Russia Ukraine war: Death toll rises to 50; over 100 injured at Kramatorsk station

Death toll rose to 50 and over 100 injured following a missile attack in Kramatorsk, said Donetsk region authorities. 

At least 50 civilians were killed and more than a hundred received injured following a missile strike on a railway station in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, local authorities said.

The attack took place outside the station reportedly packed with thousands of residents waiting for their trains to evacuate from the area, as recommended by the regional authorities.

Ukraine and Russia are blaming each other for the attack, with Zelensky claiming it was a Tochka U rocket launched by Russian forces, and the Russian Defence Ministry slamming the strike as  Kiev's "provocation".

In a tweet, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen described the attack as 'despicable' and offered her condolences to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

A children's toy covered in blood at the train station in Kramatorsk. 

Conflict Intelligence Team: Missiles hitting Kramatorsk train station presumably launched from Russian-occupied Donbas.

EU officials, Slovak Prime Minister visit Bucha. 

An activist who went on a solitary anti-war picket in front of the Ministry of Defense in Moscow was detained. 

President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen visited the Ukrainian town of Bucha today. "Here in Bucha, we saw humanity shattered. The whole world is mourning along with the people of Bucha. We stand with Ukraine in this important fight, she said."

The German government is working on a separate law directed at Russian oligarchs' assets, so that sanctions against Russia may be implemented smoothly.

Ministry of Economy and Finance's "Task Force on the Implementation of Sanctions." stated that when it comes to placing sanctions on Russia, the government wants to take a firmer approach and a new law will affect superyachts, private jets and real estate owned by Russian oligarchs.

As the death toll rises in Ukraine due to Russia's aggression, an international organisation established to identify the dead and missing from the 1990s Balkan conflicts is ready to send a team of forensics experts to Ukraine. Authorities in Kyiv have contacted the International Commission on Missing Persons for assistance in identifying bodies that might otherwise remain unidentified due to the fog of war.

Director-General of International Commission on Missing Persons Kathryne Bomberger said on Friday that a team consisting of a forensic pathologist, forensic archaeologist, and a specialist on gathering DNA samples from remains and families to cross-match is planned to fly to Ukraine early next week.

(AP News)

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, EU High Representative Josep Borrell, and Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, who are all in Ukraine paid a visit to Bucha to see Russian military atrocities against Ukrainian civilians.

French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the attack on Kramatorsk station, which killed dozens and injured hundreds. He stated that civilians were trying to flee to avoid the worst, with their pet animals and baggage at the station when they were attacked. He also stated that the family that was preparing to depart from Kramatorsk station this morning were terrified.

US Embassy in Ukraine stated that the world's attention will be drawn to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a result of yet another heinous act, the attack on the Kramatorsk station.

It shared a post on Facebook stating, "Russian missile firing of a train station in Kramatorsk, the centre of the civilian population evacuation, in which dozens of people were killed and over 100 injured, is another atrocity committed by Russia in Ukraine. The world will hold Putin accountable."

The European Commission has developed an EU Platform for the Common Purchase of Gas, LNG, and Hydrogen with the Member States in order to secure the EU's energy supply at affordable rates in the current geopolitical context and phase out reliance on Russian gas. This comes as a first virtual meeting with officials from the 27 Member States was conducted yesterday, headed by the Director-General for Energy, Ditte Juul Jorgensen.

In keeping with the Commission's proposal submitted on March 23, the Platform will assist in guaranteeing supply security, particularly for the refilling of gas storage facilities in preparation for next winter. It will also ensure that the current gas infrastructure is used to its full potential. It will also strengthen long-term collaboration with major supply partners, possibly through Memorandums of Understanding, to include hydrogen and renewables.

Despite horrific images of bodies discovered in the Ukrainian village of Bucha, Russia and Ukraine are willing to continue forward with the talks in Turkey. A Turkish official on Friday stated that both Russia and Ukraine want to hold discussions in Turkey, but they remain far apart on a consensus text.

The official also said that certain topics are unresolved including the status of the Donbas and Crimea territories, as well as security assurances.

The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has stated that Russia believed that the local Ukrainian authorities would betray their country, but they stood steadfast in their opposition. It further said that the Russian forces have resorted to repressions in order to suppress them.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is the German Federal President, supports instituting a trial in The Hague for Russia's senior leadership for Russia's war crime in Ukraine. Steinmeier stated that the perpetrators of the atrocities must be brought to justice.

He claimed he was very outraged and sad because of the Russian forces' war crimes in Ukraine, which he claimed were perpetrated and continue to be committed.

The Polish Foreign Ministry has announced that Russia will expel 45 Russian diplomats after Poland ousted 45 Russian diplomats from the country. The Foreign Ministry of Poland suggests that it is a retaliatory move.

Fifth President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko chastised the attack on Kramatorsk train station, stating, 'Today, Kramatorsk is a new tragedy for Ukraine and another crime against the humanity of the Putin regime. What guided those villains on the other side of the unprovoked and barbaric war, who fired a missile at civilians at the train station?'

Poroshenko then expressed sincere sympathies to the victims' families and relatives and wished for a fast recovery for everybody.

The British Government sanctioned the daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday. The announcement will result in asset and travel bans for Putin's daughters Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova, as well as Lavrov's daughter Yekaterina Sergeyevna Vinokurova.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement that their unprecedented package of sanctions is hammering Russia's elite and their families while wreaking havoc on the Russian economy on a scale not seen since the fall of the Soviet Union.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has condemned the missile attack on Kramatorsk rail Station calling it "despicable". In a tweet, she expressed condolences to the friends and family of the victims. "I am appalled by the loss of life and I will offer personally my condolences to President Zelenskyy," the EU leader said. 

Amidst the ongoing war, both Russia and Ukraine have expressed willingness to hold talks in Turkey despite Bucha's images. At least 400 bodies, many tortured, have been discovered from Kyiv suburbs as Ukrainian troops took over. 

Slovakia sends S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Ukraine amidst its war against Russia. 

In its latest crackdown, Twitter has blocked the account of the Russian channel 'Russia Today'. Known as RT, the television network is funded by the Russian government. 

Russia claims several that backed its ouster from UNHRC were 'pressurized'. In a 93-24 decision on Thursday, the UN General Assembly suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council. Notably, earlier today, Serbia said that it voted against Moscow under pressure of sanctions from west. 

Governor of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region Pavlo Kyrylenko, accused Russian forces of firing cluster munitions at the railway station. In the aftermath of the attack that has now killed at least 30 people, he said, "The ‘Rashists’ (‘Russian fascists’) knew very well where they were aiming and what they wanted: they wanted to sow panic and fear, they wanted to take as many civilians as possible".

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has said that the Russian missile attack on Kramatorsk train station was a "deliberate slaughter" of people. In a tweet, he said that the station was full of civilians waiting to be evacuated. Yet they stroke it with a ballistic missile." Furthermore, he also pledged to bring "war criminal to justice.

US military leaders have had no communication with their counterparts in Moscow since the beginning of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed on Friday. "It doesn’t mean we’ll stop reaching out to engage them. I think we have to have the ability to talk to the leadership,” he added.  Austin's statement came as he was addressing Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. 

Putin Administration has denied Russia's involvement in a missile strike on a railway station in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine. Addressing reporters in Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that troops did not have any military operation scheduled for Kramatorsk on Friday.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for a war crimes tribunal against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. His statement came a day after UNGA voted to expel Russian Federation from UN Human Rights Council. 

As Russia's all-out war against Ukraine continued for the 44th day, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that country's military goals were being achieved. Addressing media reporters, he also said that NATO's eastward expansion was not about security or stability. It is pertinent to note that Kremlin has repeatedly expressed its fear of the military alliance's expansion. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet his Belarusian colleague soon, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. Earlier this week, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has called for his participation in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. “Since you dragged us into this – principally Western countries – the position of Belarus naturally needs to be heard at these negotiations.”

The death toll from the Kramatorsk train station blast has now reached 39. As per the Ukrainian authorities, the casualties also included three children. Meanwhile, Kramatorsk Mayor revealed that there were nearly 4,000 people present at the train station when Russian missiles struck. 

British Home Office says that 12,000 people had arrived in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes as of Tuesday. "We are an independent third country and we want to give people the status and security of coming to our country along with a warm welcome. Yes, we want to welcome people, we are welcoming people. We have to ensure that they are protected and safeguarded in the United Kingdom as well," Home Secretary Priti Patel said. 

At least 30 people have been killed, while 100 have been injured after two missiles struck Kramatorsk Railway Station in Ukraine. In the aftermath, Kramatorsk Mayor Alexander Goncharenko revealed that a lot of people were in serious condition, without arms, legs. "They are being operated on by 30-40 surgeons at a time," he added.

Ukraine's embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Friday, addressed Finland Parliament. Addressing lawmakers, he said that the situation in the town of Borodianka was “much worse” than in nearby Bucha. As the war continues to escalate in Ukraine's east, the embattled President has been addressing legislatures across the globe, urging more help. Watch his address here:

On the fragment of the missile that hit the train station in Kramatorsk, an inscription in Russian, "For Children," was visible. Zelenskyy administration has repeatedly accused Russian troops of targeting children and women. As of now, 167 children have been killed in the all-out war, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the recent attack on Kramatorsk Tran station saying that Russians are destroying the "civilian population." "The occupiers hit the Kramatorsk railway station with a Point-U, where thousands of peaceful Ukrainians were waiting to be evacuated… About 30 people died, about 100 people were injured to varying degrees. Police and rescuers are already on the scene. Russian non-humans do not abandon their methods. Lacking the strength and courage to stand up to us on the battlefield, they are cynically destroying the civilian population. This is an evil that has no limits. And if it is not punished, it will never stop," he said. 

The head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, Pavel Kyrylenko, reported the shelling of the train station in Kramatorsk. A dozen dead were reported, and the shelling was carried out from an Iskander with a cluster charge. Meanwhile, the head of the #Ukrainian Railways, Alexander Kamyshyn said that the rocket attacks on the train station in Kramatorsk killed more than 30 people and left over 100 injured.

Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai claims Russian forces finishing preparations for the battle of Donbas, according to Kyiv Independent. As per the report, Haidai also said that Russia was constantly trying to break through the line of defense in the east of Ukraine.

After US, now European Union has also imposed sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin's two adult daughters, Maria Vorontsova, 36, and Katerina Tikhonova, 35.

As countries continue to ramp up measures against Moscow over war in Kyiv, Japan on Friday expelled eight Russian diplomats. 

On Friday, the Ukrainian armed forces updated the losses it inflicted upon the Russian army including 19,000 personnel, 700 tanks among many others.

As per reports, city officials have written on Telegram that Russian shelling hit Odesa infrastructure as the war continues in the second month. The officials said, "As a result... infrastructure facilities in the Odesa region were affected".

Sounding alarm on the defence alliance's stance in the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine MP Zhenya Brouwer-Kravchuk told Republic "NATO is trying not to aggravate the aggressor here. It was a mistake in 2014 that the world just watched Russia annexing Crimea region".

Zhenya Brouwer-Kravchuk, Ukrainian lawmaker "But now that Russia has launched a full-fledged war against Ukraine, the world is still silent. If the world doesn't act, it means Putin can do whatever he wants in any part of the world".

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk on Friday announced at least ten evacuation corridors for civilians escaping the besieged city of Mariupol.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General’s Office, on Friday, has released the casualties that were occurred in Ukraine due to the ongoing war. As per its assessment, a total of 169 children were killed since the Russian forces started a full-fledged war against its neighbouring nation, Ukraine. However, it added that the actual death toll could be higher due to the lack of information from front-line cities including Mariupol.  
 

Britain’s Defense Ministry has assessed that at least some of the Russian forces who had pulled out from northern Ukraine will be transferred to the eastern Donbas region to continue fighting. In a daily update, the ministry says that many of these forces will require significant replenishment before being ready to deploy farther east, with any mass redeployment from the north likely to take at least a week minimum.

Britain’s Defense Ministry has assessed that at least some of the Russian forces who had pulled out from northern Ukraine will be transferred to the eastern Donbas region to continue fighting. In a daily update, the ministry says that many of these forces will require significant replenishment before being ready to deploy farther east, with any mass redeployment from the north likely to take at least a week minimum.

Shares of Alrosa dropped by 5.7% after the company was included in the US sanctions list. Earlier, the United States had announced that Washington has added eight Russians along with 29 organizations to the sanctions list. The list included the “world’s largest diamond mining company”, Alros which the US Treasury Department said is responsible for 90% of Russia’s capacity. However, US Treasury Department said that it exempted telecommunications and internet equipment from sanctions against Russia.
 

A total of 1,611 civilian deaths, including 131 children, have been confirmed in Ukraine. Additionally, a total of 2,227 people were injured.

In back-to-back responses to Zelenskyy's security guarantees request in the Arnab-Zelenskyy interview, China is not likely to act as Ukraine's security guarantor. However, Beijing still stands in support of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

As responses to Arnbab-Zelenskyy interview continue to pour in, after France, now Italy has agreed to be Ukraine's "security guarantor". 

According to Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk, 10 humanitarian corridors are planned for the evacuation of citizens.

Lithuania’s ambassador to Ukraine has returned to Kyiv after Russian forces withdrew from the Ukrainian capital. 

Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol has claimed that Russian troops stole the entire humanitarian cargo meant to reach the city. He said that trucks were also stolen along with the cargo.

Ukraine's prosecutor's office has stated that it has registered 5,149 criminal cases amid the Russia-Ukraine war to investigate. In the latest update, the office said that it has identified 432 suspects in main cases of Russian forces' aggression. 

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and EU representative Josep Borrell head to Ukraine's Kyiv as Russia Ukraine war entered day 44. 

In the latest national address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, "This war shows how much everyone did not want to notice in our country. In our people. How much the world believed in foreign propaganda and Russian myths about Ukraine, not in reality. We have always been so... brave. The bravest in the world."

According to the operational update posted by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian army repulsed at least seven attacks by Russia on Donetsk and Luhansk region in the past 24 hours. Additionally, Kyiv claimed that it destroyed four tanks, two artillery systems, ten armoured units and eleven enemy vehicles belonging to Russia.

Russian diplomats have sent a note to delegations of UN member states calling on not to suspend Russia's participation in the UN Human Rights Council, reported CNN. The Russian officials said, "Note that not only supporting such an initiative but also an equidistant voting would be regarded as an unfriendly step."

In the latest intelligence update, the UK Ministry of Defence has said on Friday that "In the north, Russian forces have now fully withdrawn from Ukraine to Belarus and Russia. At least some of these forces will be transferred to East Ukraine to fight in the Donbas."

"Many of these forces will require significant replenishment before being ready to deploy further east, with any mass redeployment from the north likely to take at least a week minimum," it said.

"Russian shelling of cities in the east and south continues and Russian forces have advanced further south from the strategically important city of Izium which remains under their control," it added.

Ramping up the clampdown against Russia, the United States has now added 8 Russian citizens and 29 Russian organisations to the sanctions list. The list even includes the world's largest diamond producer Alros and several military-industrial enterprises.

Day after Ukrainian President Zeleenskyy's interview with Republic's Arnab Goswami, France says it's ready to be one of the guarantors of security for Ukraine after the war against Russia.

Follow live coverage here -

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lashed out at Kremlin by saying, "Russia’s blatant disregard for human rights and its brutal attacks against Ukraine can’t – and won’t – go unpunished. Russia’s suspension from the @UN Human Rights Council is another step in that direction. We’ll keep working with our partners to hold the Putin regime to account."

Earlier, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about a range of issues with Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in a super exclusive interview.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi accused Russia of "massacres" in Ukraine. After Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Italy of “indecency” over imposing sanctions against Moscow, during a speech on Thursday, he said, "The only indecency is the massacres we are seeing every day". Draghi's made the remarks while addressing a joint conference alongside Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

As Russia continues to push back against what it called the 'unfriendly' nations for imposing sanctions on Moscow, Kremlin has sanctioned 28 Australian government members and lawmakers, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Russian Foreign Ministry published the list of 228 officials saying that Australia "obediently follows the decisions of the West” and decided to impose sanctions on Russian officials.

Additionally, around 130 citizens from New Zealand were also sanctioned by Russia including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and Governor-General Cynthia Kiro among other top officials. 

German intelligence on Wednesday, April 7 monitored radio messages of the Russian military discussing the killing of civilians in the Ukrainian northwest town of Bucha, German news magazine Der Spiegel reported on Thursday. In the report presented by the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) to the German parliament, the findings suggested that mass killing in the town was a part of the defense strategy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to intimidate the civilian population and deter any resistance. Some of the radio messages were assigned to civilians that were photographed dead on the street in Bucha. In one such radio message, a Russian soldier was heard on the call telling another that he and his colleagues had shot a cyclist. 

In another radio message, a Russian commander appeared to say: "First question soldiers, then shoot them.”

Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky announced on Facebook that the region is clear of Russia's forces. However, he said that explosions may still be heard as rescue service workers dispose of ammunition left by the Russian military, according to Kyiv Independent.

The United States has approved the shipment of more arms to Ukraine. According to the list published by the US Department of Defence, Washington is sending at least 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems; more than 5,000 Javelin anti-armour systems; more than 7,000 small arms; and 50 million rounds of ammunition. Additionally, Ukraine is also getting 45,000 sets of body armour and helmets; laser-guided rocket systems; night vision devices, thermal imagery systems, and optics.

Watch live here -

For the first time, since Russia launched its 'special' military operation in Ukraine, the United States on Thursday admitted that is providing intelligence on Russian forces to Ukraine. At a hearing, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said that Washington was providing intelligence on the Russian army in the Donbas region to Ukrainian authorities. He also stated US is not discouraging Ukraine from carrying out attacks against Russia. 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Downing Street on Friday. Both leaders are expected to discuss ways to decrease Europe's dependency on gas imported from Russia. Additionally, as per The Guardian, Jo0hnson is expected to offer Berlin some assistance to move away from Russian energy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said that the situation in Borodyanka is "much worse" than Bucha, where bodies of civilians were found lying on the streets. 

“The work on dismantling the debris in Borodyanka began... It’s much worse there,” Zelenskyy said in a late-night national address.

The European Union will announce another $543 million to assist Ukraine, announced European Commission President Charles Michel announced Thursday. The latest monetary support for Ukraine has taken 27-nation-bloc's total military aid to  a total of 1.5 billion euros ($1.63 billion) since February 24.

Australia is sending 20 Bushmaster armoured vehicles to Ukraine to counter Russian military's assault on its territory. $2.45m worth of machines have been loaded and are ready to fly to Europe from Brisbane on a RAAF C-17 Globemaster. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had requested for more military aid during his speech to parliament last week. 

“Once again Ukraine has asked for our help and once again we have stepped up,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a news briefing. 

Microsoft has said that it intercepted and disabled seven internet domains that traced back to a hacking group linked with Russian intelligence. The cyber infiltrators were attempting to compromise the Ukrainian media organizations' websites. The Russian hackers were “targeting government institutions and think tanks in the United States and the European Union involved in foreign policy,” Tom Burt, Microsoft's corporate vice president said in a blog post. 

The Ukraine government thanked rock band Pink Floyd which is set to release their first new music in 28 years today (April 8) to aid the relief effort in Ukraine. "Thank you for not being comfortably numb," wrote the government of Ukraine referring to Floyd's hit single 'Comfortably Numb.' Pink Floyd is releasing today the new track,titled ‘Hey, Hey, Rise Up’ that also features a sample of Andriy Khlyvnyuk a singer of Ukrainian band Boombox. 

In a press release, band frontman David Gilmour said: “I hope it will receive wide support and publicity. We want to raise funds for humanitarian charities, and raise morale. We want express our support for Ukraine and in that way, show that most of the world thinks that it is totally wrong for a superpower to invade the independent democratic country that Ukraine has become.”

The singer, who has a Ukrainian family, added: “We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an independent, peaceful democratic country being invaded and having its people murdered by one of the world’s major powers.”

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda in a meeting with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Russia is not Europe's "credible energy partner" and "we should not assume that it will ever be." After he held talks with Johnson, Duda said that there was a need for the West to end the Russian gas reliance, as well as the imports of energy sources in view of the coordinated tough sanctions. He also proposed levying additional taxes on Russian gas, oil, and coal until the end of the import. 

The UK pledged that it plans to stop importing Russian coal and oil by the end of this year, 2022 followed by the coal. 

Russian troops retreating from this northern Ukrainian city left behind crushed buildings, streets littered with destroyed cars and residents in dire need of food and other aid — images that added fuel to Kyiv’s calls for more Western help to halt Moscow’s next offensive.

Dozens of people lined up to receive bread, diapers, and medicine from vans parked outside a shattered school now serving as an aid-distribution point in Chernihiv, which Russian forces besieged for weeks as part of their attempt to sweep south towards the capital before retreating.

The city’s streets are lined with shelled homes and apartment buildings with missing roofs or walls. A chalk message on the blackboard in one classroom still reads: “Wednesday the 23rd of February — classwork.” Russia invaded the next day, launching a war that has forced more than 4 million Ukrainians to flee the country, displaced millions more within it, and sent shock waves through Europe and beyond.

Associated Press Report

The World Health Organization has verified more than 100 “attacks on health care” in Ukraine since the country was first invaded more than a month ago, the organization’s top official said. At least 103 attacks on hospitals and other health-care facilities in the country, and at least 73 were killed and 51 injured in those incidents, said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking at a news conference in Washington, DC.  The toll includes medical workers as well as patients, he said. He praised the United States for supporting international health efforts in Ukraine, including the delivery of more 180 metric tons of medical supplies to hard-hit areas.

“We are outraged that attacks on health care (in Ukraine) continue,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Source: AP

US Senate is drafting legislation to end normal trade relations with Russia and to ban the importation of its oil. Both bills have been bogged down in the Senate, frustrating lawmakers who want to ratchet up the US response to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to be held accountable for what Schumer said were war crimes against Ukraine.

The trade suspension measure paves the way for President Joe Biden to enact higher tariffs on certain Russian imports. The bill banning Russian oil would codify restrictions Biden has already put in place through executive action. In a virtual speech to Congress last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “new packages of sanctions are needed constantly every week until the Russian military machine stops.”

Ukraine Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said Thursday that “Hungary’s reluctance to acknowledge Russia’s responsibility for atrocities in Bucha strengthens Russia’s sense of impunity and encourages it to commit new crimes.”

Ukraine is accusing Hungary of undermining the unity of the European Union by supporting Moscow as Russia presses its invasion. Hungary is an EU member, and Ukraine wants to join the 27-nation bloc. Ukrainian officials are angry about Hungary’s response to evidence that Russian troops killed people indiscriminately before recently retreating from in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, which the EU has condemned.

Nikolenko blasted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s statement about Hungary’s readiness to pay for the Russian gas in rubles, describing it as unfriendly and flying in the face of the EU’s rejection of Moscow’s currency demand.

In a statement, Nikolenko dismissed Orban’s offer to host talks between Russia and Ukraine as cynical, saying that “if Hungary wants to help end the war, it must stop damaging EU unity, support new sanctions, offer military assistance to Ukraine and stop creating additional resources to finance the Russian war machine.”

Source: AP

President Joe Biden tonight has hailed Russia's suspension from the UN Human Rights Council. In a statement, Biden praised the "historic vote" and a "meaningful step" to dismiss Russia from the UNHRC global body. Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine has made Russia an "international pariah," Biden said, adding that Washington worked with the allies to "drive this vote."

"After today's historic vote, Russia will not be able to participate in the council's work or spread its disinformation there as the Council's Commission of Inquiry investigates Russia's violations and abuses of human rights in Ukraine," Biden said.

He added that the "lies from the Kremlin were no match" for the undeniable evidence" emerging from Ukraine. That's why nations in every region condemn Russia's unprovoked and brutal aggression against Ukraine and support the brave people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom," said Biden. 

"And we will continue to work with responsible nations around the world to gather evidence to hold Russia accountable for the atrocities being committed, increase the pressure on Russia's economy, and isolate Russia on the international stage."

Britain’s defense ministry says Russia is bombarding infrastructure targets to wear down Ukraine’s government and military as it prepares for a renewed assault on the country’s east. The ministry said in an intelligence update Thursday that “progressing offensive operations in eastern Ukraine is the main focus of Russian military forces.”

It says Russia is targeting the “line of control” between Ukrainian-held areas in the Donbas and those held by Russia-supporting separatists with artillery and airstrikes. The Russian military is also targeting infrastructure in the Ukrainian interior “to degrade the ability of the Ukrainian military to resupply and increase pressure on the Ukrainian government.”

Even so, the UK says that “Russian forces are likely to continue facing morale issues and shortages of supplies and personnel.”

Heavily damaged apartment building following a Russian attack in the center of Borodyanka, Ukraine. 

Associated Press Report 

Biden administration has announced that it will send 12,000 anti-armour systems, hundreds of suicide drones, and 1,400 anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine to counter the Russian assaults. This is in addition to $100 million in weaponry pledged earlier from the US inventory. An additional $300 million was approved last week under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called Russia's suspension from the UN Human Rights Council an "important step" as he appealed for the coordinated pressure on the Kremlin to stop its war in Ukraine. UN General Assembly on Thursday voted to suspend Russia the international human rights body in response to the devastating Bucha civilian killings allegedly by the Russian soldiers. Kremlin, however, has denied these accusations. 

"Suspending RF’s participation in the UNHCR is an important step," Zelenskyy said in a tweet, using an acronym for the Russian Federation. "This is another punishment for RF’s aggression against [Ukraine]." "We must continue coordinated pressure on RF at all international forums," the Ukrainian leader added. "Let’s force Russia to seek peace together!"

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday announced plans to build more nuclear power plants, boost renewable energy production and further tap domestic oil and gas reserves to help the UK reduce its dependence on Russian energy following the invasion of Ukraine.

Johnson announced the strategy three weeks after he said Western countries had made a “terrible mistake” in failing to wean themselves off Russian energy following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. The goal is to build eight new nuclear reactors by 2050, tripling U.K. production of nuclear energy to 24 gigawatts, or a quarter of projected electricity demand.

In addition, the strategy targets a 10-fold increase in production of electricity from offshore wind farms and an unspecified boost from onshore wind farms in a “limited number of supportive communities.”

The government also announced a new round of licensing for oil and gas projects in the North Sea, saying these fuels would be key to UK energy security and as a transition to low-carbon renewable energy. Other elements include promoting solar power and increasing hydrogen production for use in fuel cells.

Source: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the situation in the town of Borodianka is "much scarier" than the atrocities that were witnessed in Bucha. In a recorded video address, Zelenskyy said: “So far, the Russian state and the Russian military are the greatest threat on the planet to freedom, to human security, to the concept of human rights as such. After Bucha, this is already obvious." He then added, in Borodianka, it is "much scarier there. More victims of Russian invaders." 

“What will happen when the world learns the whole truth about what the Russian military did in Mariupol? There, on almost every street, is what the world saw in Bucha and other towns in the Kyiv region after the withdrawal of Russian troops. The same cruelty. The same terrible crimes," he said.

NATO-member Montenegro is joining a number of countries that expelled Russian diplomats over the past week. The foreign ministry said in a statement Thursday that the four diplomats have a week to leave the small Balkan nation.

The decision is based on information provided by security authorities about the diplomats’ activities in Montenegro, the ministry said. No other details were immediately available. Montenegro last month expelled another Russian diplomat. Local media said at the time that he was believed to be an intelligence officer. Montenegro is not a member of the European Union but has joined Western sanctions against Moscow.

Source: AP

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged European Union members to stay together and not decide unilaterally on imposing sanctions against Russia.

“We have been successful by being together. My plea is that we move forward together,” von der Leyen said during a visit to Stockholm where she met with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

The EU chief on Friday will travel to Kyiv to meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On Saturday, she attends a pledging event in favor of Ukraine in Warsaw, Poland.

Europol hosted an EMPACT meeting to focus on intelligence and operational actions linked to threats of serious and organized crime, which have emerged as a result of the war in Ukraine. The European police body mobilised the EMPACT framework by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission to address these threats.

During the EMPACT meeting at Europol, representatives of the EU Member States, including the drivers of the operational action plans for 15 crime areas, discussed concrete steps to address the development of serious and organized crime threats linked to the war in Ukraine. This includes the gathering of more intelligence, the implementation of emergency operational actions based on EMPACT flexibility and adaptation culture, the possibility of setting up ad hoc joint action days, and the potential allocation of additional grants to fund operational activities targeting these crimes.

Initial intelligence analysis of these criminal threats identified crime patterns in a number of areas including human trafficking, online fraud, cybercrime and firearms trafficking.

EU Member States and operational partners are actively sharing all available information and criminal intelligence with Europol, which cross-checks and analyses the information and turns it into actionable operational intelligence notifications, such as early warning notifications and threat assessments, which is shared with all partners. 

The agency says it is “necessary to mobilize resources and increase the preparedness” of a multidisciplinary platform that tackles serious and organized crime.

Source: EUROPOL/Press Document 

UK's Royal Air Force's Air Chief Marshall Sir Mike Wigton in an interview with British broadcaster Sky News has warned that Russia is repositioning troops for another attack, citing the UK intelligence sources. "The Russians are resetting and there is every expectation they are going to come back and Ukraine is going to feel the full brunt of what Russia will bear," he said in televised remarks. Furthermore, he added,  "I am ready with the Royal Air Force to do whatever our government decides is necessary to support Ukraine."

This comes as the UK is planning to announce the transportation of the armoured vehicles to Ukraine in the coming days, The Times has reported. UK's Ministry of Defence is considering sending a long-range patrol vehicle, such as the Jackal, or a protected patrol vehicle, such as the Mastiff to Ukraine's Army. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asking the foreign embassies' diplomatic staff to return and resume the operations in Kyiv. He also thanked Turkey and Lithuania for returning to the war-torn capital. 

“We need your support, even at the level of symbols and diplomatic gestures. Please come back, everybody who is brave, please come back to our capital and continue working," Zelssnkyy said in a video address. 

EU has officially announced the fifth package of sanctions against Russia in a retaliatory move to mount pressure after the devastating civilian killings in the town of Bucha. In a statement, the EU informed that the fifth package has six pillars. First,it will place an import ban on coal from Russia, worth EUR 4 billion per year. "This will cut another important revenue source for Russia," EU states.

Furthermore, there is a full transaction ban on four key Russian banks, among them VTB, the second largest Russian bank. These four banks, which we now totally cut off from the markets, represent 23% of the market share in the Russian banking sector. This will further weaken Russia's financial system.

An EU-wide blanket ban has been placed on Russian vessels and Russian-operated vessels from accessing EU ports. But certain exemptions will cover essentials, such as agricultural and food products, humanitarian aid as well as energy.

EU has banned Russian and Belarusian road transport operators, this implies that it will limit the options for the Russian industry to obtain key goods.

Sanctions have been imposed by EU on exports worth EUR 10 billion in areas in which Russia is vulnerable. This includes, for example, quantum computers and advanced semiconductors, but also sensitive machinery and transportation equipment.

A new import ban worth EUR 5.5 billion has been imposed to cut the money stream of Russia and its oligarchs relating to the products from wood to cement, from seafood to liquor. Next, a general EU ban has been imposed against the participation of Russian companies in public procurement in Member States, or an exclusion of all financial support, be it European or national, to Russian public bodies. "Because European tax money should not go to Russia in whatever shape or form," says EU. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says scenes that have emerged from the Ukrainian town of Bucha, which was recaptured from Russian forces, have “cast a shadow” over negotiations between Russia and Ukraine but says the sides must continue to talk under all circumstances. Speaking after a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting on Thursday, Cavusoglu said he told his Ukrainian counterpart that Turkey was prepared to host possible peace talks.

“The only way is diplomacy,” he told Turkish journalists in Brussels.

Turkey, which has maintained its close ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, has hosted a meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers as well as talks between the two negotiating teams.

The minister said Turkey was also talking with both Russia and Ukraine about the possible evacuation of civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol by sea. Some 30 Turkish citizens as well as their companions were still trapped in the city, he said.

Source: AP

“There can be no negotiations without the participation of Belarus" in the ongoing Russia Ukraine peace talks, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting Thursday of his national security council. “There can be no separate agreements behind the back of Belarus." 

Credit: Associated Press

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday announced plans to build more nuclear power plants, boost renewable energy production and further tap domestic oil and gas reserves to help the U.K. reduce its dependence on Russian energy following the invasion of Ukraine. Johnson announced the strategy three weeks after he said Western countries had made a “terrible mistake” in failing to wean themselves off Russian energy following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s the Crimean Peninsula.

The goal is to build eight new nuclear reactors by 2050, tripling U.K. production of nuclear energy to 24 gigawatts, or a quarter of projected electricity demand. In addition, the strategy targets a 10-fold increase in production of electricity from offshore wind farms and an unspecified boost from onshore wind farms in a “limited number of supportive communities.”

The government also announced a new round of licensing for oil and gas projects in the North Sea, saying these fuels would be key to U.K. energy security and as a transition to low-carbon renewable energy. Other elements include promoting solar power and increasing hydrogen production for use in fuel cells.

Source: AP

The US moved Thursday to choke off US exports to three Russian airlines as part of what officials described as an unprecedented enforcement action. The Commerce Department said the move would prevent the Russian national flag carrier Aeroflot, Utair, and Azur Air from receiving items from the U.S., including parts to service their aircraft.

Matthew Axelrod, an assistant commerce secretary for export enforcement, told reporters the sanctioned airlines will largely be unable to continue to fly since they will be cut off from the parts and services needed to maintain their fleets. The actions, known as temporary denial orders, do allow the Commerce Department to grant exceptions when the safety of a flight would be at risk. The orders extend for 180 days, though they can be renewed.

The private sector has also taken its own action against Russian airlines in response to the war against Ukraine, with Delta Air Lines in February suspending its codesharing partnership with Russian national airline Aeroflot.

Source: AP

26 civilian deadbodies have been discovered under the rubble of the damaged building in the town of Borodianka, in the Kyiv region, Ukraine's prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova informed. The latter lambasted Russian forces for carrying out airstrikes and completely destroying the city. "Borodianka is the worst in terms of destruction and in terms of the uncertainty about (the number of) victims," she said.

A monument to Taras Shevchenko, a Ukrainian poet and a national symbol, in seen with traces of bullets against the background of an apartment house ruined in the Russian shelling in the central square in Borodyanka, Ukraine. Credit: AP

An elderly woman walks by an apartment building destroyed in the Russian shelling in Borodyanka, Ukraine.Credit: AP

British former MI6 officer Christopher Steele in an interview with Sky News has said that Russia is committing a massive war crime in Ukraine as he expressed uncertainty about Kremlin's version of the war that it calls 'special military operation.' "The very invasion of Ukraine in the first place is a massive war crime," said Steele. 

"I think it's true to say, at Nuremberg for example, the main crime charged against the Germans and the Nazis was waging aggressive war and indeed that is exactly what this operation in Ukraine is." He furthermore added, "I am sure there is a lot of material to be documented. A lot of terrible tragic individual cases that are being documented by journalists and others but starting from first principles, the war itself is a war crime and it should be prosecuted as such in the future."

Head of the Luhansk regional military administration, Serhii Haidai, on Thursday said Russian troops have attacked the railway overpass near Barvinkove, and have blocked the route for the civilians evacuating the region. "The enemy hit an overpass near Barvinkove station, Donetsk railway, with an air strike," Haidai said on Telegram. "Almost 500 evacuees from Luhansk region are stuck at a train station.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the Ukrainian delegation of changing the most important provisions that the two sides had agreed on since they started the peace negotiations in Istanbul last month. Lavrov said Ukrainians are now demanding that the issues pertaining to the annexed region Crimea and Donbas should also be discussed in the meeting of the presidents of Russia and Ukraine. This, said Lavrov, is “unacceptable." "At the next stage, the Ukrainian side will certainly ask for the withdrawal of troops and will put forward new preconditions," Lavrov sarcastically added. 

“We see this as a manifestation of the fact that the Kyiv regime is controlled by Washington and its allies, who are pushing President Zelensky to continue hostilities,” Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that it is likely that Russian forces have committed more "atrocities" in parts of Ukraine than witnessed in the town of Bucha. "For every Bucha there are many more towns Russia has occupied and more towns that it is still occupying, places where we must assume Russian soldiers are committing more atrocities right now," Blinken said.

US Secretary of State added, that US had warned ahead of Russia's invasion that part of the strategy for the Kremlin "campaign plan was to inflict atrocities, was to target individuals, was to commit the kinds of crimes that we're now seeing to terrorise civilian populations".

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba asked the international community to stop buying Russian gas and oil. “As long as the West … continues buying Russian gas and oil, it is supporting Ukraine with one hand while supporting Russia war machine with another,” he said.

“The damage that is being inflicted on Russia by sanctions now has long-term implications for Russia," the foreign minister added. “But people are dying today. Their offensive is unfolding today. And we need steps that will stop Russia’s war machine today. As long as this hasn’t been done, we cannot speak about efficiency, full efficiency of sanctions."

Credit: AP

China’s UN ambassador Zhang Jun on Thursday iterated that suspending Russia from United Nations Human Rights Council would have a "dangerous precedent” and “produce serious consequences." Voting against the resolution, Zhang at the UNGA condemned “dealing with the membership of the Human Rights Council in such a way." 

“China calls on all parties to work together in the same direction so as to create opportunities for peace and prospects for negotiation. China will continue to hold an objection and impartial position and play a responsible and constructive role in this regard," Zhang added.

United Nations General Assembly has voted to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council during a meeting Thursday over the war atrocities in Ukraine. US-led voting in UNGA accumulated 93 in favour votes, 24 countries voted against Russia’s dismissal while 58 countries including India abstained. Israel was among 140 countries to vote in favour. Russia, Syria, North Korea, Eritrea and Belarus meanwhile voted againt the resolution. Overall, the resolution received a two-thirds majority in the 193-member Assembly. “The world has spoken,” Sweden’s mission to the UN tweeted after the vote. 

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the US is providing intelligence to Ukrainian forces to conduct operations in the Donbass region. In his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Austin was asked by Senator Tom Cotton if the US was providing any intelligence to help Ukraine in the occupied Donbas region or occupied Crimea.

“We are providing them a … intelligence to conduct such operations … in the Donbas. That’s correct,” Austin said. He did say Crimea in his response. 

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has admitted to significant troop losses in Ukraine on Thursday. He said that the slain Russian soldiers are “a huge tragedy” for the country in an interview with Sky News.

“We have significant losses of troops and it’s a huge tragedy for us,” Peskov said, adding that Russia’s withdrawal from the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions was “an act of goodwill during the negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations.” 

"We would like to put this draft resolution to vote and call on all present here to really consider your decision and to vote against the attempt by Western countries and their allies to destroy the existing human rights architecture: Russia at UN General Assembly," Russian envoy told UNGA vote. Watch it here.

UNGA begins voting on Russia’s removal from Human Rights Council. The draft resolution proposed by 27 countries will decide to “suspend the rights of membership in the Human Rights Council of the Russian Federation". The Human Rights Council consists of 47 member states, elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, on Thursday, slammed China for its unwillingness to condemn Russian aggression. Addressing media reporters in aftermath of 2 day long NATO summit, he said, "What is happening in Ukraine is being closely watched around the world. We have seen that China is unwilling to condemn Russia’s aggression. And Beijing has joined Moscow in questioning the right of nations to choose their own path. This is a serious challenge. The sanctions introduced by Nato allies and our partners are unprecedented, and they are damaging".

Belarusian Foreign Affairs Minister Vladimir Makey has demanded security guarantees for his country. His remarks came as Europe stricken its stance on the eastern European country.  Meanwhile, in a separate statement, he opined that President Alexander Lukashenko should participate in the final negotiations between Zelenskyy and Putin. Just a day ago, Lukashenko himself had said that peace talks weren't possible without the participation of Belarus. 

Finland, on Thursday, announced that it was making preparations to apply for NATO membership. Last month, Russia asked Finnish lawmakers to provide security guarantees for Moscow. Experts have warned that the Scandinavian country's accession to the military alliance could change the status quo on the whole European subcontinent. 

Laying bare the impact of Russian invasion on the eastern region of Luhansk, head Sergei Gaidai said that there has not been a single hospital that has not been destroyed by Russian forces. His statement came as Kremlin has intensified attacks in the Luhansk region. Notably, just a day ago, authorities asked residents to evacuate the zone "while it is safe."

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Vereshchuk said that Russians would be punished for their war crimes. In an online statement, she said that investigative task forces of prosecutors, SBU investigators, and experts-all coordinated by her office are documenting every war crime in Bucha, Borodianka, Irpin, and Gostomel. "Russia's armed aggression will be proven and we will punish all those who killed Ukrainians," she added. 

In a major revelation, the Mayor of Bucha has said that nearly 90% of the dead bodies found in the Kyiv suburb had bullet wounds. As the Ukrainian troops took over Bucha, they discovered over 400 dead bodies lying unattended. On Thursday, speaking to DW, Anatoly Fedoruk revealed that the count of corpses was increasing everyday. 

The situation in Eastern Ukraine is escalating, the Mayor of Dnipro said on Thursday. Speaking to Suspilne media, Borys Filatov asked residents not involved in critical services to immediately evacuate. Dnipro is a regional capital in central Ukraine that borders the seperatists held Donetsk Oblast.

Speaking to Republic, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy admitted that he was ready to discuss the eastern region of Donbas, annexing Crimea as well as the southern port cities of Odesa and Mariupol. But, he would do so only with Russian President Vladimir Putin, not his team of delegates. During the exclusive interview, he also highlighted the role of heavy weapons stressing that the ongoing war would have stretched for much longer without the use of heavy ammunition. 

Zelenskyy during an exclusive interview with Republic reminded India that it had a relationship with the Soviet Union, not Russia. "I understand that it is difficult to keep a balance between relationships with Ukraine and Russia," the Ukrainian President said, "The wisdom is to see what is going to happen in the future. . We thank you for the humanitarian assistance but I'd like for the PM (Modi) to think of being a security guarantor for Ukraine. So if Russia violates, guarantors would be against Russia. I'd like a special relationship between our people & authorities" 

"We will fight for all those cities. We have full control of Odesa, it's a very difficult situation in Mariupol. We will struggle till we can restore territorial integrity", Zekenskyy said. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to Republic on Thursday and said that " We are interested in security guarantees. We see leading countries who can provide us with these guarantees. US, UK, Poland, Germany, France, and we're offering China, Turkey & India if there's a willingness to join."

"We have been using weapons to defend, we have never used the weapons to attack the Russian Federation. They are making fake videos. The war is 100% on our territory," Zelenskyy. On the other hand, he emphasized that nobody can rule out that Russia is using nuclear weopons. 

"We are ready for negotiations with the head of the Russian Federation", Zelenskyy said. Talking to Arnab Goswami, the Ukrainian President said that he was ready to discuss Donbas and Crimea but only with President Putin. He also said that there was no need for mediators but security guaranters were required. 

“My greatest interest is in the lives of people and unfortunately we have lost thousands of them,” Zelenskyy said.  “Russian killed thousands in Bucha. They did the same in Irpin. Situation is similar and tragic across all Ukrainian cities. There are cities without any population. Everybody has been killed.” 

G7 countries pointed to the need to increase assistance to countries hosting refugees from Ukraine. In a meeting that was held earlier today, Foreign Ministers from the group of seven emphasised on the need to aid countries that have sheltered hundreds of thousands of refugees. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to Republic on Thursday wherein he said that he does not have an answer to the Russian Foreign Ministry rhetoric on the Bucha killings. "I don't have any answer to Lavrov. Kremlin says that Ukraine and its sovereignty is fake," he said. He added that "people with wisdom, I tell you, you cannot believe such rhetoric".  

Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, thanked G7 lawmakers for inviting him to their summit, which took place earlier today in Germany. In a tweet, he said all the sides discussed ways to bolster the military, economic, and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine. "Ukraine proposes a fair deal: the world provides us with all the support we require; we fight and defeat Putin in Ukraine," Kuleba said.

The mayor of Balaklia Stolbovy, Kharkiv Oblast has fled to Russia with his family, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleg Sinegubov said on Thursday. He said, "According to our information, the mayor of Balaklia and his family left this city and left for Russia. Unfortunately, we have such facts, and I am convinced that these people will be punished fairly and severely for their actions, for treason. Ukraine and every inhabitant of the settlement ".

The French government on Thursday summoned Russia's ambassador to Paris amid the ongoing war, Spectator Index reported. The development comes days after France announced that it would oust nearly 35 Russian diplomats as part of a unified European retaliation to the relentless military aggression by the Kremlin troops. The aforementioned decision comes in the wake of the horrifying civilian massacre in Ukraine's Bucha region, where Russian troops were pulled out from recently.

President of the European Parliament Robert Mezzola has said that the time frame for considering Ukraine's application for membership in the European Union will be much shorter than in other cases. However, he told Interfax news that the expedition would only be possible in the case of Kyiv promptly responds to EU's questionnaire. "I have seen so many EU flags in Kyiv… This is a moment for us to open our arms. I spoke with Prime Minister Denis Shmygal in Kyiv that they are waiting for a list of questions to be received today or tomorrow. I hope they can answer them in four days. Olga told me (Olga Stefanishina, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration) that they need four days (to answer). Of course, then the ball is on our side again. "And here the European Parliament comes into play. We will do everything to ensure that every step is taken. I think that if Ukrainians give us answers very quickly, the time frame will also be narrower than in other situations," he said. 

Russian Embassy in India, on Thursday, condemned the Bucha killings and compared them to Nazi war crimes. Vowing the bring to justice those involved in the killings, it slammed Kyiv for "falsely" accusing Moscow of the murders. Read the full statement here.

"The heinous attack in Bucha brings back the nightmares of the Nazi crimes during the Second World War. It raised revulsion and condemnation in Russia and India and globally. Russia firmly stands for bringing to justice those involved in this outrageous war crime act. The main challenge is to ensure a genuinely independent and unbiased investigation. Regrettably, there have been so far widespread hollow allegations against Moscow while there’s evidence that it was in fact a cynical false flag operation, perpetrated by Kyiv itself. It is vitally important to take this evidence into account as we seek justice".

Russia has summoned the Finnish envoy to protest against the seizure of art belonging to Russian museums. On Wednesday, Finland's Custom Department said that they had stopped works of art worth around 42 million euros ($46 million) from being returned to Russia last weekend due to European Union sanctions. It added that they would have to consult the bloc before releasing it. 

Greece will ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to launch an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine’s southern port of Mariupol, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias announced on Thursday.  Addressing media reporters before the NATO summit, he revealed that the country has a specific, special interest in Mariupol because of the existence of a Greek community of 100.000 and more people in Mariupol. Notably, his remarks came on the same day as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Greek parliament urging for more help. 

Audio streaming app Spotify has announced that it would cease operations in the Russian Federation in the wake of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. It said that starting April 11, users in Russia would not be able to listen to songs and podcasts. 

Kremlin has said that Western countries' deliveries of military equipment to Ukraine will further deteriorate Moscow-Kyiv peace talks, reported Sputnik as the conflict entered day 43.

In an address to Greek parliamentarians, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that besieged city of Mariupol is "completely destroyed" before noting the "ancient" link between Greece and Mariupol. He also said that Ukrainian culture is under threat due to Russia's military attack.

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As tensions between Europe and Russia continue to soar, France has summoned the Russian ambassador on day 43 of the Russia Ukraine war after Paris announced the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's adviser Oleksiy Arestovych has said that most of the Russian airstrikes are focused on eastern Ukraine as Putin's troops attempt to encircle the Ukrainian troops in the region. He noted that besieged Mariupol is still resisting the Russian forces. 

Lashing out at Hungary for not backing EU's actions against Russia over the ongoing war, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said, "Hungary’s reluctance to acknowledge Russia's responsibility for atrocities in Bucha strengthens Russia's sense of impunity and encourages it to commit new crimes. A proposal to hold peace talks in Budapest seems cynical. If Hungary wants to help, it must stop damaging EU unity."

Russian defence forces have taken down 4 fuel storage bases in the Ukrainian districts of Nikolaev, Zaporozhye, Kharkov and Chuguev. 

In the latest intelligence update by the UK Ministry of defence, Britain said that Progressing offensive operations in eastern Ukraine are the main focus of Russian military forces. Russian artillery and airstrikes continue along the Donbas line of control.

"Russian strikes against infrastructure targets within the Ukrainian interior are likely intended to degrade the ability of the Ukrainian military to resupply and increase pressure on the Ukrainian government."

"Despite refocussing forces and logistics capabilities to support operations in the Donbas, Russian forces are likely to continue facing morale issues and shortages of supplies and personnel," 

Head of the European Diplomacy Josep Borrell has said that an oil embargo is not part of the fifth sanctions package against Russia on day 43 of the war. He added that the EU foreign ministers will discuss the ban on Russian oil supplies on April 11. Additionally, the EU has postponed the total ban on Russian coal imports by one month until mid-August, as per reports. 

In the latest operational update posted by Ukrainian armed forces, Kyiv has claimed that Russian forces lost around 18,900 military personnel along with 698 tanks among other losses. 

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Thursday announced sanctions against 67 Russian citizens. Following US' suit, all persons on the Australian sanctions list includes the close circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The gold and foreign currency reserves of Belarus decreased by $692.9 million in March and amounted to $7.57 billion on April 

Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine's deputy PM has said that at least 10 humanitarian have been agreed in Ukraine on day 43 of the war to evacuate people from settlements affected by hostilities in Ukraine, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Donetsk oblasts.

A day after Austria declined to expel Russian diplomats, it has expelled at least four diplomats on Thursday. 

Ahead of the Foreign Ministers' meeting on Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. During the meeting, Kuleba reiterated the demand for more military aid to support Ukraine's fight against Russia. "I came here today to discuss three most important things: weapons, weapons, and weapons," he wrote on Twitter.

As the NATO Foreign Ministers are set to meet at headquarters in Brussels, Ukrainian foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba has called on Nato allies to supply more weapons to bolster Ukraine’s war effort, including warplanes, and heavy air defence systems, missiles and armoured vehicles. According to The Guardian, while speaking from Brussels, Kuleba stressed the three items which are on his agenda for the upcoming meetings: "Weapons, weapons, weapons."

Alongside NJATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Kuleba said, "My agenda is very simple. It has only three items on it. It's weapons, weapons, and weapons...We know how to win, but without sustainable and sufficient supplies of all weapons requested by Ukraine, these wins will be accompanied with enormous sacrifices."

"The more weapons we get, and the sooner they arrive in Ukraine, the more human lives will be saved...The more cities and villages will not be disrupted, and there will be no more Buchas. It may sound weird but today weapons serve the purpose of peace," he concluded.

As the most awaited NATO Foreign Ministers meeting is scheduled to be held on today, all the concerned leaders including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have reached the venue and it is expected that the meeting will be started shortly. 

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Ukraina President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of interfering with an international investigation into possible war crimes by removing bodies and trying to hide other evidence in Bucha, where the authorities discovered more than 400 bodies. "We have information that the Russian troops have changed tactics and are trying to remove the dead people, the dead Ukrainians, from the streets and cellars of the territory they occupied. This is only an attempt to hide the evidence and nothing more," he added.   

China on Thursday said images of civilian deaths in the Ukrainian town of Bucha are “deeply disturbing” but that no blame should be apportioned until all facts are known. "Accusations should be based on facts. Before the full picture is clear, all sides should exercise restraint & avoid unfounded accusations," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing. Further, he accused the United States of the chaotic situation in Europe due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. 

Russian troops again targetted a hospital in Severodonetsk and residential buildings in Lysychansk, According to a report by Nexta TV, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, Serhiy Haidai, reported nine repulsed attacks by the Russian army in the last 24 hours. Earlier on March 22, the roof of the children’s hospital in Severodonetsk caught fire after it was shelled by Russian forces.

Ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Belgium, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has clarified that the organisation will not send its troops to Ukraine. “NATO is not sending troops to be on the ground. We also have a responsibility to prevent this conflict from escalating beyond Ukraine, and becoming even more deadly, even more, dangerous and destructive,” he said.

Nearly two days after Latvian and Lithuanian officials said they were pushing for the closure of borders between their countries’ Russian and Belarusian borderlines, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said the countries were “playing with fire”, RT News reported. Earlier on Tuesday, Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks had said that the move could only happen if all three Baltic nations made the decision together.
 

Ahead of the NATO Foreign ministers meeting, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the ministers will discuss further arms supplies to Ukraine, including heavy weapons. "There is an urgent need to continue to support Ukraine. At our meeting with NATO foreign ministers later, I am confident that we will discuss the need for more air defence systems, anti-tank weapons, light but also heavier weapons, and many other types of support for Ukraine," said Stoltenberg.
 

As the most awaited NATO Foreign Ministers and G7 meeting is scheduled for today, leaders have arrived at the meeting room in Brussels. 

Ahead of the Foreign Ministers' meeting in Brussels, the NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, "There is an urgent need to continue to support Ukraine. At our meeting with NATO foreign ministers later, I am confident that we will discuss the need for more air defence systems, anti-tank weapons, light but also heavier weapons, and many other types of support for Ukraine".

Amid multiple media reports and the Ukrainian military claim of Russian forces left the areas near the national capital, the aggressor has again bombarded the residential areas of Kyiv. However, there were no reports of loss of life or injuries.

The United States has passed legislation "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act 2022" on Thursday. With this, it will be easy for the Biden administration to send weapons and other supplies to Ukraine. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, took to the microblogging site to laud the US Senate for passing the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act. "Important first step towards a lend-lease program to expedite the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine. Looking forward to its swift passage in the House and signing by the U.S. President," he said. 

In the latest address to the country on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the reluctance on imposing an oil embargo on Russia is costing Ukrainian lives. He went on to describe Russia’s export of oil as “one of the foundations of Russia’s aggression” that is motivating Moscow to not take peace negotiations seriously.

Zelenskyy said, "Some politicians are still unable to decide how to limit the flow of dollars and euros to Russia from the oil trade, so as not to jeopardise their own economies..."

He added, "The embargo on Russian oil supplies will be applied anyway. The format will be found. The only question is how many more Ukrainian men and women the Russian military will have time to kill, so that you, some politicians - and we know you, can borrow a little determination somewhere.”

Belgian Finance Minister Vincent van Petegem has said that government had blocked 196.4 billion euros in Russian financial transactions. The Belgian federal government has also frozen assets worth 2.7 billion €

Kyiv Independent has reported that the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan has ramped up sanctions against Russia targeting high-tech exports. Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a statement that the list includes designated telecommunications equipment, integrated circuit parts, and variable-frequency drives.

US has claimed it has foiled a major cyberattack by Russian hackers before it could affect a large number of devices in the world. According to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher Wray, the FBI’s unique cyber capabilities were able to remove malware from devices used by thousands.

He said that the devices which were secured by the intelligence agency have been widely used by small businesses for network security all over the world. While addressing a press conference on Wednesday, he announced a series of new and recent enforcement actions to disrupt and prosecute criminal Russian activity.

On Wednesday, United States FBI announced new measures to "disrupt" and "prosecute" Russian criminal activity. FBI Director Christopher Wray said during the press conference, "We’re announcing a sophisticated, court-authorized operation disrupting a botnet of thousands of devices controlled by the Russian government—before it could do any harm.

"We removed malware from devices used by thousands of mostly small businesses for network security all over the world. And then we shut the door the Russians had used to get into them," he added.

Serhiy Haidai, head of the regional military administration has said that the regrouped Russian units stormed the cities of the Luhansk region controlled by Ukraine with renewed vigour. He also said that over the past 24 hours, the occupiers tried to capture the village of Novotoshkivske in the Luhansk region, but failed to do so. 

Ukraine's Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs Oleg Ustenko has stated that Russia's frozen gold and foreign exchange reserves are lost to it forever. He said, "Ukraine is actively negotiating for this to be the first tranche in the fund for the reconstruction of our country after the war. These funds are forever lost by Russia".

NATO countries are divided into two camps on the issue of relations with Russia. While Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia advocate a complete break in dialogue with Russia; Germany, France and Turkey intend to maintain contacts with the Russian authorities regardless of what is happening in Ukraine

In the latest operational update on day 43 of war, Ukraine's Armed Forces said, "The Command of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continues to search for opportunities to solve the problem of human resource replenishment of its units."

"Russian military commissaries have activated work with servicemen who were discharged from military service after 2012 and have military accounting specialties of driver, mechanic driver, scout, and junior commanders. The official reason for the call to the military is to hold a training meeting for the mentioned military specialties for a period of 3 months," it added.

In an interview with CNN, Polish President Andrzej Duda said it was "hard to deny" that Russian actions in Bucha constitute genocide. "It is hard to deny this, of course. This is a crime which fulfills the features of a genocide, especially if you look at the context of different conversations that are being conducted," Duda told the media outlet in the exclusive televised interview.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that Washington and its allies have already provided or will soon provide Ukraine with "10 anti-tank systems for every Russian tank." He also said that he does not see "a single potential scenario" in which Kyiv can be defeated.

Britain is developing a plan to send to Ukraine armoured vehicles such as Mastiff or Chakal
 

Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov has responded to the latest sanctions imposed by the US targeting Russian banks, senior government officials and families. Antonov said, "The (Biden) administration's non-stop attacks in the form of sanctions demonstrate the true aspirations of the United States."

“Puzzling are the attempts of the United States to make it difficult for us to service our public debt. We see in these efforts as a desire to tarnish the reputation of Russia, which, despite the economic barriers being built by Washington, continues to fulfill its debt obligations in good faith and in a timely manner,” Antonov said.

Reports have emerged that some of the  Russian helicopters have relocated from Belarus to the Seshcha airfield in Russia's Bryansk region, according to the Schemes investigation.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to vote on April 7 on Russia's removal from the Human Rights Council. The move has been backed by US, UK among other allies following the discovery of Bucha killings.

Images: Nexta Tv

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's schedule in Belgium was accessed. He will participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers Breakfast Meet, NATO Foreign Ministerial Session & meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Brussels.

Accord8ing to the statement by UK Foreign Office, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said at a dinner with NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Wednesday that the "age of engagement with Russia is over."

“The age of engagement with Russia is over. We need a new approach to security in Europe based on resilience, defense, and deterrence", Truss said.
 

Mayor of besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol says over 5,000 civilians including 210 children have been killed during the monthlong Russia-Ukraine war 

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According to Sputnik, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said that the embargo on gas supplies from Russia is not being discussed at the moment.

Russian lawmakers on Wednesday introduced a bill into the lower parliament house that, if adopted, would tighten already harsh restrictions on media outlets in the country and their coverage of the war in Ukraine.

The bill outlines media law amendments that empower the Prosecutor General's office to shut down domestic and foreign media outlets for a number of reasons. These would include coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine that deviates from the official line and has been criminalised as fake news, or which discredits the Russian military and its actions in Ukraine.

Another reason allowing the Prosecutor General's office to shut down a foreign news outlet operating in Russia would be retaliation for Russian outlets being closed abroad.

To be adopted, the bill would need to pass three readings in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, get approved by the upper house  the Federation Council  and signed into effect by President Vladimir Putin. The process could take months or days, depending on the authorities' eagerness to implement the new restrictions.

Russia's government has imposed unprecedented constraints on media covering the war in Ukraine.

(AP)

As Russia Ukraine war continued to escalate with hundreds of civilians losing their lives, the US Department of defence or P{entagon on Tuesday said that Kyiv could "absolutely" win against Russia even as the conflict entered day 43. Addressing a news briefing, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said "Of course they can win this...The proof is literally in the outcomes that you’re seeing everyday ... absolutely they can win".

Kirby said, "Of course, they can win this. And if you look at what they’ve been able to do just thus far, Mr. Putin has achieved exactly zero of his strategic objectives inside Ukraine. He didn’t take Kyiv. He didn’t topple the government. He didn’t remove Ukraine as a nation state. And he’s really only taken control of a small number of population centres."

He added, "So, I think the proof is literally in the outcomes that you’re seeing every day. The Ukrainians are bravely fighting for their country. And they have denied Mr. Putin so many of his strategic objectives. So absolutely, they can win.”

US officials have claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin's two daughters Katerina and Maria who have recently been sanctioned are "hiding his wealth."  

“We have reason to believe that Putin, and many of his cronies, and the oligarchs, hide their wealth, hide their assets, with family members that place their assets and their wealth in the US financial system, and also many other parts of the world,” a senior US administration official reportedly said.  

“We believe that many of Putin’s assets are hidden with family members, and that’s why we’re targeting them,” he added. 

In the latest national address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian troops have "changed their tactics" and are now hiding evidence. He also maintained that atrocities, such as the ones that emerged from Bucha, can be repeated in more Ukrainian cities. 

Zelenskyy said, "We have information that the Russian troops have changed their tactics and are trying to remove the killed people from the streets and basements of the occupied territory. Killed Ukrainians. This is just an attempt to hide the evidence and nothing more. We already know about thousands of missing people. We already know about thousands of people who could be either deported to Russia or killed. There are no other options for their fate."

He added, "The situation now is that thanks to an objective investigation, thanks to witnesses, thanks to satellite surveillance of events on earth, thanks to other tools that help establish the truth we will find out all the circumstances regarding the majority of our missing citizens. Regarding most of Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine...The search for truth can no longer be stopped".

As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate, White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday said that there would be more scenes of mass killings like in Bucha. According to her, no one should be “under the illusion” that the Kremlin’s goals have changed even though Russian troops have reportedly retreated from Northern Ukraine.

During a regular press briefing, Psaki said, “They [Russian Forces] haven’t made many airstrikes in the last 24 hours, according to Department of Defense and their briefing, which you may have seen, or their backgrounder…”
 
“We also know that, you know, their goal remains weakening Ukraine as much as possible.  And we should be under no illusion that that objective hasn’t changed, even as their tactics have changed,” she added.