Russia-Ukraine war Highlights: Govt says nearly 4,000 Indians brought back from Ukraine in last 24 hours

No damage has been done to the reactors at Ukraine's Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant after a projectile hit a nearby building on the site overnight, UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi said on Friday, adding he believed the projectile was Russian.

Ukrainian staff continue to operate the nuclear facilities while Russian forces control the area, Grossi told a news conference.

NATO foreign ministers meet in Brussels on Friday to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine as Kyiv called on Western allies to implement a no-fly zone or provide them with more planes to protect civilians and infrastructure including nuclear plants, reported news agency Reuters.

130 Russian buses are ready to evacuate Indian students and other foreigners from Ukraine's Kharkiv and Sumy to Russia's Belgorod Region, Russian National Defense Control Center Head Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev announced on Thursday.

Asian stocks tumbled to their lowest since November 2020 as signs Russia’s attack on Ukraine is intensifying further roiled financial markets, reported news agency Bloomberg.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell as much as 1.8% on Friday, as Ukrainian officials said Russian forces have occupied the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant after an attack that caused fire. The gauge is now down 19% from a February 2021 peak, inching closer to bear market territory.

Korean Air Lines Co Ltd said on Friday it plans to cancel four passenger flights to and from Moscow for the next two weeks, adding that the airline could not refuel its planes in Moscow following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The South Korean carrier said it also plans to reroute cargo flights that originally passed through Moscow, sending them instead directly from Incheon, South Korea, to destinations in Europe without making stops in Russia until March 18.

Russian lawmakers approve laws providing up to 15 years in jail for any publication of fake news about the Russian armed forces, reports AFP.

The bill sets out jail terms of varying lengths and fines against people who publish "knowingly false information" about the military.

China's foreign ministry on Friday urged all sides to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine, after a fire broke out in a building adjacent to a nuclear plant that was later seized by Russian forces, according to Ukraine.

"We will monitor the situation and call on all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and ensure the safety of relevant nuclear facilities," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing, reports Reuters.

China has refused to condemn Russia's attack on Ukraine or call it an invasion.

More than 160 educational institutions in Ukraine have been partially or completely destroyed by the shelling of Russian troops, education minister of Ukraine stated.

Ukraine officials on Friday stated that international aid to the war-torn country is likely exceed $15 billion mark, reports Bloomberg.

Russian media watchdog says it has restricted access to some media websites, including the BBC, tightening controls over the internet.

Minister of foreign affairs of Romania, Bogdan Aurescu, said that the world needs to adapt to the fact that Belarus is becoming the military district of Russia, reported Reuters.

The lower house of the Russian parliament on Friday passed a law which makes it a jailable offence to spread "fake" information about the armed forces, Reuters reported.

The law, passed by the State Duma in the third and final reading, introduces fines and jail terms for those who intentionally spread false information about the armed forces that has a serious impact, according to a statement by the lower house.

Around 624,500 people have crossed into Poland from Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion on Feb 24, the Polish border guard said on Friday.

It said that on Thursday around 99,200 people entered, and that on Friday about 25,200 people had crossed as of 0600 GMT, Reuters reported.

The London Stock Exchange said on Friday it had suspended with immediate effect the trading of stock listings of several Russian-based companies including Sistema and Magnit, reports Reuters.

"The London Stock Exchange notes the ongoing deterioration of market conditions since March 2 2022, and in order to maintain orderly markets, the exchange has suspended the admission to trading of the instruments," it said in a statement.

Asian markets tumbled Friday as news that Europe's biggest nuclear power plant had been hit by Russian shelling fuelled a flight to safety and ramped up fears about the Ukraine war, Reuters reported.

Tokyo and Hong Kong led losses across Asia while Sydney, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Mumbai, Taipei, Manila, Bangkok and Wellington were also well down.

The losses followed steep selling pressure in New York and Europe, and Wall Street futures were sharply down Friday, said Reuters.

Russian forces seize Europe's largest nuclear plant hours after attack sparked fire, reports Reuters citing local officials.

Essential equipment at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was unaffected after a fire there, with no change in radiation levels, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Friday, citing the country's regulatory authorities.

US President Joe Biden meets his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö at the White House on Friday as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has roused fresh concern by Vladimir Putin's other European neighbors, reports Reuters.

Supreme Court says that it's unfortunate that we have not learned from past mistakes and still resort to war, news agency ANI reported. “We don't have much say but there is anxiety about students,” apex court added.

The United States is waiving a requirement for negative COVID-19 tests from Americans leaving Belarus or Russia to travel home, the State Department said on Thursday as per news agency Reuters.

AustralianSuper Pty. will wind down its remaining Russian exposure after the nation’s government said it expected its pension funds to divest Russian-linked assets, reports Bloomberg.

The A$260 billion ($191 billion) fund said in a statement it is “deeply concerned” about the unfolding events in Ukraine and has been “actively managing” its Russian exposure to address the changing and emerging risks. The fund is in “full compliance” with all relevant sanctions, it said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds review meet on the current situation in war-torn Ukraine.

Airbnb Inc. is suspending its operations in Russia and Belarus, Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky said in a tweet Thursday evening. The move comes days after Chesky said that “all things are on the table” with regard to responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank says it will suspend business related to Russia and Belarus.

The AIIB, a brainchild of Chinese President Xi, was launched in 2016 to counter the West's dominance of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, reports AFP.