Russia-Ukraine War: 10 days into invasion, Putin avers troops not bombing Ukraine's cities

Russian President Vlimir Putin has denied Russian troops were bombing Ukrainian cities. Putin in a phone call with German Chancellor Scholz insisted that Russian soldiers were not bombing Ukrainian cities and furr called reports "fake," Mirror reported. phone call between Scholz and Putin came after tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate on ground. 

In a telephonic conversation with German Chancellor, Putin denied all reports of Moscow-led attacks on apartment buildings, schools and hospitals as "fake". In a statement released after phone call between Putin and Scholz, Kremlin insisted that "alleged ongoing airstrikes of Kyiv and or large cities are gross propaganda fakes". statement of Kremlin came as reports suggested that 100 people could be buried in rubble after a block of an apartment was struck near Kyiv, Mirror reported. Meanwhile, Ukraine's state emergency has said that at least 33 people have died and 18 people have been injured in Russian strike in a residential area in Chernihiv, according to AP. Furrmore, agency stated that re were forced to halt search for more casualties in rubble due to shelling. 

15-year jail term for spreing 'fake news'

President Vlimir Putin signed into law a bill introducing jail terms of up to 15 years for fake news reports, according to AP. bill approved by both houses of parliament and signed by Russian President Vlimir Putin imposes a sentence of up to 15 years for those spreing information against Russian government's information on military action. According to law, a sentence of up to three years or fines will be imposed for spreing false news about Russian military. Furrmore, maximum punishment that will be imposed as per law will be up to 15 years. Russian authorities have repeatedly termed reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as “fake” reports. State-owned media outlets term Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation” and do not call it a “war” or “invasion.” Russian state communications watchdog, Roskomnzor, on Friday, blocked Facebook and five foreign media organizations which publish news in Russian to have control over information about Russia's attack on Ukraine. 

Inputs from AP

Image: AP