Russia-Ukraine War Highlights: Zelenskyy says more Russia shelling during peace talks

The eighth flight carrying 216 stranded Indian nationals has departed from Hungary's capital Budapest for New Delhi under Operation Ganga, informed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Eighth Operation Ganga flight leaves from Budapest for New Delhi with 216 Indian nationals. Our endeavour for everyone's safe return continues." Meanwhile, at the high-level meeting on Monday evening over the Ukraine crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the entire government machinery is working round the clock to ensure that all Indians there are safe and secure, informed Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

Russian forces shelled Ukraine’s second-largest city on Monday, rocking a residential neighbourhood, and closed in on the capital, Kyiv, in a 17-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles, as talks aimed at stopping the fighting yielded only an agreement to keep talking. The country’s embattled president said the stepped-up shelling was aimed at forcing him into concessions.

“I believe Russia is trying to put pressure (on Ukraine) with this simple method,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday in a video address. He did not offer details of the hourslong talks that took place earlier, but said that Kyiv was not prepared to make concessions “when one side is hitting each other with rocket artillery.”

Amid ever-growing international condemnation, Russia found itself increasingly isolated five days into its invasion, while also facing unexpectedly fierce resistance on the ground in Ukraine and economic havoc at home.

Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya on Monday (local time) said the Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed that all peaceful citizens of Kyiv can leave without hindrance via Kyiv-Vasilkov road which is open and safe. Speaking at the UNSC meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Nebenzya said that people are trying to blame the Russian military for the casualties of civilians in Ukraine which is being done by Ukraine itself.

Underlining that not everyone can or will choose to flee Ukraine, US Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Richard Mills said that those who remain in Ukraine must be ensured "unobstructed protection and assistance". Mills made these remarks at a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and the region. He noted that now half a million people have fled Ukraine in response to Russia's invasion. "...Behind each of these numbers are real people caught in a humanitarian nightmare unfolding before our eyes. And the truth is, no one knows where it will end, how many people will flee their homes, how many will need humanitarian assistance, how many will die. That is because we don't know when President Putin will end his war of choice against Ukraine," Mills said.

The Finnish government has decided to provide the Ukrainian authorities with military assistance, including assault rifles, anti-tank weapons, and combat ration packages, the Finnish defence ministry said on Monday. "On the proposal of the Government, the President of the Republic decided today that Finland will deliver 2,500 assault rifles, 1,50,000 cartridges for the attack rifles, 1,500 single-shot anti-tank weapons and 70,000 combat ration packages to Ukraine as material aid," the ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba asks "the International Court of Justice to hold a hearing on Ukraine’s request as soon as possible and call upon Russia to immediately halt all military activity in Ukraine."

Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Vasily Nebenzya said that the Ukrainian authorities issued an order to distribute arms to anyone who wants it, including criminals let out of prisons for that specific purpose, resulting in mass incidences of robberies, killings, and lootings. He said that all peaceful citizens of Kyiv can leave the capital of Ukraine without hindrance via Kyiv-Vasilkov road which is open and safe. "Ukrainian radicals are placing their attack weaponry in residential areas, which is a direct violation of international humanitarian law... Russia did not start the war, it's trying to end it. Ukraine started it in 2014," he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian troops have intensified shelling of Ukraine, calling it an effort to force his government into making concessions during talks held Monday.

In a video address late Monday, Zelenskyy says that “the talks were taking place against the backdrop of bombing and shelling of our territory, our cities. Synchronizing of the shelling with the negotiating process was obvious. I believe Russia is trying to put pressure (on Ukraine) with this simple method.”

The president gave no details about the hours-long talks themselves. But he says Ukraine is not prepared to make concessions “when one side is hitting each other with rocket artillery.”

Zelenskyy says that Kyiv, the capital, remains “a key goal” for the Russians and that Russian forces have also shelled the city of Kharkiv with rocket artillery.

AP

The Indian embassy in Ukraine on Monday (local time) said that 400 students, housed near the embassy since February 24, have successfully left Kyiv by train. "400 students housed near Embassy since 24 Feb successfully left Kyiv by train through Mission's efforts. Ensured movement of more than 1,000 Indian students from Kyiv towards Western Ukraine today. Advised the remaining few students in Kyiv to leave once curfew is lifted," India in Ukraine tweeted.

Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation says equipment to use SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has arrived in his country. Mykhailo Fedorov thanked SpaceX founder Elon Musk for the equipment in a Twitter post-Monday that was accompanied by a photo of boxes on the back of a truck. Musk replied with his own tweet saying: “You are most welcome.” The tech billionaire said over the weekend that Starlink was now “active” in Ukraine and more equipment to use it was on the way. That followed a public request from Fedorov for the servic

Ukraine’s president has signed a decree temporarily lifting the requirement for entry visas for any foreigner willing to join Ukraine’s International Defense Legion and fight on Ukraine’s side against invading Russian troops. The decree by President Volorymyr Zelenskyy takes effect Tuesday and will remain in effect as long as martial law is in place.

The parent company of Facebook and Instagram says it is restricting access to Russia’s RT and Sputnik in Europe over concerns the two state-controlled media outlets are being used to spread disinformation and propaganda.

Canada will be supplying Ukraine with anti-tank weapons systems, upgraded ammunition and is banning all imports of crude oil from Russia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the shipments are in addition to the three previous shipments of lethal and non-lethal equipment. Canada announced this week it would be sending new shipments of military supplies, including body armour, helmets, gas masks, and night-vision goggles.  Canada does not import much oil from Russia. Trudeau called for the end of the war, saying its costs would only grow steeper and that those responsible will be held accountable.

Taking into account the humanitarian requirements in Ukraine, Ambassador of India to United Nations, T S Tirumurti, on Monday (local time), said that India has decided to provide urgent relief supplies, including medicines to Ukraine, which is expected to be despatched tomorrow. Tirumurti made these remarks at the UNSC meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. He said that there is an urgent and pressing humanitarian situation developing in Ukraine. 

US President Joe Biden spoke to Allies and partners "to discuss Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine. We are continuing our support for the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and affirmed our readiness to keep imposing severe costs on Russia if they do not de-escalate."

The United States says it is expelling 12 Russian diplomats at the United Nations for engaging in activities not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats. U.S. deputy ambassador Richard Mills confirmed the expulsions after Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the U.N. Security Council on Monday afternoon that he had just been informed of “yet another hostile step is undertaken by the host country” against the Russian Mission. Nebenzia called the U.S. expulsions a “gross violation” of the U.N. agreement with the United States as the host of the United Nations and of the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.

Satellite images show Russian troops are attacking Ukraine on multiple fronts and are advancing on the capital city of Kyiv. On Monday, a convoy consisting of hundreds of armoured vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was just 17 miles (25 kilometres) from the centre of Kyiv. The city is home to nearly 3 million residents. The images from Maxar Technologies also captured signs of fighting outside Kyiv, including destroyed vehicles and a damaged bridge.

The European Union has slapped sanctions on 26 more Russians, including oligarchs, senior officials and an energy insurance company, in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, bringing the total of people targeted to 680.

EU headquarters said those listed include “oligarchs and businessmen active in the oil, banking and finance sectors,” government officials, top military brass and “propagandists who contributed to spread anti-Ukrainian propaganda and promote a positive attitude towards the invasion of Ukraine.”

The bloc had already imposed an asset freeze on President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. No travel ban was imposed to allow the two men to take part in any diplomatic efforts, should Russia consider bringing an end to the war on its former Soviet neighbour.

The United States appealed to its citizens to leave Russia immediately amind the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "We've advised American citizens to consider departing Russia immediately on commercial options still available... today, the US joins the UNHRC at the Council's 49th regular session... On March 1, Secretary Blinken will address the Council," US State Department Spox Ned Price said.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg participated in a secure conference call with international leaders organized by US President Joe Biden, amid the Russia Ukraine conflict. During the meeting,  he "condemned Russia’s unjustified invasion and reiterated his full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty & territorial integrity.  He informed that NATO has already boosted Allied defences, including via the deployment of NATO Response Force to the eastern part of the Alliance. "Allies have also decided to take additional steps to ensure the security & defence of all Allies," he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists his country “won’t give up” on its relations with either Russia or Ukraine, but says it will implement an international convention that allows Turkey to shut down the straits at the entrance of the Black Sea to the warships of “belligerent countries.” The 1936 Montreux Convention gives Turkey the right to bar warships from using the Dardanelles and the Bosporus during wartime. Ukraine has asked Turkey to implement the treaty and bar access to Russian warships.

France has decided to move its embassy out of the Ukrainian capital, but the French ambassador will remain in the country.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian says the French Embassy, which had been holding out in Kyiv amid war, was being transferred to the western city of Lviv.

Le Drian told French television station BFMTV on Monday that Ambassador Etienne de Poncins would remain in Ukraine. Russia invaded its smaller neighbour on Thursday, drawing international condemnation.

Asked if the ambassador was under threat in the capital, Le Drian said that “the risks and threats were sufficiently important” to transfer the embassy’s operations to Lviv, not far from the Polish border.

Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA on Monday decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice. These decisions were adopted by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA, respectively the highest decision-making bodies of both institutions on such urgent matters. "Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people," the joint statement by UEFA and FIFA added.

The first round of Ukraine-Russia talks aimed at ending the fighting between Moscow and its smaller neighbour concluded with no immediate agreements. An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin says talks with Ukrainian officials lasted nearly five hours. Vladimir Medinsky headed the Russian delegation in Belarus. He said the two sides “found certain points on which common positions could be foreseen.” Another round of talks was agreed to, Medinsky said. Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, gave few details except to say that the talks, held near the Ukraine-Belarus border, were focused on a possible cease-fire and that a second round could take place “in the near future.” “The next meeting will take place in the coming days on the Polish-Belarusian border, there is an agreement to that effect,” Medinsky said.

Negotiations between delegations of Russia and Ukraine in Gomel Region of Belarus have ended and the second round of talks will be held on the Belarusian-Polish border in a few days. The Head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky said after talks with Ukraine that "the next round of talks will be held on the Belarusian-Polish border," Sputnik reported.

The seventh flight carrying 182 stranded Indian nationals have departed from Romania's Bucharest for Mumbai under operation Ganga, informed External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday.

PM Modi held a telephonic conversation with his Slovak Republic counterpart Eduard Heger and thanked him for the assistance provided by his country in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Ukraine. PM Modi also expressed his anguish at the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and reiterated the need for a return to dialogue. He also stressed the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.

Minutes after the peace talks ended between Russia and Ukraine, a massive blast was reported outside Kyiv. 

As Russia continues to wreak havoc in Ukraine, the Western nations have stood stern on their ground to impose the biggest sanctions against Moscow. Adding to the global efforts to condemn Moscow’s aggressive incursion in Kyiv, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday prohibited all the Canadian financial institutions from engaging in transactions with the Russian Central Bank. Canada’s aggressive move is in line with European Union’s attempt to disable Moscow financially to punish Kremlin for its unprovoked violence and hegemony. Read Full Story HERE.

PM Modi held a telephonic conversation with his Romanian counterpart Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă for assistance provided by Romania in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Ukraine.

PM appreciated Romania’s gesture in allowing Indian citizens to enter Romania without visas & permitting special evacuation flights from India

The next round of negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine will be held on the Polish-Belarusian border, reports Sputnik quoting Russia's delegation head.

The peace negotiations between Russia and Ukrainian envoys has ended. It is not clear if the talks have achieved anything. However, Ukraine has demanded the withdrawal of all Russian troops from its territory, including the Crimea and Donbas regions. 

Meanwhile, during a call with French President Emmanual Macron, Putin said he is ready to end the fight if Ukraine demilitarises, recognises Russian sovereignty over Crimea and ensures neutral status.

EU will continue to stand by Ukraine including financial, humanitarian support. Russia has turned its back to peace. We call on Russia to de-escalate & avoid any action that can risk nuclear power plants in Ukraine. Russia should cease its operation & withdraw its forces: EU Representative at UNGA

The Russian Federation did not begin these hostilities. They were unleashed by Ukraine residents, dissenters. Russians are seeking to end this war: Russian Representative at UNGA emergency meeting on Ukraine Russia Crisis.

Ukraine President Zelenskyy signs an application for Ukraine to become a member of the European Union, as Russia attacks his govt at UNGA.

Kremlin mentioned that Macron expressed to Putin his hope for a speedy settlement of Ukrainian warfare through dialogue and negotiations with Kyiv.

Putin says Ukraine settlement only possible if

• Recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea
• Demilitarization and denazification of Ukrainian state
• Ensuring neutral status of Ukraine

Russia claims Ukraine's government has been seeking nuclear weapons, proclaims that it's upholding UN Charter's article 51 with its actions.

Worsening suffering on residents of Donbas has drawn no compassion from the West, it's like the people of LPR & DPR don't exist for them: Russian envoy at UNGA justifies Putin's war.

Russian troops are suffering, already lost over 1000s of manpower. Stop this offensive against Ukraine. We demand Russia to unconditionally withdraw its forces and demand full compliance with international humanitarian law: Ukraine Representative at UNGA emergency meeting on Ukraine

As of today, 352 people including 16 children killed on the Ukraine side. These numbers growing nonstop, shelling continues Ukraine Representative at UNGA emergency meeting on Ukraine crisis.

Ukraine solution possible only if Russia's security interests are considered, Russian President Putin tells French President Emmanuel Macron: Sputnik

Putin told Macron that Russia is open to negotiations with representatives of Ukraine. He also added that a settlement in Ukraine is possible with its demilitarization and denazification, neutral status and recognition of Crimea, the Kremlin said.

At the UNGA emergency meeting in the Ukraine crisis, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says, "Escalating violence is resulting in civilians' death. Enough is Enough, soldiers need to move back to barracks, civilians must be protected."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses special emergency United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.

We call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties; exercise maximum restraint and initiate dialogue. Diplomacy and dialogue must prevail: UNGA at its 11th Emergency Special Session on Ukraine crisis.

The 11th Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Ukraine begins. 

European Union determined to further increase military aid to Ukraine, reported Sputnik quoting European Union High Representative/VP Josep Borrell Fontanelles.

A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Ukraine crisis is underway. In the earlier meeting, it was decided to send four Union ministers to the neighbouring countries of the war-hit nation to coordinate efforts to evacuate Indian students stranded there.

Russia-born media mogul Evgeny Lebedev has used the pages of a British newspaper he owns to implore Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine.

London's Evening Standard on Monday features a front-page statement by Lebedev headlined President Putin, please stop this war, alongside an Associated Press photo of medics battling to save a 6-year-old girl killed by shelling in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. 

Lebedev wrote: As a Russian citizen I plead with you to stop Russians killing their Ukrainian brothers and sisters. As a British citizen I ask you to save Europe from war. Lebedev, whose oligarch father Alexander Lebedev once worked for the KGB, was made a member of the House of Lords in 2020.

Oligarchs Oleg Deripaska, an ally of Putin, and Mikhail Fridman, who is on a US sanctions list, have also urged an end to the violence.

Meanwhile Roman Abramovich, the billionaire Russian owner of Chelsea Football Club, has offered to help broker peace. 

A spokesman said Abramovich was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution, and that he has been trying to help ever since. It was unclear what help he could provide.

(AP)

Switzerland on Monday said that it will adopt all European Union's sanctions against Russia over its Ukraine invasion.

Russia has closed its airspace to carriers from 36 nations, including European countries and Canada, responding in kind to their move to close their respective airspaces to all Russian aircraft.

The move, announced Monday by the state aviation agency, follows a decision by the EU and Canada over the weekend to close their skies to the Russian planes in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

It added that planes from those countries could only enter Russia's airspace with special permission.

(AP)

According to reports, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has cancelled the trip to United Nations in Geneva due to European Union's space ban.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening called a second high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis after it was decided in an earlier meeting to send four Union ministers to the neighbouring countries of the war-hit nation to coordinate efforts to evacuate Indian students stranded there.

Modi had chaired a meeting on Sunday evening as well and had asserted that the safety and evacuation of Indians from Ukraine, attacked by Russia, is a top priority for his government. 

Union ministers Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and V K Singh will be going as "special envoys" of India, government sources had earlier said.

Scindia will take care of evacuation efforts from Romania and Moldova while Rijiju will go to Slovakia. Puri will go to Hungary while Singh will be in Poland to manage the evacuation of Indians who have come from Ukraine through land borders.

(PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold another meeting on the Ukraine crisis amid Russia's invasion, according to sources.

The US cuts off Russian central bank, sanctions state investment fund, in hard-hitting retaliation for Ukraine invasion, reports AP.

"We have a new route through Moldova, it's operational now, our teams will assist you. They will assist in the evacuation of Indians through Romania," says MEA.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi added, "Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will oversee the evacuation process in Moldova."
 

MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that India will send humanitarian aid including medicines to Ukraine.

As barrage of sanctions hit the Russian private banks and financial institutions, Ruble fell to 119.50 per dollar in Asian trading, toppling to a record low. Bank of Russia increased the key rate to 20% p.a.

"The Bank of Russia Board of Directors decided to increase the key rate to 20% per annum from 28 February 2022. External conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed," read an official statement. "The increase of the key rate will ensure a rise in deposit rates to levels needed to compensate for the increased depreciation and inflation risks. This is needed to support financial and price stability and protect the savings of citizens from depreciation."

A statement by the Governor of the Bank of Russia in follow-up to the Board of Directors meeting is to be delivered on 28 February 2022 at 16:00 Moscow time.

Global humanitarian founder SriSri Ravi Shankar speaks to Republic about the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to evacuate the Indian diapora from Ukrainian war zone. 

Britain's Ministry of Defense has shared an intelligence update saying that Russia's ground forces were stationed 18 miles north of Kyiv, but have lately shown the signs of slowing down, which could be attributed to ' "staunch resistance" by Ukrainian forces. In a tweet, UK's Defense Ministry said that Hostomel airfield near the capital was a "key Russian objective for day one of the conflict" but remains under Ukrainian control. The UK also said that the Russian soldiers were witnessing "logistical failures." 

While Ukrainians appealed for assistance and put up a tougher resistance against the invading Russian combat forces, NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg admitted that assaults have started from the Belarusian side of the border, as he reiterated that the alliance will not move into Ukraine, either on the ground or in the air, as Russia's invasion continues.

According to a televised remark with NBC Agency, NATO chief said: "I think that they underestimated the resistance they were going to meet and that's why they're making less progress, why they are advancing much slower and why they have higher rates of attrition or casualties than expected." He admitted that "there is no doubt that Russia has suffered much more casualties than they expected under the whole operation is moving much slower than planned." He further informed, "We see now a new wave coming in from Russia and from Belarus, with heavy armor, with long-range artillery."

Explaining the evacuation plan for Indians stranded amid the Russia-Ukraine war, operation Ganga Special officer Incharge Kumar Tuhin has informed that he has full authorization from the Government of India (GoI) to implement anything which is in the interest nation's students. The former Ambassador of India to Hungary also added that the current course of action includes bringing nearly 250 students to the Budapest Airport and sending them to India through flight leaving tonight, February 28. 

Russia-Ukraine war: Operation Ganga in charge explains the evacuation process

"We see full support and full backing from GoI. I have full authorisation to implement anything which is in the interest of Indian students. We effectively managed to bring out 240 students. We brought them to Budapest Airport and then send them to India. 

Our plan for today is to bring a similar number and then send them through a flight that is leaving tonight. For tomorrow we intend to increase the number and plan to send them with two flights," explained Kumar Tuhin. 

READ FULL STORY HERE

Amid the mounting Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday requested the European Union (EU) to allow Ukraine to gain membership under a special procedure immediately on Monday. In a video speech shared on social media, Zelenskyy outlined that the goal of the country presently under invasion is to be with Europeans and on a levelled ground. " I'm sure that's fair. I am sure we deserve it," he added in the video speech. 

The President of the EU, Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine must be accepted since the country already maintains strong ties with the bloc. "Friends, in the case of Ukraine's accession to the EU under the simplified procedure, in accordance with EU law, member states can send their troops to Ukraine for common security, even outside the NATO bloc. I hope that the Union will make a positive decision and I thank the President for this initiative," the Minister said. 

READ FULL STORY HERE

Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia will look at Romania and Moldova, minister Kiren Rijiju will go to Slovakia, Hardeep Singh puri will go to Hungary, VK Singh will be in Poland to manage the evacuation, says MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

As Republic Media Network reports LIVE from the conflict-ridden areas during the Russo-Ukrainian war, a massive influx of refugees has been witnessed on the neighbouring borders of the EU countries. Civilians have been fleeing the war atrocities as Russian assaults continue into the fifth day. 

In a major development on Monday, the Centre decided to send 4 Union Ministers to neighbouring countries of Ukraine to coordinate the safe evacuation of students from the war-hit nation and extend assistance to them. This was decided in a high-level meeting chaired by PM Modi earlier in the day on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. As per sources, Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and Gen (Retd) VK Singh will be going to neighboring countries of Ukraine as Special Envoys of India. 

READ FULL STORY HERE

U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet says her office has confirmed that 102 civilians, including 7 children, have been killed, and 304 others injured in violence in Ukraine since Thursday, as she cautioned that the tally was likely a vast undercount.

She cited updated U.N. figures that more than 420,000 people have fled the country in the last several days.

Most of these civilians were killed by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and air strikes, Bachelet told the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday. The real figures are, I fear, considerably higher.

The count by the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights follows strict methodology and verification measures.

Bachelet said millions of people have been forced to huddle in different forms of bomb shelters."

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the council: The escalation of military operations by the Russian Federation in Ukraine is leading to escalating human rights violations.

(AP)

Embassy of India in Ukraine issues a new advisory to Indian nationals.

"Weekend curfew lifted in Kyiv. All students are advised to make their way to the railway station for onward journey to western parts. Ukraine Railways is putting special trains for evacuations." it reads.

The peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have started in Belarus. The war-hit country has demanded an immediate ceasefire and troops withdrawal, according to reports.

Sweden's soccer federation maintained its objection to playing any matches against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine and expressed its disappointment Monday with FIFA for keeping the Russians in World Cup qualifying.

Sweden's official stance came a day after Poland and the Czech Republic declared they would not be accepting FIFA's attempted compromise in ordering Russia to play without its flag and anthem at neutral venues under the name of its federation  the Football Union of Russia.

"The Swedish Football Association is disappointed with FIFA's decision but is determined to continue to work together with other federations to cancel Russia's matches in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, the body said.

"The Swedish Football Association insists that we will not play any matches against Russia given its illegal and deeply unjust invasion of Ukraine. An attitude shared by the Czech and Polish football federations, among others.

The federation said world soccer cannot silently watch and not act when countries are attacked completely unjustly.

Swedish federation president Karl-Erik Nilsson is the senior vice president at UEFA, European soccer's governing body. Nilsson said Sunday he expects a sharper stance from FIFA.

Russia is scheduled to play Poland in a semifinal match in the World Cup playoffs on March 24 for the right to host Sweden or the Czech Republic five days later to decide which team advances to the World Cup in Qatar.

Polish football federation president Cezary Kulesza said Sunday it was totally unacceptable that FIFA had not immediately expelled Russia from World Cup qualifying and said Poland is not interested in participating in this game of appearances.

The Czechs followed by saying FIFA's stance had not changed their decision not to play Russia.

Another of Russia's future opponents, Albania, also said Sunday it would not play against that country in any sports. Russia and Albania are scheduled to meet twice in June in a second-tier group of the UEFA Nations League. The group also includes Iceland and Israel.

(AP) 

Republic Media Network has accessed the first visuals of the Ukraine delegation arriving at Belarus for peace talks. 

The peace talks between Ukraine and Russia have been initiated. The delegations of both sides have reached Belarus, according to reports.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow ‘regrets’ negotiations with Ukraine did not start a day earlier, there was an opportunity.

The Ukrainian authorities are trying to assist in the evacuation of stranded Indian nationals, notwithstanding "very difficult and complex" ground situation, the country's envoy said on Monday.

Ambassador Igor Polikha said he himself reached out to Ukrainian security forces requesting them to assist the stranded Indians.

"The situation is very difficult and complex. My resources are limited. We are victim of an aggression. Still we are trying to help people including those from other countries," he said at a media briefing.

Polikha said the situation in the Ukraine-Poland border crossing is challenging as lakhs of people, including diplomats, foreigners and Ukrainian citizens, are queuing up to exit Ukraine.

"In case of Indian nationals, we are even trying to use our personal contacts to help them. But, you have to understand the ground realities. We are in a war," he said.

Asked whether he can assure safety of Indian students, Polikha said only Russian President Vladimir Putin can give that assurance.

"I don't know what will happen there after three hours. We are trying to be helpful to everyone," he said.

According to Indian officials last week, there were around 16,000 Indian nationals in Ukraine.

Following a Russian military offensive, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday that over 2,000 Indian nationals were evacuated in the last few days.

(PTI)

Already more than 2 lakh people have crossed the border into Poland including Indian students. The border points are overcrowded but we are receiving everyone with a warm heart: Ambassador of Poland to India, Adam Burakowski on Russia Ukraine conflict.

There will be special flights for Indian students. Poland is cooperating & will also help India's High-level delegation in the evacuation process. Indian nationals can cross into Poland border without any visa: Ambassador of Poland to India, Adam Burakowski on Russia Ukraine conflict.

SpiceJet recently informed via a press release that the airline will be sending some special flights to Hungary's capital Budapest, to evacuate Indian students from the borders of the war-hit Ukraine. The private airline company further informed about the details saying that they will be using Boeing 737 MAX for the evacuation, and the flight will take off from Delhi and bring the stranded Indian students from Budapest and then the return flights will take off from Georgia's Kutaisi. The Private airline is in talks with the concerned ministries to get the required permissions as they want to run more evacuation flights. 

Dr Igor Polikha, Ambassador of Ukraine to India, warned that the number of refugees can reach 7 million if the war is not stopped. He claimed that there are long queues on the border including lakhs of Ukrainians and thousands of foreigners. 

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that prisoners with military experience and who want to fight the Russians amid the ongoing war will be released. 

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that at least 25 works by famous Ukrainian artist Mariia Pryimachenko were burned as a result of an invasion by Russia. "The paintings were stored in Ivankiv Museum, Kyiv region. She created world-famous masterpieces. Her special gift and talent captivated Pablo Picasso," the ministry tweeted. 

Zelensky has said, "When I was running for President, I said that each of us is a President. Because we are all responsible for our country. For our beautiful Ukraine. And now it happened that each of us is a warrior. A warrior in his place. And I am sure that each of us will win. Glory to Ukraine!" Additionally, the Ukrainian President has called for his country to be granted EU membership amid Russia's military aggression.

The Russian military on Monday announced an "open and safe" corridor for Ukrainian civilians to leave the capital, Kyiv. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Defense, said in a statement, "We appeal to the people of Kyiv. All civilians in the city can freely leave the capital of Ukraine along the Kyiv-Vasilkov (Vasylkiv) highway. This route is open and safe...Once again, I want to emphasize that the armed forces of the Russian Federation strike only military targets. The civilian population is not in danger," reported CNN

Russian Foreign Ministry posted a video showing a courageous act of a man who tried to stop the Russian tank with bare hands. The 'enemy' tank can be seen in the residential area and along with the clip, the ministry reiterated, "This is a real People’s War."

The United Nations (UN) Human Rights decided to hold an urgent meeting on Ukraine at a session in Geneva. It is to note that UNGA is also set to meet for rare session on Russia's "aggression" on Ukraine at 8:30 PM IST

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has said that Russia has "continued to inflict fire on military & civilian airfields, air defence facilities, critical infrastructure, settlements, units. In violation of International law, Russia launched missiles strike on residential buildings in Zhytomyr, Chernihiv".

At talks with Russian counterparts in Belarus, the key issue with the Ukrainian delegation will raise is immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russia's troops from Ukraine, said Volodymyr Zelesnky, as per reports.

Dr Igor Polikha, Ambassador of Ukraine to India has said, "We're suffering a lot of civilian casualties. According to official information of our Ministry, already 16 children were killed from bombings, shellings & so on as result of Russian peace-fighting operation".

"Air space of Europe was closed for the Russian airplanes yesterday. The Russian economy is crippling every day. Russia is having absolutely unprecedented casualties. Approximately 5,300 Russian soldiers have lost their life," he also said.

Ukrainian delegation has arrived at the Belarusian border for talks with Russian representatives, said Ukraine President's Office. Additionally, Russian news agency has reported that the negotiations between both sides would be held in a place code-named "fisherman's house".  The event should take place near the Ukrainian border on the banks of the Pripyat River in the Gomel region, as per reports. The Ukrainian delegation is led by Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and MP David Arakhamia, leader of Zelensky’s party.

Amid the Russian invasion since 24 February, Ukraine's armed forces said Russian troops have lost approximately 5,300 personnel, 29 aircraft, Aircraft, 29 helicopters, 191 tanks, 816  Armoured fighting vehicles, 74 Cannon, 291 Automotive, 2 ships/boats.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov had a "call with our great friend Minister of National Defense of 🇹🇷 Hulusi Akar. During the call, the current situation in 🇺🇦 & the whole world were discussed. Hulusi Akar also repeated that Turkey is ready to provide humanitarian aid to 🇺🇦. Thank u a lot for your support."

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction, Cabinet Secretary spoke to Chief Secretaries of states & briefs them about Government of India’s efforts to bring back students from Ukraine and requested District Collectors to contact family members of students & keep them informed of arrangements being made.
 

IndiGo is operating 2 evacuation flights using A321 aircraft to bring back Indians safely. These flights are being operated from Delhi to Bucharest, Romania & Budapest, Hungary via Istanbul, today as part of Govt of India’s Operation Ganga mission, said IndiGo.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has said that the sixth Operation Ganga flight from Budapest to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, "We have further isolated Russia from the international financial system this morning. Working with our partners, and the G7, we are determined to impose the most severe economic measures possible against President Putin for his abhorrent campaign against Ukraine. Putin must fail."

Republic reports LIVE from malls in Kyiv as Ukraine lifts curfew but the stock remains scarce while Ukraine continues to defend its capital against the Russian invasion.

Russian Central Bank has said that it will raise its key interest rate from 9.5% to 20% per annum. In a statement, "External conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed...The increase of the key rate will ensure a rise in deposit rates to levels needed to compensate for the increased depreciation and inflation risks."

“This is needed to support financial and price stability and protect the savings of citizens from depreciation," it added.

Russian shelling in Izyum in Kharkiv left several buildings destroyed as revealed by videos and images on social media.

After some US states, Finland has stopped the sale of alcohol from Russia in view of Moscow's military actions in Ukraine.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko on Monday lifted the curfew that was intensified following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and relaxed restrictions on the movement of people. The Indian Embassy in the Ukrainian capital city was quick to notify the Indian nationals stranded in the war-ravaged eastern European country about the itinerary with the way forward. In addition, the Indian students have been advised to head to Kyiv's railway station to head toward western parts, away from the epicenter of massive military offensives ordered by the Kremlin.

"Weekend curfew lifted in Kyiv. All students are advised to make their way to the railway station for an onward journey to the western parts. Ukraine Railways is putting special trains for evacuations," the Embassy of India in Kyiv stated.

A curfew has been imposed in Kharkiv itself from 4 PM to 6 AM while the shelling took place in the city of Izyum in the region of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.

China's foreign ministry says Beijing opposes unilateral sanctions against Russia.

United States Department of Defence or Pentagon reportedly wants to set up a communication channel with Russia similar to what was created in Syria in 2015, reported Sputnik.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday the government was working to ensure people with relatives in Ukraine were able to bring them into the country as fast as possible. Johnson said, "we want to be as generous as we can."

"We want to make sure that we have routes for people fleeing disaster, war, persecution in Ukraine to come here and we're setting aside more to help with the humanitarian crisis in the countries bordering Ukraine," he added.

Latvian Parliament has unanimously authorised Latvian nationals to fight in Ukraine if willing.

Russian troops have captured the area around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, RIA reported on Monday.

Greece on Monday closed its airspace for all Russian aircraft in line with a European Union decision, the country's civil aviation authority said.

Russian and Ukrainian delegations will start talks in Belarus at 2:30 PM IST.

According to Sputnik, Russia's Ministry of Defence has said that country's air forces have dominated airspace over entire Ukraine.

UK has banned transactions related to the Central Bank, the National Wealth Fund and the Russian Ministry of Finance as it moves to further restrict financial dealings with Moscow amid the Ukraine crisis. The UK government said in a statement, "Today the UK government has announced its intention to take further restrictive economic measures in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, by targeting the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR)."

Russian airlines 'Pobeda' has cancelled all flights to Europe as dozens of countries close their airspace for Russian aircraft. 

Indian students stuck in Ukraine being taken to Budomierz (Poland), away from Shehyni (Ukraine), on buses.

After European Union, Britain has imposed sanctions against the Central Bank of Russia. Meanwhile, Britain has also been announcing additional aid for Ukraine to tackle Russian aggression.

According to a poll conducted by the Rating Sociological group this weekend, more than 90% of Ukrainians say they support president Volodymyr Zelensky with only 6% saying they did not support him and 3% being undecided.

Ukrainian delegation has arrived in Belarus for talks with Russian counterparts amid the ongoing war. It si to note here that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is "not hopeful" with the upcoming talks.

In a Twitter post as the Ukrainian delegation arrived in Belarus for talks with Russia, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said, "In Belarus, everything is ready to host Russia-Ukraine negotiations. Waiting for delegations to arrive".

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that "Russian occupants have reduced the pace of their offensive, but still continue attempts to develop success in individual directions in the offensive operation against Ukraine".

"During the air offensive operation, the enemy continued to attack military and civilian airports, military control points (forces), air defense system facilities, critical infrastructure facilities, settlements and to units in the areas of defense," it added.

Singapore is planning to impose “appropriate sanctions and restrictions” on Russia, the city-state’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan has told parliament, the Straits Times newspaper reported. It further quoted as saying, "Singapore intends to act in concert with many other like-minded countries to impose appropriate sanctions and restrictions against Russia". He noted that export controls would also be imposed on items that could be used as weapons to harm or subjugate people in Ukraine, the report said.

Meta Platforms said hacking groups used Facebook to target public figures in Ukraine including prominent military officials, politicians and journalists. As per reports, Meta said that just in the last 48 hours, it had also separately removed a network of fake accounts, groups and pages across Facebook and Instagram. These accounts reportedly operated from Russia and Ukraine and targetted people in Ukraine.

Russian forces carried out missile strikes across Ukraine overnight, Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to the head of the President's Office said. Air strikes occurred in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, and Chernihiv and air raid sirens went off in many other cities.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov on Sunday hailed the "96 hours of resistance" in the face of Russian aggression and assured that "Ukraine will win". Since Russian President Vladimir Putin unleashed an onslaught on Ukraine, Reznikov said that it had been "4 days of dedication, courage and faith” for the Ukrainian people.

In a statement given at night, the Ukrainian Defence Minister said, "The enemy who came to our land will go in a known direction. Therefore, we advise the occupiers to go home. It’s not too late. It is useless to intimidate Ukrainians. It will not be possible to break our defenders.”

Reznikov also pledged that Ukraine "will not give up the capital". Posting some of the phrases on Facebook, Ukrainian DefenceMinsiter also declared that the Russian invasion into its neighbour has made the war "European". He said, "The war has become European...Europe has already provided a temporary shelter to tens of thousands of those we want to save the most - our little ones and their mothers. "

Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis and some Union Ministers may go to neighbouring countries of Ukraine to coordinate the evacuations, Government sources revealed. Earlier, 249 Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine reached New Delhi on Monday on the fifth operation Ganga flight which departed from Bucharest (Romania). The students who arrived in Delhi from Ukraine said, "Government has helped us a lot. All possible support was provided by the Indian Embassy. The main problem is crossing the border. I hope all Indians are brought back. There are several more Indians still stranded in Ukraine".

Former Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky, who has joined the fight against Russia, spoke to Republic TV on Monday regarding his decision to enlist in his country's military reserves. Stakhovsky on Sunday announced that he signed up for the reserves last week despite not having any past military experience. 

"It's insane that in today's world we have an openly waged war inside Europe's boundaries. It's never easy to make a decision like that. Never in my life, I would expect that this thing is gonna happen. I mean we all were expecting something is gonna happen in the region of Donbass and Luhansk but nobody expected that Russia is gonna launch a full-scale war across all of our borders. As a Ukrainian citizen and as an individual, I just don't see any other thing to protect my country and the freedom of my countrymen than to stand up and defend," Stakhovsky said in his interview. 
 

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has said that Russian forces continue to break into Kyiv while the situation in the country is still under control. In a statement on Facebook, the Ukrainian armed forces said, "today's day the enemy continued attempts to break through the defence of Kyiv. Repeatedly columns of Russian troops tried to storm the outskirts of the capital. All movements of the enemy forces were under control, and timely decisions were made. In the capital of our Motherland, the situation is controlled."

Ukrainian football player Roman Yaremchuk was met with a thunderous applause from the crowd as a show of support for his country when he came on to the pitch for Portuguese Primeira Liga club SL Benefica. Watch:

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday criticised Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and said that Brasília would "adopt a neutral stance on Ukraine". He also said that Brazil would not sanction Russia over the ongoing developments in Ukraine. Addressing the press while on a vacation, Bolsonaro said, "Ukrainians had "trusted a comedian with the fate of a nation" while referring to Zelensky who was n actor and a comedian. 

Further, refusing any action against Russia, Bolsonaro said that any measure against Moscow "could bring serious harm to agriculture in Brazil".  Brazilian President said that he was in support of "but we don't want to bring more problems to Brazil." Additionally when Bolsonaro was questioned about a possible massacre in Ukraine, he said "it was "an exaggeration to speak of massacre".

An unnamed US administration official revealed to the Washington Post on Sunday evening that Belarus is preparing to send soldiers into Ukraine. They reportedly said, "It’s very clear Minsk is now an extension of the Kremlin."

Russian Central Bank has banned foreign shareholders owning shares in Russian companies from selling Russian securities.

On Monday, Russia's ruble plunged nearly 30% against the dollar amid the ongoing crisis.

For the third day in a row, air sirens went off in Kyiv as Russian missiles continue to hit Ukraine's major cities.

For the first time, the United States has approved the direct delivery of  Stinger missiles to Ukraine as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday, the Associated Press reported on Sunday.

As per reports, Bank of China's Singapore division has 'stopped financing deals involving Russian oil and Russian companies' in the view of rising Russia-Ukraine crisis.

As per reports, in Mariupol, an ambulance raced into a city hospital on Sunday, carrying a 6-year-old girl injured by Russian shelling before she ultimately succumbed to her wounds. Devastated by the young girl's death, one medical worker was in tears and another said, "Show this to Putin...The eyes of this child, and crying doctors."

President of the 76th session of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid has announced that he will be presiding over the Emergency Special Session after cancelling his trip to Geneva for attending the 49th regular session of the Human Rights Council. 

Further befriending Russia while Ukraine has agreed to meet with Kremlin in Minsk, Belarus has now revoked its non-nuclear status. For the first since the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus has confirmed that the country will once again have nuclear weapons.

Smoke continues to rise out of an oil depot near Kyiv after it was hit by a Russian missile on Sunday as an invasion of Ukraine intensifies. 

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement, "We are holding Russian President Vladimir Putin to account for his egregious unjustified war against Ukraine. From midnight last night, Australian targeted financial sanctions and travel bans came into effect on the Russian President and remaining permanent members of Russia’s Security Council: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Internal Affairs Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev."

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign ministry Dmitryo Kuleba spoke with counterparts of G7 nations. On Twitter, Blinken said, "Today, G7 FMs and I spoke with Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba to express our united support for Ukraine. We will hold Russia accountable for its premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified invasion and will continue to provide security, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine."

Ukraine’s state service of special communications has said that a missile has reportedly hit a residential building in the centre of Chernihiv, causing a fire to break out. The number of injured presently remains unknown but it was reported that two lower floors of the building caught fire. It is to note that Chernihiv is just 150 kilometres north of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. 

The flag of Ukraine was hoisted over the New Zealand Parliament in Wellington.

Photo: Kristina Zelinska

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that, "To help the people of Ukraine defend themselves, we’re sending them additional military supplies that have been requested – including night vision goggles, body armour, gas masks, and helmets."

"To transport these supplies to Ukraine, and to address other NATO needs, Canadian forces will provide airlift support. As we continue to respond to President Putin’s brazen disregard for international law and human rights, we’ll be there for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people," he added.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that Washington is "providing nearly $54 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine. This assistance enables humanitarian organizations to support citizens of Ukraine already in need and those newly affected by Russia's unprovoked and unjustified attack."

As per reports, Ukraine’s State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection has said that blasts were heard in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the major city of Kharkiv on Monday morning, the fifth day of Russian invasion into Ukraine. In the Telegram messaging app, the body noted that Kyiv was quiet just a few hours prior to that.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission has announced that the EU will provide finance to purchase weapons for Ukraine, adding that this is the first time the bloc has ever done so.

England's football association has announced that the country will not play international matches against Russia for the "foreseeable future". The decision comes days after Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine. The football association of England has made the decision to not play international fixtures against Russia to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people and condemn the "atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership.

As per reports, Google has temporarily disabled some Google Maps tools in Ukraine that provide live information about traffic conditions and how busy different places are in the country. The tech giant's latest action comes after it blocked Russian state media from monetising.

249 Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine reached New Delhi on Monday on fifth operation Ganga flight which departed from Bucharest (Romania). The students who arrived in Delhi from Ukraine said, "Government has helped us a lot. All possible support was provided by the Indian Embassy. The main problem is crossing the border. I hope all Indians are brought back. There are several more Indians still stranded in Ukraine".

The United Nations Security Council, on Sunday, has voted for the 193-member General Assembly to hold an emergency session on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 28, Monday. The vote sought to authorise an emergency meeting on the ongoing crisis gained the support of 11 countries while Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates have abstained from voting on the resolution. Meanwhile, taking to Twitter, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Abdulla Shahid said that he will preside over the 11th Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.
 

At least 352 Ukrainian civilians have died in the Russian invasion including 14 children, said Ukraine’s Interior Ministry on Monday adding that around 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been injured. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced the launch of a ‘special’ military operation in Ukraine saying that the forces would ‘demilitarise’ the neighbouring nation without hitting civilian targets. However, as Ukraine’s armed forces, which is significantly smaller than Russia, has repeatedly posted about the damage to residential buildings and civilian casualties as the ‘enemy’ troops continue to attack for the fifth day in a row. 

IFA drew a swift backlash from European nations for not immediately expelling Russia from World Cup qualifying on Sunday and only ordering the country to play without its flag and anthem at neutral venues under the name of its federation — the Football Union of Russia.

Protesting against FIFA’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland said it would still refuse to play the country in a World Cup playoff semifinal, which is scheduled for March 24.

“Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable,” Polish football federation president Cezary Kulesza tweeted. “We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will NOT PLAY with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is.”

The unanimous ruling by the FIFA Bureau, featuring the six regional football confederation presidents, said the Russian flag and anthem can’t be associated with the team playing as “Football Union of Russia (RFU).”

 Amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday (local time) spoke with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Polish President Andrzej Duda and agreed on further joint steps to counter the "aggressor". "Talked to UK Prime Minister @BorisJohnson and Poland President @AndrzejDuda about the current security situation. Agreed on further joint steps to counter the aggressor. Anti-war coalition in action!," Zelenskyy tweeted.

An Austria-based subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned Sberbank has been ruled likely to fail after depositors fled due to the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The European Central Bank said early Monday that the bank had 13.6 billion euros in assets at the end of last year, but has experienced “significant deposit outflows” due to “geopolitical tensions.” The ECB says Vienna-headquartered Sberbank Europe AG “is likely to be unable to pay its debts or other liabilities as they fall due.” The bank is a fully owned subsidiary of Russia’s Sberbank, whose majority shareholder is the Russian government.

Ukraine on Sunday (local time) filed an application instituting proceedings against the Russian Federation before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Ukraine filed an application instituting proceedings against Russia concerning "a dispute . . . relating to the interpretation, application and fulfilment of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide" (the "Genocide Convention"), the International Court of Justice said in a statement.

(ANI)

More than 500 people have been detained in Belarus for protesting against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the country’s most prominent human rights group.

The Viasna human rights centre released the names of 530 people detained Sunday across Belarus, where demonstrations against the war spanned at least 12 cities.

In the capital of Minsk, demonstrators marched in different parts of the city carrying Ukrainian flags. A large pile of flowers kept growing at the building of Ukraine’s Embassy.

Ukraine’s Interior Ministry says 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed during Russia’s invasion, including 14 children. It says an additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded.

The ministry’s statement Sunday does not give any information on casualties among Ukraine’s armed forces.

Russia has claimed that its troops are targeting only Ukrainian military facilities and says that Ukraine’s civilian population is not in danger.

Russia has not released any information on casualties among its troops. The Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged on Sunday only that Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded, without giving any numbers.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says his government will remain neutral regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Bolsonaro said he had a two-hour-long conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday to talk about the war and assured Russia’s leader that Brazil will keep a neutral position. However, Brazil’s foreign ministry later said Bolsonaro did not speak to Putin on Sunday, but rather was referring to his two-hour meeting with the Russian during a visit to Moscow earlier this month.

Ukrainian Ambassador to United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya on Sunday said nearly 4,300 Russian troops were killed while over 200 were taken as prisoners of war, a claim that Russia denied.
He said that the Ukrainian government had opened a hotline for relatives of Russian soldiers who cannot be contacted. According to him, over 100 calls from Russian mothers were received within an hour.

EU Foreign Ministers have agreed to disconnect some Russian banks from the SWIFT system and to subject more Russian individuals and entities to sanctions, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters after a virtual EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting late on Sunday. More Russian entities and individuals, including "oligarchs and businessmen... and political figures that hold a key role," as well as military figures, will be subject to restrictive measures, Borrell said, specifying that the "full list" will be finalized on Monday. According to the EU foreign policy chief, Russia is being further isolated from the global financial system over its special military operation in Ukraine.

(ANI)

A Ukrainian delegation that is expected to hold talks with Russia is headed to Belarus via Poland and the meeting is expected to start on Monday morning, a source close to the organizers of the talks told Sputnik. "The talks will be held on Monday morning due to the fact that, fearing for their lives, the Ukrainian delegation did not take the direct route, through Gomel, but will enter [Belarus] through Poland, at the 'Warsaw Bridge' checkpoint. They are taking a huge detour," the source said on Sunday.

U.S. State Department issues a travel advisory for its citizens to restrict travelling to "North Caucasus, including Chechnya & Mt Elbrus, & Crimea, due to Russia’s purported occupation of the Ukrainian territory and abuses by its occupying authorities."

Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said that the UNSC failed to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. "We did not see even a hint at an attempt to reach a constructive solution at the council and yet two days ago, we blocked a draft specifically for the reason that it was both, one-sided and unbalanced. We have not seen a new initiative since then," Nebenzya said. "The Russian Army does not threaten civilians in Ukraine, they're not shelling civilian infrastructure. A threat to civilians is now posed by Ukrainian nationalists who have effectively seized hostages to use as a human shield," he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (local time) had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and noted that the Russian delegation is in Gomel, Belarus, and is ready for talks with representatives from Kyiv. "The Russian delegation is in Gomel, Belarus, and is ready for talks with representatives from Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin also had a telephone conversation with PM of Israel Naftali Bennett, on Feb 27," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia tweeted.

The U.S. for the first time has approved the direct delivery of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday. The exact timing of delivery is not known, but officials say the U.S. is currently working on the logistics of the shipment. The officials agreed to discuss the development only if not quoted by name. The decision comes on the heels of Germany’s announcement that it will send 500 Stinger missiles and other weapons and supplies to Ukraine.

The high-speed Stingers are very accurate and are used to shoot down helicopters and other aircraft. Ukrainian officials have been asking for more of the powerful weapons.

Estonia has also been providing Ukraine with Stingers since January, and in order to do that had to get U.S. permission.

The U.N. Security Council has voted for the 193-member General Assembly to hold an emergency session on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday. The vote on Sunday to authorize an emergency meeting was 11 in favour, Russia opposed, and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining. That was the exact same vote on a resolution Friday demanding that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops. But in that case, Russia used its veto and the resolution was defeated. That resolution gives the General Assembly the power to call emergency meetings when the Security Council is unable to act because of the lack of unanimity among its five veto-wielding permanent members -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

UNGA President Abdulla Shahid will preside over the 11th Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly, at the UN Headquarters in New York, at 10 am (in the US) on 28 February 2022.

India abstained from voting on a resolution to call for a special emergency session of the UN General Assembly on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This came two days after India abstained from voting on the UNSC resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, along with China and the UAE. "It is regrettable that the situation in Ukraine has worsened further since the Council last convened on this matter," said India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine.

Tirumurti reiterated the call for an immediate cessation of violence and an end to all hostilities. "Them is no other choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue," he said. Tirumurti welcomed the announcement by Ukraine and the Russian delegation to hold talks at the Belarus border. "Our Prime Minister has advocated this strongly in his recent conversations with the leadership of the Russian Federation and Ukraine. In this regard, we welcome today's announcement by both sides to hold talks at the Belarus border," Tirumurti said. He further said, "The global order is anchored on international law, the UN Charter and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. We are all agreed on these principles."

India abstains from voting on a resolution passed with 11 votes in UNSC referring to the matter to UNGA for Special Emergency Session on Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield at UN Security Council meeting said, "We will vote on a resolution that'll hold Russia to account for its indefensible actions and violations. As we speak, rockets continue to rain down across Ukraine... for an unjustifiable assault fabricated out of lies. Russia propagates lies about Ukraine's conduct."
 

In the latest development in the evacuation of Indians from Ukraine, EAM S Jaishankar has informed that a flight with 249 Indian nations has departed from Bucharest. It will land in New Delhi. "Moving forward in bringing Indians home. Fifth #OperationGanga flight departs Bucharest for Delhi with 249 Indian nationals."

The Embassy of India in Warsaw, Poland, issues a revised advisory; these buses are meant only for people waiting at the Shehyni border & not for those staying in Lviv & nearby towns.

Some early signs are emerging of significant economic consequences to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine three days ago. While official quotes for the Russian ruble were unchanged at roughly 84 rubles to the dollar, one online Russian bank, Tinkoff, was giving an unofficial exchange rate of 152 rubles over the weekend.

Videos from Russia showed long lines of Russians trying to withdraw cash from ATMs, while the Russian Central Bank issued a statement calling for calm, in an effort to avoid bank runs. Reports also showed that Visa and Mastercard were no longer being accepted for those with international bank accounts.

“Banks and credit card companies dealing with Russia are going into lockdown mode given the fast pace and increasing bite of the sanctions,” said Amanda DeBusk, a partner with Dechert LLP. 

Russia may have to temporarily close bank branches or declare a national bank holiday to protect its financial system, analysts said.

AP

The Russian military said Sunday that some of its troops were killed and some were wounded in Ukraine -- admitting for the first time that it had suffered casualties since the Russian invasion. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Sunday “there are dead and wounded among our comrades,” without offering any numbers, but adding that Russia’s losses were “many times” fewer than those of Ukraine’s forces. It was the first time Russian military officials mentioned casualties on their side. Ukraine has claimed that its forces killed 3,500 Russian troops. Konashenkov also said that since the start of the attack Thursday, the Russian military have hit 1,067 Ukrainian military facilities, including 27 command posts and communication centres, 38 air defence missile system and 56 radar stations.

Konashenkov’s claims and Ukraine’s allegations that its forces killed thousands of Russian troops can’t be independently verified.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his Portugal counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, for the closed sky for Russian planes, support for the decision to disconnect Russia from SWIFT, and concrete defence assistance. He also thanked Belgium Prime Minister Alexander De Croo for sending 3,000 machine guns and 200 anti-tank grenade launchers, in addition to agreements made earlier.

Hundreds of people protested on Sunday in Paris and in the Riviera city of Nice against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Ukrainian flags and those of other eastern European nations hoisted high. Some Russians opposed to the war were in the Paris crowd. It was the second day of protests directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin around France, among a string of weekend rallies across Europe. On the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, a hub for Ukrainians, hundreds of people chanted slogans against the war Putin is waging and urged NATO nations to protect them from Russian bombs. Protesters carried Ukrainian, Moldovan, Georgian and Chechen flags and banners denouncing Putin.

Canada is joining many European countries in closing its airspace to all Russian aircraft as the West ramps up pressure on Russia for invading Ukraine. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Sunday that Canada will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks. Most European countries have either announced they are closing their airspace or said they intend to do so. So far Spain, Greece, Serbia and Turkey are among the few left that hasn’t joined in the move against Russia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held a high-level meeting on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, has ensured safety and the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine. According to GoI sources, he said that the evacuation of Indians was his top priority.

The Embassy of India in Warsaw, Poland, has issued an advisory for Indians desiring to be evacuated from Ukraine via Poland. According to the advisory, ten buses have been arranged, which will be operational from February 28 onwards, at Shehyni on the Ukraine border to take Indian citizens for transit entry into Poland.

Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov who spoke to Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on Sunday has assured New Delhi of ensuring the safety of Indian students in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held a meeting with G7 leaders on Sunday where he said that the partners have assured providing with more practical means to defend the country. According to him, the leaders also discussed imposing stringent sanctions on Moscow in order to force him to stop the ongoing conflict.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), DG Rafael Mariano Grossi said Ukraine has informed about a radioactive waste disposal facility in Kyiv that was hit by a Russian missile on Sunday. However, there were no reports of damage to the building or any indications of a radioactive release was reported by the Ukrainian government, said Grossi.
 

In the latest development, Sweden Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, during a press conference on Sunday, announced sending military aid to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, helmets and body armour.
 

Eighty-two Malayali students, who were studying in Ukraine and left after the Russian invasion of that country, arrived in Kerala by Sunday night.

Of the 82, 56 arrived from Delhi via Chennai and Hyderabad and 26 from Mumbai and they landed at the Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Calicut airports in the state, a release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

The students were received at the Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram airports by various state ministers and government officials, the CMO release said.

After arriving in Kerala, the students said they were relieved to be back, but would be happy only if everyone they knew returned safely from Ukraine.

The state government had issued air tickets for Kerala students to travel from Delhi and Mumbai, the release said.

(PTI)

According to reports, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that he will block certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT international payment system.

The European Union has announced sanctions against Russia's ally Belarus for supporting Moscow in the invasion of Ukraine.

"We will target the other aggressor in this war, Lukashenko’s regime, with a new package of sanctions, hitting their most important sectors. All these measures come on top of the strong package presented yesterday, agreed by our international partners, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Union said.

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Union said that the EU airspace will be shut down for Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said that soldiers will be paid 100 000 UAH (around $3000) a month they win against Russia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine issue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued orders to introduce a "special service regime" in the Russian army’s deterrence force in response to aggressive statements in the West, according to Russian state-owned news agency TASS.

"Top officials in NATO’s leading countries have been making aggressive statements against our country. For this reason, I give orders to the defence minister and chief of the General Staff to introduce a special combat service regime in the Russian army’s deference forces," Putin said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov in the Kremlin on Sunday.

24x7 Control Centres have been set up to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals through the border crossing points with Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovak Republic, informs the Ministry of External Affairs.

In Severodonetsk, Lugansk region, nationalists, acting as barrage detachments, under threat of execution of commanders, are trying to stop the retreating units of the Ukrainian AF and force them to continue resistance. Nationalist detachments killed 4 officers of the Ukrainian AF.

European Union foreign ministers are holding emergency talks later on Sunday. They will discuss ways to help Ukraine's armed forces fight back against the Russian invasion.

According to reports, the NATO chief has called Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear alert 'irresponsible' and 'dangerous'.

Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba says,  "Putin's nuclear threat is an attempt to put pressure on Ukraine ahead of the negotiations with Russia."

He said that Putin's announcement came shortly after Ukraine was ready to meet. "We will not succumb to this pressure," he said.

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Putin's actions are like those of Hitler. "We are inflicting disastrous losses on the enemy," he said.

Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba said Russia’s goal is to destroy Ukraine as a state, "but we will not fall ... We will not give up a single inch of our territory."

Germany on Sunday said that it will start supplying weapons to Ukraine on Monday amid Russia's invasion.
 

Canada has closed its airspace to Russian aircraft operators effective immediately. Germany, the EU, the Baltic states, Norway and Austra and France have also shut their airspace to Russian aircraft.

India's position on the crisis in Ukraine has been "consistent" and it has every reason to believe that it should be in touch with all parties concerned, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday.

Referring to India's stand on the UN Security Council resolution on Friday, Shringla said it has definitely pointed out that "loss of human lives is not acceptable".

India abstained from voting on the resolution that condemned Russian aggression against Ukraine, but at the same time New Delhi called for respecting the "sovereignty and territorial integrity" of States and sought immediate cessation of "violence and hostilities".

"In the UN Security Council, we have conveyed deep regret at the evolving situation. We have also definitely pointed out that loss of human lives is not acceptable," Shringla said at a media briefing.

"But at the same, time we have said that diplomacy and dialogue are the only option. Clearly from that perspective. I think our position has been consistent when it comes to dealing with the current situation at hand," he said.

The foreign secretary was replying to a question on the issue.

"We have been engaged with all parties. The prime minister has spoken to presidents of Russia and Ukraine. The external affairs minister has been in touch with a very wide range of interlocutors who are involved in the situation," Shringla said.

The foreign secretary said he separately met with the envoys of Russia and Ukraine on Sunday.

"We are essentially a country that has not only interests in the region. We have friends, we have equities in the area. We have every reason to believe that we should be in touch with all concerned," he said.

"If we can play (a role), if there is any way that anyone can contribute, not just us but anyone can contribute to alleviating what is a difficult situation, I am sure they would do what it takes," he said.

Shringla was asked whether India was keen to play a role in defusing the crisis.

While abstaining from voting on the resolution, India issued an 'Explanation of Vote' (EoV) in which it called for "return to the path of diplomacy" and sought immediate cessation of "violence and hostilities".

India also told the UN Security Council that it has been in touch with all parties concerned urging them to return to the negotiating table.

"The contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states," India said in the EoV said.

"All member states need to honour these principles in finding a constructive way forward. Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment," it said.

Russia used its veto power to block the US-sponsored resolution deploring in the "strongest terms" Russian "aggression" against Ukraine.

Besides India, China and the United Arab Emirates too abstained from voting.

(PTI)

The US is providing nearly $54 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine. This assistance enables humanitarian organizations to support citizens of Ukraine already in need & those newly affected by Russia's unprovoked& unjustified attack: US Secy of State

From Moscow to Siberia, Russian anti-war activists took to the streets again Sunday to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite the arrests of hundreds of protesters each day.

Demonstrators held pickets and marched in city centers, chanting “No to war!” as President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent to be put on high alert, upping the ante in the Kremlin’s standoff with the West and stoking fears of a nuclear war. 

Protests against the invasion started Thursday in Russia and have continued daily ever since, even as Russian police have moved swiftly to crack down on the rallies and detain protesters.

The protests Sunday appeared smaller than the ones that took place on Thursday, the first day of Russia’s attack in Ukraine, when thousands of people rallied in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but their true scale was hard to assess. 

In St. Petersburg, where dozens gathered in the city center, police in full riot gear were grabbing one protester after another and dragging some into police vans, even though the demonstration was peaceful and no violent incidents have occurred. 

According to the OVD-Info rights group that tracks political arrests, by Sunday afternoon police detained at least 356 Russians in 32 cities over anti-war demonstrations that day.

(AP)
 

IndiGo has decided to operate flights to Budapest to bring back Indians. The first Flight will be operated on Monday and Tuesday from Delhi. The aircraft will first fly to Istanbul and then to Budapest in Hungary.

Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Zelensky have agreed that the Ukrainian delegation will meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River.

Lukashenko took responsibility for the fact that during the journey, negotiations and return of the Ukrainian delegation, all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory will remain on the ground.

According to the news agency Associated Press, protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine erupted in Moscow and other Russian cities amid ominous Kremlin threats.

A special flight carrying Indian students stranded in Ukraine arrived at Delhi airport on Sunday.  "We came through Romania & people there prepared home-cooked meals for us. Until we left Lviv, the situation was normal but it seemed quite uncertain. We want to thank the Government of India for bringing us home safely," said students who returned from Ukraine.

It is with the welfare of ordinary Ukrainians in mind that we are announcing the provision of nearly $54 million in humanitarian assistance to those affected by Russia’s further invasion, the US said.  This funding includes nearly $26 million from the Department of State and $28 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting on the Ukraine situation amid Russia's invasion. 

According to the news agency Associated Press, President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces on alert amid tensions with the West over Ukraine.

Ukraine has claimed that it has destroyed Russia's entire Kadyrovtsy division. Visuals from the site has gone viral.

Norway and Austria are also closing their airspace to Russian aircraft. Germany, the EU, the Baltic states, and France have also shut their airspace to Russian aircraft.

Russian President Vladamir Putin ordered the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to transfer Russian troops to a special mode of combat duty.

The statement says that the dictatorial referendum plunges Belarus even more into the darkness of the past.

“From the very beginning, the referendum lacked credibility and legitimacy and was only a weak imitation of democratic procedures. It was done only to consolidate the regime's control of power. We call the regime to demand an immediate end to Russia's attack on Ukraine and an end to Belarus' role in this catastrophic conflict," it said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday he held a telephonic conversation with Belarus leader Kremlin ally Alexander Lukashenko. "I've spoken with Alexander Lukashenko," Zelenskyy said on Facebook shortly after revealing that the Ukrainian delegation will head to Minsk for negotiation with Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile had accused Kyiv and the West of wasting an opportunity to hold a dialogue. "Russian delegation is in the Belarus city of Gomel and is ready for negotiations with representatives of Kyiv, who, showing inconsistency, have not yet taken advantage of this opportunity," he said via Belarusian counterparts over the call. 

France on Sunday announced that following Italy, Germany, EU, and Baltic states, it is also shutting its airspace to Russian aircraft, Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said in a tweet. "France is shutting its airspace to all Russian aircraft and airlines from this evening on", said Djebbari.

The Ukrainian delegation is heading to Gomel for negotiations with the Russian side, according to Interfax. It comes after reports that Belarusian leader Lukashenko spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart in the last hour.

Ukrainian forces have secured full control of Kharkiv following street fighting with Russian troops in the country's second-biggest city, said local governor, according to ANI. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked their Swiss counterpart to act as a neutral mediator between Ukraine and Russia, help work toward a ceasefire between the two countries, and arrange talks in Geneva, Swiss newspapers reported. As the Russian delegation arrived in Belarus, Minsk to hold 'peace' negotiations, Kyiv abstained from sending its own delegation to the Russian allied country but instead demanded that talks may be held in a NATO country. 

Swiss Daily Tages Angeizer reported the request of Swiss President Ignazio Cassis came to arrange Ukraine Russia talks in the upcoming Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva starting on Monday. The meeting will have Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other key Russian officials. Kyiv's request came as a similar mediation effort was carried out by Switzerland after Russian forces annexed Crimea in 2014.

Swiss Ministry spokesman Andreas Heller told The Associated Press late Saturday that he can't immediately confirm details of any such communication between two presidents, but said Switzerland was ready to offer its “good offices” for any such initiative.

Republic Media Network's managing director and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami on Sunday analyzed that the next 24 hours are 'extremely critical' and may lay the groundwork for Moscow for escalation of further conflict as the Russian delegation with military officials and diplomats arrived in Minsk for talks in the city of Homel. Moscow accused Ukraine of remaining 'absent', and Mr Goswami on Sunday warned that Russia "may be building a case" and beginning to play to a plan. He purported that Ukrainians may not be able to meet the deadline suggested by Moscow to arrive in Belarus, should they want to hold a dialogue. 

Kyiv, which has agreed to hold negotiations and peace talks, had earlier refused to dispatch a delegation to Belarus, a longtime ally nation of Russia. Instead, speaking in a video message on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues.

Mr. Goswami on Sunday noted that Belarus threatening to deploy nuclear weapons on the border with NATO states appears to be "a serious escalation." President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko had said that Minsk would offer Moscow to place nuclear weapons on its territory if NATO places nuclear weapons in Poland. Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said in an interview with RT Arabic TV channel that Minsk is "considering the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory is one of the possible responses to future possible actions by the North Atlantic Alliance on the territory of Poland."

Russian delegation in Belarus threatened Ukraine on Sunday as it arrived in Belarus, Minsk stating that 'if they refuse talks, the responsibility will lie entirely with the Ukrainian side'. 

As Russian delegation arrived in Minsk on Sunday and urged Ukraine's government to come forward and hold talks, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he was open to talks with Russia despite the invasion of Ukraine. Sholz also dismissed the prospects of new Western sanctions against Moscow at a session of the Bundestag. He appealed, that "it is the duty of diplomacy to keep the channels of discussion open." He further stated that Germany will not refuse to hold discussions with Russia "even in this extreme situation." 

As many as 368,000 refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion began on Thursday according to UN's refugee agency (UNHCR). Over 45,200 refugees have arrived in Poland in the last 15 hours, it said in a statement. UNHCR spokesman Chris Melzer said that long queues of desperate civilians was seen stretched across 14 kilometres at the Poland-Ukraine border with waiting times of 40 hours. 

More than 210 Ukrainian civilians have been killed by the Russian forces and other 1,100 were injured, Ukrainian government ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova told the presser.  She accused Russian soldiers of targeting the civilian infrastructure including hospitals, schools, a bus, and residential buildings. "There is no norm of international humanitarian law left that the Russian Federation has not violated during its invasion of Ukraine," she asserted. 

Italy like Germany, the West, and other Baltic and EU states has decided to shut its airspace to Russian aircraft.  Russia meanwhile has also closed its airspace to several EU countries. Commercial and transit flights from airlines in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovenia have been banned in Russian airspace. 

Speaking in a video message on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is ready for negotiations but in any other country as he named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative locations. Ukraine's leader refused to send a delegation to Minsk despite that Kremlin said on Sunday a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks. Russia has been pushing to hold talks in Minsk where negotiations happened during 2014 Crimea annexation. 

Russia has shot down one of its own aircraft in a friendly-fire incident by mistake, Ukraine's military has said in a statement. “In the water zone of the Black Sea the ship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet using ‘friendly fire’ destroyed its own military aircraft,” the statement informed. “The soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine captured several Russian tanks near Chernhiv. Now they will serve for the welfare of Ukraine.”

Russia's space agency Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin suspended the participation of NASA from the Venus exploration mission after US President Joe Biden implemented strict economic sanctions on Russia following its Ukrainian invasion on February 24. Named Venera-D, the mission was targeted for November 2029 wherein a probe was planned for a launch to Venus as a joint venture of the two agencies.

Announcing the decision, Rogozin said as per Sputnik News Agency, "Under the circumstances of new and preservation of the earlier implemented sanctions, I find it inappropriate for the US to further participate in the Russian project of development and creation of the Venera-D interplanetary station." 

Russia is reportedly planning two more Venus missions to study the planet's atmosphere and collect soil samples. The missions are planned for June 2031 and June 2034 respectively, Sputnik reported.  

READ MORE HERE 

Addressing the German lawmakers at a special parliamentary meeting, German chancellor Olaf said that the world has entered a “new era” in event of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Scholz noted that the tough question is whether Russia will confront Western powers and if the nations can muster enough courage to fight back “warmongers” like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“In essence, it’s a question of whether might can break right,” said German lawmakers at a special parliamentary meeting. 

Germany has announced that it is banning all Russian flights from its airspace effective 1400 GMT on Sunday, the Transport Ministry said in an update.  "In a Notice to Air Missions, the transport ministry has imposed a flight ban for Russian aircraft and aircraft operators in and over German airspace," read the update from German ministry. The ban is effective for three months.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday hurled a dire warning to Ukraine saying that Minsk will launch its own military operation against its regime for allegedly "beating up" its citizens in Kyiv. Belarusian citizens are being beaten up in Ukraine, Lukashenko said in a conference. He warned Ukraine was "pushing Minsk toward a special operation to help its people."

"They are catching Russians and Belarusians in Ukraine, they are beating them up," Lukashenko said. "Is he [Volodymyr Zelensky] provoking me into holding a special operation to free our people there?" he added, according to Russian state affiliated outlet Sputnik. 

Russian delegation arrived today in Belarus' Gomel for talks and negotiations with Kyiv, a location that both sides somewhat decided but Kyiv remained absent.  Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed to state agency Sputnik that it was Kyiv that proposed Gomel as a place for negotiations with Russia.  Russia is ready for talks and is "waiting for the Ukrainians," the Kremlin spokesman added as no delegation from Ukraine was in sight. Belarusian Foreign Ministry said that Minsk has made all arrangements for the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Gomel.

"We will be ready to start these negotiations in Gomel," Peskov told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, February 27, stated that the Central government is working day and night to ensure the safe return of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine. Addressing a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh's Basti, PM Modi said under 'Operation Ganga', thousands of Indian citizens are brought back home safely. 

PM Modi said, "We are also bringing back thousands of Indians from Ukraine by running Operation Ganga. The government is working day and night to take our sons and daughters who are still there to their homes with full security".

He added that every Indian at this time is observing the global situation. "India has always accorded topmost priority to the safety of the lives of each and every one of its citizens. Wherever the crisis arose, we have left no stone unturned to bring back our citizens safe", the Prime Minister said. 

READ FULL STORY HERE 

US President Joe Biden has said that any alternative to sanctions against Russia over Ukraine invasion would be the Third World War. In an interview with blogger Brian Tyler Cohen, Biden said, "You have two options. Start a Third World War, go to war with Russia, physically. Or two, make sure that the country that acts so contrary to international law ends up paying a price for having done it". The video of posted on Cohen's YouTube page on Saturday. 

Biden has also noted that none of the sanctions are immediate but added, "I think these sanctions, I know these sanctions are the broadest sanctions in history, and economic sanctions and political sanctions".

"Russia will pay a serious price for this short term and long term, particularly long term," Biden also said.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Russian Ministry of Defence spokesman Igor Konashenkov has said that it is likely US drones were in the air so-called 'guiding' the Ukrainian gunboats to launch an attack on the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet during an operation Friday night. "I would like to point special attention to the fact that during the attack by Ukrainian vessels, strategic US RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles were loitering over the area," Konashenkov said in a briefing according to Sputnik. 

"There is a strong likelihood that it was the American UAVs that directed Ukrainian boats at the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet," the Russian MOD spokesman said.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Sunday declared that Russia's so called military operation in Ukraine if not stopped will start a conflict with NATO. in an interview with Sky News, UK FM warned that hostilities in Ukraine could last a "number of years" as she asked Russia to halt the assaults in Kyiv. She then said other countries such as Moldova, Poland and the Baltic States might get involved. 

"This long-running conflict is about freedom and democracy and Europe," said UK FM. "Because if we don't stop Putin in Ukraine, we are going to see others under threat: the Baltics, Poland, Moldova. And it could end up in a conflict with NATO."

Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week.

Special UNSC session on Ukraine to be held at 3 pm New York Time on 27th February (1:30 am IST on 28th February). Ukraine had requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council after Russian troops made advancement into Kyiv. 

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, China’s envoy to Ukraine Fan Xianrong on Sunday said that the present situation in the country was too unsafe for evacuation and hence called on the citizens to stay indoors until the arrangements are made. Assuring that Chinese ambassadors will not ‘leave behind’ the citizens in Ukraine, the envoy also sought to dismiss the rumours that he left Kyiv in the face of Russian military aggression. 

In a nine-minute-long video posted on the embassy’s official WeChat account, Fan assured that the embassy would make the arrangements for Chinese citizens to leave Ukraine but asked to 'wait until it is safe '. According to Chinese state media, Global Times, Fan said that presently, evacuation would be difficult due to intense fighting taking place between both Russian and Ukrainian forces. 

It is to note here that Fan spoke about postponing the evacuation of citizens just days after the embassy said it would prepare plans to help people leave after Russia launched its offensive on Ukraine on Thursday. In the message posted on Sunday, the Chinese ambassador to Ukraine asked the citizens to help out each other. He said, “At present, China is more united and stronger than at any time in history. We Chinese, no matter where we go, must show this spirit”.

READ MORE HERE

The International Judo Federation (IJF) on Sunday suspended Russian President Vladimir Putin's status as 'Honorary President and Ambassador' in the wake of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The federation, in its official statement, said the decision has been made in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Putin, who is known for his incredible judo skills and has a black belt to his name, was awarded the honorary status by the IJF back in 2008. 

"In light of the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine, the International Judo Federation announces the suspension of Mr. Vladimir Putin’s status as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation," the International Judo Federation said in its statement. 

The decision comes days after Russia announced the military operation in Ukraine, launching an attack through the land, air, and sea. Russian Army invaded Ukraine on Thursday and has since then targetted hundreds of military installations across major cities in the country. According to reports, more than 600 civilians have been killed in the conflict so far, while thousands of people remain injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed martial law and has urged people to take up arms against the invading army. 

While Ukraine earlier closed its airspace after Russia militarily invaded its territory, Belgium on Sunday announced it is closing its airspace to all Russian flights. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo tweeted, "Belgium has decided to close its airspace to all Russian airlines, our European skies are open skies. They're open for those who connect people, not for those who seek to brutally aggress."

Earlier, Lithuania also announced that it is banning Russian airlines from using its airspace from 2200 GMT on Saturday, joining other European countries which have taken the same step. "No flights for aggressor planes in the freedom sky," Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte tweeted after a government meeting. Baltic state Estonia is also expected to follow the move, its minister of economic affairs said in a statement. 

Poland has announced that Indian students escaping the war in Ukraine can now enter Poland without any visa. The Ambassador of Poland to India Adam Burakowski made an official statement in view of the situation. Poland's border guards reportedly said that the country received more than 156,000 nationals from different nations as well as Ukrainians into the EU since the onslaught of Russian invasion. 

Turkey on Sunday declared Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “war” and the NATO member scrambled to enact an international pact to block the Russian naval warships' passage to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. “On the fourth day of the Ukraine war, we repeat President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s call for an immediate halt of Russian attacks and the start of ceasefire negotiations,” presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter.

NATO member Turkey said that it is blocking the access of the Russian warships in crucial straits between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea after Ukraine called on Turkey to block Russian vessels. “I am calling out to the Turkish administration, help Ukraine. We are making a request for the Dardanelles Strait to be closed. We ask for sanctions to be imposed on Russia," said ambassador Vasyl Bodnar in a tweet from the Ukrainian embassy official in Ankara. 

The 1936 international treaty Montreux Convention makes Turkey a strategic and a key player in the Ukraine-Russia war as it has the power to control the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus straits, the main choke point to the Black Sea used by Russian Naval forces to transit in the region. The treaty grants Turkey the sole right to block naval vessels in an event of a war, including if Turkey’s own security is threatened. 

Earlier Russia threatened Turkey against cutting off its access in the Black Sea. Under Montreux convention, asserted Russia, war vessels sailing in Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits will be allowed to return to port. “If Turkey did go ahead and ban warships from the strait, it would break the convention,” warned Russia via its state-affiliated Interfax agency. 

As artillery blitz between Russia and Ukraine escalates, invading Russian forces on Sunday blew up a gas pipeline in the second-largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The colossal explosion was ensued by thick mushroom clouds in Kharkiv as the region remained embattled, Republic TV sources reported. The leaks from the gas pipeline are said to have caused "environmental catastrophe," Ukraine State Service of Special Communication and Information informed.

At least 1.5 million residents in the city have been advised to cover their windows with damp clothes and gauze to avoid direct contact with the toxic gas that filled the area. Meanwhile, Ukraine's top prosecutor, Iryna Vendiktova said that the Russian forces are facing fierce resistance by the Ukraine military in Kharkiv, where a bellicose battle is underway. The city is located approximately 40 kilometers away from the Russian border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday spoke with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Following the talk between the two leaders, Zelenskyy said that he called for depriving Russia of the right to vote in the UN Security Council. He further urged the UN council to recognize Moscow's actions in Ukraine as "genocide."

Following the rising tensions over the Russian invasion, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he has now urged the UN Security Council to take larger actions against Russia. "To deprive the aggressor country of the right to vote in the UN Security Council, to qualify Russia's actions & statements as genocide of Ukrainian people, to help with the delivery of corpses of Russian soldiers. Talked about it in a conversation with the #UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres," Zelenskyy tweeted, shedding light on his conversation with the UN Secretary-General.

Ukraine’s deputy defense minister Hanna Malyar said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday said that Ukraine Army has killed approximately 4,300 Russian troops and has destroyed 146 Russian armored tanks, 27 aircraft and 26 helicopters. 

Zelenskyy on Sunday labelled the Russian assault on its land as 'terror' as he appealed to the world powers to scrap Russia’s voting power at the UN Security Council (UNSC). He compared the Russian forces atrocities to “genocide”.

“This is terror. They are going to bomb our Ukrainian cities even more, they are going to kill our children even more subtly. This is the evil that has come to our land and must be destroyed,” the Ukrainian president said in a short video message.

Romania has agreed to send provisions and military equipment worth 3 million euros ($3.38 million) to Ukraine, The country will also help the wounded in military and civilian hospitals, government spokesperson Dan Carbunaru said on Sunday, according to local media reports. Romania will send fuel, ammunition, bullet-proof vests, helmets, military equipment, food and water as Ukraine fights the Russian invasion. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday expressed gratitude towards the Special Operations Forces of the Russian Federation for conducting military duties in Ukraine and valiantly fighting Kyiv's forces. In a statement released by the Kremlin on Special Forces Day, marked on 27 February, Putin hailed his troops for neutralizing Ukraine's military capacity with precision strikes and intense shelling.

"I want to thank the command, the personnel of the Special Operations Forces, veterans of the Special Forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great Motherland,” said the Russian leader in a statement on Sunday. 

Russian leader thanked the Special Operations Forces for demonstrating combat readiness and acting competently in the conflict. He praised Russian forces for undertaking the most challenging and responsible tasks during the ‘military operation’ in Kyiv. He lauded troops that are “heroically fulfilling their military duty in the course of a special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas."

Greece has announced that it will send defensive military equipment to Ukraine after a meeting at the prime minister’s office on Sunday. Greece's Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff Konstantinos Floros, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were briefed on the military situation in Ukraine. Greece will, in collaboration with NATO and EU allies, contribute defensive military equipment to Ukraine, the officials announced at a conference. The equipment will be transported by two C-130 military transport aircraft on Sunday.

The Indian embassy in Kyiv on Sunday issued an advisory asking its Indian diaspora to stay away from conflict zones to the Western region in Ukraine. Republic also spoke to the Indian students stranded in Kyiv as they requested the Indian government for safe evacuation citing the deteriorating situation with the capital. 

As the Russian troops moved into the center of Kharkiv, a city in northeast Ukraine, the City Chief of Police Volodymyr Tymoshko warned residents to stay inside their homes as the situation on the ground turned 'very dangerous.' 

“It is quite dangerous on the streets of the city now,” he said on his Telegram channel. “Due to the small groups of the enemy who broke into the city, fighting continues.”

The Ukrainian defense forces on Sunday said that it intercepted a cruise missile fired at Kyiv by the Russian Air force from a Belarusian Tu-22 bomber. Tu-22 is a strategic bomber capable of long-range attacks. “The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine a few minutes ago shot down a winged rocket launched in the capital of Ukraine from the territory of the Republic of Belarus by a TU-22 plane,” Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi informed in an update. “This is another war crime of the Russian Federation and Russia,” he added.

A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Nikolenko took to Twitter to condemn Russian aggression as he stated: “Minutes ago, Ukrainian Air Force shot down a cruise missile launched at the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, by a TU-22 bomber from the territory of Belarus. This is another war crime committed against Ukraine and its people.” Belarusian Tu-22 bombers flew along Ukraine’s northern border and the recent attack could further escalate tensions between Russia and US-led NATO. Ukraine's forces also destroyed a Russian convoy in Kherson region. 

Moscow has claimed its troops had “entirely” besieged the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson as the infighting continues. Russian forces have captured the southeastern city of Berdyansk. “Over the past 24 hours, the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk have been completely blocked by the Russian armed forces,” defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

A Russian convoy has been reportedly struck by a Ukrainian drone as fighting intensified between Russian troops and Ukrainian Army inside the Capital of Kyiv on Sunday. 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday calls on Ukraine’s government to hold talks with Russia as he cautioned that the country might lose the statehood, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reports.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin is expected to address the nation on war in Ukraine as per the Russian state media. 

Ukraine's President  Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday called Russia's offers to hold talks 'propaganda' as his Kyiv came under intense attack by the Russian forces. Zelenskyy stated that his government was open for talks with Russia in any other location except Belarus, as he offered other options such as Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku. Kremlin said that it is ready to send delegates to the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukraine. 

"The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had said. 

Ukraine's embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday appealed to foreigners across the world to join the resistance against the Russian invasion that has caused atrocities in his country. He offered to enlist those who wish to join his forces in Ukraine's armed forces. 

"Anyone who wants to join the defense of Ukraine, Europe and the world can come and fight side by side with the Ukrainians against the Russian war criminals," he said a speech just after 8 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET).

"This is not just Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules and peaceful coexistence," he said.

The Indian embassy in Ukraine has said that Ukraine Railways is additionally organising emergency trains at no cost, first come basis from Kyiv. The schedule can be found at train stations. It added that the Indian diaspora "is advised to move away from conflict zones to the Western region subject to security situation and the extant regulations."

In his national address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that "the world can come and fight" alongside Ukrainians. A statement on the presidential website read, "The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy is addressing all citizens of the world, friends of Ukraine, peace and democracy. Anyone who wants to join the defence of Ukraine, Europe and the world can come and fight side by side with the Ukrainians against the Russian war criminals".

The Russian state-controlled international television network has said that Google has banned RT's mobile application from its play store. 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said, "Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, I invite you to contact foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine in your respective countries. Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin, too."

According to Russian media, Ukraine has rejected Russia's offer to talks in Belarus moments after delegations from both sides were said to arrive in Lakashenko's country. Ukraine's president Zelensky has said his country cannot negotiate with Russia in Belarus, considering the country is being used to attack Ukraine. However, he noted that he remains open to talks in other locations that are not showing aggression towards Ukraine.

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine appealed to the foreign nationals to "help Ukraine in fighting against Russia's aggression". 

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine issued an advisory on movement resistance and asked citizens to 'carefully dismantle' road signs. It said on Facebook, "Do you have weapons and ammunition or no use all possible methods and ways of fighting: dismantle or carefully draw road signs, names of settlements to confuse the enemy; make forest zavali to impossibility the enemy's promotion; be creative, use other engineering structures and tricks; actively use homemade lighters; destroy key knots of transport infrastructure; increase activity at night and dusk."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded the 'heroism' of Russian forces in Ukraine. According to reports, he has also expressed gratitude for the country's special operation forces for their action in Ukraine amid criticism from the West and stiff resistance from the Ukrainian army.

The Ukrainian army has said that it has taken down a "winged rocket" which was fired at Kyiv from a Belarusian Tu-22 aircraft this morning. Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said in a statement, "The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine a few minutes ago shot down a winged rocket launched in the capital of Ukraine from the territory of the Republic of Belarus by a TU-22 plane".

Amid ongoing conflict, reports have stated that Russians have arrived in Belarus to start a dialogue with Ukrainians.

As per reports, Ukrainian official has said that street fighting has started in Kharkiv, moments after the Russian troops were reported to have entered the second most populous city in Ukraine. Several military vehicles have also been destroyed.

The Russian military has said that it has detained 471 Ukrainian servicemen, as per reports. Meanwhile, Ukrainian army said, "Chernihiv has consolidated against the enemy and is madly helping the military and defenders of the city! Believe in the Armed Forces, Troika, NMU, Police, border guards, SBU and yourself! Together we will defeat the attacker!"

A large column of  Russian vehicles is reportedly pushing into the city of Sumy from the side of Khimprom, according to the military administration. It also stated that civilians are asked to be in a safe place, avoid going out unnecessarily and to stay away from windows.

As the conflict continues to escalate, Russia has claimed to have besieged two big cities in the south and southeast of Ukraine.

Russia has destroyed at least 975 Ukrainian military targets, the Russian Military of Defence reportedly said. 

In a phone with French President Emmanuel Macron, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko denied the possibility of nuclear weapons being deployed in his country, according to Russian media.

Russian troops and military vehicles are entering parts of Kharkiv which is the second-most-populous city of Ukraine. It is to note that earlier this morning, loud explosions were also heard in Kyiv,

Russian troops have struck a deal with Ukrainian soldiers to jointly maintain the safety of reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Russian Defense Ministry reportedly said.

The governor of the region of Sumy, Dmitry Zhivitsky has said that six people, including a seven-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Okhtyrka. 

First Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration Mykola Povoroznyk has reportedly said "The situation in Kyiv is calm" and noted that the Ukrainian capital is "completely controlled by the Ukrainian army and the terror defence. At night there were several clashes with sabotage groups".

After Meta, Google has reportedly also announced that it was banning Russian State Media from running advertisements, and monetisation across all its services. Earlier, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook echoed similar measures. YouTube has also banned Russian State Media, RT's channel on the website and blocked its monetisation.

US President Joe Biden has said that any alternative sanctions on Russia over Ukraine invasion would be the Third World War. In an interview with blogger Brian Tyler Cohen, Biden said, "You have two options. Start a Third World War, go to war with Russia, physically. Or two, make sure that the country that acts so contrary to international law ends up paying a price for having done it". The video of posted on Cohen's YouTube page on Saturday. 

Biden has also noted that none of the sanctions are immediate but added, " I think these sanctions, I know these sanctions are the broadest sanctions in history, and economic sanctions and political sanctions".

"Russia will pay a serious price for this short term and long term, particularly long term," Biden also said.

As per reports, air alarms have gone off in Rivne and Volyn in western and northwestern Ukraine as Russia has continued its onslaught in the neighbouring nation.

Australia will fund the supply of weapons to Ukraine to help resist the Russian forces, announced Prime Minister Scott Morrison after attending Ukrainian-Australians at a church service in Sydney on Sunday morning. He said, "The Australian government will continue to stand up for what is right when it comes to Ukraine...We’ll be seeking to provide whatever support we can for lethal aid through our Nato partners, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom," reported The Guardian.

US Senator Marco Rubio has said that Russian military leaders should think "very carefully" before following the orders they 'recently received'. Rubio, who is the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's plan was to establish air dominance within 24 hours.

At least 200 tonnes (metric tons) of fuel are on fire after an explosion at an oil depot in the city of Rovenky in the Lugansk People’s Republic, some pipelines have also been damaged, local authorities have said.

The air defense system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is now operating in #Odesa, as reported by Bratchuk, head of the Public Council under the Regional State Administration.

Ukraine's State Emergency Service has said that one woman was killed after a nine-storey building was hit by Russian artillery fire on Saturday night. In a statement on Facebook, the services said, "Kharkiv: the enemy ply attacks residential quarters, the shell shot in the 9-floor, killed a woman, rescuers evacuated 2 dozens of people."

In the wake of the intensifying crisis, Ukraine has called for an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sunday after Russia vetoed a resolution in UN Security Council on Saturday. The UNSC resolution, which saw 11 votes in favour, one veto and three abstentions, demanded a halt to the armed offensive and the immediate withdrawal of all troops from Ukraine. Russia, a permanent member of UNSC and this month's president of the council, blocked the agency's action amid the Ukraine crisis.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city. The government also warned that smoke from the explosion could cause an “environmental catastrophe” and urged people to cover their windows with a damp cloth.

An oil depot caught fire in Vasylkiv which is just 40 kilometres south of Kyiv. The Kyiv city administration reported on Sunday that a fire broke out in an oil storage facility. In its Telegram channel, the city administration said, “Attention: if you are staying at home, close all windows tightly. Due to a fire at a tank farm facility in Vasilkov, smoke and harmful substances can be brought by wind”. Additionally. Vasilkov mayor Natalya Balasinovich also confirmed the fire to  Ukraine-24.

A model and former Miss Grand Ukraine, Anastasia Lenna has apparently picked up arms to join the fight against Russia as the government urged citizens to join the army and resist Vladimir Putin's forces. 

Amid the war, Ukraine is seen mobilising its citizens and people across the world with a strong campaign on social media. From Thursday, when Russia mounted its first offensive on its neighbour, the Ukrainian government has been sharing memes. Most recently on Saturday, Ukrainian Defence shared a meme with Russian dolls and the 'enemy' forces and urged "Stop Russia to save the world".

Japanese billionaire Hiroshi ‘Mickey’ Mikitani has said that he is donating $8.7 million to the government of Ukraine and termed the Russian invasion "a challenge to democracy". In a statement on Twitter, the billionaire said, "My thoughts are with you and Ukraine people. I believe that the trampling of a peaceful and democratic Ukraine by unjustified force is a challenge to democracy."

"I sincerely hope that Russia and Ukraine can resolve this issue peacefully and that Ukraine people can have peace again as soon as possible," he added.

• As Russia continues its night-time offensive in Ukraine for the fourth day in a row, reports have stated that two explosions were heard in Kyiv along with an oil tank catching fire. As per reports, on Sunday morning, at least two massive blasts lit up the sky southwest of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv and appeared to be around Vasylkiv.
• Meanwhile, in a bid to pressure Russia to stop the onslaught on Ukraine, the White House, European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada said they backed the expulsion of some of the Russia-based banks from SWIFT. SWIFT is a high-security network among financial institutions across the globe. The Western nations jointly pledged efforts to “collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin.”
• Social media giants have also stepped in the Russia-Ukraine war. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram banned from running advertising or otherwise monetizing their content. Meanwhile, YouTube also blocked Russian state media outlet RT from Ukraine and removed its ability to monetize its content. 
• Over 120,000 Ukrainians have fled the nation in the face of the Russian offensive. United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees also stated that around 850,000 Ukrainians have been displaced internally. According to her, around 4 million Ukrainians are also expected to escape the crisis situation.

In a statement, the UK's Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that Russian forces are facing stringent resistance from the Ukrainian army which is leading to the slow progression of Moscow. United Kingdom MOD intelligence update said, "Russian forces are not making the progress they had planned. They are suffering from logistical challenges and strong Ukrainian resistance."

It further said that Russian forces  are "sustaining casualties and a number of Russian troops have been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces" adding "The Russian government has reportedly restricted access to a number of social media platforms in a probable attempt to conceal details regarding the situation in Ukraine from their own people".

As Ukrainian civilians are taking up arms to help the nation against Russian forces' aggression, women in former Soviet Union member nations are also lending support by making Molotov cocktails. Females in groups were seen working on the explosives to help the Ukrainian army's resistance against Russian forces.

Lithuania's Ministry of Defence said in an update that "Shipment of Lithuanian military aid has reached Ukraine. Lithuania will continue rendering support to our dear friend Ukraine!"