Russia-Ukraine war highlights: India calls for ‘cessation of violence’ in Ukraine at UNSC meet

“Evacuation efforts on...Situation on ground continues to be complex and fluid, some of them quite concerning, but we've been able to accelerate our evacuation process. About 8000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine since we issued advisory, not since conflict began,” says MEA.

Top European Union official Charles Michel said Monday there were disagreements among the 27 member states on enlarging the bloc, as Kyiv appealed for membership in the face of a Russian invasion, reported AFP.

The website of Russian state news agency TASS was hacked on Monday, Reuters checks from several devices showed, with the regular site replaced with an anti-war message and calls to stop President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Home rental company Airbnb Inc has announced that its non-profit arm Airbnb.org would offer free, temporary housing for up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine.

The United Nations refugee agency has said that more than 500,000 people have now fled Ukraine.

The Kremlin has denied that the Russian military targeted populated areas in Ukraine despite abundant evidence that residential buildings, schools and hospitals have been hit during the Russian invasion.

Russia-Ukraine talks begin in Belarus, between high-level delegations from the two countries; aimed at ending hostilities between the two countries, reports Russian state media. Read full story 

Kremlin says Russia will ride out Western sanctions, reported news agency AFP.

Kremlin has said that the European Union is acting in hostile fashion towards them by supplying and funding arms to Ukraine. "Weapons' supplies to Ukraine are dangerous and destabilizing," they said, as quoted by Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday asked the European Union to allow Ukraine to gain membership under a special procedure immediately as it defends itself from invasion by Russian forces, reported Reuters.

The UN human rights chief said Monday that at least 102 civilians, including seven children, had been killed in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion five days ago, warning the true numbers were likely far higher, reported news agency AFP.

Ukraine doing everything to help Indian nationals to leave country amid trying conditions, "only Putin can give assurance" about Indian students, said Ukrainian ambassador Igor Polikha.

Polikha said that the situation is very difficult and complex. “My resources are limited… We are victims of aggression. Still we are trying to help people, including those from other countries,” the ambassador said.

I can assure you that Russian Army is not being welcomed with flowers and bread & salt. Putin has made a unique contribution to the consolidation of Ukraine, says Ukrainian ambassador Igor Polikha.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said allies are stepping up support to Ukraine with air defence missiles, anti-tank weapons, as well as humanitarian & financial aid, reported Reuters.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine will release prisoners with military experience if willing to join fight against Russia, reported Reuters.

 Russian forces have taken over the towns of Berdyansk and Enerhodar in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhya region as well as the area around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, reports reuters.

Russian military claims air superiority in Ukraine, says civilians can freely leave Kyiv, reports AFP.