Russia-Ukraine war highlights: On eve of talks, Russian forces close in on Kyiv
Russia-Ukraine war LIVE updates: Russia's offensive in Ukraine has entered the 14th day with the Kremlin saying that humanitarian corridors will be allowed for the movement of civilians. However, Moscow has been accused of violating its own ceasefire agreement over the last few days. Click here for full coverage of Russia-Ukraine war...Read More
Three rounds of ceasefire negotiations have been held so far - the two sides, however, are yet to reach a breakthrough. While Russia's Vladimir Putin calls it a "special operation", Kyiv has lashed out at Moscow over "mass murder of civilians". In the latest developments, the US has announced a ban on import of Russian oil with an aim to further isolate Moscow.
On eve of talks, Russian forces close in on Kyiv
Russian forces on Wednesday closed in on Ukraine's capital city Kyiv as both countries prepared for their first high-level talks since the invasion last month.
Attacks hits Ukraine maternity hospital, officials say
A Russian attack severely damaged a maternity hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol, Ukraine said Wednesday, and citizens trying to escape shelling on the outskirts of Kyiv streamed toward the capital amid warnings from the West that Moscow’s invasion is about to take a more brutal and indiscriminate turn.
Don't let Ukraine become another Syria: UN investigators
United Nations investigators on Wednesday urged world leaders to do everything they could to avoid Ukraine becoming another Syria, a country "destroyed" by 11 years of conflict. Read more
UK readies more missiles for Ukraine to resist Russians
Britain said Wednesday it was preparing to send more portable missile systems to help Ukrainian forces destroy Russian tanks and aircraft, but denied it was escalating the conflict. Read more
Ukraine says Russian shelling disrupts evacuation of eastern town of Izyum
A planned evacuation of civilians from the Ukrainian town of Izyum in the eastern Kharkiv region was held up by Russian shelling on Wednesday, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said an online post. "Buses are still waiting at the entrance to Izyum," he said, adding that negotiations with the Russians were under way with the support of the Red Cross.
Chernobyl power cut; Ukraine calls for ceasefire for repair: What we know
As the Chernobyl nuclear power plant entirely went off the grid on Wednesday amid the Russia-Ukraine fight triggering fresh concerns for the world as Ukraine said the power outage could put systems for cooling nuclear material at risk. Read more
Ukraine calls for ceasefire to repair power line to Chernobyl nuclear plant
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Wednesday Russia must urgently observe a temporary ceasefire to allow repairs on a power line to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, saying radiation could be leaked if an electricity outage continues, reports news agency Reuters.
Putin to meet government on Thursday on ways to minimise sanctions impact
Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with members of his government on Thursday and the main topic will be measures to minimise the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy, the Kremlin said in a statement, reported news agency Reuters.
Russia says negotiations with Ukraine making headway
Russia says negotiations with officials from Kyiv to resolve the conflict in Ukraine were making headway and underscored that Moscow's troops were not working to topple the Ukrainian government, reports news agency AFP.
‘Threat at maximum level’ - Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian president, has warned that threat is at ‘maximum level’, Reuters reports.
‘Some progress made’: Russia on Ukraine talks amid war
On the 14th day of the Ukaine war, Russia foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, “Some progress has been made”. The official was referring to three rounds of talks, news agency AFP reported. She said the Russian military had not been tasked to "overthrow the current government."
New Zealand clears Russia sanctions bill
The new law, which was rushed through in a single day, targets those in Russia associated with the invasion, including oligarchs. It will allow New Zealand to freeze assets and stop superyachts or planes from arrivin, news agency Reuters reported.
Ukraine war: Evacuations in Sumy
Ukraine war: Russia's warning to the West on sanctions
"Russia's reaction will be swift, thoughtful and sensitive for those it addresses," Dmitry Birichevsky, the director of the foreign ministry's department for economic cooperation, was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency by Reuters. The response came on a spate of sanctions amid the Ukraine war.
More than 2.1 million have fled Ukraine war, says UN
More than 2.1 million people have fled the Ukraine war in two weeks, the United Nations has said.
‘Crypto wallets for charity’ in Ukraine
6 humanitarian corridors for Ukraine evacuations today
Ukraine is trying to evacuate civilians through six "humanitarian corridors", including from the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk has been quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. The Ukrainian armed forces had agreed to stop firing in those areas from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. (0700-1900 GMT), she said,, urging the Russian forces to fulfil their commitment to local ceasefires.
Russia's claim on thwarting ‘large-scale plot’ in Ukraine rebel-held regions
“The special military operation of the Russian armed forces, carried out since Feb. 24, preempted and thwarted a large-scale offensive by strike groups of Ukrainian troops on the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, which are not controlled by Kyiv, in March of this year.” Russian defence ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov was quoted as saying by news agency AP.
Red Cross's hope that evacuation corridors improve
“We hope that it will work better today; in any case, we are talking to the parties and, above all, the parties are talking to each other — that is the most important thing at the moment,” Peter Maurer, chief of the International Committee of the Red Cross, was quoted as saying by news agency AP
Ukraine war: 10 dead in eastern Ukraine in shooting
10 people have died in shooting in eastern Ukraine's Severodonestk, news agency AFP reports, citing a local official
Ukraine crisis: Several killed overnight in war-hit Sumy, say reports
At least 22 people were killed overnight in war-hit Sumy after Russian air strikes, Ukraine-based The Kyiv Independent reported.
Ukraine war day 14: Kyiv troops say ‘holding the line’
In a statement early Wednesday, the Ukraine army said that forces around Kyiv are resisting the Russian offensive with unspecified strikes and “holding the line, news agency AP reported. The army is building up its defences in north, south and east. The Sumy-Poltava route is the only one successfully used so far for humanitarian evacuations
Ukraine war: Foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine to meet in Turkey
The foeign ministers of Russia and Ukraine are set to meet in Turkey amid the war, reports said. Russia's Sergei Lavrov will travel to Turkey on Wednesday for talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, Reuters reported, citing Tass news agency of Russia.
US lawmaakers reach closer to Ukraine deal
A bipartisan $13.6 billion deal to help Ukraine and European allies came nearer to closure as US Congressional leaders held discussions after Joe Biden's big move to block Russian oil imports. “We’re going to support them against tyranny, oppression, violent acts of subjugation," Biden said at the White House.
Air raid alerts in Kyiv, residents asked to go to bomb shelters - reports
In Kyiv and other major cities, residents were asked to go to bomb shelters as air raid alerts were sounded, local media reported.
In Facebook post, Ukaine minister alleges harassment of staff at nuclear power plant
Ukraine energy minister Herman Halushchenko said on Facebook that about 500 Russian soldiers and 50 pieces of heavy equipment are inside the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. He said the Ukrainian staff are “physical and emotionally exhausted" and they are being forced to record address for Russian propaganda, news agency AFP reported.
US vice president Kamala Harris to meet Romania, Poland leaders
In her meeting with the leaders of Poland and Russia, US vice president Kamala Harris will focus on next steps to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and reassure them of Washington's support, news agency Reuters reported.
Ukraine's first lady's warning for Europe
“I testify and tell the world: the war in Ukraine is not a war “somewhere out there.” This is a war in Europe, close to the EU borders. Ukraine is stopping the force that may aggressively enter your cities tomorrow under the pretext of saving civilians. (sic),” Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska has said in a statement in a warning for Europe.
Chernobyl nuclear power plant no longer transmitting data, says UN watchdog
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi "indicated that remote data transmission from safeguards monitoring systems installed at the Chornobyl NPP had been lost", news agency AFP reported. “The Agency is looking into the status of safeguards monitoring systems in other locations in Ukraine and will provide further information soon," a statement read. Russia had seized the defunt Chernobyl plant about two weeks ago.
Ukraine crisis: IMF chief on $1.4 billion emergency funding
IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday said that the board is set to approve a $1.4 billion emergency funding for Ukraine, news agency Reuters reported. "The unthinkable happened with Russia’s attack on Ukraine. It is tragic, and it is also consequential, she said.
‘Scariest moments’ - chief of Nobel Prize winning group on nuclear threat
"This is one of the scariest moments really when it comes to nuclear weapons," Beatrice Fihn, who leads the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, was quoted as saying by news agency AFP, accusing Russia's Vladimir Putin of using ‘nuclear blackmail’ amid Ukraine war.
Growing solidarity for Ukraine on Women's Day
Ukraine war: UK accuses Kremlin of breaching ceasefire agreement for ‘3rd successive day’
In a tweet, Ukraine's defence ministry has accused the Kremlin of breaching its own ceasefire agreement in Ukraine for the 3rd successive day.
Ukraine-Russia crisis: Shelling in Mariupol, says Kyiv
Ukraine has accused the Kremlin of shelling in the port city of Mariupol. The strategic port city has been under attack since last week.
Ukraine war: McDonald's pulls out of Russia; Starbucks, Coke, Pepsi too
The Russia-Ukraine crisis is hitting the Kremlin's economy with more brands like McDonald's, Starbucks, Coke and Pepsi in the growing list of those that have temporarily pulled out of Russia. Read full story here.
Ukraine Prez Zelenskyy thanks Biden ban on US imports of Russian oil
Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin, says Joe Biden
US President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter, “This much is already clear: Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin. Putin may be able to take a city — but he will never be able to hold the country.”
IAEA loses contact with safeguards monitoring systems at Chernobyl
Systems monitoring nuclear material at the radioactive waste facilities at Chernobyl in Ukraine, which were taken over by Russian forces last month, have stopped transmitting data to the UN nuclear watchdog, it said on Tuesday.
US rejects Poland offer of jets for Ukraine as not 'tenable'
The United States rejected a Polish offer to send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine via a US air base, saying the proposal raised "serious concerns" for the entire NATO alliance. Warsaw has offered to deliver the Soviet-era planes to the US base in Ramstein, Germany. Under the proposed scheme, those jets could then be deployed to Ukraine, while the Polish air force would receive F-16 fighters as replacements.
McDonald's, Starbucks, Coke, Pepsi join exodus out of Russia
McDonald's, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and General Electric, ubiquitous global brands, announced they were temporarily suspending their business in Russia in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine.
Fitch cuts Russia's rating further into junk, says debt default imminent
Fitch downgraded Russia's sovereign rating by six notches further into the junk territory to 'C' from 'B', saying a default is imminent as sanctions and trade restrictions have undermined its willingness to service debt. The country's financial markets have been thrown into a turmoil by Western sanctions after it invaded Ukraine, raising significant concerns over its ability and willingness to service debt.
NATO says Russia's war must not escalate beyond Ukraine
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said there were credible reports that Russia was targeting civilians in Ukraine and urged Moscow to end the conflict, also vowing not to let it spread. "We have a responsibility to ensure the conflict does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine," Stoltenberg said. "We will protect and defend every inch of all allied territory," he added.
US 'concerned' Russia wants to seize Ukraine bio-research
The United States said it is working with Ukraine to prevent invading Russian forces from seizing biological research material amid concern governments or unscrupulous actors might try to use such items to create bioweapons. "Ukraine has biological research facilities, which in fact we are now quite concerned Russian troops, Russian forces, may be seeking to gain control of," senior State Department official Victoria Nuland told US lawmakers at a hearing when asked directly whether Ukraine has bioweapons.
'World doesn't believe in Russia's future': Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The world doesn’t believe in Russia’s future, doesn’t talk about it. They talk about us, they are helping us, they are ready to support our recovery after the war: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President
