Russia-Ukraine war Highlights: Moscow, Kyiv agree to establish humanitarian corridors

In second round of talks, Russia and Ukraine agree on humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians.

President Joe Biden's administration is seeking $32.5 billion in additional funding from Congress to bolster the US Covid-19 response and help Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday, reports news agency Reuters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow's advance in Ukraine is going "according to plan" and ordered large compensations for Russian soldiers killed in the invasion.

"I want to say that the special military operation is going strictly according to schedule, according to plan," he said, opening a meeting with his security council. "We are at war with neo-Nazis," the Russian leader said, adding: "I will never give up on my conviction that Russians and Ukrainians are one people."

Ukraine President Zelenskyy has asked his Russian counterpart Putin to “sit down” for negotiation amid the ongoing war between both the countries.

“I don’t bite," Zelenskyy said further.  

Read more

The United States will impose new sanctions on Russian oligarchs Thursday, a source familiar with the latest effort to pressure the Kremlin into stopping its invasion of Ukraine told AFP.

The sanctions, first reported by Bloomberg, will match earlier EU measures against Russia's wealthiest figures and expand them to include a travel ban to the United States and also prevent oligarchs from transferring their assets to family members.

Ukraine's parliament on Thursday approved a bill to allow the seizure of assets or property in Ukraine owned by Russia or Russian citizens due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Under the law, the government can suggest which assets to confiscate to the Security Council, which must then give its approval for their transfer to state ownership.

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed no let-up in his invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, even as the warring sides met for ceasefire talks and Kyiv demanded safe passage for besieged civilians.

"Russia intends to continue the uncompromising fight against militants of nationalist armed groups," Putin said, according to a Kremlin account of a call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Nine dead after Russian forces strike northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, reports AFP citing the Governor.

The second round of Russia-Ukraine talks kick off in Belarus: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus

Direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives are underway on Belarusian territory. We hope that they bring about an end to this situation, restore peace in Donbass and enable all people in Ukraine to return to peaceful life: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia

French President Macron believes 'worse is to come' in Ukraine after Putin call, reports news agency AFP citing an official.

The Ukrainian delegation of negotiators has arrived by helicopter for talks with the Russian side in Belarus, Russian state news agency TASS: Reuters

This increased number of flights reflects the large of Indians who have crossed over from Ukraine and are now in the neighboring countries. We will further step up efforts to bring all these Indian nationals back to India at the earliest: MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

We are scheduling more flights and a large number of Indians will be back home in the next 2-3 days. I would like to appreciate the Ukrainian government and the neighboring countries for hosting our people and providing support in evacuating them: Arindam Bagchi

Talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations will begin in Belarus at about 1400 GMT and Kyiv plans to discuss setting up humanitarian corridors before moving on to other issues, Ukrainian negotiator Davyd Arakhamia said on Facebook.

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog passed a resolution Thursday urging Russia to "cease all actions" at Ukraine's nuclear facilities, including the site of the Chernobyl disaster, which it captured after it invaded the eastern European country last week.

A Ukrainian delegation is on its way to talks with Russia by helicopter and negotiations will kick off in a couple of hours, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in an online post on Thursday.

Earlier, Belarusian state news agency Belta quoted chief Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky as saying the second round of talks would start in Belarus at 1200 GMT. 

Read more

Governor of Ukraine's Kherson Region says Russian Forces have control of Regional Administration Building (in Kharkiv): Reuters

Swedish furniture giant Ikea said Thursday it would suspend its activities in Russia and Belarus, affecting nearly 15,000 employees, 17 stores and three production sites, in response to the war in Ukraine.

"The war has had a huge human impact already. It is also resulting in serious disruptions to supply chain and trading conditions. For all of these reasons, Ikea has decided to temporarily pause operations in Russia," the company said in a statement to AFP.

Ukraine is able to launch counter-attacks against invading Russian forces even as it defends itself, a military adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.

"Help to us is increasing every minute and the strength of the enemy is decreasing every minute. We're not only defending but also counter-attacking," he said in a televised briefing.

Russia is ready for peace talks with Ukraine but will not stop targeting its military facilities and bases, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday. Delegations from the two countries were due to talk late last night but that was called off after Ukraine demanded Russia stop its attacks before coming to the negotiation table.

The Russians, meanwhile, have submitted their demands to Ukraine officials are awaiting a response. As part of its demands, Russia has insisted on provisions that Ukraine will never again represent a military threat.

Global satellite communications company OneWeb announced on Thursday that it was halting all launches from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

"The Board of OneWeb has voted to suspend all launches from Baikonur," London-based OneWeb said, after Russia sought assurances that satellites it was due to launch later this year would not be used for military purposes.

Ukraine President Zelensky vows to rebuild Ukraine after war, says Russia 'will reimburse us for everything you did against our state', reports news agency AFP.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday accused Western politicians of considering nuclear war, one week after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine. "I would like to point out that it's in the heads of Western politicians that the idea of a nuclear war is spinning constantly, and not in the heads of Russians," Lavrov said in an interview with Russian and foreign media. 

Read more

This (evacuation of Indians) should be our priority. PM rightly spoke to the Russian President, talks are going on with Ukrainian Foreign Ministry too. Contacts were established with rest of the bordering nations too: Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi

Many anti-war demonstrators were detained in Russia's Saint Petersburg late on Wednesday after jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny called on Russians to protest against President Putin's invasion of Ukraine, reported news agency AFP.