Russia-Ukraine war highlights: Plans to 'radically' reduce military activity near Kyiv, Chernihiv, says Russia

Russia-Ukraine war highlights: The war between Vladimir Putin-led Russia and Volodymyr Zelenskyy-led Ukraine have entered its fifth week with no sign of an end to the conflict.

Russia Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin-led Russia's invasion that began on February 24 has taken an extremely destruction turn. The Russian military forces are bombing Ukraine on a daily basis, with the besieged city of Mariupol being the worst-hit in the war. 

Ukrainian defence ministry spokesperson Oleksander Motuzyanyk on Monday said that the war-torn country sees “no signs on the ground that Russia has given up a plan to surround the capital Kyiv, and that the disposition of Russian forces during the past 24 hours has seen no significant change." 

As the conflict between the two countries entered its fifth week, Russia and Ukraine are holding a fresh round of peace talks in Turkey on Tuesday. While the process was expected to begin on Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that was unlikely as the negotiators of both sides would only be arriving in Turkey during the day. He added that a possibility of a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy would only be after key issues of a potential peace deal were settled.

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• Mar 30, 2022 02:06 AM IST

  India reiterates call for 'unimpeded humanitarian access to areas of armed conflict in Ukraine' at UNSC meet

  India remains deeply concerned at the ongoing situation, which continues to deteriorate since the beginning of the hostilities. We reiterate our call for unimpeded humanitarian access to areas of armed conflict in Ukraine: India's Permanent Rep to UN, TS Tirumurti at UNSC meeting

• Mar 30, 2022 01:40 AM IST

  Explosions heard outside Russian city close to Ukraine border: governor

  A series of explosions were heard on Tuesday night outside the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the border with Ukraine, the local governor said, adding there were no casualties.

  Vyacheslav Gladkov said in an online post that the blasts occurred near the village of Krasny Oktyabr, about 30 km (19 miles) southwest of Belgorod. He did not give a reason for the blasts and promised an update later.

• Mar 29, 2022 10:53 PM IST

  France says no Mariupol humanitarian mission possible 'at this stage'

  The conditions for carrying out a humanitarian operation sought by France to help citizens in the besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol are not met "at this stage," President Emmanuel Macron's office said after the French leader spoke by telephone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

  Macron outlined the mission sought alongside Turkey and Greece to Putin, who responded that "he was going to think about it" before responding, an Elysee Palace official said.

• Mar 29, 2022 09:16 PM IST

  Russia ‘repeatedly' fired hypersonic missiles at Ukraine targets: US

  US military commander in Europe Tod Wolters on Tuesday claimed that Russia has repeatedly fired hypersonic missiles at Ukrainian military targets. "Most of those strikes have been designated at specific military targets," Wolters said. On March 19, Russia announced that it used hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles to destroy a large weapons depot in Ukraine's western Ivano-Frankivsk region. Read More

• Mar 29, 2022 06:57 PM IST

  Ukraine proposes Moscow drop any opposition to it joining EU: Official

  Russian lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said on Tuesday that Kyiv's proposals to Moscow at talks in Istanbul included one that Russia would not oppose Ukraine joining the European Union. He made the comment in footage broadcast on state television after talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.

• Mar 29, 2022 06:40 PM IST

  Ruble surges 10% on Ukraine-Russia talks progress

  Ruble surges 10% on Ukraine-Russia talks progressed on Tuesday.

• Mar 29, 2022 06:07 PM IST

  Ukraine negotiator says Putin, Zelensky meeting possible after Istanbul talks

  Ukraine negotiator says Putin, Zelensky meeting possible after Istanbul talks, news agency AFP has reported.

• Mar 29, 2022 05:54 PM IST

  Plans to 'radically' reduce military activity near Kyiv, Chernihiv: Russia

  Plans to 'radically' reduce military activity near Kyiv, Chernihiv, says Russia after 'meaningful' talks with Ukraine, reports AFP

• Mar 29, 2022 05:45 PM IST

  Ceasefire, security guarantees on the table as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks

  A ceasefire to end the humanitarian crisis and security guarantees to protect Ukraine from Russia were among the issues discussed at peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv delegations in Turkey on Tuesday, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's political advisor said. Read More

• Mar 29, 2022 04:54 PM IST

  Russia expels 10 Baltic diplomats in tit-for-tat response

  Russia announced on Tuesday the expulsion of 10 diplomats from the three Baltic states in a tit-for-tat response, including three diplomats each from Estonia and Latvia, and four from Lithuania.

• Mar 29, 2022 04:18 PM IST

  Kyiv seeks cease-fire in fresh talks with Russia

  Negotiators from Kyiv and Moscow are holding fresh talks in Turkey on Tuesday, in a bid to clinch a cease-fire and at least temporarily halt the 34-day war in Ukraine.

  Heading into the talks, both sides differed vastly on disputed positions including the state of territories occupied by Russian troops and security guarantees.

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the delegations in Istanbul that concrete results were expected. “An immediate cease-fire and peace is in everyone’s interest,” he said.

• Mar 29, 2022 04:12 PM IST

  Russian minister underlines focus on Donbas

  Russia’s defense minister says that “liberating" the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine is the main goal of Moscow’s military operation, underlining a possible shift in strategy announced last week by another Russian military official.

• Mar 29, 2022 03:35 PM IST

  Ukrainian forces continuing counter attacks in northwest of Kyiv: UK

  Ukrainian forces are continuing counter attacks to the northwest of Kyiv, and Russia has kept up heavy shelling of Mariupol, British military intelligence said.

• Mar 29, 2022 03:16 PM IST

  Abramovich not 'official member of Russian delegation': Kremlin

  
  

  Kremlin says Abramovich is not an official member of Russian delegation at talks with Ukraine but he is present.

• Mar 29, 2022 03:04 PM IST

  Russian negotiator says statement should come after Ukraine talks

  Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told Russian state television on Tuesday that he hoped there would be a statement in several hours following talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.

• Mar 29, 2022 02:59 PM IST

  At least 2 dead after Russian shelling in Mykolaiv govt building

  #BREAKING At least two dead after Russian strike on Mykolaiv govt building: AFP pic.twitter.com/eIX1UPUTn0

  — AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 29, 2022

• Mar 29, 2022 02:48 PM IST

  Security guarantees among key issues in talks with Russia: Ukraine

  Ukrainian presidential adviser says main issue for Ukraine at talks is security guarantees, second is humanitarian issues.

• Mar 29, 2022 02:23 PM IST

  'We don't trade sovereignty': Ukraine's foreign minister

  Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded the "demilitarisation" and "denazification" of Ukraine, that it become a neutral country and that Kyiv recognize the breakaway Donbas region and Russian-annexed Crimea peninsula as no longer part of Ukraine.

  Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says the talks will focus on easing the humanitarian situation. He says there is little room for agreement on Putin's territorial demands, saying "We do not trade people, land and sovereignty."

• Mar 29, 2022 02:09 PM IST

  Russia's war killed 144 children so far: Ukraine PGO

  Ukraine Prosecutor General's Office has informed that Russia's war on Ukraine has killed at least 144 children, wounded more than 220 so far, reported Ukrainian media ‘The Kyiv Independent’.

• Mar 29, 2022 01:39 PM IST

  Russian strike hit regional administrative building in Mykolaiv amid peace talks

  As Russia, Ukraine begin talks in Istanbul, governor says Russian strike has hit regional administrative building in Mykolaiv, reported AFP. 

• Mar 29, 2022 01:38 PM IST

  Ukraine eliminates 5 Russian bot farms since Feb 24: Ukrainian media

  Ukrainian authorities have eliminated five Russian bot farms since start of invasion, reported Ukrainian media ‘The Kyiv Independent’.

• Mar 29, 2022 01:12 PM IST

  Russian Oligarch Abramovich attends peace talks in Istanbul

  Russian Oligarch Abramovich who has been sanctioned by West is attending Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul, reports Reuters.

• Mar 29, 2022 01:01 PM IST

  'End this tragedy', Turkish president's urge over Russia-Ukraine war

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Russian and Ukrainian delegations to "put an end to this tragedy" as he hosted talks in Istanbul on Tuesday.

• Mar 29, 2022 12:57 PM IST

  Restarting evacuations after pause over Russian provocations: Ukraine

  Ukraine says restarting evacuations after pause over Russian 'provocations', reports AFP.

• Mar 29, 2022 12:51 PM IST

  Russian forces maintaining blocking positions: UK military intelligence

  UK military intelligence said that elsewhere, the Russian forces are maintaining blocking positions while attempting to reorganise and reset their forces.

• Mar 29, 2022 12:42 PM IST

  US to further target Russian warfare capabilities

  The United States, after imposing sanctions on Russia's defense industry, is considering targeting other sectors involved in Moscow's war effort in Ukraine, a US Treasury Department official said, reported AFP.

• Mar 29, 2022 12:36 PM IST

  Russia, Ukraine both have 'legitimate concerns': Turkish President Erdogan

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian and Ukrainian delegations due to resume face-to-face talks on Tuesday that "both parties have legitimate concerns."

• Mar 29, 2022 12:14 PM IST

  Asian shares higher ahead of Russia-Ukraine peace talks

  Ahead of another round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Asian shares were higher on Tuesday after an advance on Wall Street.

• Mar 29, 2022 11:53 AM IST

  Russia still poses significant threat to Kyiv: UK military intelligence

  UK military intelligence on Tuesday said that Russia poses significant threat to Kyiv through their strike capability even though Ukrainian forces continue localised counter attacks to the north west of the city. 

• Mar 29, 2022 11:12 AM IST

  Ukraine strives for ceasefire agreement 

  Ukraine is striving for a ceasefire agreement in talks with Russian negotiators starting Tuesday in Turkey and has set a “minimum” goal of an improvement in the humanitarian situation. 

• Mar 29, 2022 10:39 AM IST

  Another round of talks scheduled for Tuesday: AP

  Another round of talks aimed at stopping the war in Ukraine is scheduled for Tuesday as the fighting looks increasingly like a stalemate on the ground, reports AP. 

• Mar 29, 2022 10:07 AM IST

  World's longest passenger flight to avoid Russian skies

  Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. plans to reroute its New York-Hong Kong service to avoid Russian airspace, in what would be the world’s longest commercial passenger flight by distance. 

• Mar 29, 2022 09:54 AM IST

  Ukrainian journalist abducted by Russian forces on March 4: Reports

  Dmytro Khilyuk, a journalist working for the Ukrainian Independent News Agency (UNIAN), was abducted by the Russian Forces on March 4 from a village in the Kyiv region, says reports. 

• Mar 29, 2022 09:31 AM IST

  At least 5,000 people buried in Mariupol: Ukrainian official

  A senior Ukrainian official said that at least 5,000 people have been buried in the besieged southern city of Mariupol since the invasion began, but that bodies have gone uncollected for the past 10 days amid continuing Russian shelling.

• Mar 29, 2022 09:09 AM IST

  UN chief wants humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine

  The United Nations chief has launched an initiative to immediately explore possible arrangements for “a humanitarian cease-fire in Ukraine” in order to allow the delivery of desperately needed aid and pave the way for serious political negotiations to end the month-long war.

• Mar 29, 2022 09:06 AM IST

  Ukraine says Kyiv suburb of Irpin retaken

  Ukrainian forces have claimed to have retaken a Kyiv suburb and an eastern town from the Russians. Ukraine said that Kyiv suburb of Irpin 'liberated', reports AFP. 

• Mar 29, 2022 07:36 AM IST

  Biden clarifies ‘Putin cannot remain in power’ remark

  US President Joe Biden clarified his ‘Putin cannot remain in power’ remark. According to him, he “wasn’t announcing a US policy change, but was expressing his own anger about the invasion of Ukraine.”