Russia-Ukraine War: Russia promised to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine.
Russia said that its month-old invasion of Ukraine which led to the biggest European conflict since World War Two has been halted "in order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement". Moscow said after face-to-face peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey that it had made the decision to radically reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions.
Ukraine reacted with skepticism to Russia's promise in negotiations to scale down military operations while some Western countries expected Moscow to intensify its offensive in other parts of the country.
Russia's onslaught has been met by stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces who have recaptured besieged cities.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has seen nearly 4 million Ukrainians flee abroad and has left thousands dead or injured.
Here are the LIVE updates on the Ukraine-Russia War:
Get NDTV UpdatesTurn on notifications to receive alerts as this story develops.
Ukraine preparing for new Russian offensive in the east, Zelenskiy says
Ukrainian forces are preparing for new Russian attacks in the east of the country as Moscow builds up its troops there after suffering setbacks near the capital Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.
Russia's invasion of its neighbour, now in its fifth week, has driven around a quarter of Ukrainians from their homes and brought Russian-Western tensions to their worst point since the Cold War.
Putin "Misled" By His Own Army On Ukraine War: US
Fighting raged Wednesday in Ukraine despite Russia's indication that it planned to deescalate, and US intelligence claimed Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is angry after being mislead by his own military.
Hopes that negotiations in Istanbul could open the door to relative calm in pro-Western Ukraine evaporated in a series of battles, including more Russian bombing of civilian areas and advances by Ukrainian fighters.
Ukraine's Zelensky dismisses Russian claims of scaleback
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday he didn't trust Russian vows to scale back military activity and that his army was getting ready for further fighting in the east.
"We don't believe anyone, not a single beautiful phrase," Zelensky said in a video address to the nation, adding that Russian troops were regrouping to strike the eastern Donbass region. "We will not give anything away. We will fight for every meter of our territory."
Moscow announces Mariupol ceasefire Thursday to evacuate civilians
The Russian defence ministry announced a local ceasefire Thursday to allow civilians to be evacuated from Ukraine's besieged port city of Mariupol.
A humanitarian corridor from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia, via the Russian-controlled port of Berdiansk, would be opened from 10 am (0700 GMT), the ministry said Wednesday.
Russians start to withdraw from Chernobyl nuclear site: PentagonRussian forces have begun to pull out of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power site after seizing control of the facility on February 24, a senior US defense official said Wednesday.
"Chernobyl is (an) area where they are beginning to reposition some of their troops -- leaving, walking away from the Chernobyl facility and moving into Belarus," the official said.
S Jaishankar, US Secretary Of State Discuss Ukraine Crisis Over Phone
US Secretary of State Tony Blinken on Wednesday spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to review regional priorities, worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine and to promote free and open Indo-Pacific, his spokesperson said.
Biden, Zelensky Discuss "Additional Capabilities" For Ukrainian MilitaryUS President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed "additional capabilities" to help the Ukrainian military, during a telephone call on Wednesday, the White House said in a statement.
Biden also told Zelensky that the United States would provide the Ukrainian government with $500 million in direct aid, as Kyiv battles against invading Russian forces.
"The leaders discussed... continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country," the White House said.
At least 200 killed in Irpin since start of Ukraine war: MayorAt least 200 people have been killed in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin since Russia invaded Ukraine, its mayor said Wednesday, adding that more than half of the city had been destroyed and it was not safe for residents to return.
"I think about 200 to 300 people have died unfortunately," mayor Oleksandr Markushyn told reporters.
"Fifty percent of the city is destroyed, including critical infrastructure," he said, adding that while Irpin was "100 percent" under Ukrainian control, it was "still dangerous" and still being shelled by Russia.
Putin advisers 'too afraid to tell him the truth' on Ukraine -U.S. officialRussian President Vladimir Putin was misled by his advisers about how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Westerns sanctions have been to Russia's economy, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, citing declassified intelligence.
"We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions, because his senior advisors are too afraid to tell him the truth," the official said on condition of anonymity.
Ukraine says Russia is preparing renewed offensive operationsRussian forces in Ukraine are regrouping and preparing for renewed offensive operations, Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said on Wednesday.
"(Russia's) main efforts are concentrated on surrounding Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine," Motuzyanyk said, adding that Russia was still trying to take the southern port city of Mariupol and the towns of Popasna and Rubizhne.
"It (Russia) is preparing to resume offensive operations," he said, adding that Ukraine's armed forces command had observed some movements of Russian forces away from the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions but did not consider this to be a mass withdrawal.
Ukraine crisis could figure in President Ram Nath Kovind's talks in Netherlands, he will convey India's stand: MEA
Norway sends more anti-tank weapons to UkraineNorway has donated more weapons to Ukraine to help the country defend itself against Russia's invasion, the Norwegian defence ministry said on Wednesday.
The latest shipment, which has already been completed, is 2,000 M72 anti-tank weapons, raising the total number of M72s donated by Norway to 4,000, the ministry said.
Kremlin welcomes written Ukrainian demands, but no sign of breakthroughThe Kremlin on Wednesday welcomed the fact that Kyiv has set out its demands for an end to the conflict in Ukraine in written form, but said there was no sign of a breakthrough yet.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia had not noticed anything really promising or that looked like a breakthrough, and said there was a long period of work ahead.
Over four million Ukrainian refugees have fled war: UNMore than four million Ukrainians have now fled the country to escape Russia's "senseless war", the United Nations said Wednesday.
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said 4,019,287 Ukrainians had fled across the country's borders since the February 24 invasion, with more than 2.3 million having headed west into Poland.
"Refugees from Ukraine are now four million, five weeks after the start of the Russian attack," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said on Twitter.
"I have just arrived in Ukraine. In Lviv I will discuss with the authorities, the UN and other partners ways to increase our support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war."
Russia-Ukraine War: More Than 4 Million People Have Fled Ukraine, UN Body Says
The number of Ukrainians fleeing abroad is now 4,019,287, the United Nations' Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Wednesday.
Russia-Ukraine War: North Ukraine City Chernigiv "Shelled All Night"Authorities in the war-scarred northern Ukrainian city of Chernigiv say the area was 'shelled all night' despite Russia's pledge to scale back attacks on the area as well as near the capital Kyiv following what it called "meaningful" progress at peace talks.
"The enemy has demonstrated its 'decrease in activity' in the Chernigiv region with strikes on Nizhyn (a town 90 km southeast of Chernigiv), including air strikes. Chernigiv was shelled all night," regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus wrote on social media.
Air-raid sirens were also heard through the night in Kyiv.
Russia-Ukraine War: World Food Program's Warning On Ukraine Crisis
World Food Program boss David Beasley says the conflict has caused food shortages and price spikes "beyond anything we've seen since World War II".
Russia-Ukraine War: Putin Blocks Mariupol EvacuationRussian President Vladimir Putin says "nationalists" in the besieged port city of Mariupol must surrender before the "difficult humanitarian situation" is resolved, effectively scuppering a proposed international relief mission.
Mariupol military officials say "more than 70" staff and patients are forcibly taken from a maternity hospital in the city.
Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky's Cautious Response To RussiaPresident Volodymyr Zelensky cautiously welcomes the "positive" signals from Moscow, saying Ukrainian forces "will not decrease" defensive efforts.
The Pentagon warns Russia is "repositioning" troops not withdrawing. "Russia has failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv," a spokesman says, but "it does not mean that the threat to Kyiv is over."
Russia-Ukraine War: "Russia May Single Out, Detain Americans": US Issues Travel Advisory The US State Department issued a travel advisory on Tuesday warning that Moscow "may single out and detain US citizens in Russia" and repeating earlier warnings for Americans not to travel to the country.
The warning was "due to the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces" as well as the potential for harassment of US citizens by Russian authorities, the travel advisory said, repeating calls for Americans traveling or living in Russia to leave "immediately."
It comes days after a US diplomat was able to visit detained basketball star Brittney Griner, who has been held in Russian custody for more than a month.
At UN, India Reiterates Call For Unimpeded Humanitarian Access In Ukraine India on Tuesday (local time) reiterated its call for unimpeded humanitarian access to areas of armed conflict in Ukraine.
"India remains deeply concerned at the ongoing situation, which continues to deteriorate since the beginning of the hostilities. We reiterate our call for unimpeded humanitarian access to areas of armed conflict in Ukraine," India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti said at the UNSC briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Russia 'Repositioning' Forces Near Kyiv, Not Withdrawing: PentagonRussia is "repositioning" a small number of its forces near Kyiv but is not withdrawing and the Ukrainian capital remains under threat, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
"We're seeing a small number now that appears to be moving away from Kyiv, this on the same day that the Russians say they're withdrawing," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
"But we're not prepared to call this a retreat or even a withdrawal," he said. "We think that what they probably have in mind is a repositioning to prioritize elsewhere."
De-Escalation Not Ceasefire: Russia On Reducing Operations Around Kyiv Russia's promise to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine does not represent a ceasefire and talks on a formal agreement with Kyiv have a long way to go, Moscow's lead negotiator in peace talks said on Tuesday.
Russian negotiators earlier on Tuesday gave an undertaking to sharply scale back military activity around Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, in the most tangible sign yet of progress towards a peace deal.