UK PM meets Zelenskyy, YouTube blocks Russian parliament channel | Top points

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that 10.1 billion Euros ($11 billion) has been raised from a global pledging event for Ukrainian refugees called ‘Stand Up for Ukraine’ held in Poland's capital Warsaw.

Following the discovery of Bucha atrocities in Ukraine last week in which bodies of at least 20 people in civilian robes were discovered along with mass graves, many leaders of the West have travelled to Kyiv to show support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Earlier in the day, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid a ‘surprise' visit to Kyiv, which a Downing Street spokesperson said, was a “show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people”.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. (AFP)

Besides Johnson, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also landed in the Ukrainian capital earlier in the day. The two leaders discussed tightening sanctions against Russia in wake of a rocket strike in Kramatorsk railway station on Friday, killing at least 50 people, including children, and wounding over 100 others.

Austria is one of the European nations that has been opposing cutting off Russian gas imports, on which it heavily depends. Nehammer, however, said the latest wave of sanctions by the European Union (EU) “won't be the last”.

Here are the top updates of day 46 of the Russia-Ukraine war:

1. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that 10.1 billion Euros ($11 billion) has been raised from a global pledging event for Ukrainian refugees called ‘Stand Up for Ukraine’ held in Poland's capital Warsaw. The event convened by the EU and Canadian Prime Minister The event convened by the EU and Canadian Prime Minister sought to raise money for internally displaced people in Ukraine and refugees from the war-torn nation. Several noted personalities, including singer Billie Eilish, comedian Chris Rock and musician Elton John, among others, campaigned alongside global leaders.
2. At a press conference with Nehammer, who also visited Bucha during his visit, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is “still ready” to continue peace talks with Russia that halted after the revelations of the killings in the town last week. "We are ready to fight and to look in parallel to end this war through diplomacy," the Ukrainian president added.
3. Ukraine's railway operation says operations at Kramatorsk station are halted owing to the airstrike on Friday, but evacuations of  civilians will continue via other stations in eastern part of the country. The company further stated that evacuations will continue from the stations in Slovyansk and Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region and Novozolotarivka in the Luhansk region.
4. Over 4.4 million Ukrainian refugees have fled their nation since the Russian invasion started on February 24, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. The latest figures said that the total number of refugees were 4,441,663 on Saturday, which was 59,347 more than the day before. Among those who have fled so far, 90 per cent are women and children since Ukrainian authorities do not allow men of military age to depart.
5. YouTube on Saturday blocked Russian Parliament's channel - Duma TV, thereby drawing an angry response from officials who said the streaming service could face restrictions as retaliation.

(With inputs from agencies)