Russia Ukraine war Highlights: Ukrainian foreign minister urges US secretary of state for jets, air defence system

Payments company PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL.O) shut down its services early on Saturday in Russia, citing "the current circumstances," joining many financial and tech companies in suspending operations there after the invasion of Ukraine.

"Under the current circumstances, we are suspending PayPal services in Russia," President and Chief Executive Dan Schulman said in a statement. He added that the company "stands with the international community in condemning Russia's violent military aggression in Ukraine."

The European Union said it had joined members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in suspending Russia and Belarus from the Council's activities.

"This decision is a part of the European Union’s and like-minded partners response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the involvement of Belarus in this unprovoked and unjustified aggression," it said on Saturday.

A fire at Europe's biggest nuclear power station at Zaporizhzhia is put out, with Ukraine accusing Russia of "nuclear terror" in shelling the plant.

Russian troops later take over the site of the reactors, which generate a fifth of Ukraine's electricity, after firefighters say they were prevented from reaching the blaze for hours.

Hundreds of people marched in Tokyo on Saturday protesting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The crowd shouted, “Stop war. Protect lives.” Some held signs that read: “We stand with Ukraine.” Others held images of Russian President Vladimir Putin with the words: “Stop Putin.”

Invading Russian troops have blockaded the strategic Ukrainian port city Mariupol, its mayor announced Saturday, as Moscow and Kyiv aimed to hold new talks over the weekend.

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Ukraine port city Mariupol to begin civilian evacuation at 0900 GMT after Russian defence ministry announces partial ceasefire, reports news agency AFP citing mayor.

Russia declares ceasefire in Mariupol to open humanitarian corridors for civilians, local media reported. Humanitarian  corridors will be opened for residents of Ukraine's Mariupol, Volnovakha, according to the report.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said no radiation spikes were detected. The chief of the UN agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said a Russian “projectile” hit a training center, not any of the six reactors.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal appealed to the IAEA and the EU to send representatives to all five Ukrainian nuclear power plants. “This is a question of the security of the whole world,” he said in a nighttime video address.

Air raid alert in Kyiv. Residents should go to the nearest shelter, reports news agency ANI citing local media. 

Starbucks Corp. said it is donating royalties from its Russian business to humanitarian relief efforts for Ukraine, as international brands face increasing pressure to close stores and suspend operations in the wake of last week’s invasion. The Seattle-based coffee chain has 130 stores in Russia, which are owned and operated by a partner, Chief Executive Officer Kevin Johnson said in a statement Friday.

The US Embassy in Ukraine said that attacking a nuclear power plant is a war crime, after Russia on Friday seized a Ukrainian nuclear facility that is the biggest in Europe.

Troops were close to a second nuclear plant, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council Friday, without naming the facility. “Russian forces are now 20 miles, and closing, from Ukraine’s second largest nuclear facility,” she said. The South Ukraine facility near Yuzhnoukrainsk is the country’s second-largest plant, according to BloombergNEF.

Three C-17 heavy lift transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which had taken off yesterday from the Hindan air base, landed back at Hindan today morning. These flights evacuated 629 Indian nationals from Romania, Slovakia and Poland. These flights also carried 16.5 tonnes of relief load from India to these countries.

Till date the IAF has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2056 passengers, while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries, as part of Op Ganga.

President Vladimir Putin was denounced for his “recklessness” after Ukraine said that Russian forces attacked a nuclear power plant, raising the stakes in the war and prompting calls for an even more robust response to the Kremlin’s aggression.

Russia’s war on Ukraine is in its tenth day. UN and Ukrainian officials say no radiation was released from a Russian attack at Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant. One building caught fire and firefighters have extinguished the blaze.

Russia blocked access to Facebook and Twitter, and its parliament passed laws that would impose prison terms for spreading “fake news” about the military or calling for sanctions against the country. Bloomberg News and the BBC said they’re suspending the work of their journalists there for now.

The head of Ukraine’s security council called on Russia to create humanitarian corridors to allow children, women and the elderly to escape the fighting.