Anna Bjerde, the World Bank's vice president for the Europe and Central Asia region. "The Russian invasion is delivering a massive blow to Ukraine’s economy and it has inflicted enormous damage to infrastructure.”
The report said economic activity is impossible in "large swaths of areas" in Ukraine because infrastructure like roads, bridges, ports and train tracks have been destroyed. Ukraine plays a major role as a global supplier of agricultural exports like wheat but that's in question now because planting and harvesting have been disrupted by the war, the report said. The war has cut off access to the Black Sea, a key route for exports, including 90% of Ukraine's grain shipments, it said. “The war is having a devastating impact on human life and causing economic destruction in both countries, and will lead to significant economic losses in the Europe and Central Asia region and the rest of the world,” the report said.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Some banks stop credit for oil imports by Rosneft-owned India refiner Nayara: Sources
India's HDFC Bank and some foreign banks have stopped offering trade credit for oil imports to Nayara Energy, a Russian-backed refiner, and some suppliers are seeking payment upfront to avoid potential problems resulting from western sanctions against Moscow, four banking and industry sources said.Nayara has not been sanctioned as part of the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but Russian energy giant Rosneft, which owns 49% of the Indian refiner, has been.
To avoid the need for credit to fund overseas trade, the Mumbai-headquartered company is selling more of its refined fuels in India, two of the sources said. All of the sources declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media. Nayara did not respond to a request for comment. Rosneft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Nayara imports crude oil worth about $1 billion every month on average for its 400,000 barrels per day Vadinar refinery in India's Gujarat state, the two sources told Reuters. India's HDFC Bank and international banks such as Citibank, JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group have stopped opening and confirming Letters of Credit (LCs), which are a standard form of payment guarantee in the oil trade, for Nayara, four sources said.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | India's ties with Russia developed when US was unable to be its partner: Antony Blinken
India's relationship with Russia was developed over decades at a time when the US was not able to be a partner of the South Asian country, Secretary of State TonyBlinkensaid as top officials of the Biden administration on Monday showed an understanding of New Delhi's position on Ukraine war.
"India's relationship with Russia was developed over decades at a time when the United States was not able to be a partner to India. Times have changed,"Blinkentold reporters at a joint press conference withDefenceSecretary Lloyd Austin and their Indian counterparts External Affairs Minister SJaishankarand Defense MinisterRajnathSingh.
"Today, we are able and willing to be a partner of choice with India across virtually every realm: commerce, technology, education and security. And that was very much the nature of the conversation that we had today. When it comes to oil purchases, sanctions, et cetera, I'd just note that there are carve-outs for energy purchases," he said in response to a question.
The top US diplomat, however, cautioned the allies and partners against the increase in buying Russian energy. "Of course, we're encouraging countries not to purchase additional energy supplies from Russia. Every country is differently situated, has different needs, requirements, but we're looking to allies and partners not to increase their purchases of Russian energy, he said.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | UK probing claims of Russian chemical attack in Ukraine
Britain is trying to verify reports that Russia has used chemical weapons in an attack in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, London's top diplomat said on Monday. Western officials have previously expressed concerns that Russia, finding its February 24 invasion of its neighbour grinding into a protracted conflict, could resort to more extreme measures, including chemical weapons.
"Reports that Russian forces may have used chemical agents in an attack on the people of Mariupol. We are working urgently with partners to verify details," UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss wrote on Twitter. "Any use of such weapons would be a callous escalation in this conflict and we will hold Putin and his regime to account."
Ukrainian lawmaker Ivanna Klympush said Russia had used an "unknown substance" in Mariupol and that people were suffering from respiratory failure. "Most likely chem.weapons!" she tweeted. On messaging app Telegram, an aide to the Mariupol mayor wrote that a chemical attack "is not currently confirmed". "We are waiting for official information from the military," Petro Andryushchenko wrote.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Austrian chancellor tells Putin to end Ukraine war
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Monday that he urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine and raised the issue of “serious war crimes” committed by the Russian military. Nehammer was the first European leader to meet Putin in Moscow since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine Feb. 24. In a statement released after the meeting, the Austrian chancellor said his primary message to Putin in the “very direct, open and tough" talks was that “this war needs to end, because in war both sides can only lose.”
Nehammer told Putin all those responsible for war crimes in the Ukrainian city of Bucha and elsewhere would be “held to account." He also stressed the need to open humanitarian corridors so that civilians trapped in cities under attack can access basic supplies like food and water, according to his statement. The Austrian leader called the Moscow trip to Moscow his “duty” to exhaust every possibility for ending the violence in Ukraine, coming just two days after travelling to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Nehammer said face-to-face talks to look “each other in the eye, discussing the horrors of war,” could have a greater impact over the long term. But he said he walked away from the meeting without much optimism for an end to the war any time soon. “It might be necessary to do it 100 times,” Nehammer said of the meeting. “But I think it's necessary to do it, so that peace reigns again and the people of Ukraine can live safely.”
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Warsaw takes over Russia-built compound to give to Ukraine
A disputed compound in the Polish capital of Warsaw administered by Russia’s diplomatic mission is being taken over by the city and will be made available to the Ukrainian community, the mayor said Monday. Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski was at the site early Monday and said a bailiff had entered the two apparently empty, fenced buildings, nicknamed “Spyville” by Warsaw residents, to check on their condition and to mark them as seized by the city.
Trzaskowski said Warsaw was getting back the compound “unlawfully” occupied by Russia. Last month he said Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine added urgency to the decades-long procedure. “It is very symbolic that we are closing this procedure of many years now, at the time of Russia’s aggression” against Ukraine, Trzaskowski said on Twitter.
Ukraine's ambassador, Andrii Deshchytsia, told Poland’s state news agency PAP that Ukraine will file to lease the compound, which could be used for a school or a Ukrainian culture center. One of Trzaskowski's proposals for the 100-odd apartments there is to accommodate war refugees from Ukraine. More than 2.6 million of them have crossed into Poland since the Russian invasion began.
Photos from the inside the buildings were published later Monday by the Onet.pl news portal. They showed peeling paint, broken glass on the floor and torn-out flooring. Russia’s Embassy, which had the tall apartment blocks built in the 1970s on land obtained from the city, has been refusing court orders to pay to lease the land or hand it over.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Situation in Ukraine "very worrisome": PM Modi at virtual meeting with President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden on Monday said the US and India will continue consultations to cope with the "destabilising" effects of the Russian war in Ukraine during a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who highlighted the need for direct talks between President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart to resolve the crisis.
In his televised opening remarks, Modi called the situation in Ukraine "very worrisome" and hoped that the ongoing dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv will lead to peace. A readout by the White House said Modi and Biden discussed the "destabilising impacts of Russia's war against Ukraine, with a particular focus on global food supply".
In his remarks, Modi said the recent reports of killings of innocent civilians in Bucha city were very concerning and that India immediately condemned it and demanded a fair investigation. The prime minister referred to his phone conversations with the Ukrainian and Russian presidents and said he suggested to Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart.
The virtual meeting came in the midst of some disquiet in Washington over India's position on the Ukraine crisis as well as its decision to procure discounted Russian oil. In his remarks Biden talked about the strong India-US defence partnership, stressing that both the countries are going to "continue our close consultation on how to manage the destabilizing effects of this Russian war".
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Joe Biden urges PM Modi not to step up Indian use of Russian oil
President Joe Biden asked India's Narendra Modi on Monday not to accelerate the buying of Russian oil as the U.S. and other nations try to cut off Moscow's energy income following the invasion of Ukraine. The Indian prime minister made no public commitment to refrain from Russian oil, a source of tension with the U.S. Meeting by video call, Biden told Modi that the U.S. could help India diversify its sources of energy, according to press secretary Jen Psaki. Even though India receives little of its oil from Russia, it stepped up recently with a major purchase as other democracies are trying to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The president also made clear that he doesn’t believe it’s in India’s interest to accelerate or increase imports of Russian energy or other commodities,” Psaki said. At a separate State Department news conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar pointedly suggested that Europe, not India, be the focus of Washington's concern about energy purchases from Russia.
“I suspect, looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon,” he said. While Biden and Modi ended their session with Biden saying they committed to strengthening their relationship, White House officials could not say if India stood with them in fully condemning Putin, saying the choice ultimately rested with Modi's government. The two leaders will meet in person May 24 in Tokyo for a summit of the Quad, a coalition that also includes Australia and Japan.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Rescuers find seven bodies in ruined town near Kyiv, search for more
Ukraine recovered the bodies of seven people buried in the rubble of two destroyed high-rise housing blocks in the town of Borodyanka near Kyiv on Monday, the state emergencies service said. More than two hundred rescue workers have been scrambling to find missing residents since Ukraine retook the city west of Kyiv after Russian troops began pulling back from the region late last month.
So far, the bodies of 19 people have been found in the destroyed buildings, the state emergencies service said in a statement. Mechanical diggers on Monday cleared concrete rubble at the foot of the charred remains of an apartment building. Some rescuers stood by with sniffer dogs while others peered among the debris with flashlights, looking for people underneath. One body lay in a bag at the side of the road. "We don't know the final number of people under the debris. We just have information that during the shelling from this particular building there were calls from people who were under the debris," ministry press officer Svetlana Vodolaga told Reuters.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine girds for Russian offensive in the east
Ukraine said on Monday it expects Russia to begin an offensive soon in the eastern Donbas region as Moscow shifts its focus to seizing territory there after its invasion force was driven from the gates of Kyiv this month. Russia's main target in Donbas is the port of Mariupol, where thousands are believed to have died under a near-seven week siege. Russia is amassing thousands of troops in the area for a new assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
The first European Union leader to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person since the war began, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, said following talks in Moscow that the offensive was "evidently being prepared on a massive scale". Western sanctions on Moscow will intensify so long as the invasion persists, Nehammer said. "(Telling Putin) once will not be enough. Ten times will not be enough. It might have to be done 100 times," he told reporters.
After withdrawing forces from northern Ukraine, including suburbs of the capital Kyiv lain to waste under its occupation, Russia has turned its sights toward Donbas. It is demanding Ukraine cede control of territory there to separatist fighters, apparently one of Russia's major goals in what it calls a "special military operation" against its neighbour. Capturing Mariupol, the main eastern port, would allow Moscow to link troops advancing from the east with those from Russian-annexed Crimea in the south and shift their focus to a new attempt to encircle the main Ukrainian force in the east.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | IMF sets up administered account to allow donors to fund Ukraine
Ukraine's finance ministry on Monday welcomed the creation of a special new account set up by the International Monetary Fund to give bilateral donors and international organizations a secure way to send financial resources to war-torn Ukraine. The IMF's executive board approved creation of the new account on Friday after the Canadian government proposed disbursing up to $1 billion Canadian dollars through the vehicle, which is to be administered by the IMF.
The account will allow donors to provide grants and loans to help the Ukrainian government meet its balance of payments and budgetary needs and help stabilize its economy as it continues to defend against Russia's deadly invasion. Russia calls its actions a "special military operation." "Donors will benefit from the IMF's tested infrastructure to quickly deliver authenticated payments," the IMF said.
Going through the global lender will allow donations to Ukraine to be frozen in the event of a Russian takeover of power in Ukraine, experts say. Donors will deposit reserve currencies or Special Drawing Rights, the IMF's own reserve currency, into the new account, which will then disburse these resources as grants or loans into Ukraine's SDR account at the fund.
Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko last week said his government was seeking about 4 billion euros ($4.37 billion) in foreign financing in addition to the about 3 billion euros it has already received to deal with a budget shortfall. IMF staff last month said Ukraine's economy was expected to contract by 10% in 2022 as a result of the invasion, but warned the outlook could worsen sharply if the conflict drags on.
One source familiar with the plans said additional donations were expected for both the IMF account and a separate World Bank account set up for Ukraine during next week's spring meetings of the two global financial institutions. The IMF in March also approved a $1.4 billion disbursement to Ukraine under its Rapid Financing Instrument. IMF staff continue to engage closely with the authorities on their emergency response to the economic dislocations brought about by the war in Ukraine, the fund said.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Ukraine braces for Russian assault in eastern Donbas region
Ukraine said on Monday it expects Russia to begin an offensive soon in the eastern Donbas region as Moscow shifts its focus to seizing territory there after its invasion force was driven from the gates of Kyiv this month. Russia's main target in Donbas is the port of Mariupol, where thmassing thousands of troops in the area for a new assault, Ukrainian Presiousands are believed to have died under a near-seven week siege. Russia is adent Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
The first European Union leader to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person since the war began, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, said following talks in Moscow that the offensive was "evidently being prepared on a massive scale". Western sanctions on Moscow will intensify so long as the invasion persists, Nehammer said. "(Telling Putin) once will not be enough. Ten times will not be enough. It might have to be done 100 times," he told reporters.
After withdrawing forces from northern Ukraine, including suburbs of the capital Kyiv lain to waste under its occupation, Russia has turned its sights toward Donbas. It is demanding Ukraine cede control of territory there to separatist fighters, apparently one of Russia's major goals in what it calls a "special military operation" against its neighbour.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Nearly two-thirds of Ukraine's children have fled homes: UN
Nearly two-thirds of all Ukrainian children have fled their homes in the six weeks since Russia’s invasion, and the United Nations has verified the deaths of 142 youngsters, though the number is almost certainly much higher, the U.N. children’s agency said Monday. Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF’s emergency programs director who just returned from Ukraine, said having 4.8 million of Ukraine’s 7.5 million children displaced in such a short time is “quite incredible.” He said it is something he hadn’t before seen happen so quickly in 31 years of humanitarian work.
“They have been forced to leave everything behind — their homes, their schools and, often, their family members,” he told the U.N. Security Council. “I have heard stories of the desperate steps parents are taking to get their children to safety, and children saddened that they are unable to get back to school.” Ukraine’s U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, claimed Russia has taken more than 121,000 children out of Ukraine and reportedly drafted a bill to simplify and accelerate adoption procedures for orphans and even those who have parents and other relatives. He said most of the children were removed from the besieged southern port city of Mariupol and taken to eastern Donetsk and then to the Russian city of Taganrog.
Russia Ukraine News LIVE Updates | Mariupol mayor says siege has killed more than 10,000 civilians
The mayor of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol said Monday that more than 10,000 civilians have died in the Russian siege of his city, and that the death toll could surpass 20,000, with corpses that were “carpeted through the streets.” Speaking by phone Monday to The Associated Press, Mayor Vadym Boychenko also said Russian forces brought mobile cremation equipment to Mariupol to dispose of the bodies, and he accused Russian forces of refusing to allow humanitarian convoys into the city in an attempt to conceal the carnage.
Russian forces have taken many bodies to a huge shopping center where there are storage facilities and refrigerators, Boychenko said. “Mobile crematoriums have arrived in the form of trucks: You open it, and there is a pipe inside and these bodies are burned,” he said. The mayor’s comments emerged as Russia claimed that it destroyed several Ukrainian air-defense systems in what appeared to be a renewed push to gain air superiority and take out weapons Kyiv has described as crucial ahead of an expected broad new offensive in the east. In one strike, Moscow said it hit four S-300 launchers near the central city of Dnipro that had been provided by a European country it did not name. Slovakia gave Ukraine just such a system last week but denied it had been destroyed. Russia previously reported two strikes on similar systems in other places.
