Russia and Ukraine failed to make a breakthrough Thursday in their first top-level talks since Moscow's invasion two weeks ago, as Russian advances sparked fears the Ukrainian capital Kyiv could soon be encircled.
Russian troops have launched a high-precision, long-range attack on two military airfields in the Ukrainian cities of Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk and taken them out of action.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said around 100,000 people had evacuated the country's cities in two days, but accused Russian forces of targeting a humanitarian corridor in the city of Mariupol.
Here are the Highlights on Ukraine-Russia War:
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Ukraine War: Mayor Of Ukraine City Kidnapped By Russian Forces
The mayor of southern Ukraine's Melitopol was kidnapped on Friday by Russian soldiers occupying the city, President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian officials said.
"A group of 10 occupiers kidnapped the mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov," Ukraine's parliament said on Twitter. (AFP)
Ukraine War: Russia squeezes Kyiv as 'unimaginable' tragedy looms in Ukraine
Russian forces inched towards Kyiv and pounded civilian areas in other Ukrainian cities Friday, drawing warnings of "unimaginable tragedy" as the US and the EU moved to tighten the economic noose around the Kremlin.
Sixteen days after Moscow shocked the world by invading Ukraine, the United Nations and others said it may be committing war crimes in cities such as Mariupol, which for days now has been besieged by Vladimir Putin's forces. (Reuters)
Ukraine War: US, allies to end normal trade relations with Russia
The United States and its allies moved Friday to end normal trade relations with Russia, as President Joe Biden vowed the West would make Vladimir Putin "pay the price" for his invasion of Ukraine.
Biden announced the new step, which would enable Western nations to inflict steep tariff hikes on Russian goods, in coordination with NATO allies, the Group of Seven and the European Union.
Ukraine War: Deutsche Bank pulls out of Russia
Germany's biggest lender Deutsche Bank said Friday it was following other international companies in shutting down its operations in Russia in protest of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"Like some international peers and in line with our legal and regulatory obligations, we are in the process of winding down our remaining business in Russia while we help our non-Russian multinational clients in reducing their operations. There won't be any new business in Russia," the bank said in a statement. (AFP)
Ukraine War: Zelensky hails Polish support since Russia invasionUkraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky Friday praised the support of neighbouring Poland since Russia invaded last month.
"When you have someone who hurts you, it is very important to have someone who offers their shoulder for you to lean on," he said in a message to his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda and the Polish people.
(AFP) Ukraine War: Zelensky hails Polish support since Russia invasion
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky Friday praised the support of neighbouring Poland since Russia invaded last month.
"When you have someone who hurts you, it is very important to have someone who offers their shoulder for you to lean on," he said in a message to his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda and the Polish people. (AFP)
Ukraine War: US says no indication of Belarusian troops in Ukraine
The United States has not seen evidence that troops from close Russian ally Belarus are in Ukraine, the Pentagon said Friday.
"We haven't seen any indications that Belarusian troops or forces have moved inside Ukraine," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters. (AFP)
Ukraine War: UN dismisses Russian claim of Ukraine-US biological weapons programWestern countries accused Russia of spreading "wild" conspiracy theories at the United Nations Friday after Moscow's envoy told diplomats that America and Ukraine had researched using bats to conduct biological warfare. (AFP)
YouTube blocks Russian state-funded media channels globally- YouTube is immediately blocking access around the world to channels associated with Russian state-funded media, it said on Friday, citing a policy barring content that denies, minimizes or trivializes well-documented violent events.
- The world's most used streaming video service, which is owned by Alphabet Inc's Google, said Russia's invasion of Ukraine now fell under its violent events policy and violating material would be removed.
- YouTube spokesman Farshad Shadloo said the blocking of the Russian outlets was in line with that policy.
- Previously, YouTube had blocked leading Russia state-backed channels RT and Sputnik across Europe.
UN says not aware of any 'biological weapons program' in Ukraine- The United Nations on Friday said it was not aware of any biological weapons program in Ukraine while Washington and its allies voiced concerns Russia was spreading the unproven claim in order to launch its own biological or chemical attacks.
- Russia called the meeting of the 15-member U.N. Security Council to reassert its unsubstantiated accusation that Ukraine ran biological warfare laboratories with U.S. support.
- The move risked backfiring on Moscow as members rejected the assertions as "a lie" and "utter nonsense" and used the session to amplify accusations that Russia has deliberately targeted and killed hundreds of civilians in its 15-day-old invasion that Russian President Vladimir Putin calls "a special military operation."
Russia opens criminal investigation of Meta over death calls on Facebook- Russia opened a criminal case against Facebook's parent Meta Platforms on Friday after the social network changed its hate speech rules to allow users to call for "death to the Russian invaders" in the context of the war with Ukraine.
- Russian prosecutors asked a court to designate the U.S. tech giant as an "extremist organisation", and the communications regulator said it was restricting access to Meta's Instagram.
- "A criminal case has been initiated ... in connection with illegal calls for murder and violence against citizens of the Russian Federation by employees of the American company Meta, which owns the social networks Facebook and Instagram," Russia's Investigative Committee said.
US, Allies To End Normal Trade Relations With Russia
- Washington and its allies moved Friday to end normal trade relations with Russia, as President Joe Biden vowed the West would make Vladimir Putin "pay the price" for his invasion of Ukraine.
- Biden announced the new step, which would enable Western nations to inflict steep tariff hikes on Moscow, in coordination with NATO allies, the Group of Seven and the European Union.
- On the US side, lawmakers -- who would have the final say -- have already indicated they support the step, which involves stripping Russia of the preferential status that ensures equal treatment between international trade partners.
- Warning in a speech at the White House that "Putin must pay the price" as the "aggressor" in its ex-Soviet neighbor, Biden said the US move would be mirrored by similar steps in allied nations.
Joe Biden says Russia to pay 'severe price' if uses chemical weaponsUS President Joe Biden on Friday vowed that Russia would pay a "severe price" if it used chemical weapons in Ukraine, after US intelligence reportedly suggested that Moscow was preparing such an attack.
"I'm not going to speak about the intelligence, but Russia would play a severe price if they used chemicals," Biden said, answering questions at a White House press conference where he announced further sanctions on Russia.
Just In| US bans exports of American luxury goods to Russia, Belarus: News agency AFP
Just In| Joe Biden warns direct NATO-Russia clash would trigger "World War 3": News agency AFP
Ukraine's Mariupol says 1,582 civilians killed by Russian shelling and blockade- At least 1,582 civilians in Ukraine's southeastern city of Mariupol have been killed as a result of Russian shelling and a 12-day blockade, the city council said in an online statement on Friday.
- "We will never forget and will never forgive this crime against humanity," it said.
Russian Media Regulator Restricts Access To InstagramRussia's media regulator restricted access to Instagram on Friday after prosecutors opened a case against the social media giant's parent company Meta, saying the company was permitting calls for violence against Russians on its platforms.
"European Union Should Do More" For Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday the European Union "should do more" for his embattled country, a day after EU leaders doused its hopes of quick accession to the bloc.
- "The European Union should do more. It must do more for us, for Ukraine," he said in a video statement on Telegram more than two weeks after Russia invaded his country.
- "The decisions of politicians must coincide with the mood of their people," he added.
- EU leaders have been meeting in France's Versailles since Thursday to urgently address the fallout of the Russian invasion.
Just In| Russian media regulator restricts access to Instagram: news agency AFP
Just In| Zelensky slams Russia deploying Syria 'murderers' to Ukraine: news agency AFP
Russian Strikes Hit Central Ukraine City Dnipro
- Three missiles hit civilian buildings in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday, destroying a shoe factory and killing one security guard.
- Three missiles hit an apartment building, a migration office and a council administration building in the Novokodatsky district, setting fire to the factory.
- Valentin Yermolenko, public affairs officer for the regional military administration, said there were no military facilities in the area and that one person was killed, a security guard.
- The district prosecutor has opened an investigation into the attack over the possible violation of the laws of war.
- Residents living close to the shoe factory said they heard the first explosion just before 6:00 am (0400 GMT) and the second at 6:10 am. The third strike was further away.
Just In| Zelensky says EU 'should do more' for Ukraine: news agency AFP
UK Says Slapping Sanctions On 386 Russian Lawmakers
- Britain on Friday slapped a fresh wave of sanctions on Moscow, targeting 386 members of Russia's parliament who supported President Vladimir Putin's devastating invasion of Ukraine.
- The new sanctions against members of Russia's Duma, the lower house of parliament, ban them from travelling to Britain as well as accessing any assets they hold in the UK.
- The lawmakers were sanctioned after they voted in February to recognise the breakaway republics of Lugansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, providing a pretext for the war, Britain's foreign ministry said.
- "We're targeting those complicit in Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine and those who support this barbaric war," Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.
Just In| Vladimir Putin says "some progress" in Russia's talks with Ukraine: news agency AFP
Just In| UK says slapping sanctions on 386 Russian lawmakers: news agency AFP
Syrians Can Volunteer To Fight For Russia In Ukraine: Kremlin
- The Kremlin said Friday that fighters from Syria and the Middle East would be allowed to fight for Russia in Ukraine, after President Vladimir Putin backed a plan to send volunteers to battle there.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia's defence minister had said that "most of those who want and who asked (to fight) are citizens of Middle East countries and Syrians".
- Russia was a key partner to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad when war broke out, rallying to his side in the conflict in 2015 and turning the tide of the fighting in the regime's favour.
- Peskov said the decision to send volunteer fighters to Ukraine was acceptable, claiming that the United States was backing measures to send mercenaries to fight alongside Kyiv's army in Ukraine.
- Russia launched a massive military operation in Ukraine late last month, spurring an exodus of refugees in Europe and allegations of war crimes.
Just In| Joe Biden, with G7 and EU, will call for Russia trade status to be revoked: news agency AFP
Just In| Kremlin says Syrians can volunteer to fight for Russia in Ukraine: news agency AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin Weighing Response To NATO Troop Movement In Eastern Europe- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday asked his defense minister to prepare plans for possible fortification of Russia's western border in response to NATO troop movement in eastern Europe.
- "As for the strengthening of our western borders because of the actions adopted by NATO countries... this needs to be considered separately, I ask you to prepare a report," Putin told Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a televised meeting of Russia's Security Council.
- NATO countries have deployed thousands of troops to central and eastern Europe in response to Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine and Moscow has demanded NATO pull back its troops in the east.
- NATO members Poland and the three Baltic states share a common border with Russia. Ukraine borders several others: Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
Civilian Targets Hit As Russian Forces Near Kyiv- Russian strikes hit civilian targets in central Ukraine's Dnipro city on Friday, as Moscow's troops edged closer to Kyiv, where officials said the capital was being transformed into a "fortress".
- Hundreds of thousands of civilians remained trapped and under fire in Ukrainian cities, including besieged Mariupol, after the first talks between Moscow and Kyiv's top diplomats ended Thursday without any progress.
- In the early hours of Friday, Russian war planes carried out what appeared to be the first direct attack on Dnipro, killing one person, emergency services said in a statement.
- Three air strikes hit a kindergarten, apartment building and a shoe factory, it said.
2.5 million people have now fled Ukraine: UN
Two and a half million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24, the United Nations said Friday. "Two and a half million people have now fled Ukraine, including 116,000 third-country nationals," Paul Dillon, spokesman for the UN said
Vladimir Putin says volunteers welcome to help fight against Ukrainian forcesRussian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he wanted to allow volunteers to fight against Ukrainian forces and approved handing over captured Western missile systems to Russian-backed rebel fighters.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu proposed handing over American made anti-tank systems such as Javelin and Stinger to fighters from the rebel regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Two Ukraine soldiers killed at Lutsk airbaseTwo Ukrainian soldiers were killed on Friday in Russian strikes on the Lutsk military airport in northwest Ukraine, local authorities said. "At 05:45 am (0345 GMT), four rockets were fired... by a Russian army bomber on the Lutsk military airfield," said regional administration official Yuriy Pohuliayko on Telegram, adding that "two soldiers were killed and six wounded".
Earlier, Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konachenkov announced that "Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk military airfields had been put out of action".
Operation Ganga: India expresses gratitude to Russia, Ukraine, Red Cross India on Friday expressed its gratitude to Ukraine, Russia and the Red Cross for helping it evacuate its citizens from various Ukrainian cities in the midst of the ongoing war.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a post on Twitter, specifically mentioned that the evacuation of Indian students from the northeastern city of Sumy was "particularly challenging".
Cybersecurity firm Avast suspends Russia, Belarus operationsLondon-listed cybersecurity firm Avast on Friday joined a growing number of Western companies in suspending operations in Russia and Belarus following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine, Russia and Belarus collectively contributed around 1.5% of Avast's revenue last year. Avast said it would give paying users in Ukraine free extensions on their product licenses.
Ukraine hopes 'humanitarian corridor' from Mariupol will open on FridayUkraine hopes a "humanitarian corridor" will be opened successfully for civilians to leave the besieged southern port city of Mariupol on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
Efforts to provide safe passage for trapped Mariupol residents to leave have failed repeatedly this week.
US Vice President Kamala Harris heads to Romania as Ukraine invasion fuels refugee crisisUS Vice President Kamala Harris will head to Romania on Friday and discuss the growing refugee crisis in the region, a day after talks between Ukraine and Russia's foreign ministers failed to bring any pause in the conflict.
Harris will meet President Klaus Iohannis in Bucharest, her second stop on a three-day trip through eastern Europe. Meanwhile, the United States, together with the Group of Seven nations and the European Union, will move to revoke Russia's "most favoured nation" status in an effort to pressure it to end the conflict with Ukraine.
Russia says military airfields in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk taken out Russian troops have launched a high-precision, long-range attack on two military airfields in the Ukrainian cities of Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk and taken them out of action, Russian news agencies quoted Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov as saying
About 222,000 evacuated to Russia from Ukraine
About 222,000 people have been evacuated to Russia from Ukraine and its two Russian-backed rebel regions, the TASS news agency said on Friday, citing an unidentified source.
Disney to pause all businesses in Russia after halting theatrical releases in the countryNearly a week after Disney paused the release of its new movies in Russia, the company has now announced that it is "taking steps to pause all other businesses in Russia".
As per Variety, the Walt Disney Company is working to halt all of its businesses in Russia following the country's "unprovoked invasion of Ukraine," a spokesperson said on Thursday.
Disney has many linear channels and consumer product brands across Russia, as well as a cruise port located in St. Petersburg.
Air strikes in Ukraine's Dnipro kill one
Three air strikes early on Friday in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed at least one person, state emergency services said, adding that the strikes were close to a kindergarten and an apartment building.
US rejects Russian, Chinese claims of biological weapons being used in UkraineThe United States is not assisting Ukraine with biological weapons in its war with Russia and there are no indications that biological weapons are being used by Ukraine, said a US Defense Department official.
Two senior defense officials held an on-background press briefing at the Pentagon on Thursday, the US Defense Department said in a press release.
There are five biological research laboratories in Kyiv. Their work focuses on diagnostics, therapeutics, treatments, prevention and vaccines, not on military use as the Russians and Chinese accuse, the US official said.
Japan to freeze assets of three Belarus banks Japan will freeze the assets of three Belarusian banks, the government said Thursday, days after EU countries agreed to toughen sanctions on Minsk over its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Japanese government also announced a $100 million humanitarian donation to Ukraine and its neighbouring nations to help Ukrainians fleeing the war.
US steps up pressure on Russia over Ukraine invasion
US President Joe Biden on Friday will call for an end of normal trade relations with Russia and clear the way for increased tariffs on Russian imports as punishment for its invasion of Ukraine, a source said.
Russian troopsprogressing towards KyivFears are mounting that Kyiv will soon be encircled, with Russian forces moving on areas north and west of the capital, the Ukrainian military's general staff says.
"A movement of Russian troops" towards Brovary, east of Kyiv, is "not excluded", it says.
UN Security Council to meet Friday on biological weapons at Moscow's requestThe UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Friday on alleged manufacture of biological weapons in Ukraine at the request of Moscow, whose credibility on chemical weapons was questioned during a session on Syria.
Russia on Thursday accused the United States of funding research into the development of biological weapons in Ukraine, which has faced an assault by tens of thousands of Russian troops since February 24.
US Congress passes budget including $14 bn for UkraineThe US Congress passed a huge omnibus 2022 spending bill Thursday including almost $14 billion in humanitarian and military aid to war-torn Ukraine, as its invasion by Russia entered its third week.
Lawmakers had been facing the latest in a series of shutdown showdowns, with government funding due to expire at midnight Friday into Saturday, meaning thousands of workers would have been sent home without pay.
China Premier calls Ukraine situation 'disconcerting', urges support for ceasefire talksChinese Premier Li said on Friday the Ukraine situation was "disconcerting" and that it is important to support Russia and Ukraine in ceasefire talks.
Speaking at a news conference at the close of an annual parliamentary session, Li did not directly answer Reuters' questions about whether China will refrain from condemning Russia no matter what that country does, or whether China is prepared to provide further economic and financial support for Russia as it faces sanctions.
Russia ramps up ties with Sudan as Ukraine war ragesAs much of the West seeks to isolate Russia after it invaded Ukraine, experts say Moscow is boosting relations with its longtime African ally Sudan, eyeing its gold wealth and strategic location.
Khartoum has lost crucial Western support since army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan led a military coup last October, a move that triggered broad condemnation and punitive measures, including a suspension of $700 million in US aid.
Twitter removes Russian embassy tweet on Mariupol hospital bombingTwitter Inc has removed tweets from the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom about the bombing of a children's hospital in Mariupol for breaking its rules against denying violent events, the company said on Thursday.
Three people including a child were killed in Wednesday's air strike on the maternity and children's hospital in the Ukrainian city, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.
Facebook Eases Rules On Violent Speech Against Russian Forces In UkraineFacebook said Thursday that due to the invasion of Ukraine it has temporarily eased its rules regarding violent speech to allow statements like "death to Russian invaders," but not credible threats against civilians.
Moscow's internationally condemned invasion of its neighbor has provoked unprecedented sanctions from Western governments and businesses, but also a surge of online anger.
Sanctions On Russia Could Send Global Food Prices Soaring, Warns Vladimir PutinRussian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday Western sanctions on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine could send global food prices soaring, as Russia was one of the world's main producers of fertiliser, which is essential to global supply chains.
"Russia and Belarus are some of the biggest suppliers of mineral fertilisers. If they continue to create problems for the financing and logistics of the delivery of our goods, then prices will rise and this will affect the final product, food products," Putin said at a televised government meeting.