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NATO (Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union,) published a statement saying that they want Russia to choose peace and not let this conflict create war.
https://www.state.gov/g7-foreign-ministers-statement-on-russia-and-ukraine-2/

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The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union.
Begin Text:
We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, remain gravely concerned about Russia's threatening military build-up around Ukraine, in illegally annexed Crimea and in Belarus. Russia's unprovoked and unjustified massing of military forces, the largest deployment on the European continent since the end of the Cold War is a challenge to global security and the international order.

We call on Russia to choose the path of diplomacy, to de-escalate tensions, to substantively withdraw military forces from the proximity of Ukraine's borders and to fully abide by international commitments including on risk reduction and transparency of military activities. As a first step, we expect Russia to implement the announced reduction of its military activities along Ukraine's borders. We have seen no evidence of this reduction. We will judge Russia by its deeds.

We took note of Russia's latest announcements that it is willing to engage diplomatically. We underline our commitment vis-à-vis Russia to pursue dialogue on issues of mutual concern, such as European security, risk reduction, transparency, confidence building and arms control. We also reiterate our commitment to find a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the current crisis, and we urge Russia to take up the offer of dialogue through the US-Russia Strategic Stability Dialogue, the NATO-Russia Council, and the OSCE. We commend the Renewed OSCE European Security Dialogue launched by the Polish OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office and express our strong hope that Russia will engage in a constructive way.

Any threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states goes against the fundamental principles that underpin the rules-based international order as well as the European peace and security order enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter and other subsequent OSCE declarations. While we are ready to explore diplomatic solutions to address legitimate security concerns, Russia should be in no doubt that any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences, including financial and economic sanctions on a wide array of sectoral and individual targets that would impose severe and unprecedented costs on the Russian economy. We will take coordinated restrictive measures in case of such an event.

We reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and our support to Ukraine's efforts to strengthen its democracy and institutions, encouraging further progress on reform. We consider it of utmost importance to help preserve the economic and financial stability of Ukraine and the well-being of its people. Building on our assistance since 2014, we are committed to contribute, in close coordination with Ukraine's authorities to support the strengthening of Ukraine's resilience.

We reiterate our unwavering commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and territorial waters. We reaffirm the right of any sovereign state to determine its own future and security arrangements. We commend Ukraine's posture of restraint in the face of continued provocations and efforts at destabilization.

We underline our strong appreciation and continued support for Germany's and France's efforts through the Normandy Process to secure the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements, which is the only way forward for a lasting political solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. We acknowledge public statements by President Zelensky underlining Ukraine's firm commitment to the Minsk Agreements and his readiness to contribute constructively to the process. Ukrainian overtures merit serious consideration by Russian negotiators and by the Government of the Russian Federation. We call on Russia to seize the opportunity which Ukraine's proposals represent for the diplomatic path.

Russia must de-escalate and fulfil its commitments in implementing the Minsk Agreements. The increase in ceasefire violations along the line of contact in recent days is highly concerning. We condemn the use of heavy weaponry and indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, which constitute a clear violation of the Minsk Agreements. We also condemn that the Russian Federation continues to hand out Russian passports to the inhabitants of the non-government controlled areas of Ukraine. This clearly runs counter to the spirit of the Minsk agreements.

We are particularly worried by measures taken by the self-proclaimed "People's Republics" which must be seen as laying the ground for military escalation. We are concerned that staged incidents could be used as a pretext for possible military escalation. Russia must use its influence over the self-proclaimed republics to exercise restraint and de-escalate.

In this context, we firmly express our support for the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission, whose observers play a key role in de-escalation efforts. This mission must be allowed to carry out its full mandate without restrictions to its activities and freedom of movement to the benefit and security of the people in eastern Ukraine.
End Text.

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G7 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Russia and Ukraine - United States Department of State

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The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union.

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. Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into two separatist pro-Moscow regions in eastern Ukraine after recognizing their independence on Monday.

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-21-22/index.html

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Helen Regan, Brad Lendon, Rob Picheta, Mike Hayes, Maureen Chowdhury, Melissa Macaya and Meg Wagner, CNN

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Tensions between Moscow and Kyiv are at their highest in years, with a large Russian troop buildup near the shared borders of the two former Soviet republics. Follow here for the latest news updates.

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https://www.voanews.com/a/latest-developments-in-ukraine-feb-27/6461229.html

Steve Herman tweeted that Belarus has approved a new constitution that abandons its non-nuclear status.

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For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

The latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST:

11:35 p.m.: Russians are largely unable to access Twitter and Facebook due to restrictions by a Russian government regulator. London-based internet monitor NetBlocks reported that users trying to access Facebook found it didn't load or was extremely slow. Both social media sites have barred ads from Russia in response to the conflict. Russian telecommunication regulator Roskomnadzor said it planned to "partially restrict" access to Facebook on Friday.

11:18 p.m.: Stock prices in Asian markets fell following the announcement of added sanctions against Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai were all down while the market in Sydney rose, the Associated Press reported. Japan was among the nations joining the U.S. and much of Europe in leveling sanctions against Russia including the rare move to suspend Russia from the SWIFT global payment system. The Russian ruble dropped 29% against the dollar on Monday morning.

8:55 p.m.: Russia's central bank has ordered professional stock market participants to suspend the execution of all orders by foreign legal entities and individuals to sell Russian securities from Monday morning, an internal document showed, according to a Reuters report. The document was published by ACI Russia, the national organization of Russian financial market specialists, Reuters added.

7:57 p.m.: Ukraine's Interior Ministry said on Sunday that 352 Ukrainian civilians had been killed during Russia's invasion, including 14 children, The Associated Press reported. An additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded, the ministry's statement said. It did not give information regarding casualties among Ukraine's armed forces, according to the AP report.

7:55 p.m.: Cultural organizations are seeking to distance and cut ties with performers who have voiced support for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Metropolitan Opera in New York City made the announcement on Sunday, according to The New York Times. A Munich-based management company dropped Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, 68, who has ties to Putin, The Associated Press reported.

7:02 p.m.: VOA's Steve Herman tweets that Belarus has approved a new constitution that abandons its non-nuclear status.

5:48 p.m.: VOA's Celia Mendoza reported that about 200 supporters of Ukraine rallied outside the United Nations during the Security Council meeting on Sunday.

5:12 p.m.: Head of U.S. Agency for International Development Samantha Power visits the Ukraine-Poland border where she says some refugees are receiving their first hot meal in four days.

4:22 p.m.: VOA U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer reports that Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, will preside over the Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly Monday, starting at 10 a.m. EST.

4 p.m.: The European Union plans to take the unprecedented step of funding weapons purchases for Ukraine, EU officials said on Feb. 27 as the bloc announced a raft of new sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

3:10 p.m.: U.S. State Department tells U.S. citizens in Russia to consider departing immediately.

2:44 p.m.: In responded to the invasion of Ukraine, FIFA on Sunday told Russia to play home matches at neutral venues and banned its national flag and anthem from matches, according to media reports. The governing body of world football said Russian teams would play as the "Football Union of Russia." It said it would continue discussions with other sports organizations and ultimate measures may include "potential exclusion from competitions."

1:31 p.m.: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki urged China to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "This is not a time to stand on the sidelines," she told MSNBC. China on Friday abstained from a Security Council vote that deplored the invasion. Russia vetoed the draft resolution

12:00 p.m.: Images of people fleeing Russia's military operation in Ukraine.

11:47 a.m.: The European Union's chief executive announced a series of measures against Russia, including closing EU airspace to Russian airlines and banning some pro-Kremlin media outlets.

11:24 a.m.: More demonsrations against the Russian invasion of Ukraine take place inside Russia

10:52 a.m.: The World Health Organization is warning of low supplies of medical oxygen in Ukraine following Russia's invasion.

10:12 a.m.: Senior U.S. Defense official says there is no indication Russia has taken over any city in Ukraine.

9:02 a.m. Ukraine says it has agreed to hold talks with Russia at the Belarus border. "We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement.

8:42 a.m.: Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced additional humanitarian assistance to Ukraine amid Russia's invasion on the country.

8:15 a.m.: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces on alert over tensions with the West over Ukraine. Putin on Sunday accused NATO members of making "aggressive statements."

7:36 a.m.: U.N. officials say the number of refugees from Ukraine who have crossed to Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and other countries is escalating and is now at 368,000.

7:32 a.m. Israel's prime minister says he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the recent developments in Ukraine.

6:34 a.m.: Ukraine lodges a complaint against Russia at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

5:49 a.m.: Ukrainian ambassador gets standing ovation in Berlin.

5:22 a.m.: The International Judo Federation has issued a statement about Russian President Vladimir Putin: "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." Putin's a black belt.

5:15 a.m.: India has begun evacuating its citizens stranded in Ukraine.

5:10 a.m.: Fears are mounting that Russian forces will turn more to targeting critical civilian infrastructure and mount indiscriminate shelling as the defenders of Kyiv maintain their resistance and hold ground despite redoubled Kremlin efforts to subjugate Ukraine's capital. VOA's Jamie Dettmer reports from the ground in Ukraine.

4:16 a.m.: The Kremlin had said a Russian delegation was in Belarus for talks with Ukraine, ABC News reports. But Ukraine says different.

3:45 a.m.: China's decision to take a neutral stance on the invasion of Ukraine raises several questions. Did Beijing develop cold feet at the last moment, or did Russia go much further in its military aggression in Ukraine than China had expected? VOA's Saibal Dasgupta takes a look.

3:08 a.m.: Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs invites foreigners to help defend Ukraine.

2:11 a.m.: The Associated Press reports that Russian troops have entered Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, and there's fighting in the streets.

1:44 a.m.: Protesters rallying in support of Ukraine pray in Australia.

1:12 a.m.: A show of support outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.

12:41 a.m.: Oil tanks burn after a massive explosion near Kyiv. CNN has video.

12:05 a.m.: A BBC reporter talks to women making Molotov cocktails in a park in Ukraine.

12:01 a.m.: Protests continue in Australia.
Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST: 11:35 p.m.: Russians are largely unable to access Twitter and Facebook due to restrictions by a Russian government regulator....

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NATO’s chief says Russia could invade Ukraine ‘without any warning at all’ as Putin tests missile launches

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/19/natos-chief-says-russia-could-invade-ukraine-without-any-warning-at-all.html

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has posed the question that's kept the world on edge for weeks: will Russia attack Ukraine?

Not even those in the Russian government - besides President Vladimir Putin - appear to know the answer, but the fact remains that there has been a steady buildup of Russian troops and military hardware near the Ukraine border; the largest since the end of the Cold War.

"They have all the capabilities in place, Russia, to launch an attack on Ukraine without any warning at all. No one is denying that Russia has all these forces in place," Stoltenberg told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "The question is, will they launch an attack?"

Over 150,000 Russian troops are stationed at various points along the border with Ukraine. Russian forces have also been posted in Belarus, an ally that lies to the north of Ukraine.

Stoltenberg's comments came as Russia's military launched ballistic and cruise missiles on Saturday in a show of its nuclear readiness. It was part of what the Kremlin called a "planned exercise of the strategic deterrence forces."

"Aerospace Forces successfully launched Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles. Ships and submarines of the Northern and Black Sea Fleets launched Kalibr cruise missiles and Zirkon hypersonic missiles at sea and ground targets," the statement from the Russian presidency said Saturday.

"The tasks envisaged during the exercise of the strategic deterrence forces were completed in full, all missiles hit their assigned targets, confirming the specified characteristics."

'Very high risk'

Moscow has insisted it has no plans to invade Ukraine and its forces in Belarus are there for military drills set to take place in the coming days. The U.S. and its Western allies have warned of severe economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia should an invasion go ahead.

"Of course there is no certainty about that," Stoltenberg added. U.S. President Joe Biden has issued numerous warnings that an invasion is imminent, much to the mockery of Russia and its allies.

But Stoltenberg added: "NATO allies and the United States have the same assessment, that it's a very high risk for a Russian attack on Ukraine."

Russia's military said in a statement earlier this week that it was pulling back some of its troops to mark the end of their exercises, leading markets to breathe a brief sigh of relief, but Western leaders stress that there is no evidence of a genuine reduction in forces around Ukraine.

Also of concern is "the very threatening rhetoric," the NATO chief added, noting that, "we have seen attempts by Russia to stage a pretext - the Ukraine situation in Donbas or somewhere else - as an excuse for attacking Ukraine. We have seen false accusations about genocide, we have seen accusations of violations of ceasefires in Donbas, and all of this of course adds to the picture that this is a real danger for a Russian attack."

The U.S. has accused Russia of plotting to fabricate an attack by Ukrainian forces as a pretext for the invasion of its neighbor. The White House said in early February that it has intelligence Russia is considering using a staged video of a Ukrainian attack involving actors.

The Kremlin has denied it is preparing any "false flag" operations.

The accusation comes amid a prolonged period of escalated tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with the U.S. and NATO concerned about the unfurling geopolitical crisis.
-CNBC's Holly Ellyatt and Sam Meredith contributed to this report.

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NATO's chief says Russia could invade Ukraine 'without any warning at all' as Putin tests missile launches

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has posed the question that's kept the world on edge for weeks: will Russia attack Ukraine? Not even those in the Russian government - besides President Vladimir Putin - appear to know the answer, but the fact remains that there has been a steady buildup of Russian troops and military hardware near the Ukraine border; the largest since the end of the Cold War.

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Russia invaded Ukraine on the 24th of February, it is the largest conventional warfare in Europe since World War ll

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On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, one of its neighbours to the southwest. Early reports declared it the largest conventional warfare operation in Europe since World War II.[43][44][45] It marks a major escalation between the countries that had been in a state of conflict since 2014.[46][47][48]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

Part of the Russo-Ukrainian War

Military situation as of 28 February 2022
Ukraine
Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia and pro-Russian separatists
See also: Detailed map of the Russo-Ukrainian War

Belligerents

Commanders and leaders

Strength

Ukraine:

209,000 (armed forces)

102,000 (paramilitary)

900,000 (reserves)[9]

Order of battle for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

Casualties and losses

Per Russia (27 February):

Some losses, but no official number[10]

Per Ukraine/Europe:[11]

5,300 casualties[12]

200 captured[13]

Visually confirmed by ORYX (284 total):

32 tanks

26 Armored Fighting Vehicles

37 Infantry Fighting Vehicles

13 Armoured Personnel Carriers

3 MRAP Vehicles

20 Infantry Mobility Vehicles

2 Communications Vehicles

15 Engineering Vehicles

5 Anti-tank Guided Missiles

1 MPADS

2 Heavy Mortars

4 Towed Artillery

4 Self-Propelled Artillery

7 Multiple Rocket Launchers

2 Self-Propelled AA Guns

13 SAMS

3 Aircraft

4 Helicopters

95 Trucks, Vehicles, and Jeeps[14]

Per Russia:

2 civilian ships bombed (several casualties onboard)[15]

1 Su-25 crashed[16]

1 An-26 crashed (crew killed)[17]

Per Ukraine:

Per Ukraine (24 February):

40+ soldiers killed[20]

Per Russia:

470+ soldiers captured[16][21]

Visually confirmed by ORYX (146 total):

14 Tanks

20 Armored Fighting Vehicles

18 Infantry Fighting Vehicles

9 Armored Personnel Carriers

5 Infantry Mobility Vehicles

12 Anti-tank Guided Missiles

7 MPADS

2 Towed Artillery

5 Self-Propelled Artillery

6 SAMS

5 Radars

5 Aircraft

35 Trucks, Vehicles, and Jeeps[14]

Per Ukraine: Per Russia:

7 combat aircraft shot down[26]

7 combat helicopters shot down[26]

31 aircraft on ground destroyed[27]

9 drones shot down[26]

314 tanks/combat vehicles destroyed[28]

274 special military vehicles destroyed[28]

8 navy vessels destroyed[29]

Per Ukraine: 352 civilians killed, 1,684 wounded[30]

Per UN: 102+ civilians killed, 500,000+ refugees[31][32]

18 foreign citizens killed[d]

The invasion was preceded by a Russian military build-up that started in early 2021, during which Russian president Vladimir Putin criticised the post-1997 enlargement of NATO as a threat to his country's security and demanded that Ukraine be legally prohibited from joining the military alliance. He also expressed irredentist views,[49] claiming Ukraine was wrongfully created by Soviet Russia.[50] Despite the Russian military build-ups, Russian officials from 12 November 2021 to 20 February 2022 repeatedly denied that Russia had plans to invade Ukraine.[51][52] On 21 February 2022, Russia officially recognised the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, two self-proclaimed states in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and sent troops to the territories. The following day, the Russian Federation Council unanimously authorised Putin to use military force outside Russia's borders.[53]

Around 05:00 EET (UTC+2) on 24 February, Putin announced a "special military operation"[e][55] in eastern Ukraine; minutes later, missiles began to hit locations across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv. The Ukrainian Border Service said that its border posts with Russia and Belarus were attacked.[56][57] Two hours later, Russian ground forces entered the country.[58] Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded by enacting martial law, severing diplomatic ties with Russia, and ordering general mobilisation.[59][60]

The invasion received widespread international condemnation, including new sanctions imposed on Russia, triggering the 2022 Russian financial crisis. Global protests took place against the invasion, while protests in Russia were met with mass arrests.[61][62] Both prior to and during the invasion, various Western nations have been providing Ukraine with arms and other materiel support.[63]

Russian military build-ups

From March to April 2021, Russia commenced a major military build-up near areas that border Ukraine. A second phase of troop expansion took place from October 2021 to February 2022. Russian equipment marked with a white Z symbol, which is not a Cyrillic letter, were spotted on the sides of the equipment during the build-up. Tanks, fighting vehicles, and other equipment bearing the symbol were seen as late as 22 February 2022. Observers believed that the marking was a deconfliction measure meant to prevent friendly fire incidents.[92]

Russian officials' denials of plans to invade

Despite the Russian military build-ups,[93] Russian officials over months repeatedly denied that Russia had plans to invade Ukraine.[51][52][94] On 12 November 2021, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Putin, told reporters that "Russia doesn't threaten anyone. The movement of troops on our territory shouldn't be a cause for anyone's concern".[51][52] On 28 November 2021, Peskov stated that "Russia has never hatched, is not hatching and will never hatch any plans to attack anyone ... Russia is a peaceful country, which is interested in good relations with its neighbors".[51] On 12 December 2021, Peskov said that tensions regarding Ukraine were "being created to further demonise Russia and cast it as a potential aggressor".[51]

On 19 January 2022, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia does "not want and will not take any action of aggressive character. We will not attack, strike, invade, quote unquote, whatever Ukraine."[51] On 12 February 2022, Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described discussion about the "so-called planned Russian invasion" as "hysteria".[51][52] On 20 February 2022, Russia's ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said that Russian forces "don't threaten anyone. ... There is no invasion. There is [sic] no such plans."[52]

The US sought to counter Russian denials by releasing intelligence relating to Russian invasion plans including satellite photographs of buildup and movement of Russian troops and equipment near the Ukrainian border. The US also claimed the existence of a list of key Ukrainians to be killed or detained upon invasion.[95]

Russian accusations and demands

In the leadup to the invasion, Putin and Kremlin officials engaged in a protracted series of accusations against Ukraine as well as demands against Ukraine and NATO in an attempt to generate justification for war. On 9 December 2021, Putin spoke of discrimination against Russian speakers outside Russia, saying: "I have to say that Russophobia is a first step towards genocide."[96][97] On 15 February 2022, Putin told the press: "What is going on in Donbas is exactly genocide."[98] The Russian government also condemned the language policy in Ukraine.[99][100][101] On 18 February, Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the US, accused the US of condoning the forced cultural assimilation of Russians in Ukraine.[102] In an address on 21 February, Putin said that Ukrainian society "was faced with the rise of far-right nationalism, which rapidly developed into aggressive Russophobia and neo-Nazism."[103][104][105] Putin claimed that "Ukraine never had a tradition of genuine statehood" and was wrongly created by Soviet Russia.[50][106] He said that decommunization in Ukraine "suits us just fine", adding that Russia will show Ukraine "real decommunization".[106]

Putin's claims were generally ineffective and largely dismissed by the international community.[107] In particular, Russian claims of genocide have been widely rejected as baseless.[108][109] The European Commission has also rejected the allegations as "Russian disinformation".[110] The US embassy in Ukraine called the Russian genocide claim a "reprehensible falsehood".[111] Ned Price, a spokesperson for the US State Department, said that Moscow was making such claims as an excuse for invading Ukraine.[98]

According to press reports, Putin was using a "false 'Nazi' narrative", taking advantage of collaboration in German-occupied Ukraine during World War II, to justify Russia's attack on Ukraine; while there have been problems and the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion is a unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, analysts commented that Putin has largely overblown the issue, and said there is no widespread support for far-right ideology in the government, military, or electorate, and no far-right candidate won a single seat in the Verkhovna Rada, the national legislature, during the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election.[105][112][113]

Addressing the Russian claims specifically, Ukrainian president Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, stated that his grandfather served in the Soviet Army fighting against the Nazis;[114] three of his family members died in the Holocaust.[115] The US Holocaust Memorial Museum condemned Putin's abuse of Holocaust history as a justification for war.[116][117] Some commentators described Putin's claims as reflecting his isolation and reliance on an inner circle who were unable to give him frank advice.[118] The New York Times quoted Russian journalist Alexey Kovalev as saying that Putin's claims did not appear to resonate with Russians, as similar claims had been made prior to the 2014 invasion of Donbas.[119]

During the second build-up, Russia issued demands to the US and NATO which included a legally binding promise that Ukraine would not join NATO and a reduction in NATO troops and military hardware stationed in Eastern Europe.[120] In addition, Russia threatened an unspecified military response if NATO continued to follow an "aggressive line".[121] These demands were largely interpreted as being non-viable. New NATO members had joined as their populations broadly preferred to move towards the safety and economic opportunities offered by NATO and the European Union, and away from Russia.[122] The demand for a formal treaty preventing Ukraine from joining NATO was also seen as unviable, although NATO showed no desire to accede to Ukraine's requests to join.[123]

Alleged clashes

Fighting in Donbas escalated significantly on 17 February 2022. While the daily number of attacks over the first six weeks of 2022 ranged from two to five,[124] the Ukrainian military reported 60 attacks on 17 February. Russian state media also reported over 20 artillery attacks on separatist positions the same day.[124] The Ukrainian government accused Russian separatists of shelling a kindergarten at Stanytsia Luhanska using artillery, injuring three civilians. The Luhansk People's Republic said that its forces had been attacked by the Ukrainian government with mortars, grenade launchers, and machine gun fire.[125][126]

The next day, the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic ordered mandatory evacuations of civilians from their respective capital cities, although observers noted that full evacuations would take months to accomplish.[127][128][129][130] Ukrainian media reported a sharp increase in artillery shelling by the Russian-led militants in Donbas as attempts to provoke the Ukrainian army.[131][132] On 21 February, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that Ukrainian shelling had destroyed an FSB border facility 150 metres from the Russia-Ukraine border in Rostov Oblast.[133] The Luhansk thermal power station in the Luhansk People's Republic was also shelled by unknown forces.[134] Ukrainian news stated that it was forced to shut down as a result.[135]

Separately, the press service of the Southern Military District announced that Russian forces had in the morning that day killed a group of five saboteurs near the village of Mityakinskaya, Rostov Oblast, that had penetrated the border from Ukraine in two infantry fighting vehicles, the vehicles having been destroyed.[136] Ukraine denied being involved in both incidents and called them a false flag.[137][138] Additionally, two Ukrainian soldiers and a civilian were reported killed by shelling in the village of Zaitseve, 30 kilometres (19 mi; 16 nmi) north of Donetsk.[139] Several analysts, including the investigative website Bellingcat,[140] published evidence that many of the claimed attacks, explosions, and evacuations in Donbas were staged by Russia.[141][142][143]

Escalation (21-23 February)

On 21 February, following the recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk republics, Putin directed the deployment of Russian troops (including mechanised forces) into Donbas in what Russia referred to as a "peacekeeping mission".[144][145] Russia's military said it killed five Ukrainian "saboteurs" who crossed the border into Russia, a claim strongly denied by Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.[146] Later that day,[147] several independent media outlets confirmed that Russian forces were entering Donbas.[148][149][150] The 21 February intervention in Donbas was widely condemned by the UN Security Council and did not receive any support.[151] Kenya's ambassador Martin Kimani compared Putin's move to colonialism and said: "We must complete our recovery from the embers of dead empires in a way that does not plunge us back into new forms of domination and oppression."[152]

On 22 February, US president Joe Biden stated that "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine" had occurred. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said that "further invasion" had taken place. Ukrainian foreign minister Kuleba stated: "There's no such thing as a minor, middle or major invasion. Invasion is an invasion." Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that "Russian troops [had arrived] on Ukrainian soil" in what was "[not] a fully-fledged invasion".[153][154] On the same day, the Federation Council unanimously authorised Putin to use military force outside Russia.[53] In turn, Zelenskyy ordered a conscription of Ukraine's reservists, while not committing to general mobilisation yet.[155]

On 23 February, the Verkhovna Rada proclaimed a 30-day nationwide state of emergency, excluding the occupied territories in Donbas, which took effect at midnight. The parliament also ordered the mobilisation of all reservists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[156][157][158] On the same day, Russia began to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv and also lowered the Russian flag from the top of the building.[159] The websites of the Ukrainian parliament and government, along with banking websites, were hit by DDoS attacks.[160]

By night on 23 February, Zelenskyy made a televised speech in which he addressed the citizens of Russia in Russian and pleaded with them to prevent war.[161][162][163] In the speech, Zelenskyy refuted claims of the Russian government about the presence of neo-Nazis in the Ukrainian government and stated that he had no intention of attacking the Donbas region.[164][165]

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the leaders of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics sent a letter to Putin appealing for military support from Russia "in repelling the aggression of the Ukrainian armed forces", with the letter claiming that Ukrainian government shelling had caused civilian deaths.[166] In response to the appeal, Ukraine requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting.[167] Another meeting was convened on 23-24 February. Russia, which held the presidency of the UN Security Council for February 2022 and has veto power as one of five permanent members,[168][169] launched its invasion of Ukraine during the emergency meeting aiming to defuse the crisis. UN Secretary-General António Guterres pleaded to Putin: "Give peace a chance."[168]

24 February

Shortly before 06:00 Moscow Time (UTC+3) on 24 February, Putin announced that he had made the decision to launch a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine.[170][171][172] In his address, Putin claimed there were no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory and that he supported the right of the peoples of Ukraine to self-determination.[173] Putin also stated that Russia sought the "demilitarisation and denazification" of Ukraine and urged the Ukrainian military to lay down their arms and go to their homes.[174][175][176] He said that "all responsibility for possible bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine."[170]

Putin's claims that neo-Nazis were in control of Ukraine's government were again widely rejected as baseless,[177][178][179] and condemned by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.[180] In light of a request by the Russian Ministry of Defence asking air traffic control units of Ukraine to stop flights, airspace over Ukraine was restricted to non-civilian air traffic, with the whole area being deemed an active conflict zone by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.[181]

Within minutes of Putin's announcement, explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, and the Donbas.[182] Ukrainian officials said that Russia had landed troops in Mariupol and Odessa and launched cruise and ballistic missiles at airfields, military headquarters, and military depots in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro.[183][184][185] Military vehicles entered Ukraine through Senkivka, at the point where Ukraine meets Belarus and Russia, at around 6:48 am local time.[186] A video captured Russian troops entering Ukraine from Russian-annexed Crimea.[187][188]

The Kremlin planned to initially target artillery and missiles at command and control centres and then send fighter jets and helicopters to quickly gain air superiority.[189] The Center for Naval Analyses said that Russia would create a pincer movement to encircle Kyiv and envelop Ukraine's forces in the east, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies identifying three axes of advance: from Belarus in the north, from Donetsk, and from Crimea in the south.[189] The US said it believed that Russia intended to "decapitate" Ukraine's government and install their own,[190] with US intelligence officials believing that Kyiv would fall within 96 hours given circumstances on the ground.[191]

According to Ukrainian Minister of State Anton Herashchenko, just after 06:30 UTC+2, Russian forces were invading via land near the city of Kharkiv[192] and large-scale amphibious landings were reported in the city of Mariupol.[193][194][162] At 07:40, the BBC cited other sources in saying that troops were also entering the country from Belarusian territory.[195] The Ukrainian Border Force reported attacks on sites in Luhansk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Zhytomyr, as well as from Crimea.[196] The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed no resistance by Ukrainian border forces.[197] The Ukrainian interior ministry reported that Russian forces captured the villages of Horodyshche and Milove in Luhansk.[162] The Ukrainian Centre for Strategic Communication reported that the Ukrainian army repelled an attack near Shchastia (near Luhansk) and retook control of the town, claiming nearly 50 casualties from the Russian side.[198]

After being offline for an hour, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's website was restored, and declared that it had shot down five planes and one helicopter in Luhansk.[199] Shortly before 07:00 (UTC+2), Zelenskyy announced the introduction of martial law in Ukraine.[200] Later, he ordered the Ukrainian Army to "inflict maximum losses" to the invaders.[201] Zelenskyy also announced that Russia-Ukraine relations were being severed, effective immediately.[202] Later in the day, he announced general mobilisation.[59] Russian missiles targeted Ukrainian infrastructure, including Boryspil International Airport, Ukraine's largest airport, 29 km (18 mi) east of Kyiv.[203] Ukraine closed its air space for civilian flights.[204]

A military unit in Podilsk was attacked by Russian forces, resulting in six deaths and seven wounded. Nineteen more people were also reported missing.[205] Another person was killed in the city of Mariupol. A house in Chuhuiv was damaged by Russian artillery; its occupants were injured and one boy died.[206][207] Eighteen people were killed by Russian bombing in the village of Lipetske in Odesa Oblast.[207]

At 10:00 (UTC+2), it was reported during the briefing of the Ukrainian presidential administration that Russian troops had invaded Ukraine from the north (up to 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the border). Russian troops were said to be active in Kharkiv Oblast, in Chernihiv Oblast, and near Sumy.[208] Zelenskyy's press service also reported that Ukraine had repulsed an attack in Volyn Oblast.[209] At 10:30 (UTC+2), the Ukrainian Defence Ministry reported that Russian troops in Chernihiv Oblast had been stopped, a major battle near Kharkiv was in progress, and Mariupol and Shchastia had been fully reclaimed.[210]

The Ukrainian military claimed that six Russian planes, two helicopters, and dozens of armoured vehicles were destroyed.[210] Russia denied having lost any aircraft or armoured vehicles.[211] Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi published photos of two captured Russian soldiers saying they were from the Russian 423rd Guards Yampolsky Motor Rifle Regiment (military unit 91701).[212] Russia's 74th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade recon platoon surrendered[183] near Chernihiv.[213]

In the Battle of Antonov Airport, Russian airborne troops seized the Hostomel Airport in Hostomel, a suburb of Kyiv, after being transported by helicopters early in the morning; a Ukrainian counteroffensive to recapture the airport was launched later in the day.[214][215] The Rapid Response Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard stated that it had fought at the airfield, shooting down three of 34 Russian helicopters.[216]

Belarus allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from the north. At 11:00 (UTC+2), Ukrainian border guards reported a border breach in Vilcha ( Kyiv Oblast), and border guards in Zhytomyr Oblast were bombarded by Russian rocket launchers (presumably BM-21 Grad).[207] A helicopter without markings reportedly bombed Slavutych border guards position from Belarus.[217] At 11:30 (UTC+2), a second wave of Russian missile bombings targeted the cities of Kyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv, and Lviv. Heavy ground fighting was reported in the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.[218]

Civil rights activists in Poland reported an increase in the crossing of migrants from Belarus to Poland.[219] Belarus is considered by observers to be taking orders from Russia and using migrants at the Polish-Belarus border as a weapon (see also 2021-2022 Belarus-European Union border crisis).[220] By 12:04 (UTC+2), Russian troops advancing from Crimea moved towards the city of Nova Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast.[221] Later that day, Russian troops entered the city of Kherson and took control of the North Crimean Canal, which would allow them to resume water supplies for the peninsula.[222]

At 13:00 and 13:19 (UTC+2), Ukrainian border guards and Armed Forces reported two new clashes-near Sumy ("in the direction of Konotop") and Starobilsk (Luhansk Oblast).[207] At 13:32 (UTC+2), Valerii Zaluzhnyi reported four ballistic missiles launched from the territory of Belarus in the southwestern direction.[207] Several stations of Kyiv Metro and Kharkiv Metro were used as bomb shelters for the local population.[207] A local hospital in Vuhledar (Donetsk Oblast) was reported to have been bombed with four civilians dead and 10 wounded (including 6 physicians).[207] Ukrainian border guards reported that two Russian ships, Vasily Bykov ( Project 22160 patrol ship) and Moskva, attacked and tried to capture the small Snake Island near the Danube Delta.[207]

At 16:00 (UTC+2), Zelenskyy said that fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces had erupted in the ghost cities of Chernobyl and Pripyat.[223] By around 18:20 (UTC+2), the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was under Russian control,[224][225][226] as were the surrounding areas.[227][228][223] According to the Verkhovna Rada deputy Maryana Bezuhla, Russian troops threatened to attack Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.[229]

At 16:18 (UTC+2), Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, proclaimed a curfew lasting from 22:00 to 07:00.[230] Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, estimated that more than 100,000 Ukrainians suffered forced displacement, with thousands of these crossing into Moldova and Romania.[231] At 22:00 (UTC+2), the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine announced that Russian forces had captured Snake Island following a naval and air bombardment of the island.[232]

All thirteen border guards on the island were assumed to have been killed in the bombardment, after refusing to surrender to a Russian warship; a recording of the guards refusing an offer to surrender went viral on social media. President Zelenskyy announced that the presumed-dead border guards would be posthumously granted the title of Hero of Ukraine, the country's highest honor.[233][234] Seventeen civilians were confirmed killed, including thirteen killed in Southern Ukraine,[235] three in Mariupol, and one in Kharkiv.[236] Zelenskyy stated that 137 Ukrainian citizens (both soldiers and civilians) died on the first day of the invasion.[231]

25 February

By 01:24 (UTC+2), Zelenskyy had ordered the full mobilisation of the Ukrainian military for 90 days.[237] Around 04:00 (UTC+2) local time, Kyiv was rocked with two explosions. Ukrainian Interior Ministry official Anton Herashchenko relayed via text message that those explosions were cruise and ballistic missiles being targeted at Kyiv.[238] The Ukrainian government said that it had shot down an enemy aircraft over Kyiv, which then crashed into a residential building, setting it on fire.[239] It was later confirmed that the aircraft was a Ukrainian Su-27.[23]

Independent military analysts noted that Russian forces in the north of the country appeared to have been heavily engaged by the Ukrainian military. Russian units were attempting to encircle Kyiv and advance into Kharkiv, but were bogged down in heavy fighting, with social media images suggesting that some Russian armoured columns had been ambushed. In contrast, Russian operations in the east and south were more effective. The best trained and equipped Russian units were positioned outside Donbas in the southeast and appeared to have maneuvered around the prepared defensive trenches and attacked in the rear of Ukrainian defensive positions. Meanwhile, Russian military forces advancing from Crimea were divided into two columns, with analysts suggesting that they may have been attempting to encircle and entrap the Ukrainian defenders at Donbas, forcing the Ukrainians to abandon their prepared defences and fight in the open.[240]

On the morning of 25 February, Zelenskyy accused Russia of targeting civilian as well as military sites in a televised address.[241] Ukrainian Interior Ministry representative Vadym Denysenko said that 33 civilian sites had been hit in the previous 24 hours.[242] Ukraine's Defence Ministry stated that Russian forces had entered the district of Obolon, Kyiv, and were approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the Ukrainian Parliament.[233] The Defence Ministry also announced that all Ukrainian civilians were eligible to volunteer for military service regardless of their age.[183]

Ukrainian authorities reported that a non-critical increase in radiation exceeding control levels had been detected at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant after Russian troops had occupied the area, saying that this was due to the movement of heavy military vehicles lifting radioactive dust into the air.[243][244] Russia claimed that it was defending the plant from nationalistic and terrorist groups, and that staff were monitoring radiation levels at the site.[233]

The mayor of Horlivka in the Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic reported that a munition fired by the Ukrainian military hit a local school building, killing two teachers.[245]

Zelenskyy indicated that the Ukrainian government was not "afraid to talk about neutral status".[246] On the same day, President Putin indicated to Chinese president Xi Jinping that "Russia is willing to conduct high-level negotiations with Ukraine".[247]

As Russian troops approached Kyiv, Zelenskyy asked residents to prepare Molotov cocktails to "neutralise" the enemy. Putin meanwhile called on the Ukrainian military to overthrow the government.[248][249] Ukraine distributed 18,000 guns to Kyiv residents who expressed a willingness to fight and deployed the Territorial Defence Forces, the reserve component of the Ukrainian military, for the defence of Kyiv.[250] Some Russian forces had entered northern Kyiv, but had not progressed beyond that.[251] Russia's Spetsnaz troops infiltrated the city with the intention of "hunting" government officials.[252]

By the evening, The Pentagon stated that Russia had not established air supremacy of Ukrainian airspace, which US analysts had predicted would happen quickly after hostilities began. Ukrainian air defence capabilities had been degraded by Russian attacks, but remained operational. Military aircraft from both nations continued to fly over Ukraine.[253] The Pentagon also said that Russian troops were also not advancing as quickly as either US intelligence or Moscow believed they would, that Russia had not taken any population centres, and that Ukrainian command and control was still intact. The Pentagon warned that Russia had sent into Ukraine only 30 percent of the 150,000-190,000 troops it had massed at the border.[254]

A Ukrainian missile attack was launched against the Millerovo air base in Russia.[255] A Russian tank from a military column was filmed crushing a civilian car in northern Kyiv, veering across the road to crush it. The car driver, an elderly man, survived and was helped out by locals.[256][257][258]

26 February

At 00:00 UTC, heavy fighting was reported to the south of Kyiv, near the city of Vasylkiv and its air base.[259] The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter had shot down a Russian Il-76 transport plane carrying paratroopers near the city.[260] Vasylkiv mayor Natalia Balasinovich said her city had been successfully defended by Ukrainian forces and the fighting was ending.[261]

Around 03:00, more than 48 explosions in 30 minutes were reported around Kyiv, as the Ukrainian military was reported to be fighting near the CHP-6 power station in the northern neighbourhood of Troieshchyna.[262] The BBC reported the attack may be an attempt to cut off electricity to the city. Heavy fighting was reported near the Kyiv Zoo and the Shuliavka neighbourhood. Early on 26 February, the Ukrainian military said it had repelled a Russian attack on an army base located on Peremohy Avenue, a main road in Kyiv;[263] it also claimed to have repelled a Russian assault on the city of Mykolaiv on the Black Sea.[264] American officials said a Russian Il-76 transport plane had been shot down by Ukrainian forces near Bila Tserkva, about fifty miles south of Kyiv.[18][265] President Zelenskyy remained in Kyiv, and CNN reported that he had refused US offers of evacuation, instead requesting more ammunition for Ukrainian troops.[266]

Hundreds of casualties were reported during overnight fighting in Kyiv by the Associated Press, which said shelling had destroyed an apartment building, bridges, and schools.[18] The Russian defence ministry said it had captured Melitopol, near the Sea of Azov,[267] although British minister James Heappey questioned this claim.[268] At 11:00, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that its aircraft had conducted 34 sorties in the past 24 hours, indicating that Russia had continued to, unexpectedly, fail to gain air superiority.[269]

By the afternoon, most of the Russian forces that had amassed around Ukraine were fighting in the country. Mayor Klitschko of Kyiv imposed a curfew from 5 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday, warning that anyone outside during that time would be considered enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.[270] Reuters reported that internet connections were disrupted in parts of Ukraine, particularly in the south and east.[271] In response to a request from the vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Elon Musk announced that he had turned on his Starlink service in Ukraine, with "more terminals en route".[272][273]

Ukrainian Interior Ministry representative Vadym Denysenko stated that Russian forces had advanced further towards Enerhodar and the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant. He stated that they were deploying Grad missiles there and warned that they may attack the plant.[274] The Zaporizhia Regional State Administration stated that the Russian forces advancing on Enerhodar had later returned to Bolshaya Belozerka, a village located 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the city, on the same day.[275]

A Japanese-owned cargo ship, the MV Namura Queen with 20 crew members onboard was struck by a Russian missile in the Black Sea. A Moldovan ship, MV Millennial Spirit, was also shelled by a Russian warship, causing serious injuries.[276]

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic, confirmed that the Kadyrovtsy, units loyal to the Chechen Republic, had been deployed into Ukraine as well.[277]

CNN obtained footage of a Russian TOS-1 system, which carries thermobaric weapons, near the Ukrainian border.[278] The Daily Telegraph reported that Western officials warned such weapons would cause indiscriminate violence.[279] The Russian military used these kind of weapons in the First Chechen War in the 1990s and other countries deployed them in military conflicts likewise.[280]

A six-year-old boy was killed and multiple others were wounded when artillery fire hit the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv.[281] The Ukrainian military claimed to have blown up a convoy of 56 tankers in Chernihiv Oblast carrying diesel for Russian forces.[282]

By the end of the day, Russian forces had failed in their attempts to encircle and isolate Kyiv, despite mechanised and airborne attacks. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russia had committed its operational northern reserve of 17 battalion tactical groups (BTGs) after Ukrainian forces halted the advance of 14 BTGs to the north of Kyiv.[269] Russia temporarily abandoned attempts to seize Chernihiv and Kharkiv after attacks were repelled by determined Ukrainian resistance, and bypassed those cities to continue towards Kyiv. In the south, Russia took Berdiansk and threatened to encircle Mariupol.[269]

The ISW said that poor planning and execution was leading to morale and logistical issues for the Russian military in northern Ukraine. US and British officials reported that Russian forces faced shortages of gasoline and diesel, leading to tanks and armoured vehicles stalling and slowing their advance.[284] Videos also emerged online of Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) stranded on the roadside.[285] Russia continued to not use its full arsenal; the ISW said this was likely to avoid the diplomatic and public relations consequences of mass civilian casualties, as well as to avoid creating rubble that would impede the advance of its own forces.[269]

27 February

Overnight, a gas pipeline outside Kharkiv was reported to have been blown up by a Russian attack,[286] while an oil depot in the village of Kriachky near Vasylkiv ignited after being hit by missiles.[287] Heavy fighting near the Vasylkiv air base prevented firefighters from tackling the blaze.[288] Also at night, it was reported that a group of Ukrainian Roma (Gypsies) had seized a Russian tank in Liubymivka, close to Kakhovka, in the Kherson Oblast.[289][290] Furthermore, the Presidential Office stated that Zhuliany Airport was also bombed.[291] Russian-backed separatists in Luhansk province said that an oil terminal in the town of Rovenky was hit by a Ukrainian missile.[292] The State Emergency Service of Ukraine rescued 80 people from a nine-story residential building in Kharkiv after Russian artillery hit the building, extensively damaging it and killing a woman.[293]

Nova Kakhovka's mayor, Vladimir Kovalenko, confirmed that the city had been seized by Russian troops, and he accused them of destroying the settlements of Kozatske and Vesele.[294] Russian troops also entered Kharkiv, with fighting taking place in the city streets, including in the city centre.[295] At the same time, Russian tanks started pushing into Sumy.[296] Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian forces had completely surrounded Kherson and Berdiansk, in addition to capturing Henichesk and Kherson International Airport in Chernobaevka.[297][298] By the early afternoon, Kharkiv Oblast governor Oleh Synyehubov stated that Ukrainian forces had regained full control of Kharkiv,[299] and Ukranian authorities said that dozens of Russian troops in the city had surrendered.[300] Hennadiy Matsegora, the mayor of Kupiansk, later agreed to hand over control of the city to Russian forces.[301]

Sergey Melikov, the head of the Republic of Dagestan, announced that a high-ranking Dagestani officer, had been killed.[302] The Verkhovna Rada claimed that a unit of Kadyrovtsy soldiers was defeated in Hostomel.[303]

Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces on a high alert, a "special regime of combat duty", in response to what he called "aggressive statements" by NATO members.[304][305][306] This statement was met with harsh criticism from NATO, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN); Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg described it as being "dangerous and irresponsible", while UN official Stéphane Dujarric called the idea of a nuclear war "inconceivable".[307][308]

Ukraine said that it would send a delegation to meet with a Russian delegation for talks in Gomel, Belarus. Zelenskyy's office said that they agreed to meet without preconditions.[309][310][311] Zelenskyy also said that he talked by telephone with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko and stated that he was promised that Belarusian troops would not be sent to Ukraine.[312]

According to the intelligence analyst firm Rochan Consulting, Russia had been able to connect Crimea with areas in eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian forces by besieging Mariupol and Berdiansk.[313] Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to President Zelenskyy, stated that Berdiansk had been captured by Russian forces.[314] The main Russian force from the Crimea was advancing north towards Zaporizhzhia, while a Russian force on the east bank of the Dnipro threatened Mykolaiv.

The Guardian reported that Russian forces were pushed back in Bucha and Irpin to the north-west of Kyiv. According to British military intelligence, Russian mechanised forces had bypassed Chernihiv as they moved towards Kyiv.[316] Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai accused Russian forces of destroying Stanytsia Luhanska and Shchastia before capturing them, while Donetsk Oblast governor Pavlo Kyrylenko also accused them of destroying Volnovakha.[317]

The ISW said that Russian forces in northern Ukraine had likely conducted an "operational pause" starting the previous day in order to deploy additional forces and supplies; Russian military resources not previously part of the invasion force were being moved toward Ukraine in anticipation of a more difficult conflict than initially expected.

28 February

A US official said that Belarus was preparing to send its own soldiers into Ukraine in support of the Russian invasion, despite previous agreements with Ukraine.[318] The Kyiv Independent relayed an anonymous report by unnamed Belarusian opposition journalists that Belarusian paratroopers were to be deployed, likely either to the Kyiv or Zhytomyr areas.[319]

Fighting took place around Mariupol throughout the night.[320] On the morning of 28 February, the UK defence ministry said that most Russian ground forces remained over 30 km (19 mi) north of Kyiv, having been slowed by Ukrainian resistance at Hostomel Airport. It also said that fighting was taking place near Chernihiv and Kharkiv, and that both cities remained under Ukrainian control.[321]

The Times reported that the Wagner Group had been redeployed from Africa to Kyiv, with orders to assassinate Zelenskyy during the first days of the Russian invasion.[324] Both the Ukrainian and Russian governments meanwhile accused each other of using human shields.[325][326]

Arestovych claimed that more than 200 Russian military vehicles had been destroyed or damaged on the highway between Irpin and Zhytomyr by 14:00 EET.[327] Synyehubov stated that 11 civilians were killed and dozens were wounded because of Russian shelling on Kharkiv during daytime.[328]

Sanctions

Several countries began imposing limited sanctions on Russia when it declared the independence for Donbas, effectively making war inevitable, yet many countries held off so as not to antagonise Putin; however, with the commencement of attacks on 24 February, large numbers of countries began applying sanctions with the aim of crippling the Russian Economy. The sanctions were wide ranging, targeting individuals, banks, businesses, monetary exchanges, bank transfers, exports and imports. On 22 February, US president Joe Biden announced restrictions against four Russian banks, including V.E.B., as well as on "corrupt billionaires" close to Putin.[397] The US also instituted export controls, a novel sanction focused on restricting Russian access to high tech components, both hardware and software, that are made with any parts or intellectual property from the US. The sanction requires that any person or company that wants to sell technology, semiconductors, encryption software, lasers, or sensors to Russia request a license, which by default is denied. The enforcement mechanism is sanctions against the person or company, with the sanctions focused on the shipbuilding, aerospace, and defence industries.[398]

Prime Minister Johnson announced that all major Russian banks would have their assets frozen and be excluded from the UK financial system, and that some export licenses to Russia will be suspended.[205] He also introduced a deposit limit for Russian citizens in UK bank accounts, and froze the assets of over 100 additional individuals and entities.[399] German chancellor Olaf Scholz indefinitely blocked the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in response to the Russian invasion of Donbas.[400] The foreign ministers of the Baltic states called for Russia to be cut off from SWIFT, the global messaging network for international payments. Other EU member states had been reluctant, both because European lenders held most of the nearly $30 billion in foreign banks' exposure to Russia and because China has developed an alternative to SWIFT called CIPS; a weaponisation of SWIFT would provide greater impetus to the development of CIPS which in turn would weaken SWIFT as well as the West's control over international finance.[401][402] Other leaders calling for Russia to be stopped from accessing SWIFT include Czech president Miloš Zeman,[403] as well as British prime minister Boris Johnson.[404]

Germany in particular had resisted calls for Russia to be banned from SWIFT, citing the effect it would have on payments for Russian gas and oil; on 26 February, the German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock and economy minister Robert Habeck made a joint statement backing targeted restrictions of Russia from SWIFT.[405][406] Shortly thereafter, it was announced that major Russian banks would be removed from SWIFT, although there would still be limited accessibility to ensure the continued ability to pay for gas shipments.[407] Furthermore, it was announced that the West will place sanctions on the Russian Central Bank, which holds $630bn in foreign reserves, to prevent it from liquidating assets to offset the impact of sanctions.[408] The BBC's Faisal Islam stated that the measures are far from normal sanctions and are "better seen as a form of economic war." The intent of the sanctions is to push Russia into a deep recession with the likelihood of bank runs and hyperinflation. Islam noted that targeting a G20 central bank in this way has never been done before.[409] Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia and former president Dmitry Medvedev derided Western sanctions imposed on Russia, including personal sanctions, and commented that they were a sign of "political impotence" from NATO's withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying they increased government support; he threatened to nationalise foreign assets that companies held inside Russia.[410]

On the morning of 24 February, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, announced "massive" EU sanctions to be adopted by the union. The sanctions targeted technological transfers, Russian banks, and Russian assets.[411] Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that Russia would face "unprecedented isolation" as the EU would impose the "harshest package of sanctions [which the union has] ever implemented". He also said that "these are among the darkest hours of Europe since the Second World War".[412] President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola called for "immediate, quick, solid and swift action" and convened an extraordinary session of Parliament for 1 March.[413][414]

On 26 February, the French Navy intercepted Russian cargo ship Baltic Leader in the English Channel. The ship is suspected of belonging to a company targeted by the sanctions. The ship was escorted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer and is being investigated.[415]

The UK banned the Russian airline and flag carrier Aeroflot as well as Russian private jets from UK airspace.[205] On 25 February, Poland, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic announced that they would close their airspace to Russian airlines;[416][417] Estonia followed suit the next day.[418] In response, Russia banned British airplanes from its airspace. S7 Airlines, Russia's largest domestic carrier, announced that it was cancelling all flights to Europe,[417] and US carrier Delta Air Lines announced that it was suspending ties with Aeroflot.[419]

Russia further banned from its airspace all flights from carriers in Bulgaria, Poland, and the Czech Republic.[420] Estonia, Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia announced they would also ban Russian airlines from their airspace.[421] Germany also banned Russian aircraft from its airspace.[422] On 27 February, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had closed Portuguese airspace to Russian planes.[423] The same day, the EU announced that it would close its airspace to Russian aircraft.[424][425][351]

On 26 February, Bloomberg reported that two Chinese state banks-the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, which is the largest bank in the world, and the Bank of China, which is the country's biggest currency trader-were limiting financing to purchase Russian raw materials, which was limiting Russian access to foreign currency; this was being done out of apparent fear that this funding would be seen as support for the invasion and draw Western sanctions.[426] On 27 February, Ignazio Cassis, the president of the Swiss Confederation, announced that the Swiss government was very likely to sanction Russia and to freeze all Russian assets in the country.[427] On 28 February, Singapore became the first Southeast Asian country to impose sanctions on Russia by restricting banks and transactions linked to Russia;[428] the move was described by the South China Morning Post as being "almost unprecedented".[429] The same day, South Korea announced it would participate in the SWIFT ban againt Russia, as well as announcing an export ban on strategic materials covered by the "Big 4" treaties to which Korea belongs-the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Australia Group, and the Missile Technology Control Regime; in addition, 57 non-strategic materials, including semiconductors, IT equipment, sensors, lasers, maritime equipment, and aerospace equipment, are planned to be included in the export ban "soon".[430]

Economic impact

In Russia, the economic sanctions had an immediate effect. The Russian stock market crashed, falling 39%, as measured by the RTS Index, on the first day of the invasion, with similar falls in the following days. The Russian ruble fell to record lows, as Russians rushed to exchange money.[432][433][434] Stock exchanges in Moscow and St Petersburg were suspended.[435][436][437] The Central Bank of Russia announced its first market interventions since the 2014 annexation of Crimea to stabilise the market. It also raised interest rates to 20% and banned foreigners from selling local securities.[438] The sanctions put Russia's sovereign wealth fund at risk of disappearing.[439] On 28 February, with the value of the Russian ruble and the share prices for Russian equities falling on major exchanges, Moscow's MOEX exchange was closed for the day.[440]

In Ukraine, the National Bank suspended currency markets, announcing that it would fix the official exchange rate. The central bank also limited cash withdrawals to 100,000 hryvnia per day and prohibited withdrawal in foreign currencies by members of the general public. The PFTS Stock Exchange stated on 24 February that trading was suspended due to the emergency events.[441] As a result of the invasion, Brent oil prices rose above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014.[442]

Wheat prices surged to their highest prices since 2008 in response to the attack.[443] Ukraine is the fourth-largest exporter of corn and wheat and the world's largest exporter of sunflower oil, with Russia and Ukraine together exporting 29% of the world's wheat supply and 75% of world sunflower oil exports. The benchmark Chicago Board of Trade March wheat futures contract reached its highest price since 2012 on 25 February, with the prices of corn and soybean also spiking. The American Bakers Association president warned that the price of anything made with grain would begin rising as all the grain markets are interrelated. The chief agricultural economist for Wells Fargo stated that Ukraine will likely be severely limited in their ability to plant crops in spring 2022 and lose an agricultural year, while an embargo on Russian crops would create more inflation of food prices. Recovering crop production capabilities may take years even after fighting has stopped.[444] Surging wheat prices resulting from the conflict have strained countries such as Egypt, which are highly dependent upon Russian and Ukrainian wheat exports, and have provoked fears of social unrest.[445] On 24 February, China announced that it would drop all restrictions on Russian wheat, in what the South China Morning Post called a potential "lifeline" for the Russian economy.[446]

Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, warned that the conflict poses a substantial economic risk for the region and internationally and added that the Fund could help other countries impacted by the conflict, complementary to a $2.2 billion loan package being prepared to assist Ukraine. David Malpass, the president of the World Bank Group, said that the conflict would have far-reaching economic and social effects and reported that the bank was preparing options for significant economic and fiscal support to Ukrainians and the region.[447]

On 27 February, BP, one of the world's seven largest oil and gas companies and the single largest foreign investor in Russia, announced it was divesting from Rosneft.[448] The Rosneft interest comprises about half of BP's oil and gas reserves and a third of its production. The divestment may cost the company up to $25 billion and analysts noted that it was unlikely that BP would be able to recover a fraction of this cost.[449] The same day, the Government Pension Fund of Norway, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, announced that it would divest itself from its Russian assets. The fund owned about 25 billion Norwegian krone ($2.83 billion) in Russian company shares and government bonds.[450]

United Nations

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged Russia to immediately end aggression in Ukraine, while the French and US ambassadors announced that they would present a resolution to the UN Security Council on 25 February 2022.[470][169] The UK,[471] the US,[472] Canada,[473] and the EU have labelled the attack as unprovoked and unjustified,[474] and promised harsh sanctions on Russian individuals, businesses, and assets.[475] On 25 February, Russia vetoed a Security Council draft resolution "deploring, in the strongest terms, the Russian Federation's aggression", as expected. Eleven countries voted in favour, and three abstained, among them China, India, and the United Arab Emirates.[476] On 27 February, the UN Security Council voted to hold an emergency special session of the UN General Assembly to vote on a similar resolution.[477] The eleventh ever special session was convened on 28 February, with speeches by members expected to last several days.[478]

NATO

Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia triggered NATO security consultations under Article 4. The Estonian government issued a statement by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas saying: "Russia's widespread aggression is a threat to the entire world and to all NATO countries, and NATO consultations on strengthening the security of the Allies must be initiated to implement additional measures for ensuring the defence of NATO Allies. The most effective response to Russia's aggression is unity."[481] Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, vowed at a press conference in Brussels to send NATO troops to Poland in a matter of days following the Russian invasion.[482] On 24 February, Stoltenberg announced new plans that "will enable us to deploy capabilities and forces, including the NATO Response Force, to where they are needed".[480] Following the invasion, NATO announced plans to increase military deployments in the Baltics, Romania, and Poland.[483][484]

After the 25 February UN Security Council meeting, Stoltenberg announced that parts of the NATO Response Force would be deployed, for the first time ever, to NATO members along the Eastern border. He stated that forces would include elements of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), currently led by France.[485] Stoltenberg further stated that some NATO members are supplying weapons to Ukraine, including those for air defence. The US had announced on 24 February that it would be deploying 7,000 troops to join the 5,000 already in Europe.[485] NATO forces include the USS Harry S. Truman's Carrier Strike Group 8, which entered the Mediterranean Sea the previous week as part of a planned exercise. The carrier strike group was placed under NATO command, the first time this had occurred since the Cold War.[486]

During the Cold War, Finland and Sweden had remained neutral buffer states between NATO and the Soviet Union. To retain their neutral status, both states minimised their cooperation with NATO. Following the Fall of Communism, both states increased their cooperation with NATO, while stoutly retaining their neutral status.[489] Throughout the Cold War and the post-Communism era, majorities in both countries opposed joining NATO; however, with the increasing threat of Russia in the second decade of the 21st century, support for joining had begun to climb.[490] As Russia began to build forces on Ukraine's border in the leadup to their invasion, both countries increased their cooperation with NATO.[489] On 25 February, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova threatened Finland and Sweden with "military and political consequences" if they attempted to join NATO, despite their ongoing commitment to neutrality. Both countries had attended the emergency NATO summit as members of NATO's Partnership for Peace and both had condemned the invasion and had provided assistance to Ukraine.[491] The previous day, Prime Minister Sanna Marin commented on Finland's potential membership after the invasion, saying: "It is also now clear that the debate on NATO membership in Finland will change", while noting that a Finnish application to NATO would require widespread political and public support.[492] Shortly after the threat, a plane carrying Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's State Duma, was denied permission to cross both Swedish and Finnish airspace.[493]

European Union

On 27 February, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would ban Russian state-owned media outlets RT and Sputnik in response to disinformation and their coverage of the conflict in Ukraine.[494] She also said that the EU would finance the purchase and delivery of military equipment to Ukraine and proposed a ban on Russian aircraft using EU airspace.[495]

Other countries and international organisations

The Czech Republic, Latvia, and Lithuania have stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens.[497] Micronesia severed diplomatic relations with Russia following the invasion.[498] Following its intervention in protests against the government earlier in 2022, Moscow requested that Kazakhstan send troops to assist in the offensive, but Kazakhstan refused, reiterating that it does not recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk separatists.[499]

In a call with Putin, Xi Jinping, the Chinese paramount leader and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, said China supports efforts to resolve the dispute through dialogue; Putin stated he was open to holding high-level talks with Ukraine.[500] In a statement released on 25 February, China said that Ukraine's territory and sovereignty should be respected and urged talks between Ukraine and Russia as soon as possible.[501] Shortly after, Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister and state councilor, stated that China has a clear position respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries, including Ukraine.[501] Indian prime minister Narendra Modi appealed for an immediate cessation of violence in Ukraine, though he has refrained from taking a stand on the issue and did not condemn the Russian invasion.[502][503] India is reportedly preparing a mechanism to trade with Russia using rupees to avoid the impact of Western sanctions.[504]

Serbia is among the few European countries that opposes sanctions on Russia. Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić said that his country supports Ukraine's sovereignty but that he would look after Serbia's own interests.[505] Vučić also stated that he would condemn Russia's recognition of the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine only if Zelenskyy condemns the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia on public television.[506] While there was no agreement on sanctions on Russia, Serbia nevertheless expressed regrets over the events, describing both Russia and Ukraine as friendly states and underlining full support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.[507][508] His initial weak response was criticised by multiple commentators in the country and the region, while some local media outlets sided with Russia.[509][510] The Serbian organization Women in Black organised anti-war demonstrations in Belgrade, and the Serbian Orthodox Church organised a collection of humanitarian aid.[511][512]

Pope Francis expressed his "deepest sorrow" in a phone call to Zelenskyy, who thanked the Pope for his support.[513] The Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, regarded as the primus inter pares (first among equals) in the Eastern Orthodox Church and spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, called for an end to the war. Bartholomew called the war abominable and voiced solidarity and support with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.[514] Patriarch Kirill of Moscow released a statement noting "the suffering of people", calling on all parties "to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties" while asking the Moscow Patriarchate to pray for "the rapid restoration of peace". Metropolitan Onufriy, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate, said the war had no justification.[515]

The hacking collective Anonymous conducted DDoS attacks on the RT website,[516] as well as on the website of the Russian Ministry of Defence.[517][518]

Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwan, said that Taiwan condemns the infringement of Ukrainian sovereignty and called for peaceful resolution.[519] Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on 25 February condemning Russia and announcing sanctions.[520] These will likely affect semi-conductors,[521] as Taiwan produces much of the global supply.[522] On 26 February, Vadim Krasnoselski, the president of the unrecognised state of Transnistria, affirmed that Transnistria as a peaceful state had no offensive plans, referencing Transnistria's large population of Ukrainians and how Ukrainian language is taught in its schools.[523] Also on 26 February, the Council of Europe suspended Russian participation in the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly. Council Secretary-General Marija Pejčinović Burić called the invasion a "flagrant violation" and stated: "This is a dark hour for Europe and everything it stands for."[524]

Entertainment organisations

UEFA, the European governing body for football, decided to relocate the Champions League final from Saint Petersburg to Saint-Denis, France after a meeting of the body's Executive Committee.[526][527] The national football teams of Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden refused to play any matches with Russia.[528] Formula One called off the Russian Grand Prix for this year in the wake of the crisis, with world champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen calling it 'wrong' to race in the country.[529][530] The International Olympic Commitee called upon international sporting federations to either move or cancel any sports events planned in Russia or Belarus;[531][532] the Union Cycliste Internationale and the International Gymnastics Federation were among those to act accordingly.[533][534] The International Judo Federation suspended President Putin's status as "Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation".[535]

Finland-based Jokerit and Latvia-based Dinamo Riga announced separately that the two ice hockey teams would withdraw from Russia's top-tier Kontinental Hockey League.[536][537][538] The European Broadcasting Union excluded Russia from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, with the organisers saying that its inclusion could "bring the competition into disrepute".[539][540]

Protests

In Russia

Almost 2,000 Russians in 60 cities across Russia were detained by police on 24 February for protesting against the invasion, according to OVD-Info;[541] by 27 February it reported that more than 5,900 protestors had been detained overall.[542] Russia's interior ministry justified these arrests due to the "coronavirus restrictions, including on public events" that continue to be in place.[543] Russian authorities warned Russians of legal repercussions for joining anti-war protests.[544] Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov announced that the Novaya Gazeta newspaper would publish its next edition in both Ukrainian and Russian. Muratov, journalist Mikhail Zygar, director Vladimir Mirzoyev, and others signed a document stating that Ukraine was not a threat to Russia and calling for Russian citizens to denounce the war.[545]

Elena Chernenko, a journalist at Kommersant, circulated a critical open letter signed by 170 journalists and academics.[546] State Duma deputy Mikhail Matveev voted in favour of the recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics but later condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[547] State Duma deputy Oleg Smolin said he was "shocked" by the invasion.[548] Mikhail Fridman, Russia's richest billionaire, called for the "bloodshed to end".[549]

More than 10,000 technology workers,[550] 6,000 medical workers, 3,400 architects,[548] 2,000 actors, directors, and other creative figures, and 1,500 teachers signed petitions calling for Putin's government to stop the war.[456][551] Russian human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov started a petition to protest the invasion, garnering more than 750,000 signatures by 26 February.[456] The founders of the Immortal Regiment commemoration movement, in which ordinary Russians annually march with photographs of veteran family members to mark World War II's Victory Day on 9 May, called on Putin to cease fire, describing the use of force as inhuman.[551]

Outside Russia

Protests in support of Ukraine have broken out in cities worldwide, including in Armenia,[553] Australia,[554] Azerbaijan,[555], Belarus, [556] Belgium,[557] Bosnia and Herzegovina,[558] Brazil,[559] Bulgaria,[560] Canada,[561] Croatia,[562] Denmark,[563] Estonia,[564] France,[565] Georgia,[566] Germany,[567] Greece,[568] Hungary,[569] Iceland,[570] Iran,[571][572] Ireland,[573] Israel, [574][575] Italy,[576] Japan,[577] Kazakhstan,[578] Malaysia,[579] Moldova,[580] the Netherlands,[581] Norway,[582] Portugal,[583] Romania,[584] Slovakia,[585] Slovenia,[586] Spain,[587] Sweden,[588] Switzerland,[589] Taiwan,[590] Turkey,[591] the UK,[592] and the US.[593] In the Czech Republic, some three thousand people protested in Wenceslas Square in Prague.[594][595] On 27 February, more than 100,000 gathered in Berlin to protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.[596] During a constitutional referendum vote, Belarusian protestors in Minsk chanted "No to War" at polling stations.[597]

A boycott movement against Russian and Belarusian products spread in some countries, most notably in the Baltic states. In Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia most supermarkets removed Russian and Belarusian products such as food, drinks, magazines, and newspapers, with Coop, Rimi, Maxima, and Barbora being the most notable supermarket chains to have joined the boycott.[598][599][600] In Canada, the liquor control boards of several provinces, including Liquor Control Board of Ontario,[601] Société des alcools du Québec,[602] Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation,[603] Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation,[604] and Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation,[605] were ordered to remove Russian alcohol products from its retail stores. In Canada, the government of British Columbia ceased the import of Russian liquor products, and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario announced the removal of Russian liquor from all 679 liquor retailers within its jurisdiction.[606] In the US, politicians in Ohio, New Hampshire, and Utah placed legal restrictions on the sale of Russian liquor and many bars, restaurants, and liquor retailers have removed Russian brands from their selections voluntarily, some taking extra steps to support Ukrainian liquors in a further show of solidarity with Ukraine.[607][608]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine - Wikipedia

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On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, one of its neighbours to the southwest.

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Russia began invasion on Ukraine by land, air, and sea from three different sides.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60503037

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Ukraine conflict: Russian forces attack from three sides

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Moscow launches a deadly attack targeting cities and military targets, as civilians attempt to flee.

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- The mayor of Kyiv states that the whole city is surrounded, making evacuations almost impossible.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/26/fighting-for-kyiv-ongoing-as-russia-vows-all-out-war-live-news

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Russian forces are waging a multipronged assault on Ukraine [Sergey Bobok/AFP]

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv will send a delegation of officials for talks "without preconditions" with Moscow at the Ukraine-Belarus border.

The European Union approves the closure of its airspace to Russian aircraft as well as further sanctions, including the exclusion of some Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system.

Russian President Vladimir Putin puts Russia's nuclear forces on high alert.

Kharkiv governor says Ukrainian troops have full control of the country's second-largest city after street fighting with Russian forces.

Kyiv's mayor says the city is encircled, making evacuations impossible.

More than 360,000 people have fled Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's assault, the UN says.

The live blog is now closed; thank you for joining us. Here are the updates for February 27:

Ukrainian military says Sunday was difficult for its forces

The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces described Sunday as "a difficult time" for the military, saying Russian troops "continue shelling in almost all directions".

In an English-language post on Facebook, the general staff said defence force members in the Vasylkiv military air base southwest of Kyiv were resisting artillery raids and Russian attacks.

Russia's Aeroflot to cancel all flights to European destinations

Russian airline Aeroflot has said it would cancel all flights to European destinations until further notice after the decision by many countries to close their airspace in protest at Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Aeroflot is suspending flights of the European route network from February 28, 2022 until further notice," the company said on its website.

Saudi crown prince, France's Macron discuss energy market impact of Ukraine crisis

The Saudi crown prince and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed the effect of the Ukraine crisis on energy markets, Ekhbariya TV reported.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud stressed in a phone call with Macron the kingdom's keenness on the stability and balance of oil markets and its commitment to the OPEC+ agreement, the state-owned TV channel added.

Czech FA says 'no change' in refusal to play Russia despite FIFA plan

The Czech Football Association has said the Czechs would not play Russia in a World Cup playoff game despite FIFA's efforts to make Russia an acceptable opponent amid the Ukraine invasion.

"There will be no change in the Czech national team's ... standpoint even after FIFA's decision to let Russia play at the international level but on neutral grounds, without a flag and anthem," the Czech FA said in a statement.

US, France urge citizens to leave Russia

The United States and France have issued security warnings to their citizens in Russia.

"US citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available," the US embassy in Moscow said.

The French foreign ministry said "all French nationals should leave Russia immediately."

Russia's invasion kills 352 civilians, 14 children

Ukraine's health ministry has said 352 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

It also said that 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded.

UN Security Council convenes rare emergency meeting

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has voted to hold a rare emergency meeting of the General Assembly on Monday.

France is expected to sponsor a resolution at the UNSC calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a guarantee that humanitarian aid can be delivered to civilians, the presidency announced.

Russia, which blocked a council resolution condemning Moscow's "aggression" in Ukraine on Friday, is expected to use its veto power.

Ukraine files genocide case against Russia at UN's top court

Ukraine has launched a case against Russia at the UN's highest court, accusing Moscow of planning genocide and asking for the court to order Russia to halt its invasion and pay reparations.

The case asks the International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, to indicate "provisional measures" ordering Moscow to "immediately suspend the military operations".

EU approves closure of airspace, further sanctions

EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell has said the bloc has approved crippling sanctions to Russian financial markets, including the exclusion of some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system.

"We are going after the wealth of Putin's elite," Borrell told a news conference in Brussels after a virtual meeting of foreign ministers on the crisis.

The EU has also approved the closure of its airspace to Russian aircraft and unblocked 450 million euros ($500 million) for members states to buy arms for Ukraine.

"We are afraid that Russia is not going to stop in Ukraine, and the Russian influence can start working in the neighbouring countries," Borrell said.

BP quits Russia in up to $25bn hit

BP is abandoning its 19.75 percent stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft, which accounts for about half of BP's oil and gas reserves and a third of its production.

Divesting the stake will result in charges of up to $25bn, the UK-based oil and gas giant said, without saying how it plans to extricate itself.

Rosneft condemned BP's decision, saying 30 years of successful cooperation had been ruined, Russian news agencies reported.

FIFA moves Russia home games to neutral venues, bans flag and anthem

FIFA has responded to the invasion of Ukraine by telling Russia to play home matches at neutral venues and banning its national flag and anthem from matches.

The governing body of world football said Russian teams would play as the "Football Union of Russia".

It said it would continue dialogue with other sports organisations to determine additional measures "including potential exclusion from competitions".

Kosovo asks US for permanent military base, NATO membership

Kosovo has asked the US to establish a permanent military base in the country and speed up its integration into NATO after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Accelerating Kosovo's membership in NATO and having a permanent base of American forces is an immediate need to guarantee peace, security and stability in the Western Balkans," Kosovo's Defence Minister Armend Mehaj said on his Facebook page.

Kosovo's 2008 independence is recognised by more than 110 countries, mainly Western nations, but not by Russia or Serbia.

'We are encircled' but full of fight: Kyiv's mayor

Russian troops are drawing closer to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv's mayor has said, adding that the capital is now encircled.

Vitali Klitschko said it was impossible to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv.

"We can't do that, because all ways are blocked," he told The Associated Press news agency. "Right now, the most important question is to defend our country."

Czechs, Brits refuse to face Russia in World Cup qualifiers

The Czech Republic and England have joined Poland and Sweden in declaring their refusal to play Russia in upcoming football World Cup qualifying matches, citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Read more here.

Zelenskyy sceptical of Russia talks

Ukraine's president is willing to "try" talks with Russia but is sceptical of them.

"I will be honest, as always: I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try," Zelenskyy said in a video address. He added that if there was a "chance" to end the war, he should take part in the talks.

Ukrainian official says missiles launched from Belarus to Ukraine

Missiles launched from Belarus have hit an airport in Zhytomyr in northern Ukraine, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said.

Anton Herashchenko, the adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, said that Iskander missiles were launched at Ukraine from Belarus at approximately 5pm local time (15:00 GMT).

Ukrainian and Russian officials are due to meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine, Zelenskyy's office said earlier.

Ukraine's president earlier said he had received "assurances" from his Belarusian counterpart that "missiles, planes and helicopters" would not fly to Ukraine from Belarus ahead of the negotiations.

Putin aiming for full victory by March 2: former minister

Russia's former deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov has said Putin is aiming for a full victory by March 2.

Speaking to Al Jazeera's Start Here, Fedorov said "everything will depend frankly speaking on the coming two days because, according to my knowledge, Putin orders for complete military operation with a victory by March 2."

Fedorov added that Moscow was taken aback by Ukraine's fierce resistance and by the decision on the part of European states - who are largely dependent on Russian gas - to impose harsh sanctions.

"[These measures have] caused a lot of problems over here now," he said.

EU expects more than 7 million displaced Ukrainians

The EU's executive has said the number of Ukrainians displaced by the war could be more than 7 million.

"We are witnessing what could become the largest humanitarian crisis on our European continent in many, many years. The needs are growing as we speak," Janez Lenarcic, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, told a news conference in Brussels.

Russians hold anti-war rallies amid crackdown

Protests at Gostiny Dvor in St Petersburg were still going on as of Sunday night, amid a heavy police presence and OMON special officers in riot gear.

Sources told Al Jazeera the rallies appeared more spread out along Nevsky Prospekt, the main avenue in the city, with at least one group of demonstrators breaking off from the rally and marching down a side street, chanting "No to War!"

OVD-Info, which monitors arrests at protests, said 2,114 protesters had been detained on Sunday.

Russia admits 'killed and injured' troops in Ukraine

Russia's army admitted for the first time that there were "killed and injured" soldiers among its troops in Ukraine, without saying how many had died there.

"Russian servicemen are showing courage and heroism while fulfilling combat tasks in the special military operation," Moscow's army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on state television.

"Unfortunately, there are killed and injured among our comrades."

Sweden to send military aid to Ukraine

Sweden will send military aid to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, helmets and body armour, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said.

"Sweden is now proposing direct support for Ukraine's armed forces. It includes 135,000 field rations, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 body shields and 5,000 anti-tank weapons," Andersson told a news conference.

EU to close airspace to Russia, curb media, target Belarus

The EU will shut down its airspace to Russian aircraft, seek to ban Russian state-owned media in the bloc and target Russian ally Belarus with sanctions, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said.

Von der Leyen has also said that the EU would for the first time finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country under attack, meaning Ukraine.

"This is a watershed moment for our Union," she said at a news conference in Brussels.

We are stepping up our support for Ukraine.

For the first time, the EU will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to a country under attack.

We are also strengthening our sanctions against the Kremlin.
https://t.co/qEBICNxYa1

- Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 27, 2022

Finland weighs sending weapons to Ukraine

Finland is considering whether to send weapons to Ukraine directly, Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen has said, in what would be a departure from its longstanding policy of not allowing weapons to be exported to war zones.

Kaikkonen also said that Finland, which is not a NATO member and shares a long border with Russia, had given the green light to Estonia to send previously Finnish-owned field guns to Ukraine.

NATO chief slams Putin's nuclear move as 'irresponsible'

Putin's decision to shift Russia's nuclear forces to a high alert footing amounts to "irresponsible" behaviour, NATO's secretary-general says.

"This is dangerous rhetoric. This is a behaviour which is irresponsible," Jens Stoltenberg told CNN.

"And, of course, if you combine this rhetoric with what they're doing on the ground in Ukraine, waging war against the independent sovereign nation, conducting a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, this adds to the seriousness of the situation," he added.

Putin's decision could make situation "much more dangerous," US official warns

A senior US defence official has warned that Putin's move could make things "much, much more dangerous".

"It's clearly, essentially, putting in play forces that, if there's a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous," the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters at a Pentagon briefing.

World's largest cargo plane burned in Russian attack

The world's largest cargo plane, the Ukrainian-made Antonov-225 Mriya, was burned during a Russian attack on a strategic airfield near Kyiv, according to Ukrainian state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom.

"The Russian occupiers destroyed the flagship of Ukrainian aviation - the legendary An-225 Mriya. It happened at the Antonov airfield in Hostomel near Kyiv," Ukroboronprom said on its Facebook page.

It added that the plane restoration would cost more than $3bn and take a long time.

Commenting on the incident, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia would "never be able" to destroy Ukraine's dream of itself as a "strong, free and democratic European state".

This was the world's largest aircraft, AN-225 'Mriya' ('Dream' in Ukrainian). Russia may have destroyed our 'Mriya'. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail! pic.twitter.com/TdnBFlj3N8

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022

Putin pins responsibility on the West for move to put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert

Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from Moscow, says Putin has claimed that his move to put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert was triggered by Western powers' behaviour.

"He blames aggressive statements by NATO leaders and the economic sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow for his decision," Smith said.

"This is clearly a ratcheting up of the pressure from Putin in response," he added.

"The United States has said that this is part of a pattern of Moscow manufacturing threats to justify its aggression, while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has described it as 'dangerous rhetoric'."

Police detain nearly 1,000 at anti-war protests across Russia, monitoring group says

Russian police have detained more than 900 people for participating in anti-war protests held in dozens of cities nationwide, according to protest monitoring group OVD-Info.

The demonstrations, which reportedly took place in 44 cities across Russia, coincided with the seventh anniversary of the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov.

The latest arrests take the total number of people detained for participating in anti-war protests throughout Russia since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine to more than 4,300, according to OVD-Info.

'We will not give up a single inch of our territory': Ukrainian foreign minister

Kuleba says Ukraine will "not give up a single inch of ... territory" after agreeing to talks with Russia.

"We go there [to the talks] to listen to what Russia wants to say, we are going without any ... preliminary agreement on what the outcome of these talks can be. We are going there to listen and to say what we think of this war and Russia's actions," Ukraine's foreign minister said in a live video address.

"Between now and the moment that the talks are wrapped up, [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko assured President Zelenskyy that no Belarusian military force will be used against Ukraine," he added.

"We can only hope that Lukashenko will stick to his word. And between now and the moment when these talks are wrapped up, we will continue to fiercely defend our country, to defeat Russian forces if they try to continue their offensive operations.

"We will continue to defeat them in the territories that they have taken under their control - we will not stop, until we defend our country entirely. So there is nothing bad in talking as such, and if the outcome of these talks is peace, that should be welcomed.

"But we will not, and I want to make it very clear, we will not give up a single inch of our territory."

EU says 300,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered the bloc so far

At least 300,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed into the EU since Russia began its offensive, the bloc's home affairs commissioner has said.

"I am proud of how the European citizens at the borders are showing concrete solidarity with Ukrainians fleeing this terrible, aggressive war," Ylva Johansson told reporters on her arrival for a special meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels to discuss the fallout of the war in Ukraine.

She added the bloc needs to ready for even larger numbers of arrivals yet.

"I think we need to prepare for millions," Johansson said.

Ukraine will 'prevail' amid Russia's assault, foreign minister says

Kuleba says Russia's goal is to "destroy Ukraine as a state".

"But we will not fall," Kuleba said in his address.

"This is a war between President Putin and the people of Ukraine. We are determined to fight back fiercely as long as it is needed, to defend our land and our people ... and I am sure that we will prevail," he added.

'Confusion about location for talks'

Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, says there is "some confusion" about where the Ukraine-Russia talks will take place.

"The Ukrainians are saying these talks will be held near the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, but according to the Russians, they believe, still, that the talks will place in the southeastern city of Gomel in Belarus," she said.

"There seems to be some confusion about where the location for these talks will be."

Kyiv to send delegation for talks with Moscow at Ukraine-Belarus border, Zelenskyy says

Ukraine's president says Kyiv has agreed to send a delegation for talks "without preconditions" with Russian officials on the Ukraine-Belarus border.

"We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," Zelenskyy said in a statement after holding a phone call with Lukashenko.

He did not give a precise time for the meeting, but said Lukashenko, a Putin ally, "has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return."

Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert

Putin has ordered his military command to put Russia's deterrence forces - a reference to units which include nuclear arms - on high alert, citing aggressive statements by NATO leaders and economic sanctions against Moscow.

"As you can see, not only do Western countries take unfriendly measures against our country in the economic dimension - I mean the illegal sanctions that everyone knows about very well - but also the top officials of leading NATO countries allow themselves to make aggressive statements with regards to our country," Putin said on state television.

France closes airspace for Russian aircraft

France has announced that it will follow other European countries in shutting its airspace to Russian aircraft to punish the country for invading Ukraine.

"France is shutting its airspace to all Russian aircraft and airlines from this evening on," Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari tweeted.

Russia faces sporting fallout over invasion of Ukraine

The consequences of Russia's war are rippling through the sports world, as athletes and fans express solidarity with Ukraine.

Read more here.

Kyiv's defence holding firm, mayor says

Kyiv's mayor says there are no Russian troops in the Ukrainian capital, adding the city's defence is holding firm against attacks from Moscow's forces.

"Our military, law enforcement and territorial defence continue to detect and neutralise saboteurs," Vitali Klitschko wrote on his Telegram messaging channel.

Elon Musk says Starlink internet service 'active' in Ukraine

SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk says the company's Starlink satellite broadband service is now "active" in Ukraine, where internet access has been disrupted due to Russia's assault.

"Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route," Musk wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Read more here.

Ukraine's president says he spoke with Belarusian counterpart

Zelenskyy says he has spoken with Lukashenko.

The Ukrainian president's announcement, issued on his Telegram messaging channel, came after Kyiv rejected talks with Moscow in Belarus, accusing it of allowing Russian troops to enter Ukraine through its territory.

Zelenskyy provided no further details of his talks with the Belarusian president.

Tanks in the middle of Bucha, resident says

Russian tanks are stationed in the middle of Bucha, a city 30km (18 miles) west of Kyiv, a local resident told Al Jazeera by phone.

The man, who wished to remain unidentified, said one of the tanks was standing right outside his house. He claimed Russian servicemen shower the houses on the street with bullets from their assault rifles, but are "afraid" to enter the properties.

Another town, Makarov, 50km (31 miles) west of Kyiv, is "being attacked" by Russian tanks, a resident told Al Jazeera by phone. Her family, including two teenage girls, is hiding in the basement of her house, she said.

The woman also wished to remain unidentified.
Reporting by Mansur Mirovalev in Kyiv.
Ukraine has full control of Kharkiv, regional official claims

Ukraine has full control of Kharkiv, Sinegubov says.

"Control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The armed forces, the police, and the defense forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy," he wrote on the Telegram messaging service.

Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the regional governor's claim.

UN refugee agency says more than 360,000 people have fled the country

At least 368,000 people have now fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of Russia's invasion, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says.

The number has risen rapidly since Moscow launched its onslaught and is expected to continue to climb quickly.

BREAKING: #Ukraine refugee numbers have just been refreshed - these are based on data made available by national authorities. The current total is now 368,000 and continues to rise.

- UNHCR News (@RefugeesMedia) February 27, 2022

More European states bar Russian planes from their airspace

A string of European countries, including Germany and Finland, have said they are preparing to close their airspace to Russian planes, mirroring measures already taken by other states on the continent.

Sweden, Denmark and Iceland were alongside Berlin and Helsinki as the latest to take action.

Germany said its ban will last for three months and apply to all Russian flights from 14:00 GMT on Sunday as the screws tighten on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Only humanitarian flights will be exempt from Berlin's measure.

The United Kingdom, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania, as well as Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, have also moved to shutter their airspace to Russian planes.

As Russia's assault intensifies, Nigerian students try to flee Ukraine

As Russia's assault on Ukraine intensifies, international students from Nigeria are scrambling to try and flee Ukraine.

Read more here.

'Stress and tension' throughout Ukraine amid hunt for saboteurs

Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, reporting from the city of Lviv, in western Ukraine, says local officials in Kyiv report that clashes with "saboteurs ... [who are] thought to be undercover Russians" are ongoing.

"These saboteurs are set upon by anybody available, that can be civilians with free, hand-out guns, or it can be the security forces," Simmons said.

"That's happening a lot and we are hearing that some of the explosions around Ukraine, and some of the attacks, are down to these saboteurs.

"We don't have full details ... but we do know that it is incredibly dangerous anywhere in the country, particularly in Kyiv, not just because of the Russian attacks but because of the level of stress and tension with field operations going on to try to find these saboteurs."

Greece to send defence supplies to Ukraine

Greece is sending defence supplies to Ukraine in response to a request from Kyiv, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's office says.

Two C-130 military transport planes will carry the supplies to Poland, from where they will be transported onwards to Ukraine, the office said.

The move comes after Athens said on Saturday that 10 Greek nationals had been killed and six others wounded by Russian bombings near the city of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine.

World in 'new era' after Russian invasion of Ukraine, Scholz says

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the world has entered a "new era" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In an address to lawmakers at a special parliamentary sitting, Scholz said the central question now confronting Western powers was whether they can muster enough force to check "warmongers" like Putin.

"In essence, it's a question of whether might can break right," he said.

EU should fund weapons and fuel for 'heroic' Ukraine, Borrell says

The EU's foreign policy chief says he will propose using the bloc's funds to help finance weapons and other supplies for Ukraine during a meeting of its foreign ministers later.

"I will propose to [EU foreign] ministers to use the European Peace Facility for two emergency assistance measures," Josep Borrell said in a statement before the virtual meeting.

"These aim to finance the supply of lethal material to the heroic Ukrainian army, which is fighting with fierce resistance against the Russian invaders and provide urgently needed non-lethal supplies, such as fuel."

Ukraine lodges case against Russia at UN's top court

Ukraine has lodged a complaint against Russia at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Zelenskyy says.

Read more here.

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.

- Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 27, 2022

Portugal to supply military equipment to Kyiv

Portugal will send military equipment to Ukraine, including ammunition and grenades, the country's defence ministry has said.

Lisbon is to dispatch "vests, helmets, night-vision goggles, grenades and ammunition", the ministry said in a statement on Twitter.

"Portugal supports Ukraine, which is defending itself against an unjustified, illegal and unacceptable invasion," Defence Minister Joao Cravinho said in a separate tweet.

The move means Portugal joins several other Western nations in dispatching military aid to Kyiv as it stares down Russia's attack.

Putin suspended as honorary president of International Judo Federation

Putin has been suspended as honorary president of the International Judo Federation (IJF), the governing body has announced.

"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 IJF said in a statement.

A judo blackbelt, 69-year-old Putin is a keen practitioner of the discipline and has co-authored a book titled "Judo: History, Theory, Practice".

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. https://t.co/QQDZbF6rfd

- Judo (@Judo) February 27, 2022

'We try to do everything we can to help our army': Dnipro blood bank volunteer

Tatyana, a mother of two children - aged six and nine - and a volunteer at a blood bank in the city of Dnipro in central Ukraine, says the situation in the country is "very scary".

"We just try to do everything we can now, gathering all our power to volunteer, to do something and help our army," Tatyana, who declined to give her surname, told Al Jazeera.

"[I came here] because I can't just sit at home and do nothing," she added.

"I am going to stay here [in Dnipro] for as long as I can - only if there is a very big danger to my kids will I drive to another region, but for now I'm not going to leave Dnipro ... this is my city and I want to do everything I can to keep it safe."

Turkey calls Russia's assault a 'war'

Turkey has called Russia's invasion of Ukraine a "war" in a rhetorical shift that could pave the way for the NATO member nation to enact an international pact limiting Russian naval passage to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Under the 1936 Montreux Convention, Turkey has control over the Dardanelles and Bosphorus Straits that connect the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and can limit the passage of warships during wartime or if threatened.

Balancing its Western commitments and close ties to Moscow, Ankara has said the Russian attack is unacceptable but until now had not described the situation as a war.

"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 spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter.

Kyiv has appealed to Ankara to block any more Russian warships from passing through the straits towards the Black Sea, from which Moscow has launched one of its incursions on Ukraine's southern coast.

Ukrainian official says 4,300 Russian soldiers killed

Ukraine's deputy defence minister has claimed that approximately 4,300 Russian servicemen have been killed in fighting so far.

Hanna Malyar said in a statement posted on Facebook that the exact number was being clarified, but alleged that Ukrainian forces had also destroyed about 146 tanks, 27 planes and 26 helicopters.

There was no immediate response to the claims from Moscow, and Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the figures provided.

Zelenskyy adviser claims military situation largely unchanged

An adviser to Zelenskyy says the military situation has not changed significantly in Ukraine, claiming the country's armed forces are still in control of the territory west of Kyiv and Russian troops not making any advance in the south.

"The fact that a Russian delegation arrived in Gomel with a proposal to conduct peace talks from a military point of view means only one thing: they have lost the initiative and are now unable to continue active hostilities," Oleksiy Arestovych said, citing Russia's push for negotiations in Belarus.

UN refugee agency says more than 200,000 people have fled the country

More than 200,000 people have now fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of Russia's invasion, UNHCR says.

The number has risen rapidly since Moscow launched its onslaught and is expected to continue to climb quickly.

Ukraine: Numbers are constantly being updated but the latest count of refugee arrivals in neighbouring countries now exceeds 200,000. We aim to have another update later today.

- UNHCR News (@RefugeesMedia) February 27, 2022

Russian president thanks special forces for fulfilling 'heroic duty'

Putin has thanked Russia's special forces for their actions in Ukraine, singling out those who are "heroically fulfilling their military duty" for praise.

"Special gratitude to those who these days are heroically fulfilling their military duty in the course of a special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas," Putin said in a televised address, citing the two breakaway regions - the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) - in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow's proposals for Belarus talks widely seen 'as a ploy'

Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, says it seems clear that Russia's proposals for talks with Ukraine in Belarus are "not going to happen" despite the Kremlin's apparent insistence over the country as the venue for any such discussions.

"The Kremlin has said that they are ready and willing to have discussions but it seems like they are adamant they want to have these negotiations in Belarus," Jabbari said.

"And, of course, the Ukrainians have said they are willing to discuss a format for talks ... but the location is important [for them] because we know that Belarus is one of the areas have entered into Ukraine from," she added.

"So it is very unclear what the Russians are thinking, but a lot of people have said that this seems to be yet another ploy [by Moscow], in order to make it appear that the Russians are willing to hold talks."

UK says Russia 'cannot negotiate with a gun to the head of the Ukrainians'

The UK's foreign secretary has said Ukraine cannot hold talks with Russia while Moscow has troops stationed in the country.

"Now if the Russians are serious about negotiations they need to remove their troops from Ukraine. They cannot negotiate with a gun to the head of the Ukrainians ... So frankly, I don't trust these so-called efforts of negotiation," Liz Truss told Sky News.

Ukrainian president slams Russian 'terror'

Zelenskyy has urged world powers to scrap Russia's voting power at the UN Security Council (UNSC), claiming Russian actions in his country verged on "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.

"Russia's criminal actions against Ukraine bear signs of genocide," he added.

There was no immediate response from Moscow, which itself has accused Ukraine's government of carrying out a "genocide" in the country's war-torn eastern Donbas region, where Russian-backed separatists control swaths of territory.

Russia's allegation has been roundly dismissed by Ukraine and Western countries.

Belarusian president urges Kyiv to accept Russian offer of talks: Report

Lukashenko has called on Ukraine's government to sit down and hold peace talks with Russia so that the country does not lose its statehood, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reports.

Ukraine death toll: What we know so far

Many people have reportedly been killed in Ukraine in Russia's assault, with fighting widespread across the country.

The UN said late on Saturday that it had confirmed reports of at least 64 civilian deaths. However, it added it believed the "real figures are considerably higher" because many reports of casualties remain unconfirmed.

Ukraine's Health Minister Viktor Liashko had earlier said 198 Ukrainians, including three children, had been killed.

Read more here.

Situation in Kharkiv 'very fluid', but Ukrainian forces fighting 'fiercely'

Maria Avdeeva, the Kharkiv-based research director for Ukraine's European Expert Association think-tank, has told Al Jazeera that heavy shelling started in the city late on Saturday and continued throughout the night and early this morning.

"I've even heard the [sound] of guns on the streets," Avdeeva said.

"What we know now is that Russia is entering the city in small groups, on lighter military vehicles, and they are [being] destroyed by the Ukrainian military. Some of the groups were already destroyed, they tried to get close to the city centre and we see many images of the destroyed Russian military vehicles on the streets," she added.

"The situation is very fluid, the Ukrainian military fights back fiercely, and there are also territorial defence units here as well, and these people will also participate in this fight on the streets."

Russians intend to use Kharkiv as a 'rear base'

Local authorities in Kharkiv say some light Russian vehicles have managed to enter the city from the northeast, according to Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid.

"It seems the city, from what we understand, is now surrounded from all sides by the Russians and it is difficult for civilians to get out of there," Abdel-Hamid said from Dnipro.

"Kharkiv is so close to the Russian border, about 40 kilometres (24 miles) from there, and a lot of people that live there are ethnically Russian," she added.

"There are a lot of commercial links between the two sides and even family links between the two sides, and I think the Russians were quite surprised to see that that city has put up a fight and is resisting.

"The Russians want to use Kharkiv as some sort of a rear base and from there head south, maybe towards here, Dnipro, which is a city that they would like to take."

Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready for peace talks, but not in Belarus

Ukraine's president says his country is ready for peace talks with Russia, but not in Belarus.

Zelenskyy's remarks came after the Kremlin said its delegation was ready to meet Ukrainian officials in the Belarusian city of Gomel.

Russia had massed tens of thousands of troops in Belarus prior to its invasion of Ukraine, and Kyiv has accused Moscow of using the country as a staging ground for its invasion.

Ukraine says it downed missile launched by Russian bomber flying over Belarus

Ukrainian forces have downed a cruise missile launched by a Russian Tu-22 strategic bomber from the territory of Belarus, Valery Zaluzhny, the chief commander of the armed forces, says.

Russia claims to have besieged Kherson, Berdyansk

Moscow has claimed its troops have "entirely" besieged the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson and 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.

Russian troops have entered Kharkiv, regional official says

Ukrainian forces are battling Russian troops on the streets of Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv, Sinegubov says.

"The Russian enemy's light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre," the regional governor said. "Ukraine's armed forces are destroying the enemy. We ask civilians not to go out."

Videos published by Ukraine's State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection showed several light military vehicles moving along a street and, separately, a burning tank.

China's envoy to Ukraine postpones evacuation of citizens

China's envoy to Ukraine has said current conditions in the country mean it is too unsafe to evacuate citizens.

In a lengthy video message on the embassy's official WeChat account, Chinese ambassador Fan Xianrong sought to dispel rumours he had left Kyiv and reassure Chinese nationals left stranded in the war-torn country.

"We must wait until it is safe before leaving," said Fan from his office, seated in front of a Chinese flag and what appeared to be a fold-out camp bed.

SWIFT preparing to comply with curbs on Russian banks

The SWIFT international payments system says it is preparing to implement Western nations' new measures targeting certain Russian banks in the coming days.

"We are engaging with European authorities to understand the details of the entities that will be subject to the new measures and we are preparing to comply upon legal instruction," it said in a statement.

Ukraine says Russian troops have blown up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv

Russian troops have blown up a natural gas pipeline in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's state communications service says.

A mushroom-shaped explosion was shown in a video it posted on the Telegram messaging app.

It was not immediately clear how important the pipeline was and whether the blast could disrupt gas shipments outside the city or country. Despite the war, Ukraine continues to ship Russian natural gas to Europe.

Ukraine roads company removing road signs to confuse Russians

A Ukrainian company in charge of building and maintaining roads says it is removing all road signs that could be used by invading Russian forces to find their way around the country.

"The enemy has poor communications, they cannot navigate the terrain," Ukravtodor said in a Facebook post. "Let us help them get straight to hell."

The company posted an edited photo of a standard road sign in which directions to nearby cities have been replaced with profanities.

'It was hell': Long lines of Ukrainian refugees at Poland border

The Polish government says more than 115,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed its border from Ukraine, most from the main border crossing of Medyka.

Read more here.

Town near Ukraine's Kyiv hit by missiles, oil terminal on fire

Russian missiles have hit the Ukrainian town of Vasylkiv, southwest of Kyiv, setting an oil terminal ablaze, the town's mayor says.

"The enemy wants to destroy everything around," Natalia Balasinovich said in a video posted online.

At least 64 civilians killed in Ukraine: UN

The UN says it has confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties, including at least 64 people killed, in the fighting in Ukraine, although it believes the "real figures are considerably higher" because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) relayed the count from the UN human rights office, which has strict verification procedures concerning death tolls in conflicts.

OCHA also said damage to civilian infrastructure has deprived hundreds of thousands of people of access to electricity or water, and produced a map of "humanitarian situations" in Ukraine - mostly in the country's northern, eastern and southern regions.

Details of financial sanctions are 'all that matters'

Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington, DC, says the decision by Western allies to cut Russia out of the SWIFT global payment system may affect some European countries.

"When it comes to financial sanctions, the details are really all that matters," she said. "The key here is how many banks are they going to go after - are they going to go after the truly powerful ones," Culhane said.

"Cutting some banks off would be very bad for those banks ... can they do it so that it's not so bad for the European economy," she added.

UK says Russian forces limiting social media access for own people

The UK has said that Russian forces restricted access to a number of social media platforms in an attempt to conceal details about the situation in Ukraine from their own people.

"Russian forces are sustaining casualties and a number of Russian troops have been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces," the Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update. "They are suffering from logistical challenges and strong Ukrainian resistance."

Ukrainian tennis player Yastremska flees to safety in France

Ukrainian tennis star Dayana Yastremska has fled her native country and is now safe in France, the 21-year-old said in a social media post.

Yastremska, who has won three WTA titles and been ranked as high as world number 21, says she and her younger sister left Odesa with help from their parents.

"Tired, but my sister and I are safe!" she posted in an Instagram story, which showed their arrival in Romania en route to France. "Thank you France. Ukraine stay strong. We miss you Home, Mum and Dad."

UN to launch appeal to fund humanitarian operations in Ukraine

Secretary-General António Guterres has announced that the UN will launch an appeal to fund its humanitarian operations in Ukraine.

A UN spokesperson said Guterres spoke with Zelenskyy over the phone.

"The Secretary-General conveyed to the President the determination of the United Nations to enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine," the spokesperson said.

SWIFT sanctions seek to block Putin from using reserves for Ukraine attack, US official says

The US and its allies are "disarming Fortress Russia" with new sanctions that cut off key banks from the SWIFT financial transactions network and target Russia's central bank, a senior official in US President Joe Biden's White House says.

The actions are aimed at preventing Putin from using $630bn in central bank foreign currency reserves to fund the invasion of Ukraine and to defend a plunging rouble.

"Putin's government is getting kicked off the international financial system," the official said.

Ukraine is grateful for financial sanctions imposed on Russia: PM

Ukraine is grateful for the latest round of financial sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and its allies, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said in a Twitter post.

"Thanks to our friends ... for the commitment to remove several Russian banks from SWIFT" and for "the paralysis of the assets of the central bank of Russia", he said.

Grateful for our friends from 🇺🇸🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇨🇦🇬🇧 for:
- commitment to removal of several Russian banks from#SWIFT;
- paralysis the assets of#Russia's central bank;
- prohibition for Russian oligarchs to use their financial assets on Euroatlantic markets.

- Denys Shmyhal (@Denys_Shmyhal) February 26, 2022

PM Johnson says UK and allies have taken decisive action against Russia over SWIFT

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the UK and its allies have taken "decisive action" to shut Russia out of the global financial system by cutting its banks' access to the SWIFT international payment system.

"We have taken decisive action tonight with our international partners to shut Russia out of the global financial system, including the important first step of ejecting Russian banks from SWIFT," Johnson said on Twitter.

"We will keep working together to ensure Putin pays the price for his aggression."

We have taken decisive action tonight with our international partners to shut Russia out of the global financial system, including the important first step of ejecting Russian banks from SWIFT.

We will keep working together to ensure Putin pays the price for his aggression.

- Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 26, 2022

What is SWIFT?

The EU, along with the US and other Western partners, has announced further sanctions on Russia, including cutting off a number of Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank payments system.

Ejecting it from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) network would cripple Moscow's ability to trade with most of the world and deal a heavy blow to the Russian economy.

Click here to read Al Jazeera's explainer.

Russia closes airspace to carriers from Baltics, Slovenia

Russia has closed its airspace to flights operated by carriers from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovenia in tit-for-tat punitive measures.

"Air carriers of these states and/or registered in them are subject to restrictions on flights to destinations on the territory of the Russian Federation, including transit flights through the airspace of the Russian Federation," the federal air transport agency Rosaviation said.

Germany and Western allies agree to cut Russia out of SWIFT

Germany and its Western allies have agreed to cut Russia out of the SWIFT global payment system, a spokesperson for the German government said, in a third sanctions package aimed at halting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The sanctions, agreed with Canada, France, Italy, the UK, the US and the European Commission, also include limiting the ability of Russia's central bank to support the rouble.

They will also end the "golden passports" for wealthy Russians and their families, and will target individuals and institutions in Russia and elsewhere that support the war against Ukraine, the spokesperson said.

"The countries stressed their willingness to take further measures should Russia not end its attack on Ukraine and thus on the European peace order," he added.

Macron asks for withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarus

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Lukashenko to ensure the "withdrawal of Russian troops" from Belarus, according to a statement issued by his office.

Macron asked the Belarusian leader "to demand as soon as possible the withdrawal of Russian troops from his soil", and urged him to cooperate with the international community to allow humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people, the statement said.

EU announces new Russia sanctions with US and others, including SWIFT

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that the EU, along with the US and other Western partners, plans to impose further sanctions on Russia, including cutting off a number of Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank payments system.

UK's Johnson says pressure building to cut Russia off from SWIFT

Britain's Johnson says the world should cut Russia off from the SWIFT payments system and that more countries supported such a move.

"What you have seen just today is more countries joining the call of the UK to use SWIFT," Johnson said. He said more countries had said they would not block cutting Russia off from SWIFT.

"Things are not going all the way, President Putin," Johnson said of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Greece says 10 nationals killed in Ukraine

Athens says 10 Greek nationals have been killed and six others wounded by Russian bombing near the key southeastern port city of Mariupol in Ukraine.

"Ten innocent civilians of Greek origin [were] killed today by Russian air strikes close to Mariupol. Stop the bombing now!" Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a tweet.

The bombing was on the outskirts of the villages of Sartana and Bugas, and one of the injured was a child, Greece's foreign ministry said.

Russian army ordered to broaden Ukraine advance

The Russian army has been given orders to broaden its offensive in Ukraine "from all directions" after Kyiv refused to hold talks in Belarus, the defence ministry said.

Russian forces have made thrusts into the Ukrainian capital Kyiv before reportedly falling back to the outskirts, facing tough resistance on day three of the invasion.

"After the Ukrainian side rejected the negotiation process, today all units were given orders to develop the advance from all directions in accordance with the operation's plans," Russian Army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

Russian military convoys 'flooding' across the border

Al Jazeera's Rania Dridi, reporting from the city of Volgograd, in southwestern Russia, says military units in the area are being deployed across the border with Ukraine.

"Convoys of Russian military gear continue to flood across the Russia-Ukraine border; armoured gear and vehicle-mounted missiles," Dridi said. "This scene is repeated elsewhere as other convoys are crossing the border into Ukraine on other roads."

"The convoys will take part in the ongoing military operations, the fiercest of which is currently raging on the Donbas front," she added, citing the region in eastern Ukraine where Russian-backed separatists control swaths of territory.

People in Ukraine's capital take cover as Russians approach

People in Kyiv have sought safety underground as Russian troops closed in and skirmishes flared on the city's outskirts.

A curfew was set on the city, due to last through Monday morning, with the relative quiet in the capital sporadically broken by gunfire.

Small groups of Russian soldiers were reported inside Kyiv, but the UK and the US said the bulk of Russian forces were 30km (19 miles) from the city's centre.

Lufthansa halts flights to Russia for a week

German airline Lufthansa has said it will cancel all flights to Russia and will cease using Russian airspace for the coming week, citing the "emerging regulatory situation".

"Flights that are in Russian airspace will leave it again shortly," a spokesperson for the company said, adding that the company was in close contact with national and international authorities and would continue to monitor the situation closely.

Berlin to Sydney, a global outpouring of support for Ukraine

In a sea of blue and yellow flags and banners smeared with blood-red handprints, protesters around the world have shown support for Ukraine and called on governments to do more to help Kyiv, punish Russia and avoid a broader conflict.

Several hundred people marched through heavy rain in Sydney, Australia, chanting "Ukraine will prevail", while protesters in Tokyo, Japan, called for Russia to be expelled from the UNSC for the assault on its neighbour.

Protests took place as far afield as Latin America, India, Turkey - but also in Russia, where more than 3,000 people have been detained.

Thousands of people also took to the streets in Europe, with protesters - including many Ukrainians living abroad - in London, Nicosia, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, Madrid and Milan draping themselves in flags and holding "stop the war" placards.

Welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

Read all the updates from Saturday, February 26, here.

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Latest Russia-Ukraine updates: Kyiv to hold talks with Moscow

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv will send a delegation of officials for talks "without preconditions" with Moscow at the Ukraine-Belarus border. The European Union approves the closure of its airspace to Russian aircraft as well as further sanctions, including the exclusion of some Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system.

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Russia and US are accused of spreading misinformation as tensions rise over Ukraine. It is often said the first casualty of war is the truth. With tensions running high over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, all sides have accused each other of spreading misinformation and propaganda.
https://www.aljazeera.com/program/inside-story/2022/2/19/whos-telling-the-truth-on-the-ukraine-conflict

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Who's telling the truth on the Ukraine conflict?

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Russia and the United States are accused of spreading misinformation as tensions rise over Ukraine.

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On Monday the 21st, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia signed an order (decree) that recognizes two pro-Russian breakaway regions in Ukraine.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/21/briefing/ukraine-russia-war-pax-americana.html

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There have been dozens of wars in the almost 80 years since World War II ended. But if Russia invades Ukraine in the coming days, it will be different from almost all of them. It will be another sign that the world may be entering an alarming new era in which authoritarianism is on the rise.

In today's newsletter, I'll explain the two main ways that a war in Ukraine would be distinct. I will also update you on the latest developments, with reporting from my colleagues around the world.

A Russian invasion of Ukraine seems likely to involve one of the world's largest militaries launching an unprovoked ground invasion of a neighboring country. The apparent goal would be an expansion of regional dominance, either through annexation or the establishment of a puppet government.

Few other conflicts since World War II fit this description. Some of the closest analogies are the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in the 1970s, Czechoslovakia in the 1960s and Hungary in the 1950s - as well as Vladimir Putin's 2014 annexation of Crimea. The U.S., for its part, invaded Panama in the 1980s and used the C.I.A. to overthrow an elected government in Guatemala in the 1950s. Of course, it also launched several faraway wars, in Iraq, Vietnam and elsewhere.

But the world's most powerful countries have rarely used force to expand their boundaries or set up client states in their region. Instead, they have generally abided by the treaties and international rules established in the 1940s. The phrase "Pax Americana" describes this stability.

The relative peace has had enormous benefits. Living standards have surged, with people living longer, healthier and more comfortable lives on average than their ancestors. In recent decades, the largest gains have come in lower-income countries. The decline in warfare has played a central role: By the start of this century, the rate at which people were dying in armed conflicts had fallen to the lowest level in recorded history, as Joshua Goldstein, Steven Pinker and other scholars have noted.

A Russian invasion of Ukraine would look like the kind of war that has been largely absent in the past 80 years and that was once common. It would involve a powerful nation setting out to expand its regional dominance by taking over a neighbor. A war like this - a voluntary war of aggression - would be a sign that Putin believed that Pax Americana was over and that the U.S., the European Union and their allies had become too weak to exact painful consequences.

As Anne Applebaum has written in The Atlantic, Putin and his inner circle are part of a new breed of autocrats, along with the rulers of China, Iran and Venezuela: "people who aren't interested in treaties and documents, people who only respect hard power."

This is why many people in Taiwan find the situation in Ukraine to be chilling, as my colleagues Steven Lee Myers and Amy Qin have explained. "If the Western powers fail to respond to Russia, they do embolden the Chinese thinking regarding action on Taiwan," said Lai I-chung, a Taiwanese official with ties to its leaders. If the world is entering an era in which countries again make decisions based, above all, on what their military power allows them to do, it would be a big change.

Political scientists have been warning for several years that democracy is in decline around the world. Larry Diamond of Stanford University has described the trend as a "democratic recession."

Freedom House, which tracks every country in the world, reports that global political freedom has declined every year since 2006. Last year, Freedom House concluded, "the countries experiencing deterioration outnumbered those with improvements by the largest margin recorded since the negative trend began."

A Russian takeover of Ukraine would contribute to this democratic recession in a new way: An autocracy would be taking over a democracy by force.

Ukraine is a largely democratic nation of more than 40 million people, with a pro-Western president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who in 2019 won 73 percent of the vote in the election's final round. That victory and recent polls both indicate that most Ukrainians want to live in a country that resembles the European nations to its west - and the U.S. - more than it resembles Russia.

But Putin and his inner circle believe that liberal democracies are in decline, a view that Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials share.

They know that the U.S. and Europe are now struggling to lift living standards for much of their populations. Putin and Xi also know that many Western countries are polarized, rived by cultural conflicts between metropolitan areas and more rural ones. Major political parties are weak (as in the case of the old center-left parties in Britain, France and elsewhere) or themselves behaving in anti-democratic ways (as with the Republican Party in the U.S.).

These problems have given Putin and his top aides confidence to act aggressively, believing that "the American-led order is in deep crisis," Alexander Gabuev of the Carnegie Moscow Center wrote in The Economist this weekend.

In the view of Putin's regime, Gabuev explained: "A new multipolar order is taking shape that reflects an unstoppable shift in power to authoritarian regimes that support traditional values. A feisty, resurgent Russia is a pioneering force behind the arrival of this new order, along with a rising China."

As I've tried to emphasize before, the situation in Ukraine remains highly uncertain. Putin may still choose not to invade, given the potential for a protracted war, a large number of Russian casualties and economic turmoil. An invasion would be a spectacular gamble with almost no modern equivalent - which is also why it would be a sign that the world might be changing.

Related: "The 21st century has become a dark century because the seedbeds of democracy have been neglected and normal historical authoritarianism is on the march," David Brooks wrote in a recent Times column.

And Farah Stockman argues that the Russia-China friendship that Richard Nixon feared has arrived.

How it's made: Follow a novel through the printing process.

Swindlers: Crypto scammers are targeting dating apps.

Humans and wildlife: Meet the people who risk their lives to guard India's forests.

Quiz time: The average score on our latest news quiz was 9.1. Can you beat it?

A Times classic: For a better relationship, take the seven-day love challenge.

Advice from Wirecutter: Get a better night's sleep.

Lives Lived: Charley Taylor became the most prolific receiver in N.F.L. history after 13 seasons playing for Washington. He died at 80.

The Ebony test kitchen is singular, with swirls of orange and green and a futuristic design. Built in the early 1970s, the kitchen cemented Ebony magazine's place in American food culture.

Ebony, a leading magazine for Black America since the 1940s, helped transform the public's perception of Black food. Freda DeKnight, Ebony's first food editor, traveled across the U.S. learning different culinary traditions from home cooks and shared her findings in a monthly column. International recipes like rose petal pudding and mulligatawny soup lived alongside traditional fare like Ebony's stewed chicken and dumplings. Readers could submit cherished family recipes to be tested by professionals, and the magazine featured the winning recipes.

"So many people looked to Ebony for recipes that they were familiar with, or had been part of our culture," Charlotte Lyons, a former food editor at Ebony, said. "We would bring all of that stuff to life." The restored kitchen is the centerpiece of a new exhibition that opens on Wednesday at the Africa Center in Harlem. - Sanam Yar, a Morning writer

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There have been dozens of wars in the almost 80 years since World War II ended. But if Russia invades Ukraine in the coming days, it will be different from almost all of them. It will be another sign that the world may be entering an alarming new era in which authoritarianism is on the rise.

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The Belarusian president is allowing the Russian military to assemble and perform drills in their area.   | Sebastian 

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The Belarusian president is allowing the Russian military to assemble and perform drills in their area.   | Sebastian 

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Belarus preparing to join Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. official says

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Earlier Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and Russia would conduct the first diplomatic talks since the Kremlin-launched invasion.

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Russia attacked one of the military units on Victory Avenue in Kyiv

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For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

The latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST:

9:13 a.m.: VOA's Jeff Seldin has the readout from a phone call between Britain's Prime Minister and Ukraine's President about Russian military advances today:

9:03 a.m.: According to Nike Ching, VOA's State Department Correspondent, the U.S. has expelled Russia's number 2 diplomat in Washington in retaliation for the Russian expulsion of the second ranking U.S. diplomat in Moscow earlier this month. The State Department said the expulsion is unrelated to Russia's invasion of Ukraine but part of a continuing dispute between the U.S. and Russia over embassy staffing. President Biden said yesterday "there is a complete rupture right now in U.S.-Russian relations if they continue on this path that they're on." But is does not mean the U.S. is closing its embassy in Moscow and severing diplomatic ties with Russia, according to the State Department.

8:48 a.m.: VOA's Jeff Seldin reports: Putin's Gamble on Ukraine May Be Anything But Crazy

8:35 a.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer reports: "Kremlin says Russia to send delegation to Minsk to negotiate with Ukrainians - this comes after two appeals today from Zelenskyy saying he was ready to sit and talk."

8:14 a.m. : Updated - VOA's Rob Garver reports: Experts Skeptical of GOP Claim that a Second Trump Term Would Have Prevented Ukraine Invasion

8:09 a.m.: VOA's Heather Murdock filed this report from Kyiv, where citizens and Ukraine's military await the Russian advance:

7:43 a.m.: Pope Francis went to the Russian embassy on Friday to express concern over Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Moscow's ambassador in an unprecedented departure from diplomatic protocol. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope spent about 30 minutes at the embassy, which is close to the Vatican.

7:40 a.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer further reports: "More shootings inside Kyiv - Ukrainian intelligence say not the result of a main force penetration but carried out by saboteurs and Russian special forces, some in civilian clothing."

7:33 a.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer tweeted "Unconfirmed reports circulating that Russian tanks, armored vehicles are moving south from Zhytomyr with aim of swinging east to target Kyiv from south; causing anxiety for Kyiv residents heading out from city on west side."

7:05 a.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer reports: "Ukraine's defense minister says even Ukrainians over 60 years of age should enlist. But I am sitting in a car with a reservist who has impatiently been waiting for days to be called up to join his unit. One key story about this invasion when people look back will be the lack of Ukrainian preparedness, something VOA wrote about the day before Russia launched the offensive."

6:55 a.m.: The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reports that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday. According to SANA, al-Assad characterizes Russia's action in Ukraine as "a correction to history" that will "re- balance the world" that was lost after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

6:25 a.m.: According to the Associated Press, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) will no longer host the Champions League final in St. Petersburg after Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine. An extraordinary meeting of the UEFA executive committee will be held Friday to discuss the geopolitical crisis.

5:40 a.m.: A CNN reporter says Ukraine is telling its citizens to use Molotov cocktails against Russian forces.

5:23 a.m.: Scenes from Ukraine, via Al-Jazeera:

4:40 a.m.: Agence France-Presse has a map detailing where the fighting is:

4:29 a.m.: European Union leaders have announced what they called "massive" sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine during an emergency summit in Brussels that spilled into the early hours of Friday. The measures come amid reports of Russian troops moving ever closer to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. VOA's Lisa Bryant has the story.

3:55 a.m.: Human Rights Watch offers insight on international law.​

3:38 p.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer reports: Ukraine's Office of the President says ready to open negotiations with #Russia to agree "neutral status" but in return for security guarantees. "We should stop this war," said adviser to the president.

3:10 a.m.: Reuters reports that the International Criminal Court may investigate allegations of war crimes in Ukraine.

3 a.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer reports: Gunfight under way in northernmost district of Kyiv between Ukrainians and Russia special forces, officials say.

2:41 a.m.:VOA's Jamie Dettmer reports: Ukraine intelligence officials tell newspaper Ukrainska Pravda that Russians aim to cause panic, havoc in Kyiv, disconnect electricity and communications, mount sabotage, prompt bigger refugee surge, seize government buildings and leadership, making them sign Russian-dictated peace deal by threatening to strike civilian infrastructure and cause more casualties.

2:37 a.m.: The Seattle Times reports on the propaganda war.

2:22 a.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer has photos from the outskirts of Kyiv:

2:13 a.m.: Would things be different if Trump were in the White House? It's an argument that some experts on Russia policy agree with -- just not for the reasons being put forward by critics of President Joe Biden, a Democrat. VOA's Rob Garver has the story.

2 a.m.: American actor Sean Penn is in Ukraine.

1:54 a.m.: VOA's Jamie Dettmer reports: Sumy authorities say a lot of Russian armored vehicles passed through from Kharkiv heading in direction of Kyiv.

1:22 a.m.: Inside a bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine:

1:05 a.m.: Thousands of Indian nationals are trapped in Ukraine.

12:10 a.m.: Facebook and rumors of "kill lists."

12:03 a.m.: VOA's Jeff Seldin on Vladimir Putin:

12:01 a.m.: Reuters reports that protests around the world denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST: 9:13 a.m.: VOA's Jeff Seldin has the readout from a phone call between Britain's Prime Minister and Ukraine's President about Russian military advances today: 9:03 a.m.: According to Nike Ching, VOA's State Department Correspondent, the U.S.

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Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian troops to “maintain peace” in two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, hours after the Russian president recognised Donetsk and Luhansk as independent entities.

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Kyiv and its Western allies have accused Russia of plotting 'false flag' operations to fake Ukrainian attacks in order to serve as a pretext for an all-out assault on its neighbour [File: Serhiy Takhmazov/Reuters]

President Vladimir Putin says Russia will decide whether or not to recognise the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine later on Monday.

Meanwhile, Russian military says it has prevented a "diversionary reconnaissance" group from breaching the border from Ukraine.

Five troops were killed in the incident, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday, which allegedly took place in Russia's southwestern Rostov region at about 03:00 GMT.

Kyiv dismissed the allegation as "fake news".

The exchange came hours after the Kremlin dashed hopes that top-level diplomacy aimed at easing the Ukraine crisis would be imminent, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden had appeared to agree - in principle - to talks.

Here are all the latest updates:

France's Macron calls national security meeting on Russia-Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron called an emergency national security meeting to address developments linked to the crisis in Ukraine, the Elysee Palace has said.

Macron earlier on Monday spoke to the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, the Elysee said in a statement. He also spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU leaders to coordinate Europe's reaction to the latest developments.

Putin to deliver video address to nation

Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a video address to the nation on television later in the evening, the Rossiya-24 state television channel said.

It did not say exactly when it would happen, but that it would be soon.

Putin said earlier that Russia would decide whether or not to recognise the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine later on Monday.

Russian foreign minister says Minsk agreements are only way to solve Ukrainian conflict

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock that the Minsk agreements are the only way for long-term regulation of the Ukrainian internal crisis, Russia's foreign ministry said.

Lavrov, who spoke to Baerbock by phone, said Germany should put pressure on the Ukrainian leadership to prompt it to adopt a more constructive position amid the unfolding crisis in eastern Ukraine, the ministry added.

Ukraine says everyone must focus on de-escalation efforts

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that after Russian statements on possible recognition of breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, everyone has to focus on de-escalation efforts.

"Everyone realizes consequences. A lot of emotions out there, but it's exactly now that we all should calmly focus on de-escalation efforts. No other way," Kuleba tweeted.

Kuleba said he would discuss de-escalation efforts with US Secretary of State on Tuesday during a trip to Washington.

Russia recognising breakaway Ukraine regions would be 'deplorable' -US

It would be "deplorable" if Russia recognised two regions of eastern Ukraine held by Russian-backed separatists as independent, the US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe said.

"If carried out, this would again result in the upending of the rules based international order, under the threat of force. This, dear colleagues, is deplorable, and ... condemnable. And should be (condemned), by all of us," Michael Carpenter said in a statement to a meeting of OSCE participating states.

Biden meets national security team on Russia, Ukraine, official says

US President Joe Biden is meeting his national security team about Russia and Ukraine, a White House official said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the White House official made the comments after a Reuters eyewitness saw Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrive at the White House on the US Presidents Day federal holiday.

UK says unilateral sanctions against Russia would play into Putin's narrative

British Defence Minister Ben Wallace has warned that imposing sanctions on Russia unilaterally would play into President Putin's narrative.

Asked by a lawmaker whether it was now time to start imposing sanctions, Wallace said: "If we were to unilaterally deliver them now, and America wasn't, and the European Union wasn't, I think there is a danger that President Putin would play into a divide and rule narrative."

Putin says Russia is considering recognising, not annexing Ukraine's breakaway regions

President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia was considering recognising the independence of two breakaway Ukrainian regions, but not annexing them and formally adding them to its own territory.

He made the comments during a long televised meeting of Russia's security council during which all the participants said they backed recognising the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic.

Strong cause to believe Putin still committed to Ukraine invasion: UK's Wallace

British Defence Minister Ben Wallace has said that there is strong cause to believe that President Putin is still committed to an invasion of Ukraine.

Wallace said there had been a continued increase in troop numbers near the border as well as a "proliferation" of so-called false flag events.

"We've seen over the last few weeks, the Russian playbook being implemented in a way that gives a strong cause for concern that President Putin is still committed to an invasion," Wallace told parliament, urging Putin to rule out an invasion and recommit to a diplomatic process.

Residents of breakaway regions did not recognise 2014 'coup': Putin

Putin has said that the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk didn't recognize the 2014 protests in Ukraine that ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanykovych.

The protests are known in Ukraine as "the revolution of dignity," but Putin has for years called them a "coup."

"The coup was anti-constitutional and bloody," he said in televised remarks. "Kyiv authorities conducted two military, punishing operations in these regions," he said.

He said the ongoing tensions in the region are a "third escalation" masterminded by Kyiv and its Western partners.

Russian invasion 'storm' gathering on Ukraine border: Western officials

Three Western officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters news agency that Russian troops were now "poised" for an invasion of Ukraine while previously posturing for an invasion.

They said they did not know whether or not President Putin had yet ordered an invasion, but raised concerns about an increase in false provocations in Russian-backed rebel regions in Ukraine.

"Our concern about what we are seeing on the ground has only risen," said one of the Western officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Our overall picture, I have to say, is a very dark one with storm clouds gathering on Ukraine's borders."

A second official said Russian forces continued to build up, including S-400s, aircraft and armoured vehicles being deployed into forward locations. Russia now has 110 battalion tactical groups in the area of operations, the official said.

"This is a move from being postured for military operations to being poised for military operations," the official said.

Russia's Shoigu says Ukraine has built up serious forces near breakaway regions

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine had built up serious forces near breakaway regions in the east of the country and may be preparing to try and take them back by force, something Kyiv has repeatedly denied.

Shoigu accused Ukraine of stepping up shelling of the breakaway regions. Earlier on Monday, Kyiv denied responsibility after Russia said a shell fired from Ukrainian territory had completely destroyed a border guard post in Russia's Rostov region.

Ukraine's chief diplomat dismisses 'diversionary reconnaissance' claims

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has dismissed Russia's accusations of a border breach by Ukrainian forces.

"I categorically refute Russia's disinformation. Ukraine did not attack Donetsk, Luhansk; didn't send saboteurs or APCs across the border; didn't shoot Russia's territory or checkpoint at the border; didn't organise diversions and doesn't plan such actions," he wrote on Twitter.

"I demand that Russia stops its fake [news] factory," he added.

Why don't Ukrainians believe Biden's ominous warnings of war?

And why has trust in Western powers declined? Find out here.

Putin says recognition of breakaway Ukraine regions needs to be considered

Putin has told Russia's Security Council it is necessary to consider an appeal from the leaders of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine for Moscow to recognise them as independent.

The Russian leader also warned that tensions with the West over Ukraine posed a looming threat to Moscow.

"The use of Ukraine as an instrument of confrontation with our country poses a serious, very big threat to us," he said, adding that Moscow's priority was "not confrontation, but security".

Rebel republics ask Putin to recognise their independence

The leaders of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, have asked Putin to recognise them as independent.

Should Russia take that step, it could pave the way for Moscow to openly send military forces into both regions, using the argument that it is intervening as an ally to protect them against Ukraine.

Putin's plan for Ukraine invasion 'has begun', UK PM's spokesman says

The United Kingdom's government has seen intelligence that suggests Putin has put into motion a plan for invading Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman says.

"The intelligence we are seeing suggests that Russia intends to launch an invasion and that President Putin's plan has already begun," the spokesman told reporters.

"We're seeing seen elements of the Russian playbook that we would expect to see in certain situations, starting to play out in real time."

Ukrainian official denies Russian reports of Rostov incident

Ukraine has firmly denied Moscow's claims that Russian forces killed five Ukrainian "saboteurs" who allegedly crossed the border to stage an attack.

"Not a single one of our soldiers has crossed the border with the Russian Federation, and not a single one has been killed today," Anton Gerashchenko, an official at Ukraine's interior ministry, told reporters.

Russia's Rostov allegations, Kyiv's counter-claims mark a 'major escalation'

Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, says the alleged incident in Rostov marks a "significant" development in the crisis.

"The information we are getting about this alleged incident is coming from the Russian military itself and not the separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine," she said.

"This means the Russians are accusing the Ukrainian military of having armoured personnel carriers on Russian soil, which the Ukrainian military has denied as 'fake news' ... [and] so this is going to be seen as a major escalation."

Russia says it prevented border breach from Ukraine, Kyiv calls it fake news

Russia's military has said that troops and border guards prevented a "diversionary reconnaissance" group from breaching the country's border from Ukrainian territory and that five people had been killed, according to reports by Russian news agencies.

Ukraine rejected the report, calling it fake news, and said no Ukrainian forces were present in the region where the incident was alleged to have taken place.

Interfax cited the Russian military as saying that Ukrainian armed vehicles had been destroyed.

Biden asked Macron to offer summit to Russian leader: French official

Biden had asked French President Emmanuel Macron to make Putin the offer of a summit, an official from the French presidency says.

"We're slowly changing the course of things. We're creating a diplomatic perspective the Kremlin accepts," Reuters quoted the French presidential adviser as saying.

"He is a facilitator," added the French presidential adviser, commenting on Macron's role.

Lithuanian foreign minister demands additional EU sanctions on Belarus

Lithuania's foreign minister has called on the European Union to impose additional sanctions on Belarus for hosting Russian troops, suggesting such measures could target oil and potash exports.

"We have to be very specific about the cost for the current build-up for Belarus," Gabrielius Landsbergis told reporters in Brussels, where EU foreign ministers were meeting over the Ukraine crisis.

He added the bloc could also close loopholes in the existing sanctions it has already targeted Minsk with.

Ukraine denounces Russian shelling claim as 'fake news'

Kyiv has dismissed a claim from Moscow that Ukrainian forces had shelled and destroyed a Russian border post, denouncing it as "fake news" designed to inflame tensions.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had earlier alleged that a projectile fired from Ukraine had destroyed a border facility used by its guards.

Germany's Scholz to hold telephone talks with Putin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will speak with Putin by telephone later today in a further effort to ease tensions, a spokesman for Germany's government says.

Steffen Hebestreit said the planned call "this afternoon" had been "closely coordinated" with Macron, who spoke to Putin on Sunday.

He said the talks were part of "joint diplomatic efforts" by the West to "prevent a catastrophe" in Ukraine.

'No one can resolve our issue without us'

Ukraine's top security official has said his country welcomes the possibility of a summit between Biden and Putin but also warned that nothing can be solved without Kyiv's involvement.

"No one can resolve our issue without us," Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, told a news briefing. "Everything should happen with our participation."

Moscow claims Ukrainian shell has destroyed a border facility

Moscow says a shell fired from Ukraine has destroyed a border facility used by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

The security service said in a statement that the "unidentified projectile" had flattened the facility located about 150 metres (164 yards) from Russia's border with Ukraine, in the country's southwestern Rostov region.

The statement added that no one had been injured in the incident and that Russian military engineers had arrived at the scene. Video released by the FSB showed a small, apparently one-room building with its roof and walls caved in and a Russian flag leaning against strewn debris.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claim.

Satellite images show new military movements by Russia

As diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions around Ukrainian continue, satellite images show new field deployments of armoured equipment and troops from Russian garrisons.

Read more here.

Ukraine-Russia crisis: What is the Minsk agreement?

Macron has pointed to the 2015 Minsk Agreement between Kyiv and Moscow as the blueprint for a breakthrough in the Ukraine crisis.

The Minsk II deal, named after the Belarusian capital where it was settled, was aimed at ending the war in eastern Ukraine, where Kyiv has battled Russian-backed separatists since they seized a swath of territory in the region in early 2014.

But the agreement, which came on the back of Minsk I, an earlier failed attempt at a ceasefire pact, was never fully implemented. Years on, there has been no full political settlement and the deadly fighting in Donbas continues.

Click here to read more.

Ukraine's military reports many ceasefire violations

Ukraine's military says there have been 80 ceasefire violations by Russian-backed forces in conflict-hit eastern Ukraine within the past 24 hours.

The Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in a statement that one soldier had been injured during an instance of shelling on Sunday which was in violation of the Minsk agreement.

"The occupation forces continue to cowardly shell positions of Ukrainian defenders from behind the civilian settlements, hiding behind civilians as behind a human shield," JFO spokesman Pavlo Kovalchyuk said.

The JFO added there had been 94 instances of shelling on civilian settlements in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions over the previous five days, injuring two people as well as damaging 44 homes and four schools.

Russia says 60,000 'refugees' have crossed from rebel-held eastern Ukraine: Report

Russia's emergencies ministry has said more than 60,000 "refugees" from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in eastern Ukraine have crossed into Russia following evacuation orders issued by the territories' separatist authorities last week, the RIA Novosti news agency reports.

Separatists allege one 'serviceman' killed

Moscow-backed separatists in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have alleged in a statement released to Russian news agencies that a local "serviceman" has been killed during an attack on the breakaway region by Ukrainian forces.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claim, which comes after multiple warnings by top Western officials that Russia could attempt to manufacture a "pretext" for invading Ukraine.

Firm agreement on Biden-Putin meet 'a long way away'

Al Jazeera's Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, says Putin and Biden are "a long way away" from reaching a firm agreement on holding discussions.

"It is going to be up to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his meeting with his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, on Thursday whether or not Putin and the US president will meet," she said.

"I think the Russians are going to be very clear that in order for that meeting [between Putin and Biden] to take place, the US president has to be willing to discuss Russia's security concerns - that NATO does not expand any further eastwards and that there is no military equipment in NATO countries around Russia."

No firm plans yet for Putin-Biden talks, Kremlin says

The Kremlin has said Putin and Biden could set up a call or meeting any time but there were no concrete plans yet for a summit.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that although tensions were growing, diplomatic contacts were active.

But he dismissed reports that Russia had drawn up a list of Ukrainians to capture or kill after any invasion were an "absolute lie". He also described as "highly unusual" a US embassy warning to Americans in Russia that they should prepare plans to leave the country if necessary.

The security alert cited media sources as saying there had been threats of attacks against shopping centres, railway and metro stations and other public places, including in Moscow, St Petersburg and areas near the Russia-Ukraine border.

DPR separatists claim they are in a shoot-out with Ukrainian 'sabotage' group

Pro-Russian separatists have claimed they are engaged in a shoot-out with a Ukrainian "sabotage" group that entered the DPR earlier today.

The breakaway territory's state security ministry alleged in a statement that the Ukrainians blew up an artillery and ammunition storage.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the rebels' claims, which come after multiple warnings by top Western officials that Russia could attempt to manufacture a "pretext" for invading Ukraine.

Kyiv says it hopes Biden and Putin meet will materialise

Ukraine hopes the proposed summit between Biden and Putin can be implemented and that Kyiv can join the meeting, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov says.

"I have hopes that this initiative, thanks to President Macron and supported by President Biden ... will be implemented," Reznikov told a news briefing.

France sees 'diplomatic hope' to resolve Ukraine crisis

France's foreign minister says Paris sees a chance to resolve the Ukraine crisis after Biden and Putin accepted, in principle, to hold a summit.

"There is a diplomatic hope that was revived by the president" with the summit proposal, Clement Beaune told LCI TV, referring to Macron.

"If there is still a chance to avoid war, to avoid a confrontation and build a political and diplomatic solution, then we need to take it," he added.

'Don't play with human lives,' German minister tells Moscow

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has accused Russia of playing an "irresponsible" game with the civilian population of eastern Ukraine and urged it to return to the negotiating table.

Sporadic shelling across the line dividing Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the east has intensified since Thursday.

"I urgently call on the Russian government, on the Russian president: don't play with human lives," Baerbock told reporters after arriving in Brussels.

"What we have seen over the last 72 hours in terms of attacks, violent disputes is really concerning," she added. "The responsibility lies with the Russian government which is why I call urgently on the Russian government: come back to the negotiating table. It is in your hands."

Russian troops to return when 'objective need' arises, says Belarus

Russian armed forces will return to their permanent bases when an "objective need" to do so arises, the Belarusian defence ministry has said, a day after announcing joint military drills with Russia would be extended.

The ministry said the troop withdrawal would depend to a large extent on a pullback of NATO forces from near the borders of Belarus and Russia.

Who are the Russia-backed separatists?

Since fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014, separatist rebels of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics have been accused of being proxies for Russian interests, if not simply Russian soldiers in disguise.

But who exactly are the rebels in the statelets known as the DPR and LPR, home to 2.3 million and 1.5 million people respectively?

Read more here.

EU supports further talks between US and Russia on Ukraine

The EU supports the latest attempt to arrange further talks between Washington and Moscow to find a diplomatic solution, the bloc's foreign policy chief says.

"Summit meetings, at the level of leaders, at the level of ministers, whatever format, whatever way of talking and sitting at the table and trying to avoid a war, is badly needed," Josep Borrell told reporters in Brussels.

"We will support anything that can make diplomatic conversations the best way, the only way to look for a solution to the crisis," he added.

Russia has lists of Ukrainians 'to be killed or sent to camps'

The US has warned the UN it has "credible information" that Russia has lists of Ukrainians "to be killed or sent to camps" in the event of an invasion, according to a letter sent to the UN rights chief.

The letter, which came as Washington warned of an imminent invasion by Russian troops massed near the Ukrainian border, said the US is "deeply concerned" and warned of a potential "human rights catastrophe".

Biden agrees to Ukraine summit

Macron says Biden and Putin have agreed to a summit over Ukraine, offering a possible path out of one of the most dangerous European crises in decades.

Macron's office said in a statement the French president had pitched to both leaders a summit on "security and strategic stability in Europe".

A White House statement said Biden had accepted the meeting "in principle" but only "if an invasion hasn't happened".

'Confidence-building measures' in place to reassure Putin

PJ Crowley, former US assistant secretary of state, has said the West is working hard to simultaneously prevent a Russian invasion as well as to put something on the table that will deter Putin from sending his troops across the border.

"I think it is useful for Western leaders to continue to try to say: 'If not this then what else could we help you with?' to try to convince [Putin] that what's happening in Ukraine and western Ukraine does not pose a threat to Russia," Crowley told Al Jazeera.

"There have been constructive discussions about resurrecting treaties that have elapsed and other confidence-building measures, [and] transparency in terms of operations on NATO territory," he added.

"At the end of the day, this is a crisis that Putin has created. He has assembled a formidable military force surrounding Ukraine and it will be his decision as to whether he carries out the invasion or not."

Ukrainian crisis tops EU meet agenda

The Russian threat against Ukraine will be at the top of the agenda in a gathering of EU foreign ministers later today in Brussels.

The bloc has warned it will impose sweeping sanctions on Moscow should it launch an attack, echoing threats made by the US and former member state, the United Kingdom.

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Putin mulls recognising Ukraine breakaway regions

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President Vladimir Putin says Russia will decide whether or not to recognise the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine later on Monday. Meanwhile, Russian military says it has prevented a "diversionary reconnaissance" group from breaching the border from Ukraine.

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Russia declares war, launches attack in Ukraine; explosions reported

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/02/23/russia-ukraine-invasion-crisis-update/6906567001/

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President Vladimir Putin said Russia's military operation in Ukraine is in response to threats.

He accused the US and its allies of ignoring Russia's demands to stop Ukraine from joining NATO.

Editor's note: This page recaps the news on the Ukraine-Russia crisis from Wednesday, Feb. 23. Read our live coverage for Feb. 24 for the latest news on Russia's declaration of war and military operation in eastern Ukraine.

***

President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified attack" on Ukraine as he vowed that the world will hold Russia and President Vladimir Putin accountable.

"President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering," Biden said in a statement after Putin announced military action against Ukraine.

Biden said he will address the nation on Thursday to announce additional steps the U.S. will take beyond sanctions already imposed.

Just minutes before, President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address overnight on Wednesday that Russia will conduct a military operation in eastern Ukraine.

Putin said the action comes in response to threats coming from Ukraine. He added that Russia doesn't have a goal to occupy the country. Putin said the responsibility for bloodshed lies with the Ukrainian "regime."

As Putin spoke, big explosions were heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other areas of Ukraine.
More: Russia just invaded Ukraine. What that could mean for energy prices, global security and more
Putin warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences they have never seen."

He said the Russian military operation aims to ensure a "demilitarization" of Ukraine. Putin said that all Ukrainian servicemen who lay down arms will be able to safely leave the zone of combat.
More:'Murkiness and doubt': Putin playbook meant to throw White House, allies off balance on Ukraine invasion
Ukraine's president declared martial law and urged citizens in the wake of Russia's military strikes.
More: Biden says world will hold Putin accountable for 'unprovoked and unjustified attack' on Ukraine
The strategic movement of Russian forces came as Ukraine prepared to implement a 30-day state of emergency on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy said late Tuesday that Ukraine wants "silence" but noted it must act. "But if we remain silent today, we will disappear tomorrow."

'These dark hours'
-- Courtney Subramanian
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined international condemnation of Moscow's attack and vowed to "hold the Kremlin accountable."

"In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives," she said in a statement.

The top European official warned earlier this week at the Munich Security Conference that Moscow could lose access to financial markets and blocked from access to major exporting goods should an invasion happen.

U.K. prime minister on attack
-- Courtney Subramanian
U.K. Prime Minster Boris Johnson echoed other world leaders in a statement posted to Twitter saying he was "appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine."

Johnson said he spoke to Zelenskyy about next steps, adding the U.K. and allies would "respond decisively."

"President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine," he said. "The UK and our allies will respond decisively."
-- Luciana Lopez
Ukrainian foreign minister calls for action

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted that "The world must act immediately. Future of Europe & the world is at stake."

He continued: "To do list: 1. Devastating sanctions on Russia NOW, including SWIFT 2. Fully isolate Russia by all means, in all formats 3. Weapons, equipment for Ukraine 4. Financial assistance 5. Humanitarian assistance"

Biden calls Ukraine's Zelenskyy

President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the attacks across Ukraine.

Biden said the Ukrainian president reached out to him and the two discussed the steps the U.S. is taking to rally international support.

"He asked me to call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly against President Putin's flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine," Biden said in a White House readout of the call.
-- Courtney Subramanian
The president confirmed he would impose "severe sanctions" on Russia after meeting with G7 leaders and allies.

"We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people," he added.

The call to Zelenskyy came after Biden was briefed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

'A new geopolitical reality'
-- Courtney Subramanian
Ukraine Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko confirmed the attacks in a statement on his Facebook page.

"There have just been missiles on the military headquarters, airports, military warehouses, near Kiev, Kharkov, Dnieper," he wrote. "Gunfire at the border is underway."

"A new geopolitical reality in the world from today," he added.

Biden briefed on secure call

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that Biden "was briefed on a secure call this evening by Secretary (of State Antony) Blinken, Secretary (of Defense Lloyd) Austin, Chairman (of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark) Milley and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the ongoing attack on Ukraine by Russian military forces."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister: "full-scale invasion"

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who met with Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington earlier this week, confirmed Putin launched a "full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "

"Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin," he tweeted. "The time to act is now."

Reactions pour in from global leaders

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia's "reckless attack on Ukraine" and said NATO allies would meet to confront Moscow's latest move.
-- Courtney Subramanian and Joey Garrison 'A tragedy':World reacts to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
"This is a grave breach of international law & a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security," he tweeted.

Barbara Woodward, Britain's ambassador to the U.N., called Putin's attack "unprovoked and unjustified" and said the United Kingdom fully supports the U.S.'s UN Security Council resolution.

"This is a grave day for Ukraine and for the principles of the United Nations," she said. "We and our partners have been clear that there will be consequences for Russia's actions."

Zelenskyy in emotional address: 'The people of Ukraine... want peace'
- Associated Press
Just ahead of Putin's declaration, Ukraine's president rejected Moscow's longstanding claim that his country poses a threat to Russia and warns that a looming Russian invasion could cause tens of thousands of deaths.

Zelenskyy made the comments in a video address early Thursday.

Speaking emotionally in Russia, he said: "The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace. But if we come under attack that threaten our freedom and lives of our people we will fight back."
More: As Russian forces advance on Ukraine, US, allies escalate diplomatic efforts
Zelenskyy says he tried to call Russian President Vladimir Putin late Wednesday but the Kremlin remained silent.

Ukrainian airspace closed

Airspace over all of Ukraine was shut down overnight to civilian air traffic, according to a notice posted to air crews early Thursday, local time.
More: Why is Vladimir Putin threatening Ukraine? Respect, fear, power at play in Russian leader's motivations
A commercial flight tracking website showed an Israeli El Al Boeing 787 from Tel Aviv to Toronto turned abruptly out of Ukrainian airspace before detouring over Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

Condemnation of Putin's actions in eastern Ukraine

The Kremlin's actions drew wide condemnation and major sanctions from the United States and European Union.

"Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine," President Joe Biden said Tuesday. And that served as the trigger for the U.S. to impose sanctions targeting Moscow's banks and some elite individuals. Biden said Russia "will pay an even steeper price" if aggression continues.
-- Associated Press
On Wednesday, Biden announced new sanctions on the company overseeing the Russian-owned gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, as well as its corporate officers, in response to Moscow's invasion.

Emergency meeting of the UN Security Council

The U.N. Security Council had scheduled an emergency meeting Wednesday night at the request of Ukraine, which says there is an immediate threat of a Russian invasion.

The meeting comes two days after the 15-member council held an emergency open meeting also requested by Ukraine. That session saw no support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's declaration of independence for two separatist areas in Ukraine's east and his announcement that Russian troops would be heading there to keep the peace.

The meeting Wednesday night comes as council diplomats are finalizing a draft resolution that they say would make clear that Russia is violating the U.N. Charter, international law and a 2015 council resolution endorsing the Minsk agreements aimed at restoring peace in eastern Ukraine.
More: More: What is a false flag? US says Russia may use the tactic to justify Ukraine invasion The enigma of Vladimir Putin: What do we really know about Russia's leader?
They say the resolution would urge Russia to get back into compliance immediately.

Blinken: Russia invasion could begin tonight

The U.S. has reason to believe Russia could begin a full invasion of Ukraine before the night is over, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told "NBC Nightly News" Wednesday.

"I do," Blinken said when asked if he thinks that will happen. "Everything seems to be in place for Russia to engage in a major aggression against Ukraine."

Pressed on whether Russia will attack Wednesday night, Blinken said he can't "put a date or an exact time on it," but "everything is in place for Russia to move forward."

- Maureen Groppe

Biden imposes sanctions on company behind Nord Stream 2 pipeline
- Joey Garrison More: How the Nord Stream 2 pipeline became a bargaining chip in the crisis between Russia and Ukraine
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday he's directed his administration to impose new sanctions on the company overseeing the Russian-owned gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, as well as its corporate officers, in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine," Biden said in a statement. "As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate."

The Biden administration blocked those sanctions from taking effect last year using a national security waiver, in a bid to repair U.S. relations with Germany, which relies heavily on Russia for its gas supplies. The not-yet-operational pipeline runs from Russia to Germany.

Wednesday's move, made in coordination with America's European allies, comes after Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday blocked certification of the natural gas pipeline that runs from Russia underseas to Germany.

Biden said, through Putin's actions in Ukraine, the Russian leader has "provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy.
- Matthew Brown
The company that owns the pipeline, Nord Stream 2 AG, is based in Switzerland and controlled by the Russian-based company Gazprom. The company is led by CEO Matthias Warnig, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nord Stream 2 has the capacity to handle 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year if it becomes operational, making it a major point of leverage for Europe and the U.S. over Russia.

Biden announced a raft of other economic sanctions Tuesday that include blacklisting two Russian financial institutions and its sovereign debt, along with penalties targeting a handful of "Russian elites" with close ties to Putin.

Russia evacuates diplomats from Ukraine, citing safety concerns

The Russian government has begun evacuating diplomats from Ukraine, according to Russian state media. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an evacuation of diplomatic staff from Ukraine on Tuesday, citing safety reasons.
- Associated Press Cyberattacks: A Russian invasion could reach farther than Ukraine. How a cyberattack could affect you.
Diplomats in the Russian embassy in Kyiv, as well as consulates at Lviv, Kharkiv or Odessa, were evacuating are leaving the country, according to TASS News Agency, which is owned by the Russian government.

The agency confirmed that diplomats are burning documents and evacuating the country while the mission flags in Kyiv and Odessa have been taken down, according to on-the-ground reports.

In a Monday speech denouncing Ukrainian independence and identity, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway provinces in Ukraine's east as independent countries and began sending so-called "peacekeeping" forces to the region.

In retaliation, the US and European countries announced a new round of severe sanctions on Russian elites, financial institutions and entities in the breakaway provinces themselves.

Ukraine official: cyberattacks disrupting government websites
- Associated Press
Ukraine's minister for digital transformation says cyberattacks are disrupting government websites and those of some banks in his country.

Mikhail Fedorov said Wednesday the distributed denial-of-service attacks targeted the websites of the Ukrainian parliament, Cabinet and foreign ministry.

He said they also caused interruptions or delays on the sites of the defense and internal affairs ministry, which controls the police.

NATO has blamed recent cyberattacks in Ukraine on Russia's GRU military intelligence agency and warned further attacks were likely as tensions over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine mounted.

China opposes US sanctions on Russia

China on Wednesday accused the U.S. of creating "fear and panic" over the crisis in Ukraine, and called for talks to reduce rapidly building tensions.
Contributing: Michael Collins, USA TODAY; Associated Press
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China is opposed to new unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia, reiterating a longstanding Chinese position.

"When expanding NATO eastward five times to the vicinity of Russia and deploying advanced offensive strategic weapons in breach of its assurances to Russia, did the US ever think about the consequence of pushing a big country to the wall?" she tweeted.

She said the U.S. was fueling tensions by providing defensive weapons to Ukraine, without mentioning Russia's deployment of as many as 190,000 troops on the Ukrainian border. Hua also did not mention efforts by the U.S., France and others to engage Russia diplomatically.

China-Russia ties have grown closer under Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing earlier this month. The two sides issued a joint statement backing Moscow's opposition to a NATO expansion in former Soviet republics and buttressing China's claim to the self-governing island of Taiwan.

Stay on top of political and world news: Sign up here for our OnPolitics newsletter.

US, EU impose sanctions on Russia

The sanctions Biden outlined on Tuesday target two Russian banks, VEB and military bank Promsvyazbank, along with the penalties on the country's sovereign debt. The Biden administration said those steps would be the most crippling.

The U.S. official described the first bank targeted by the U.S. as "a glorified piggy bank for the Kremlin that holds more than $50 billion in assets." He said Promsvyazbank finances the activities of the Russian military.

"That means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing," he said. "It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or the European markets either."

Russian oligarchs were targeted, too, including: Aleksandr Vasilievich Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, and his son Dennis; Petr Mikhailovich Fradkov, chairman and CEO of PSB, or Promsvyazbank; and Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, first deputy chief of staff of the presidential office, and his son Vladimir.

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Russia declares war, launches attack in Ukraine; explosions reported

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President Vladimir Putin said Russia's military operation in Ukraine is in response to threats. He accused the US and its allies of ignoring Russia's demands to stop Ukraine from joining NATO. Editor's note: This page recaps the news on the Ukraine-Russia crisis from Wednesday, Feb. 23. Read our live coverage for Feb.

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France is sending military equipment and fuel to Ukraine to help them fight off the Russians.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/25/unsc-to-vote-on-resolution-condemning-russia-invasion-liveblog

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Ukrainian forces have faced Russian attacks by land, air and sea [Emilio Morenatti/AP]

Kyiv's mayor imposes a city-wide curfew lasting until Monday morning after fighting reaches the capital's streets.

The United States and its Western allies move to supply Kyiv with weapons as it faces down Russia's invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the country's forces "have withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks".

Nearly 200 people have been killed so far, including civilians, three of whom were children, according to Ukraine's health minister.

More than 150,000 Ukrainians have fled the country since the beginning of Moscow's assault, the UN says.

Western countries have announced sweeping sanctions on Moscow, including measures targeting President Vladimir Putin himself.

The live blog is now closed; thank you for joining us. Here are the updates for February 26:

Lukashenko and Macron discuss Belarus's role in Ukraine war, Minsk says

French President Emmanuel Macron and President Alexander Lukashenko - an ally of the Kremlin - have discussed Minsk's role in the war in Ukraine, the Belarusian leader's office says.

"The parties discussed Belarus's position and involvement in the [Ukraine] conflict," Lukashenko's office said in a statement. They also talked about "the future of Europe" and "the relationship between Belarus and Russia", it added.

France to deliver more military equipment to Ukraine

France will send more military equipment, as well as fuel, to Ukraine to help fight off the Russian invasion and slap more economic sanctions on Moscow, the country's presidential office says in a statement.

The new sanctions would encompass "national measures to freeze the financial assets of Russian figures", as well as "new measures" to be taken "with European partners concerning the SWIFT" interbank system, the Elysee Palace statement said.

EU to facilitate delivery of military aid to Ukraine

The European Union will facilitate the delivery of military aid to Ukraine, EU Council President Charles Michel says on Twitter.

"Democratic Ukraine will prevail," he added.

EU defence in action in support to #Ukraine

Will facilitate deliveries of military aid from #EU to Ukraine.

Democratic #Ukraine will prevail. @ZelenskyyUa https://t.co/JQomw768DD

- Charles Michel (@eucopresident) February 26, 2022

EU foreign ministers to discuss Ukraine aid, measures against Moscow on Sunday

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has announced that EU foreign ministers will come together for a virtual meeting on Sunday to adopt further measures in support of Ukraine and against "aggression by Russia".

"I will propose a package of emergency assistance for the Ukrainian armed forces, to support them in their heroic fight," he said on Twitter, adding that the meeting would start on Sunday at 17:00 GMT.

More than 3,000 arrested at Russian anti-war protests, monitor says

More than 3,000 people have been detained in Russia for participating in anti-war protests since Moscow launched its assault, according to protest monitoring group OVD-Info.

"In the last three days, at least 3,052 people were arrested," OVD-Info tweeted. It said 467 people were arrested in 34 cities on Saturday alone.

Pope expresses 'profound pain' over invasion in call with Zelenskyy

Pope Francis has called Ukraine's president and expressed his "most profound pain" for the country's suffering, the Ukrainian Embassy to the Vatican says.

"The Holy Father expressed his most profound pain for the tragic events happening in our country," the embassy said in a tweet.

The Vatican confirmed the call and in his own tweet, Zelenskyy said he thanked the pope "for praying for peace in Ukraine and a ceasefire"

"The Ukrainian people feel the spiritual support of His Holiness," he added.

Russian assault on the capital has stalled, adviser to Zelenskyy says as night falls in Kyiv

An adviser to Ukraine's president has claimed that Russia's assault on Kyiv is not advancing and that about 3,500 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured since Moscow launched its invasion.

"We are striking the enemy around Kyiv. The enemy is not moving for now," Oleksiy Arestovych said.

There was no immediate response to the claim from Moscow, and Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the figures provided.

YouTube blocks RT, other Russian channels from generating revenue

YouTube has suspended multiple Russian channels, including state-funded media outlet RT, from generating revenue on the video service following a similar move by Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc.

"In light of extraordinary circumstances in Ukraine ... we're pausing a number of channels' ability to monetize on YouTube, including several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions," YouTube, which is operated by Alphabet Inc's Google, said in a statement.

Netherlands to supply anti-tank weapons to Ukraine

The Netherlands will send anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, the country's defence ministry says.

The Dutch government will supply 50 Panzerfaust-3 anti-tank weapons and 400 rockets, the ministry said in a letter to parliament.

UN chief tells Ukrainian president world body will boost aid

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has spoken with Zelenskyy and told him the world body plans to "enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine", according to a UN spokesperson.

"He informed the President that the United Nations would launch on Tuesday an appeal to fund our humanitarian operations in Ukraine," the spokesperson said in a statement.

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Friday that more than $1bn will be needed for aid operations in Ukraine over the next three months as a result of Russia's attack.

'A sense of Russia having rolled the dice': Analyst

Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the United Kingdom-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, says Moscow is "facing setbacks that it did not expect" but retains a "very significant" numerical advantage over Kyiv in military terms.

"It is taking casualties and Ukraine is taking prisoners, including some quite senior, at least one, possibly two, brigade commanders," Gould-Davies told Al Jazeera from Washington.

"So Russia will be motivated now to accelerate the forces that it brings to this conflict," he added. "So far, it has been using about less than half of the total forces it has mobilised and prepared for this [invasion]. So in numerical terms, it is quite clear that Russia has a very, very significant advantage.

"But the really impressive aspect of Ukraine's resistance so far is how strong and how wide it has been ... there is a sense of Russia having rolled the dice."

Zelenskyy says he welcomes potential move to cut Russia off from SWIFT

Ukraine's president has said he welcomes the prospect of Russia being disconnected from "global financial civilisation" as Western powers move to roll out punishing sanctions on Moscow over its attack on Ukraine.

EU member states are reportedly nearing an agreement on excluding Russia from the SWIFT global payments system.

"Our diplomats fought around the clock to inspire all European countries to agree on a strong and fair decision to disconnect Russia from the international interbanking network. We also have this victory," Zelenskyy said in a video message.

"This is billions and billions of losses for Russia - a tangible price for this vile invasion of our country ... Ukraine won the attention of the entire civilised world. And the practical result? Here it is - SWIFT... Disconnecting from global financial civilisation," he added.

Germany to supply Ukraine with anti-tank weapons, missiles

Germany's government has approved the delivery of a batch of weapons to Ukraine in a major policy U-turn, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz calling Russia's invasion of the country a "turning point".

Berlin will supply Kyiv with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles from its military's stocks.

"The Russian invasion marks a turning point. It is our duty to support Ukraine to the best of our ability in defending against Putin's invading army," Scholz said on Twitter.

Read more here.

Biden approves $350m in military aid for Ukraine

The US will provide an additional $350m worth of military aid to Ukraine, the country's secretary of state has announced, following approval of the package from President Joe Biden.

"This package will include further lethal defensive assistance to help Ukraine address the armoured, airborne, and other threats it is now facing," Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Washington had already drawn from US weapons stocks to supply Ukraine in the final months of 2021 and then again in December. In total, during the past year the US has committed more than $1bn in security assistance to Kyiv, Blinken said.

Ukraine has been asking for Javelin anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to shoot down aircraft.

Germany in favour of 'targeted and functional' SWIFT curbs on Russia

Germany is in favour of imposing "targeted and functional" restrictions on Russia's access to SWIFT, its foreign and economy ministers have said.

"We are urgently working on how to limit the collateral damage of decoupling from SWIFT in such a way that it affects the right people. What we need is a targeted and functional restriction of SWIFT," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said in a joint statement.

Read more on SWIFT here.

Greece says six nationals killed in Ukraine

Athens says that six Greek nationals have been killed and six others wounded by Russian bombing near the key southeastern port city of Mariupol.

"The death of our nationals creates grief and anger for this unacceptable Russian attack against civilians," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement.

The bombing took place on the outskirts of the villages of Sartana and Bugas, the foreign ministry said. It added that a child was among those wounded.

Photos: Ukrainians flee en masse

Masses of Ukrainians are fleeing from Russia's invasion, with many exiting the country via its western borders in search of safety.

Take a look here.

Russian military convoys 'flooding' across the Russia-Ukraine border

Al Jazeera's Rania Dridi, reporting from the city of Volgograd, in southwestern Russia, says military units in the area are being deployed across the border with Ukraine.

"Convoys of Russian military gear continue to flood across the Russia-Ukraine border; armoured gear and vehicle-mounted missiles," Dridi said.

"The convoys will take part in the ongoing military operations, the fiercest of which is currently raging on the Donbas front," she added, citing the region in eastern Ukraine where Russian-backed separatists control swaths of territory.

"This scene is repeated elsewhere as other convoys are crossing the borderline into Ukraine on other roads."

Twitter says its site is being restricted in Russia

Twitter has said it is aware its service is being restricted for some people in Russia, adding it is working to keep the site safe and accessible.

Internet blockage observatory NetBlocks reported that the social media platform had been restricted on leading networks.

The throttling came after Moscow said on Friday that it was partially limiting access to Facebook, accusing it of "censoring" Russian media. It was not immediately clear what Russia's restrictions on Facebook would involve.

We're aware that Twitter is being restricted for some people in Russia and are working to keep our service safe and accessible.

- Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) February 26, 2022

Berlin discussing export of RPGs to Ukraine via a third country

Germany's government is in talks over approving the delivery of 400 rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) to Ukraine via a third country but no final decision on whether to do so has been taken, the country's defence ministry says.

If carried through, the move would signal a major policy shift after Berlin faced criticism for refusing to send weapons to Kyiv, unlike other Western allies.

Germany has a longstanding policy of not exporting weapons to warzones, rooted partly in its bloody 20th-century history and resulting pacifism. Countries aiming to onpass German weapons exports need to apply for approval in Berlin first.

Berlin is also still to decide on a request from Estonia regarding the passing on of old GDR howitzers to Ukraine. Finland had bought the howitzers in the 1990s after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and later re-sold them to Estonia.

'Increasing fears' as Russian forces advance on Ukraine's cities

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from Dnipro, says there are reports of Ukrainian forces in the key southeastern port city of Mariupol preparing to defend it from a possible Russian assault.

"Witnesses [in Mariupol] are telling us that there are what they describe as increasing numbers of Ukrainian paramilitaries on the streets, helping the Ukrainian army to defend the city from what we understand is a push by Russian forces from the west," Stratford said.

"We know that the city has also suffered heavy shelling from the east," he added.

"We've also been speaking to people fleeing the area north of Crimea, around the city of Kherson. People are alleging that Russian forces that have taken control of some of those towns are preventing Ukrainian citizens from leaving there."

"There are increasing fears about the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of civilians, who are trying to put as much distance as they can between them and the Russian forces advancing on Ukrainian cities, as the front lines become increasingly blurred."

Russian army ordered to broaden Ukraine advance

The Russian army has been given orders to broaden its offensive in Ukraine "from all directions" after Kyiv refused to hold talks in Belarus, the country's defence ministry says.

"After the Ukrainian side rejected the negotiation process, today all units were given orders to develop the advance from all directions in accordance with the operation's plans," Russian army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

UN refugee chief says 150,000 Ukrainians have fled the country

More than 150,000 Ukrainians have fled the country since the start of Russia's invasion, the UN's high commissioner for refugees has said.

"Displacement in Ukraine is also growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid," Filippo Grandi tweeted.

More than 150,000 Ukrainian refugees have now crossed into neighbouring countries, half of them to Poland, and many to Hungary, Moldova, Romania and beyond.

Displacement in Ukraine is also growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid.

- Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) February 26, 2022

'Atmosphere of tension' grips Ukraine's countryside

Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, reporting from a highway in central Ukraine, says there is an "atmosphere of tension" in the country's rural areas.

"There are lots of checkpoints, barricades being put up and military reserves about," Simmons said.

"They look stressed, and they're looking for saboteurs," he added. "There have been saboteurs arrested and killed ... and, of course, it is dangerous for anyone on the streets, civilians or otherwise, because of that."

A view from a city 'frozen in horror'

Maria Avdeeva, a resident of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, has written a first-person account of Russia's invasion for Al Jazeera.

"This city of 1.5 million people, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Russian border, where I was born and raised, is frozen in horror," she writes. "The streets are deserted. The shelling continues."

Click here to read the full account.

US official claims Russian forces frustrated by 'viable' Ukrainian resistance

Russian forces are becoming increasingly frustrated by what Washington believes is "viable" Ukrainian resistance, a US defence official has said.

"We know that they have not made the progress that they have wanted to make, particularly in the north. They have been frustrated by what they have seen is a very determined resistance," the official claimed, without providing evidence. "It has slowed them down."

Ukraine open to talks, but not Russian ultimatums, Zelenskyy's advisor says

Kyiv has denied suggestions from the Kremlin that it is refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia, but says it is not ready to accept ultimatums or unacceptable conditions.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy, told the Reuters news agency that Ukraine has prepared a negotiating position but was being confronted with impractical negotiating conditions from Moscow.

"It was yesterday that the aggressive actions of the armed forces of the Russian Federation escalated, up to evening and night mass air and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities," he said. "We consider such actions only an attempt to break Ukraine and force it to accept categorically unacceptable conditions."

EU should speed Ukraine's path to membership, Poland's president says

The EU should speed Ukraine's path to membership, Polish President Andrzej Duda has said, adding that Kyiv should also have access to funds from the bloc for reconstruction.

"Poland supports an express path for Ukraine membership in the European Union," Duda wrote on Twitter.

"Candidate status should be granted immediately and membership talks initiated immediately thereafter," he added. "Ukraine should also have access to EU funds for reconstruction. This is what Ukraine deserves."

Russia's Chechen leader says his forces deployed in Ukraine

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's Chechnya region and an ally of Putin, says Chechen fighters have been deployed in Ukraine.

In a video posted online, Kadyrov claimed that units from the North Caucasus region - a constituent republic of Russia - had suffered no losses so far.

He alleged that Russian forces could easily take large control of Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, but that their task was to avoid mass loss of life.

Zelenskyy thanks Turkey for military, other support

Ukraine's president has thanked his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan for Ankara's "military and humanitarian" support, saying a "ban on the passage of [Russian] warships to the Black Sea" was very important for his country.

Turkey, which controls the Dardanelles and Bosphorus Straits that link the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, has not publicly announced any ban on Russian warships using the channels despite Kyiv's urgent requests that it take such a measure.

On Friday, Turkey's foreign minister said that under the 1936 convention covering the matter, Ankara could not bar warships returning to a home base in the Black Sea from passing through the straits. Russia has a major naval base in the Black Sea.

I thank my friend Mr. President of 🇹🇷 @RTErdogan and the people of 🇹🇷 for their strong support. The ban on the passage of 🇷🇺 warships to the Black Sea and significant military and humanitarian support for 🇺🇦 are extremely important today. The people of 🇺🇦 will never forget that!

- Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022

Russia bars flights from Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic

Russia has closed its airspace to flights from Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic in a series of tit-for-tat moves.

"Air carriers of these states and/or registered in them are subject to restrictions on flights to destinations on the territory of the Russian Federation, including transit flights through the airspace of the Russian Federation," the federal air transport agency, Rosaviation, said.

The move came after all three countries closed their own airspace to Russian carriers. Several other European nations have taken the same move, including Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia.

"There is no place for planes of the aggressor state in democratic skies," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tweeted.

Kremlin says offensive resumed after talks about talks broke down

Russian troops have started advancing into Ukraine again after Putin allegedly paused Moscow's offensive in anticipation of talks with Kyiv that failed to materialise, the Kremlin says.

Speaking to reporters at a news briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine's leadership of "refusing to negotiate".

On Friday, Peskov said Putin was ready to send a delegation of officials to Belarus, where Russia has stationed thousands of troops, for talks. He later claimed Kyiv had proposed Warsaw as a venue instead and that negotiations over a potential meeting ended without an agreement because the Ukrainian side went silent.

"Since the Ukrainian side refused to negotiate, the advance of the Russian forces resumed this afternoon," Peskov said at Saturday's news briefing.

Hungary won't block any sanctions against Russia, Orban says

Hungary will support all EU sanctions against Russia and will not block any punitive measures against Moscow, Prime Minister Viktor Orban says.

"Hungary made clear that we support all the sanctions, so we will block nothing, so what the ... [leaders] of the EU are able to agree, we accept it and we support it," Orban told reporters in English on the Ukraine-Hungary border.

"This is the time to be united, it's a war," he added.

Orban's right-wing, nationalist government has been at odds with the EU in recent years over a number of issues.

Romania on edge as Russia invades Ukraine

Despite assurances from Romania's leadership, many in the Eastern European nation - a NATO member since 2004 - fear wider Russian attacks.

Read more here.

Ankara calls for Moscow to stop its assault

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has urged Moscow to stop its attack, according to a statement issued by his ministry.

The ministry said Cavusoglu made his appeal during talks by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. It added Cavusoglu had reiterated during the call that Ankara was ready to host the Russian and Ukrainian leaders for peace talks.

UN refugee agency says nearly 120,000 Ukrainians have fled the country

Nearly 120,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of Russia's invasion, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has said.

The agency added the number was rising as people continue to grab their belongings and rush to escape from Moscow's deadly onslaught.

Ukraine: UNHCR will soon be launching a portal with current displacement estimates.⁰Latest update is that almost 116,000 have fled to neighbouring countries since 24 Feb - mainly Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania. ⁰Numbers are rising.

- UNHCR News (@RefugeesMedia) February 26, 2022

Ukraine's army tells civilians to build barricades, use petrol bombs to stop Russian troops

Ukraine's army has called on the country's civilians to stop the advance of Russian troops by any means necessary.

"Cut down trees, build barricades, burn tyres ... Use everything available" the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement posted on Facebook.

The statement also encouraged Ukrainians to assemble and use petrol bombs against Moscow's forces.

"The occupiers must understand that they are not wanted here and that they will be resisted in every street," it said.

UNHCR says 160,000 people displaced

UNHCR's representative in Ukraine has warned the displacement of more than 150,000 people in the country marks "just the beginning" of a looming humanitarian crisis.

"People are fleeing from eastern, southern and northern Ukraine towards the centre and west of the country ... they are on the road and on trains," Karolina Lindholm Billing told Al Jazeera from Kyiv.

"It's very difficult to get evidence of how many people have been internally displaced, but we estimate that it is at least 160,000," she added. "The human suffering is going to be enormous."

Ukrainian forces have 'withstood and repelled attacks', Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy says Ukraine's military has "withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks" as battles continue to rage nationwide.

"Fighting continues in different cities and regions of our country," the Ukrainian president said in his latest video message.

Zelenskyy added that Kyiv and other key towns nearby were still under the control of the army.

"We have ruined their plans," he said, before again appealing to Ukrainian civilians to resist the Russian invasion.

"Each Ukrainian should keep one thing in mind: if you can stop and destroy the occupiers - do it. Everyone who can come back to Ukraine - come back to defend Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

France seizes Russian cargo ship in the English Channel

French sea police have seized a ship that authorities suspect belongs to a Russian company targeted by EU sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, according to an official.

Captain Veronique Magnin of the French Maritime Prefecture said the "Baltic Leader" - a cargo vessel - was headed from Rouen, in Normandy, for the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.

It was stopped in the English Channel and diverted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France in the early hours of Saturday morning, Magnin added. She said ongoing checks were being carried out by customs officials and the ship's crew was "being cooperative."

The Russian embassy in France is seeking an explanation from authorities over the seizure, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency quoted the embassy as saying.

'This war will last,' warns France's Macron

Macron has warned the world must brace for a long war between Russia and Ukraine.

"I can tell you one thing this morning - it is that this war will last," he told France's annual agriculture fair, one of the main fixtures on the country's political calendar.

"This crisis will last, this war will last and all the crises that come with it will have lasting consequences," the French president added.

Kyiv mayor imposes curfew until Monday

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has imposed a stricter curfew in the Ukrainian capital as Russian troops press in on the city.

The measure will extend from 5pm local time on Saturday until 8am local time Monday morning, Klitschko's office said in a statement.

It added the new rules were needed to help rid the city of "the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups".

A previous curfew imposed two days ago lasted from 10pm until 7am local time each day.

Medvedev says Moscow does not 'especially need' diplomatic ties with the West

Moscow does not "especially need" diplomatic ties with the West anymore, ex-president and top security official Dmitry Medvedev has said.

"It's time to padlock the embassies and continue contacts looking at each other through binoculars and gun sights," Medvedev said in comments on his verified page on Russian social network VK.

He also shrugged off sweeping sanctions imposed on Moscow in the wake of its incursion.

"The sanctions are being imposed for one simple reason - political impotence arising from their (the West's) inability to change Russia's course," Medvedev said.

"[They] will not change a thing," he added, suggesting the measures gave Russia a good reason to pull out of dialogue with Western powers on arms control.

Poland says about 100,000 people have crossed from Ukraine

About 100,000 people have entered into Poland from Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion, the country's deputy interior minister has said.

The figure includes 9,000 people who had crossed since 7am local time (06:00 GMT) on Saturday, Pawel Szefernaker told a news conference.

Poland, an EU member state, was already home to more than one million Ukrainians before Russia's attack began and has seen a throng of refugees head for its borders since the assault began.

Read more here.

Internet in Ukraine disrupted as Russian troops advance

Internet connectivity in Ukraine has been badly affected, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country where fighting has been heaviest, NetBlocks says.

Connectivity to GigaTrans, Ukraine's main internet provider, dropped to below 20 percent of normal levels before returning to higher levels in the early hours of Friday morning, the internet blockage observatory said.

"We currently observe national connectivity at 87 percent of ordinary levels, a figure that reflects service disruptions as well as population flight and the shuttering of homes and businesses since the morning of the 24th," Alp Toker, the observatory's director, told Reuters.

Air raid near Zaporizhzhia causes 'utter panic'

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, says the situation in the area is "very tense" after a recent air raid near a checkpoint blocking access to the city.

"The situation here 10 minutes ago was of utter panic. A fighter jet passed very low overhead and a sudden obviously huge explosion," he said.

"The situation is very tense indeed. On our way to this checkpoint, we saw trenches being dug and what looked like civilian defence forces setting up along with the army to defend bridge positions. This city is of huge significance, it has a massive hydroelectric plant in it - so very important civilian infrastructure," Stratford added.

"We also understand that there is significant fighting in the east along the separatist-controlled line."

Poland will not play World Cup match with Russia

Poland will not play a World Cup qualifying football match against Russia next month because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the president of Poland's Football Association has announced.

"In light of the escalation of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine, the Polish national team is not going to play a match against Russian Republic," Cezary Kulesza said on Twitter. "This is the only right decision."

Russia is due to host Poland in the semi-finals of its strand of the World Cup playoffs on March 24 and, if its team advances, is scheduled to host either Sweden or the Czech Republic on March 29 in the Path B final.

Read more here.

🇵🇱🤝🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/2SnhdEPyqg

- Kamil Glik (@kamilglik25) February 26, 2022

Residents donate blood in Ukrainian city of Mariupol

Dozens of residents have made their way to Mariupol's hospital to donate blood while Ukrainian forces block the southeastern city's main roads with trees in a bid to stave off Russian forces.

"Heavy fighting is taking place near Mariupol," Podolyak, Zelenskyy's adviser, told a news briefing. "But there is no chance that Mariupol will surrender or be captured."

People waiting to give blood today in #Mariupol 's intensive care hospital as fighting rages and there are warnings the city could soon be surrounded.

"I don't know how to hold a weapon but at least I can give my blood this way," said doner Nik. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/AMO4Mb5axJ

- Liz Cookman (@liz_cookman) February 26, 2022

Ukraine's health minister puts death toll at nearly 200 people

Ukraine's health minister says 198 people, including three children, have been killed so far amid Russia's assault.

A further 1,115 people have been wounded, among them 33 children, Viktor Lyashko said in a statement on Facebook.

Ukrainians crowd Kyiv's train stations

Masses of people have headed to Kyiv's train stations as they desperately attempt to escape the city and flee Russia's assault.

"We have been trying to leave all day since this morning but as you can see it's unrealistic," a young girl at one station in the capital told Al Jazeera.

Russian regulator warns local media over war coverage

Russia's communications regulator has accused 10 local media outlets of falsely depicting what Moscow has termed its "special military operation" in Ukraine and distributing false information about events in the country.

Roskomnadzor, the regulator, ordered a number of independent media outlets including television channel Dozhd and Echo of Moscow radio to delete the offending information or face restricted access to their websites and media resources.

It called on the outlets to remove reports describing Moscow's attack on Ukraine as an "assault, invasion, or declaration of war".

Zelenskyy calls for Ukraine to be granted EU membership

Zelenskyy has called for his country to be admitted to the EU.

"It is a crucial moment to close the long-standing discussion once and for all and decide on Ukraine's membership in the EU," the Ukrainian leader wrote on Twitter.

Zelenskyy added he had discussed "further effective assistance" as well as "the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their free future" with European Council President Charles Michel.

Ukraine embassy staff evacuating from Moscow, Latvia says

The staff of Ukraine's embassy in Moscow is evacuating to Latvia, the Latvian foreign ministry has told Reuters.

"It was their plea, we readily agreed. We are assisting them in the process and help with settling down," ministry spokesperson Janis Bekeris said.

He declined to say whether the embassy staff had already arrived in Latvia, citing security concerns.

Fighting continues but Kyiv 'is under control'

Podolyak, Zelenskyy's adviser, says Ukrainian forces have been able to mount a strong defence of the capital.

Russian forces are still trying to move a large number of troops and equipment into the city, and fighting continues to take place on its outskirts, Podolyak was quoted as saying by Ukraine's UNIAN news agency.

"Both in the city itself and on the outskirts of Kyiv, the situation is under control," he said.

Russia: Over 800 Ukrainian military infrastructure sites destroyed

Russia has crippled the operations of more than 800 Ukrainian military infrastructure sites so far, the country's defence ministry says.

Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said 14 military airfields, 19 command posts, 24 S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems and 48 radar stations had been destroyed. In addition, eight Ukrainian naval boats were hit, he said.

Ukrainian foreign minister calls for Russian oil embargo

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called for a full isolation of Russia, including an embargo on the purchase of Russian crude oil.

"I demand the world: fully isolate Russia, expel ambassadors, oil embargo, ruin its economy," Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

Kyiv, our splendid, peaceful city, survived another night under attacks by Russian ground forces, missiles. One of them has hit a residential apartment in Kyiv. I demand the world: fully isolate Russia, expel ambassadors, oil embargo, ruin its economy. Stop Russian war criminals! pic.twitter.com/c3ia46Ctjq

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 26, 2022

Damage to residential building near Kyiv airport

Kyiv's mayor says a missile has hit an apartment building in the city, but that no casualties have been immediately reported.

Klitschko said the missile slammed into a high-rise building on the capital's southwestern outskirts, near Zhuliany airport. He said that rescue workers were heading to the site.

Read more here.

Poland, Lithuania and Germany to discuss sanctions on Russia

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin to discuss sanctions on Russia, Polish government spokesperson Piotr Muller says on Twitter.

"At the initiative of Prime Minister Morawiecki a meeting will be held in Berlin today. Prime Minister Morawiecki together with the President of Lithuania will hold talks with the German Chancellor," Muller said in a tweet.

"The European Union must immediately adopt a package of ruthlessly harsh sanctions against Russia."

Russia suspends space launches from French Guiana over sanctions

Russia is suspending space launches from French Guiana and withdrawing its technical personnel in response to EU sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the space agency says.

"In response to EU sanctions against our enterprises, Roskosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners over organizing space launches from the Kourou cosmodrome and withdrawing its technical personnel... from French Guiana," Dmitry Rogozin, chief of the Russian space agency, said on Telegram.

Russia targets Ukraine military infrastructure with cruise missiles

The Russian army has targeted Ukraine's military infrastructure with air and sea-based cruise missiles, the country's defence ministry says.

"During the night, the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a strike with long-range precision weapons using air and sea-launched cruise missiles against the military infrastructure of Ukraine," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in televised remarks.

The ministry also said its troops have captured the Ukrainian city of Melitopol, in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.

'We won't put down weapons': Zelenskyy vows to fight on in Kyiv

The Ukrainian president recorded a video address outside his presidential office in Kyiv urging residents not to believe in "fakes" about the surrender of the Ukrainian army.

"I am here. We will not put down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth," Zelenskyy said, denouncing as disinformation claims that he had surrendered or fled.

Read more here.

⚡️Zelensky posts another video filmed in central Kyiv.

"There's a lot of fake information online that I call on our army to lay down arms, and that there's evacuation," he said.

"I'm here. We won't lay down our arms. We will defend our state." pic.twitter.com/VKVY4XRUip

- The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 26, 2022

Biden signs order to give Ukraine $600m in military assistance

US President Joe Biden has signed a memorandum to provide up to $600m in "immediate military assistance" to Ukraine.

The order directs Secretary of State Antony Blinken to provide "immediate military assistance to Ukraine" of up to $250m "in assistance without regard to any provision of law".

A further $350m was allocated "in defence articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training," the order said.

'Extraordinarily awful night' on Kyiv

Ukraine's capital witnessed relentless bombardment by Russia's Air Force, shuddering the city with ballistic missiles, Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons said.

"Here in the capital, the force of the conflict has reached a seismic level," he said, speaking from Kyiv.

"During the night, everyone has take some form of shelter, most of them below the ground, some of them in whatever form of handy shelter people could get. No one slept properly tonight."

Ukraine reports fresh air, cruise missile strikes

Ukraine's military command said areas near the cities of Sumy, Poltava and Mariupol were hit by air raids on Friday, with Russian Kalibr cruise missiles launched at the country from the Black Sea.

Russian and Ukrainian forces clash near Kyiv

Russian and Ukrainian forces have clashed on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as authorities urged citizens to help defend the city from advancing Russian forces.

Meta to bar Russian state media from running ads, monetising on platform

Meta Platforms Inc is barring Russian state media from running ads or monetising on its platform anywhere in the world, the parent company of social media giant Facebook has said.

"We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media," its security policy head, Nathaniel Gleicher, said on Twitter. "These changes have already begun rolling out and will continue into the weekend."

He added, "We are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on our platform anywhere in the world."

Read more here.

1/ We are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on our platform anywhere in the world. We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media. These changes have already begun rolling out and will continue into the weekend.

- Nathaniel Gleicher (@ngleicher) February 26, 2022

Day three of Russian attack on Ukraine: What we know so far

A roundup of key events that took place on the third day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine can be found here.

Japan considering imposing sanctions against Belarus

Japan is considering imposing economic sanctions on Belarus, in line with the US, for its support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, two government officials with knowledge of the matter have told Reuters news agency.

It was not immediately clear which individuals or entities would be targeted by such sanctions. The officials said Tokyo will coordinate with other members of the Group of Seven (G7) industrial powers.

Japan has announced sanctions on Russia over the invasion, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida terming Moscow's moves an unacceptable violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and international law.

Russian troops attack Kyiv military base, are repelled, Ukraine army says

Russian troops attacked an army base in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv but the assault was repelled, the Ukrainian military has said in a Facebook post.

Separately, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency said Russian soldiers were trying to capture one of the city's electricity generating stations.

Frequent artillery blasts heard in Kyiv: Witness

Frequent artillery blasts could be heard in Kyiv, coming from an unspecified location some distance from the city centre, the Reuters news agency reported, citing a witness.

'Nazi-style course of action': Ukraine blasts Russia at UNSC meet

Ukraine's ambassador to the UN has railed against Russia at a meeting of the UN Security Council, calling the Russian invasion "a Nazi-style course of action".

Sergiy Kyslytsya also accused Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia of violating Security Council rules by continuing as president of the council during votes and actions that concerned his country.

For his part, Nebenzia thanked the Security Council members who did not support a draft resolution condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine, which he described as anti-Russian.

"Your draft resolution is nothing other than yet another brutal, inhumane move in this Ukrainian chessboard," Nebenzia said after the vote.

Read more here.

Guatemalan president orders return of ambassador to Russia

Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei has said that he has ordered the return of the Central American country's ambassador to Russia, adding that his government rejected Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Giammattei had earlier expressed "full support for the sovereignty of Ukraine as like-minded countries and stand in solidarity with its people and government".

UN chief says Russian soldiers should 'return to their barracks'

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on soldiers in Russia's war on Ukraine to "return to their barracks".

"We must never give up. We must give peace another chance," he told reporters after Moscow vetoed a UN resolution condemning its "aggression" in Ukraine.

Australia seeks to join global move to hit Putin with sanctions

Australia seeks to join others in imposing direct sanctions on Putin and has extended its punitive financial measures to members of Russia's parliament and more oligarchs, Foreign Minister Marise Payne has said.

"It is an exceptional step to sanction leaders, but this is an exceptional situation," Payne said at a press conference, adding that the government is seeking advice on how to follow other nations in the move.

"Vladimir Putin has unparalleled personal power over his country and he has chosen to go to war against a neighbour that posed no threat to Russia, because he wants to reverse history and take away the freedom and the democracy that the Ukrainian people chose for themselves."

In its new sanctions, Payne said Australia will target 339 members of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament and eight more oligarchs. The new measures follow a series of Australian sanctions announced earlier in the week.

Ukraine says two commercial ships hit by Russian missiles near Odesa port

Ukraine has said Russian warships shelled a Moldovan-flagged chemical tanker and a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship due to load grain near the Odesa port in the Black Sea.

A total of three non-military vessels have now been hit since the start of the invasion. On Thursday, the Turkish-owned Yasa Jupiter cargo ship was struck off Odesa.

Ukraine's president says Russia will try to 'storm' Kyiv overnight

Zelenskyy has said that Russian troops would attempt to take the capital city, Kyiv, during the night.

"I have to say absolutely openly. This night will be more difficult than the day. Many cities of our state are under attack," Zelenskyy said in a video address to the nation.

"Special attention on Kyiv - we cannot lose the capital," he added in the clip released by the presidency.

"I am turning to our defenders, male and female, on all fronts: this night the enemy will use all the forces it has to crush our defence in a treacherous, harsh and inhumane way," he said. "Tonight they will attempt a storming," he added, in an apparent reference to the capital.

White House asks Congress for $6.4bn for Ukraine crisis

The White House asked Congress to approve $6.4bn in aid to address the Ukraine crisis, including $2.9bn in security and humanitarian assistance and $3.5bn for the defence department, Biden administration and congressional aides have said.

"In a recent conversation with lawmakers, the administration identified the need for additional US humanitarian, security, and economic assistance to Ukraine and Central European partners due to Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion," an official from the White House Office of Management and Budget said.

Russia 'cannot veto our voices', US envoy to UN says

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US envoy to the UN, has said that Russia "will not veto accountability" shortly after Moscow vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning its attack on Ukraine.

"Russia can veto this resolution, but cannot veto our voices," she wrote on Twitter.

Russia can veto this resolution, but cannot veto our voices.

Russia cannot veto the truth.

Russia cannot veto our principles.

Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people.

Russia cannot veto the UN Charter.

And Russia will not veto accountability.

- Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) February 25, 2022

Moody's puts Russia, Ukraine ratings on review for downgrade

Moody's said it has put the credit ratings of Russia and Ukraine on review for a downgrade.

There are "serious concerns" around Russia's ability to manage the disruptive impact of new sanctions on its economy, public finances and financial system, the ratings agency said.

Russia currently has an investment-grade rating of Baa3; a downgrade will lower its rating to junk status. Ukraine has a B3 rating and Moody's said an extensive conflict could pose a risk to the government's liquidity and external positions, given the country's sizeable external maturities in the coming years and the reliance of its economy on foreign-currency funding.

Russia vetoes UN Security action on Ukraine, China abstains

Russia has vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, while China abstained from the vote - a move Western countries view as a win for demonstrating Russia's international isolation.

The United Arab Emirates and India also abstained from the vote on the US-drafted text. The remaining 11 council members voted in favour. The draft resolution is now expected to be taken up by the 193-member UN General Assembly.

Russia's invasion 'threatens international system', US envoy to UN says

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US envoy to the UN, has accused Russia of threatening the international system with its invasion of Ukraine.

"Russia's latest attack on our most fundamental principles is so bold, so brazen that it threatens our international system as we know it. We have a solemn obligation to not look away," she told the UN Security Council.

Echoing Biden's comments from earlier this week, Thomas-Greenfield said Russia is engaged in a "war of choice" in Ukraine.

"Russia chose to inflict untold suffering on the Ukrainian people and on its own citizens," she said. "Russia chose to violate Ukraine's sovereignty, to violate international law, to violate the UN Charter."

Russia will 'most likely veto any resolution': Amnesty chief

Agnes Callamard, the secretary general of Amnesty International, has said that Russia "will most likely veto any resolution" at the UN Security Council meeting.

"If the UNSC is paralysed, it is up to the entire membership to step up," she said.

She called for the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution denouncing Russia's "unlawful attack" and "calling for an end to all violations of humanitarian law and human rights".

"The lives, safety and wellbeing of millions of civilians is at stake," she added, though a UNGA resolution would be non-binding.

IMF says Ukraine requested emergency funding

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Ukraine has requested emergency funding.

Georgieva said the IMF will "work closely with the authorities to support Ukraine" in all ways it can.

"Beyond Ukraine, the repercussions of the conflict pose significant economic risks in the region and around the world," she added in a statement. "We are assessing the potential implications, including for the functioning of the financial system, commodity markets, and the direct impact on countries with economic ties to the region."

Canada to impose sanctions on Russia's Putin

Canada is imposing sanctions on Putin and Lavrov, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

"We will be imposing sanctions on President Putin and his fellow architects of this barbaric war, his chief of staff and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov," Trudeau told a news conference. "These men bear the greatest responsibility for the death and destruction occurring in Ukraine."

Canada will also levy additional sanctions on Belarus and its leaders for "abetting" Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Trudeau said.

He also expressed support for barring Russia from the SWIFT international financial messaging system.

Ukraine and Russia are discussing place and time for talks: Reports

Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks, Zelenskyy's spokesman has said.

"Ukraine was and remains ready to talk about a ceasefire and peace," spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov said on social media.

Ukrainian diaspora in US, Canada rallies against 'surreal' attack

The Ukrainian diaspora in the US and Canada is demonstrating, fundraising and organising social media campaigns, as well as calling on their elected leaders to act after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Read more here.

Bulgaria closes its airspace to Russian carriers

Bulgaria will ban flights into the country operated by Russian airlines and will close its airspace to all Russian aircraft from Saturday, the country's transport ministry has said.

The ministry said the move was a result of the escalation of the military conflict and as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine.

US to provide additional security aid to Ukraine, Pentagon says

The US will provide additional security assistance to Ukraine, the Pentagon has said, adding it was determining the best way to deliver that support.

"I'll be very clear here: We are going to provide additional security assistance for Ukraine. We will. How that is going to be done is still being worked out," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said during a news briefing, adding: "The airspace over Ukraine is contested."

UK bans Russian private jets from its airspace

UK transport minister Grant Shapps has said that no Russian private jet can fly in UK airspace or touch down, effective immediately.

"Putin's actions are unlawful and anyone benefitting from Russia's aggression in Ukraine is not welcome here. I've strengthened our ban in the UK so that no Russian private jet can fly in UK airspace, or touchdown - effective immediately," Shapps tweeted.

Poland and the Czech Republic also said they were banning Russian airlines from their respective airspace, while other air passenger carriers, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, began routing flights around Russian airspace.

Putin's actions are unlawful and anyone benefitting from Russia's aggression in Ukraine is not welcome here. I've strengthened our ban in the UK so that no Russian private jet can fly in UK airspace, or touchdown - effective immediately.

- Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) February 25, 2022

Welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

Read all the updates from Friday, February 25, here.

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Latest Russia-Ukraine updates: Battles rage for Ukraine's cities

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Kyiv's mayor imposes a city-wide curfew lasting until Monday morning after fighting reaches the capital's streets. The United States and its Western allies move to supply Kyiv with weapons as it faces down Russia's invasion. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the country's forces "have withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks".

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Our President, Biden, announced the sanctions being placed on Russia over the Ukraine invasion and says Putin “chose” war.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/23/ukraine-declares-state-of-emergency-amid-fears-of-invasion-liveblog

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The UN refugee agency says an estimated 100,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes.

US President Joe Biden announces new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine invasion, says Putin "chose" war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launches sweeping Ukraine invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vows to defend his nation, declares martial law.

He calls on citizens to fight, says weapons will be issued to everyone who wants them.

Kyiv reports dozens of casualties, including more than 40 troops and up to 10 civilians.

Western powers condemn Moscow's move, prepare economic sanctions.

The live blog is now closed; thank you for joining us. Here are the updates for February 24:

Republican senator criticises Biden for not sanctioning Putin

Key Republican Senator Lindsey Graham slammed Biden for not targeting Putin personally with sanctions.

"The Biden Administration continues to misread the moment," Graham wrote in a series of tweets. "We should not be seeking permission from allies to go after Putin and his cronies. We should move ahead forcefully against Putin, a war criminal, and demand our allies join us!"

Blinken speaks with top diplomats of Turkey, Baltic states

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone with the foreign ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Turkey, the State Department said on Thursday.

"Secretary Blinken strongly condemned Russia's premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine and emphasized the importance of Allied unity for the strong, swift response to Russia's aggression," the department said in a statement describing the talks with the diplomats from the Baltic states.

In a separate statement on Blinken's call with Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu, the State Department said, "Blinken thanked Turkey for its strong and vocal support in defense of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

US House Speaker Pelosi: Response will be 'devastating for Russia'

Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, said the response by the US and its allies to Putin's decision to invade Ukraine "will be severe, ongoing and devastating for Russia, economically, diplomatically, and strategically".

Pelosi lauded the sanctions announced by Biden earlier on Thursday and said Washington and its partners are "united with unprecedented strength".

"The United States Congress joins President Biden and all Americans in praying for the Ukrainian people," she said in a statement.

Russia's launch of a premeditated war against the sovereign nation of Ukraine is an attack on democracy and a violation of international law, global peace and security. Putin's unprovoked actions will cause devastating loss of life and a diminishing of Russia in the world order.

- Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 24, 2022

Russian forces have advanced closer to Kyiv: US defence official

Russian forces are making advances on Ukraine's capital Kyiv and Moscow has continued to flow forces into the country, a senior US defense official has said.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that so far Russia had fired more than 160 missiles at Ukrainian targets.

Russia wants to block Kyiv, create land corridor to Crimea and Transdniestria, Kyiv says

Ukraine's military has said that Russian forces aim to block Kyiv while creating a land corridor on the southern coast towards the annexed Crimea peninsula and the Transdniestria region of Moldova.

Ukrainian forces have battled Russian invaders on three sides after Moscow mounted an assault by land, sea and air.

100,000 Ukrainians believed to be displaced

The UN refugee agency has said an estimated 100,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes and that several thousand have crossed into neighbouring countries, mainly Romania and Moldova.

Ukraine foreign minister says US told him it plans to deliver defensive weapons

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that he has spoken to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who told him about "plans to deliver new defensive weapons to help Ukraine defend itself".

Kuleba made the remarks on Twitter, but did not give details. He added, "We need the world to help us".

'The whole of Europe is in major danger': Former Zelenskyy adviser

Speaking to Al Jazeera on the nuclear issue, Igor Novikov, former advisor to Zelenskyy said: "We need help explaining the dangers to our friends in the West.

"I mean, Ukraine has 15 active nuclear reactors and nuclear waste in Chernobyl: one mortar miss, and everyone in Europe is facing a major nuclear catastrophe," Novikov said.

"I'd ask everyone to speak with your political representatives, your friends and peers. Everyone should understand that it's not only about Ukraine; the whole of Europe is in major danger."

EU agrees on new round of Russia sanctions

EU leaders have agreed to impose new sanctions on Russia's financial, energy and transport sectors and impose export controls, as well as blacklisting more Russians.

"The European Council today agrees on further restrictive measures that will impose massive and severe consequences on Russia for its action," said a statement by the 27 national EU leaders meeting in Brussels.

"These sanctions cover the financial sector, the energy and transport sectors, dual-use goods as well as export controls and export financing, visa policy, additional listings of Russian individuals and new listing criteria," the statement said.

Ukrainian forces recapture Hostomel Airfield

Ukrainian forces have recaptured Hostomel airfield, the adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office has said.

EU leaders agree to impose sanctions against Russia that will have 'massive and severe consequences'

EU leaders have agreed to impose sanctions against Russia that will have "massive and severe consequences".

Russian forces capture Zmiinyi Island in Black Sea

Ukraine national police has said Russian forces have captured Ukraine's Zmiinyi Island located in the northwestern Black Sea.

France says Putin needs to understand NATO has nuclear weapons

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said that Putin, when making threats about using nuclear weapons, needs to understand that NATO, too, is a nuclear alliance.

Asked whether Putin's threat of "such consequences that you have never encountered in your history" was tantamount to threatening to use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict, Le Drian said it was understood as such.

"Yes, I think that Vladimir Putin must also understand that the Atlantic alliance is a nuclear alliance. That is all I will say about this," Le Drian said on French television TF1.

US expelling Russian diplomat in tit-for-tat move: State Department

The US is expelling the No. 2 diplomat at the Russian Embassy in Washington in response to Russia's recent expulsion of the US deputy chief of mission in Moscow, a senior State Department spokesperson has said.

"The US believes that it is critical that our countries have the necessary diplomatic personnel in place to facilitate communication between our governments.  However, we will not let actions like these go without a response," the spokesperson said.

Latvia's PM says Putin and his regime need to be isolated from the world

Putin is fighting democracy with his decision to invade Ukraine, and the EU must take sanctions that isolate him for the rest of the world, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins has said.

"We need to say very clearly to Putin that this is by no means acceptable and the general direction is to isolate ever more Putin and his regime from the rest of the world through the various sanctions", Karins told reporters before an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders.

"Putin is fighting against democracy... If he can attack Ukraine, theoretically it could be any other European country", he added.

FAA expands area in Eastern Europe, Russia where US airlines cannot operate

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said it is expanding the area in Eastern Europe and Russia where US airlines and US pilots cannot operate.

The US agency issued expanded notices barring operations that now cover the entire country of Ukraine, the entire country of Belarus and a western portion of Russia. Prior to the new restrictions, the FAA prohibited operations in an eastern region of Ukraine. The restrictions do not apply to military operations.

IAEA says Ukraine power plants running safely, no destruction at Chernobyl

Ukraine's operational nuclear power plants are running safely and securely and there has been no "destruction" at the remaining waste and other facilities at Chernobyl, the UN nuclear watchdog has said, citing Ukraine's nuclear regulator.

"Ukraine has informed the IAEA that 'unidentified armed forces' have taken control of all facilities of the State Specialized Enterprise Chornobyl NPP, located within the Exclusion Zone," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.

"The counterpart added that there had been no casualties nor destruction at the industrial site."

Ukraine requested urgent debate at Human Rights Council, UN says

Ukraine has requested an urgent debate be held at the UN Human Rights Council on the situation stemming from the "Russian aggression", the United Nations has said.

"This is [a] response to the extremely grave deterioration in the human rights situation in Ukraine as a result of Russia's hostilities on Ukrainian territory," Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraine's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said in a letter sent to the president's forum, posted in a tweet by its mission to the UN in Geneva.

The EU said in a separate tweet that it supported the move.

The Council president will meet and discuss the request with the 47-member body for its consideration, a UN statement said. A simple majority is needed to hold an urgent debate during its main annual month-long session opening on Monday.

Biden hits Russia with tough export curbs, slashing its access to global tech

The Biden administration has announced sweeping export restrictions against Russia, hammering its access to global exports of everything from commercial electronics and computers to semiconductors and aircraft parts.

The controls, announced by the Commerce Department rely on a dramatic expansion of the so-called Foreign Direct Product rule, forcing companies making high and low tech items overseas with US tools to seek a license from the US before shipping to Russia.

The rules also instruct the Commerce Department to deny almost all of those license requests.

Iran's Raisi denounces NATO in call with Putin

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has said NATO expansion toward the east creates tensions in a call with Putin, calling it a "serious threat against the stability and security of independent countries in various regions".

Raisi also said he hopes "what is happening will end up to the benefit of nations and the region", according to his website.

Putin was quoted as saying the current situation is a "legitimate response to decades of violating security accords" and a Western effort to harm Russia.

Ukraine says 57 people killed on first day of Russian invasion

Ukraine's Health Minister Oleh Lyashko has said 57 people have been killed and 169 wounded.

Separately, the deputy defence minister reported heavy Russian shelling was still underway in the eastern Donetsk region.

US sanctions Belarus over support for Russia's invasion

The US' sanctions include 24 Belarusian individuals and entities over their support for Moscow's attack, the US Treasury Department has said.

The US sanctions target two state-owned banks - Belinvestbank and Bank Dabrabyt - as well as Belarus' defense and security industries and defense officials, Treasury said.

They target Aliaksandr Mikalaevich Zaitsau, a former Belarusian government official and a member of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko's inner circle, the department said.

Military transport aircraft crashes in southern Russia: Interfax

A Russian AN-26 military transport aircraft has crashed in Russia's southern Voronezh region, killing its crew on board, Interfax news agency has quoted Russian military officials as saying.

The accident could have been caused by a technical failure and has not inflicted any damage on the ground, Interfax said, citing a press office of Russia's western military district.

New sanctions to isolate Russia from global economy: Correspondent

Al Jazeera's Kimberly Halkett speaking from Washington, DC said the new sanctions on Russia, which are being coordinated with European allies, would isolate the country from the global economy.

"This is going to - in the United States specifically - any assets that Russia currently holds in the United States, are now frozen," Halkett said.

In his speech from the White House, Halkett added, Biden signaled to the American public that the US is closely monitoring the situation in order to assess whether or not to send its own troops.

"The President was very carefully making the argument to Americans that right now, while there are no boots on the ground of American soldiers in Ukraine, should this conflict spill over into neighbouring NATO countries, that would change."

US to send 7,000 troops already on alert to Germany: US official

The US is sending 7,000 troops to Germany to help reassure NATO allies who are part of a larger contingent that had already been put on alert earlier this year, a senior US defense official has said.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the troops would be made up of an armored brigade combat team and would leave for Germany in the coming days.

Biden says Putin will be a pariah on the international stage

Biden has said that Putin would cost Russia dearly and leave him as a pariah on the international stage.

He also described it as a dangerous moment for Europe but said that freedom would prevail.

Biden says working to secure global energy supplies

The US is working closely with major oil-producing and consuming countries to secure global energy supplies and protect consumers, Biden has said.

Biden said the US was working actively with countries around the world to ensure collective releases from their strategic petroleum reserves, and Washington would release additional barrels of oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve as conditions warranted.

US will 'defend every inch' of NATO nations but no troops to Ukraine: Biden

Biden has vowed to defend "every inch" of NATO territory, but reaffirmed that no American troops would be deployed.

"As I made crystal clear, the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory with a full force of American power," Biden said in an address to the nation.

The president added, however: "Our forces will not be engaged in a conflict with Russia in Ukraine."

Biden announces sanctions on Russia's second largest bank

Biden has announced the imposition of sanctions on Russia's second largest bank, VTB Bank.

Read more here.

'[Putin] has much larger ambitions in Ukraine': Biden

"[Putin] has much larger ambitions in Ukraine. He wants to re-establish the former Soviet Union. That's what this is about," Biden has said.

"And I think that his ambitions are completely contrary to the place where the rest of the world has arrived."

Biden sending more US forces to Germany

Biden has said he is authorising the deployment of additional US forces to Germany.

Russia has 'complete air superiority' over Ukraine: Western intel official

Russia has "eliminated" Ukraine's air defences and now controls the skies over the country as it pursues its invasion, a senior Western intelligence official has said.

"Essentially the Russians now have complete air superiority over Ukraine," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Biden announces sanctions and export controls against Russia

Biden has announced severe new sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, including freezing assets of major banks and cutting off high-tech exports to the country.

"This is going to impose severe cost on the Russian economy, both immediately and over time," Biden said.

He said the steps imposed in coordination with Europe will block top Russian banks from the US financial system and "cut off more than half of Russia's high-tech imports".

'America stands up to bullies', Biden says

Biden has said "this cannot go on unanswered.

"If it did, the consequences for America would be much worse. America stands up to the bullies. We stand up for freedom. This is who we are," Biden said.

"Putin's actions betray his sinister vision for the future of our world, one where nations take what they want by force."

Biden says Russian attack on Ukraine unfolding largely as predicted

Russia's military attack on Ukraine is taking place as US officials had predicted, Biden has said, describing the invasion as "unprovoked".

"For weeks, we have been warning that this would happen, and now it's unfolding largely as we predicted," the president said in a statement at the White House.

He said the invasion marked a "flagrant violation of international law".

Biden says US will 'limit Russia's ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds and yen'

Biden has said they will "limit Russia's ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds, and to be part of the global economy.

"Between our actions and those of our allies and partners, we estimate it will cut off more than half of Russians' high tech imports," Biden said.

"It will strike a blow to their ability to continue to modernise the military, hurt their aerospace industry - including their space program - hurt their ability to build ships reducing their ability to compete economically. [It] will be a major hit to Putin's long term strategic ambitions."

Biden says Russian assault on Ukraine going as Washington predicted

Biden has said that Russia has made an unprovoked assault on Ukraine and it is going largely as the US predicted.

Biden vowed new sanctions after what he called a flagrant violation of international law and Russia's rejection of diplomacy.

Biden: Russia 'will bear the consequences' of new sanctions

Biden has said "Putin chose this war" in Ukraine, and he and Russia "will bear the consequences" of new sanctions.

He said Western sanctions will target four more major Russian banks.

Russia plans to 'decapitate' Ukraine's government, US defence official says

The United States believes Russia's invasion is designed to "decapitate" Ukraine's government and one of the three main axes of assault is directed at Kyiv, a senior defence official has said.

"The indications we've seen thus far, in just these first, not even 12 hours, are in keeping with our assessment earlier, that would be his goal: to decapitate this government," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"What we're seeing are initial phases of a large-scale invasion," the official added, suggesting the other axes of the attack were a Russian advance south into the northern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and a push north out of Russian-controlled Crimea to the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson.

"We haven't seen a conventional move like this, nation state to nation state, since World War II, certainly nothing on this size and scope and scale ... It has every potential to be very bloody, very costly and very impactful on European security writ large."

Scholz condemns Putin, says Western powers will defend eastern NATO allies

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said Western powers will deploy all available resources to ensure that the conflict in Ukraine does not spread to other countries in Europe.

"Putin should not underestimate the determination of NATO to defend all its members. This applies expressly to our NATO partners in the Baltic States, Poland and Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia. No ifs or buts," Scholz said in a televised address to the nation.

He added that Putin alone bore the responsibility for the attack on Ukraine, but warned the Russian president he "would not win."

"With the attack on Ukraine, President Putin wants to turn back time. But there is no going back to the 19th century, when great powers ruled over the heads of smaller states," Scholz said.

Chernobyl power plant captured by Russian forces, Ukrainian official says

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant has been captured by Russian forces after a fierce battle for control of the now-defunct site, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office says.

"It is impossible to say the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe after a totally pointless attack by the Russians," Mykhailo Podolyak said.

"This is one of the most serious threats in Europe today," he added.

India's Modi urges end to Ukraine violence in call with Putin

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an end to the violence in Ukraine during a phone conversation with Putin, the Indian government says in a statement.

"[The] Prime Minister appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue," the statement said.

Russia says first day of Ukraine invasion 'successful'

A spokesman for Russia's defence ministry says the country's military has achieved the goals it set out for the first day of its invasion of Ukraine.

"All of the tasks assigned to the groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for the day were successfully completed," Igor Konashenkov said.

Russian police detain hundreds at anti-war protests, monitoring group says

Russian police have detained more than 650 people at anti-war protests held in cities throughout the country, protest monitoring group OVD-Info says.

The group said demonstrations had been staged in 40 different locations, including in the capital, Moscow.

G7 leaders promise to hit Russia with severe sanctions

The G7 group of industrialised nations has strongly condemned Russia's invasion and promised to hit Moscow with severe and coordinated economic sanctions.

"This crisis is a serious threat to the rules-based international order, with ramifications well beyond Europe," the G7 leaders said in a joint statement released by Germany.

They added Putin had re-introduced war to the European continent and said the Russian president had "put himself on the wrong side of history".

The G7 is comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the US.

Ukrainian ambassador to US says 'all Ukrainians' will fight invasion

Ukraine's ambassador to the US says all of the country's citizens will resist Russia's assault.

"Ukraine has activated our right to self-defence in accordance with international law," Oksana Markarova told reporters at a news conference a press conference at the Ukrainian embassy in Washington.

"The combat spirit of the Ukrainian military is high. We are fighting, we will be fighting - not only our brave and motivated military but all Ukrainians," she added.

Putin claims he had no choice but to order 'operation' against Ukraine

Putin has claimed he had no other option but to order what he described as a "special operation" against Ukraine, arguing all of Moscow's previous attempts to ensure its security concerns were addressed had come to nothing.

The Russian president made his remarks while addressing the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Moscow had called for the US-led NATO military alliance to guarantee Ukraine would never be allowed to become a member and cease all military activity in Eastern Europe prior to launching an attack on its neighbour. Washington and NATO flatly rejected those demands.

Russian municipal deputies, journalists and scientists pen open letters opposing invasion

More than 180 municipal deputies from cities across Russia, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Samara and Volgograd, among others, have signed an open letter strongly condemning Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.

"We are convinced that the citizens of Russia did not give him such a mandate," the regional officials' letter says, before warning that the incursion will have "catastrophic consequences".

"This is an unparalleled atrocity for which there is and cannot be justification," the letter adds. It also calls on Russians not to "be silent" over the attack, saying "only massive popular condemnation can stop the war".

In two other open letters, more than 240 journalists and 260 scientists also expressed their opposition to the Kremlin's move.

Red Cross fears 'massive casualty numbers' in Ukraine

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned Russia's invasion of Ukraine could unleash death and destruction on a scale that is "frightening to contemplate".

"I fear increased suffering, with the potential of massive casualty numbers and extensive destruction of civilian objects like water and electricity plants, as well as mass displacement, trauma, family separation, and missing persons," Peter Maurer said in a statement.

"The ICRC has seen many conflicts start and escalate in recent years, but too few of them end, and in each one it is the civilian populations that bear the consequences," he added.

Today @ICRC stands with the people of #Ukraine.

Legally, and in the name of humanity, they must be protected from the fighting.⁰
My three calls: pic.twitter.com/GbqO2BEMt0

- Peter Maurer (@PMaurerICRC) February 24, 2022

Ukraine says dozens killed within hours of Russian attack

Dozens of people have been killed during the first hours of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to local officials.

Oleksii Arestovich, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said that more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and dozens of others wounded within hours of Moscow launching its attack. He added that up to 10 civilians had also been killed.

Read more here.

'Dark and frightening night ahead for millions of Ukrainians'

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from the city of Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine, says Russian forces do appear to be specifically "trying to target military positions" with their attacks.

"The Ukrainians are responding - the barrage that they are being subjected to dictates that [they must]," he said.

Stratford added the atmosphere in Mariupol, but also in other parts of Ukraine, was becoming increasingly ominous as nightfall loomed.

"It is getting dark now and we have been told by the authorities here that they will be encouraging people not to use their lights, so it is going to be a very dark and a very frightening night ahead for millions of Ukrainians," he said.

Russian Twitter users rally behind 'notowar' hashtag

Russian-speaking social media users have been voicing their opposition to the invasion of Ukraine, using the hashtag #нетвойне, or #notowar.

It had become the top trending hashtag on Russian Twitter at about 06:00 GMT, shortly after Moscow launched its attack, and by 15:00 GMT had accumulated some 112,000 mentions.

Battle for Chernobyl rages

Ukrainian forces are battling Russian troops intent on capturing the former nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, in northern Ukraine, Zelenskyy says.

Elsewhere, the regional administration in charge of Ukraine's southern Kherson region said some parts of the territory had been lost to invading forces.

Kyiv mayor imposes curfew on the capital

Kyiv's mayor has ordered a curfew in the Ukrainian capital in response to Russia's attack.

Vitali Klitschko's decision came after footage showed swaths of the city's residents attempting to flee by car, clogging its main exit points by road.

WHO raises alarm over potential humanitarian catastrophe

The World Health Organization (WHO) has voiced alarm over an expected health emergency in Ukraine.

"Amid the conflict rapidly unfolding in Ukraine, the WHO Regional Office for Europe reiterates its deepest concern for the safety, health and wellbeing of all civilians impacted by the crisis in the country and possibly beyond," the office said in a statement, warning any further escalation could result in a humanitarian catastrophe.

The European arm of the world health body added it was working closely "with all UN partners in rapidly scaling up readiness to respond to the expected health emergency triggered by the conflict".

Eastern Ukraine's Kramatorsk 'eerily quiet'

Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine, says the city is "eerily quiet".

"The streets are nearly empty and none of the businesses are open," Abdel-Hamid said, adding that the magnitude of Russia's attack had "sunk in" for local people.

"They are bracing themselves that something will happen here," she said.

'Putin is plunging Europe into its darkest time since 1939', Kyiv says

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has accused Putin of "plunging Europe into its darkest time" since the beginning of the second world war in 1939 and urged Kyiv's allies to hit Russia with sanctions immediately.

"Any government hoping to sit this out is naïve. Don't repeat mistakes of the past," he tweeted. "Hit Russia with severe sanctions now. Help Ukraine with military and financial support. Together we can #StopRussianAggression."

Right now, Putin is plunging Europe into its darkest time since 1939. Any government hoping to sit this out is naïve. Don't repeat mistakes of the past. Hit Russia with severe sanctions now. Help Ukraine with military and financial support. Together we can #StopRussianAggression.

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022

How is the Ukraine invasion being viewed in Russia?

Pro-government media outlets are echoing Putin's line, but criticism of Moscow's actions is growing, with prominent public figures voicing their discontent.

Read more here.

UK PM says Western powers will impose 'massive sanctions' on Russia

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has branded Putin a "dictator" and warned Moscow will now face "massive" Western sanctions for invading Ukraine.

"We cannot and will not just look away," Johnson said in a televised address to the nation, delivered after he held talks by phone with Zelenskyy.

He added that Western powers will move to roll out a "massive package of economic sanctions designed in time to hobble the Russian economy".

"And to that end, we must also collectively cease the dependence on Russian oil and gas that for too long has given Putin his grip on Western politics," Johnson said.

WATCH: My address to the nation on the situation in Ukraine. https://t.co/bLDpcnNaDy

- Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 24, 2022

Russia anti-war activist says she has been detained

A Russian opposition activist who called for anti-war protests says she has been detained by police.

"I was detained on my way out of the house," Marina Litvinovich, the Moscow-based activist, wrote on Telegram.

Litvinovich had earlier called on Russians to gather in protest in various cities throughout the country on Thursday evening.

Russia says it has destroyed 74 military facilities: Report

Russia's defence ministry says its forces have destroyed 74 above-ground military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine on Thursday, including 11 aerodromes, according to a report by the country's RIA Novosti news agency.

Attacks taking place nationwide, Ukrainian police force says

Ukraine's national police force says attacks are taking place throughout the country.

The authorities said they had logged 203 incidents since the beginning of the day, when Moscow launched its incursion.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's defence minister said some Russian forces had been taken prisoner in instances of heavy fighting.

French president says invasion marks 'turning point in the history of Europe'

President Emmanuel Macron has said France will stand by Ukraine's side and warned that Russia's invasion will have durable and "deep" consequences for the continent of Europe.

"We will respond without weakness to this act of war, with calm, determination and unity," Macron said in an address to the French nation.

He added that the events were a "turning point in the history of Europe and our country" that would have "deep and lasting consequences for our lives".

Panic, fear and stoicism in Ukraine as Russia invades

Russia's invasion has triggered panic and fear among many Ukrainian civilians as they scramble to flee or face down the escalation in violence.

Many also remained stoic, however, even as missiles fell on multiple cities and Russian forces attacked from land and sea.

Read more here.

Ukraine's Klitschko pleads for international assistance

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother Vitali is the mayor of Kyiv, has told Al Jazeera that the Russian invasion is "terrifying" and called on the world to help "stop the killing of Ukrainians".

Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother is mayor of Kyiv, has told Al Jazeera that the Russian invasion is "terrifying" and calls on the world to help "stop the killing of Ukrainians" ⤵️

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/3jAjwkU048 pic.twitter.com/kwbFWZJkFI

- Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 24, 2022

Russia can not be cut off behind an 'iron curtain', Kremlin spokesman says

The Kremlin says Russia can not be shut off behind an iron curtain and that it needs Ukraine to become a neutral country where offensive weapons were not deployed.

"It's simply impossible to cut off a country like Russia with an iron curtain," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked to assess the risk of Russia being diplomatically and economically isolated due to its actions in Ukraine.

Russian forces trying to penetrate Kyiv region, border officials say

Russian forces are trying to penetrate into Ukraine's Kyiv region and its Zhytomyr region on the Belarusian border, Ukrainian border officials say.

The officials said Russia was using Grad rocket systems as part of its assault, and claimed that Russian helicopters had attacked a military airport near Kyiv.

Ukrainian forces shot down three of the helicopters involved in the attack on the facility, the officials added.

UN's high commissioner for refugees urges countries to give fleeing Ukrainians safe haven

The UN's high commissioner for refugees has warned that the situation in Ukraine is quickly deteriorating and appealed to neighbouring countries to keep their borders open to people seeking a safe haven.

"We have already seen reports of casualties and people starting to flee their homes to seek safety," Filippo Grandi said in a statement.

He added the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) had stepped up its operations and was working with Ukrainian authorities to provide greater humanitarian assistance.

Grandi said the agency was also working with other governments in the region and called on them "to keep borders open to those seeking safety and protection".

It is a dark day for world peace. There are no winners in war, but countless lives will be torn apart.

People have started to flee their homes to seek safety.

UNHCR is stepping up operations in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

Full statement below👇🏻 https://t.co/WtBGlJWj2b

- Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) February 24, 2022

NATO has no plans to send troops into Ukraine, Stoltenberg says

NATO has no troops inside Ukraine and has no plans to send any into the country, the organisation's secretary-general says.

"There are no NATO combat troops, no NATO troops at all inside Ukraine. We have made it clear that we don't have any plans and intention of deploying NATO troops to Ukraine," Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels.

"What we have made clear is that we have already increased and we are increasing the presence of NATO troops in the eastern part of the alliance on NATO territory," he added.

Ukraine is a partner of the Western defence alliance but not a full NATO member.

Navalny condemns Ukraine invasion

Putin's most prominent domestic critic, Alexey Navalny, has spoken out against Russia's invasion during a court hearing.

"The war with Ukraine has been unleashed to cover up the robbery of Russian citizens and divert their attention away from the country's internal problems, from the degradation of its economy," he said. "I am against this war."

Navalny is currently serving a prison sentence for alleged parole violations that could be extended by more than a decade if he is convicted of fresh charges including fraud and contempt of court.

His allies have claimed that his latest trial - which opened last week - has been purposefully timed to coincide with the Ukraine crisis.

Russian regulator issues strict guidelines for reporting on eastern Ukraine

Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor has warned media outlets they must check the veracity of their reports about the situation in eastern Ukraine and only publish information from official Russian sources.

Roskomnadzor said the distribution of false information online would lead to immediate restrictions.

"We emphasise that it is namely Russian official information sources that hold and disseminate reliable and up-to-date information," Roskomnadzor said.

Erdogan slams Russia's attack as a 'heavy blow' to peace

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a "heavy blow" to regional peace and called for a resolution of the crisis through dialogue.

"We reject Russia's military operation," Erdogan said in a televised speech. "This step, which we view as against international law, is a heavy blow struck on regional peace, harmony and stability."

The Turkish leader added he had conveyed Ankara's support to Zelenskyy in a phone call between the pair.

Ukraine says Russia is carrying out 'full-scale attack'

Ukraine's foreign minister says Russia is carrying out a full-scale offensive from multiple directions and that Ukrainian forces are resisting the attack.

"No, this is not a Russian invasion only in the east of Ukraine, but a full-scale attack from multiple directions," Kuleba said on Twitter.

"Ukraine stands with both feet on the ground & continues to defend itself," he added.

Latest update.

No, this is not a Russian invasion only in the east of Ukraine, but a full-scale attack from multiple directions.

No, the Ukrainian defense has not collapsed. Ukrainian army took the fight. Ukraine stands with both feet on the ground & continues to defend itself.

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022

'Left no other option': Excerpts of Putin's speech declaring war

Al Jazeera has translated some of Putin's early morning address to the Russian nation, in which he announced Moscow was launching what he called a "special military operation" against Ukraine.

Read more here.

Iran says Ukraine crisis rooted in 'provocative moves' by NATO

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has said Russia's decision to invade Ukraine is rooted in "provocative moves" by NATO.

However, he added Tehran did not "see resorting to war as a solution" and called in a post on Twitter for a "political and diplomatic solution" to the crisis.

Amirabdollahian also said he had held a phone call with officials at Iran's embassy in Kyiv to discuss how they might coordinate the evacuation of Iranian citizens from Ukraine.

Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement that Tehran is working to secure a flight to evacuate citizens and called on them to move away from "crisis points".

The #Ukraine crisis is rooted in NATO's provocations.

We don't believe that resorting to war is a solution.

Imperative to establish ceasefire & to find a political and democratic resolution.

- H.Amirabdollahian امیرعبداللهیان (@Amirabdolahian) February 24, 2022

After 'bridge to Europe' bid, Ukraine's China ties face test

Beijing's reluctance to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine indicates China will attempt to maintain its delicate balancing act over the crisis.

Read more here.

Zelenskyy holds phone conversation with Qatari emir

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has received a phone call from Zelenskyy, who briefed him on the latest developments, his office has said in a statement.

Sheikh Tamim called on all parties to exercise restraint and resolve the criss through diplomatic means, the statement added. The Qatari emir also called for the protection of civilians

NATO moves to reinforce its eastern flank

NATO member states have agreed to bolster land, sea and air forces on the military alliance's eastern flank.

"We are deploying additional defensive land and air forces to the eastern part of the alliance, as well as additional maritime assets," NATO ambassadors said in a statement after emergency talks.

"We have increased the readiness of our forces to respond to all contingencies," the statement added.

Separatist leader says evacuation of residents to Russia suspended: Report

Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-backed leader of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine, says the evacuation of the territory's residents to Russia has been suspended, according to a report by the Interfax news agency.

Russia moved to recognise the DPR and another breakaway territory, the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), as independent prior to launching its invasion into Ukraine.

Mayor of Mariupol says three civilians killed

The mayor of Mariupol has claimed that three of the eastern Ukrainian city's civilians have been killed and six others injured amid Russia's invasion.

Vadym Boychenko told a news conference that Russian forces had attacked the city's airport and a village nearby.

"Don't panic. We are ready to fight for Mariupol and Ukraine," he said.

Zelenskyy adviser says 40 Ukrainians killed

An adviser to Ukraine's president says about 40 people have been killed so far amid Russia's invasion.

Oleksii Arestovich, Zelenskyy's aide, also said that several dozen people have been wounded. He did not specify whether the casualties included civilians.

Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the figures.

Putin ally says Ukraine's demilitarisation only way to prevent war in Europe

The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, has said that the only way to prevent war in Europe is for Ukraine to be "demilitarised", RIA Novosti reports.

Volodin is a close ally of Putin.

No scope for diplomacy with Russia 'at this stage'

Al Jazeera's Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from Vienna, says Western leaders see no scope for "talking to the Russians at this stage".

"The only diplomacy going on is diplomatic meetings aimed at formulating a response to what Putin has done - that is what the centre of attention is going to be in the coming hours," he said.

Ukraine breaks diplomatic ties with Russia

Zelenskyy has broken off Kyiv's diplomatic relations with Moscow in response to Russia's invasion.

The Ukrainian president's move marked the first rupture in ties since Russia and Ukraine became independent countries after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.

OSCE says monitoring mission in Ukraine implementing contingency plans

The secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says the security body's Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, which has hundreds of observers in the east of the country, is adapting after Russia's military offensive.

"The mission's well-developed contingency plans are being put in action," Helga Schmid said in a speech to the OSCE's Parliamentary Assembly, without providing details.

"The safety and security of our personnel is our utmost priority," she added.

Russian invasion is a 'catastrophe' for Europe, UK PM says

The UK's prime minister has said Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a "catastrophe" for Europe and called for an urgent NATO meeting over the crisis.

"This is a catastrophe for our continent," Johnson said on Twitter, adding he would make a national address on the developments later on Thursday morning.

"I will also speak to fellow G7 leaders and I am calling for an urgent meeting of all NATO leaders as soon as possible," he added.

This is a catastrophe for our continent.

I will make an address to the nation this morning on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I will also speak to fellow G7 leaders and I am calling for an urgent meeting of all NATO leaders as soon as possible.

- Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 24, 2022

Ukraine's president calls on citizens to fight

Zelenskyy has called on all Ukrainian citizens who are ready to defend the country from Russian forces to come forward, saying Kyiv will issue weapons to everyone who wants them.

The Ukrainian president also urged Russians to protest against Moscow's move.

Finland is ready to receive refugees from Ukraine, PM says

Finland is prepared to receive refugees from Ukraine, the country's prime minister has said.

"[Finland's] ministry of interior for its part is preparing to receive refugees from Ukraine," Sanna Marin told reporters.

Both Marin and Finland's President Sauli Niinisto have strongly condemned Russia's attack.

"Despite prior warnings this morning has come as a shock for all of us and our deepest feelings are with Ukrainian people," Niinisto said.

Russian attack causes panic in Kyiv as people flee

The sound of explosions on the edge of Ukraine's capital and air sirens set off by a full-scale Russian invasion of the country have prompted panic in the city, leading some of its residents to try and flee.

Read more here.

Lithuanian parliament to consider state of emergency declaration

The Lithuanian parliament will decide whether to declare a state of emergency later on Thursday following Russia's moves in Ukraine, President Gitanas Nauseda says.

The Baltic state, a former Soviet republic that is now part of NATO and the European Union, will also propose that further sanctions should be imposed on Belarus over its alleged role in the invasion.

What's next for global energy prices?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine spells higher energy prices worldwide amid fears of supply disruptions.

Read more here.

Sanctions not enough to stop Russia: Analyst

Fabrice Pothier, chief strategy officer at consultancy firm Rasmussen Global and a former director of policy planning at NATO, says Putin's decision to invade Ukraine is "not surprising".

"Putin ... wants to rebuild Russia's empire," Pothier told Al Jazeera.

"And while the US and EU sanctions packages sound impressive, and there is indeed a lot of unity and coordinated talks [among Kyiv's allies], the bottom line is that this is not enough to stop Putin from following his twisted vision," he added.

"NATO is not willing to put any soldiers on Ukrainian soil and Putin knows this very well and therefore he can go all the way forward to Kyiv."

Dozens of Russian forces killed, Ukraine says

Ukraine's military says about 50 Russian forces have been killed and six warplanes destroyed amid fighting in the country's east.

Watch the moment Putin announced Russia's Ukraine incursion

Here's the moment Russia's president announced Moscow's decision to invade Ukraine, a move he referred to as "a military operation" in the country's eastern Donbas region.

Watch the moment Russia's President Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine's Donbas region, warning other nations of consequences if they interfere ⤵️

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/e7XVFng5Gu pic.twitter.com/C1966pOHsX

- Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 24, 2022

Belarusian forces not taking part in invasion, Lukashenko claims

President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that Belarusian troops are not taking part in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to a report by the country's Belta state news agency.

"Our troops are taking no part in this operation," Lukashenko, who is a close ally of Putin, was quoted as saying.

Ukraine's border guard service said earlier that Russian troops had attacked Ukraine from Belarus - where they had been staging joint large-scale military exercises with Belarusian forces - as well as from Russia itself with Belarusian support.

Ukraine asks Turkey to shut Black Sea waterways to Russian warships

Ukraine has asked Turkey to close the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits to Russian warships, Kyiv's ambassador to Ankara says.

"We are calling for the air space, Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits to be closed. We have conveyed our relevant demand to the Turkish side. At the same time, we want sanctions imposed on the Russian side," Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar told a news conference in the Turkish capital.

The request puts NATO member Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and has good relations with both countries, in a difficult position. Under a 1936 pact, Ankara has control over the straits and can limit warship passages during wartime or if threatened.

Russian opposition activist calls for anti-war protests

A Russian opposition activist has called for anti-war protests in Russian cities later on Thursday.

"We will be cleaning up this mess for years to come. Not even us. But our children and grandchildren," Litvinovich wrote on Facebook.

"All we see is the agony of a dying man. Alas, Russia is in agony."

Timeline: Putin attacks Ukraine - how it happened

Russia's attack on Ukraine started in the early hours of this morning.

Click here for a timeline documenting how the invasion began, and has developed since.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine: What we know so far

Al Jazeera has put together a 500-word explainer on the background to Russia's invasion and what has happened so far.

Click here to read it.

Russia claims air raids not targeting Ukraine's cities, pose no civilian threat: Report

Russia's defence ministry has claimed its air raids on Ukraine are not targeting the country's cities and pose no threat to civilians, RIA Novosti reports.

Ukraine said earlier that at least eight people had been killed and nine others wounded by Russian shelling.

EU to impose 'harshest sanctions ever' on Russia

The EU will slap the harshest package of sanctions ever implemented on Russia for attacking Ukraine, the bloc's foreign policy chief has said.

"The European Union will respond in the strongest possible ways ... [EU leaders] will adopt a stronger package, the harshest package of sanctions we have ever implemented," Josep Borrell told reporters in Brussels.

These are among the darkest hours of Europe since the Second World War.

The EU will respond in the strongest possible terms and agree on the harshest package of sanctions we have ever implemented.

President Putin needs to stop this senseless aggression.

We stand with Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/mmDtfUOHvk

- Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) February 24, 2022

Russia suspends shipping in the Azov sea: Report

Russia has suspended the movement of commercial vessels in the Azov sea until further notice, Interfax has quoted the state agency for maritime and river transport as saying.

Ukraine and Russia both have ports on the Sea of Azov, including Ukraine's major port of Mariupol, while Russia controls the sea's mouth at the Kerch Strait.

Timeline: After months of tensions, Russia attacks Ukraine

For a timeline documenting the build-up to Russia's invasion, click here.

'Everybody was panicking'

Sara Cincurova, a freelance reporter, says she was on a train headed for Kramatorsk when news of Russia's invasion broke.

"Everybody was panicking ... there was an old man asking what was going on and the train attendant told him 'the war has just begun'," Cincurova told Al Jazeera.

"There was another passenger, an old lady whose son is in the army, who started crying. Other people were wishing each other good luck ... and there was a big discussion about whether we should all get off in the next village," she added.

"Some people decided to head east to meet with their families, but others got off."

'The war is a big disaster': Zelenskyy's address in full

As Russia prepared to attack Ukraine, the country's president made an emotional address to his nation.

Click here to read Zelenskyy's address in full.

Queues at cash machines, petrol stations in Mariupol

Al Jazeera's Liz Cookman is in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine. She says there are large queues at cash machines and petrol stations as people fear electricity and internet outages.

But despite air raid sirens sounding throughout the city, packed buses were still carrying people to work and school.

Photos from Ukraine

Click here for images from Ukraine as Russia's attack unfolds.

Explosions rock eastern Ukraine's Kramatorsk

Al Jazeera's Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Kramatorsk, says several loud explosions rocked the city early this morning.

"I think ... what has been targeted is the military base that is just on the edge of the city," she said. "The Russians are trying to diminish the capability of the Ukrainian army as much as possible."

World reaction to Ukraine invasion

Russia's attack on Ukraine has been swiftly condemned by several nations.

Read more here.

Russia says it has taken out infrastructure at Ukraine air bases: Reports

Russia's defence ministry says it has attacked military infrastructure at Ukrainian air bases and degraded Ukraine's air defences, according to reports by Russian news agencies.

The ministry denied reports that one of its aircraft had been shot down over Ukraine. Ukraine's military said earlier that five Russian planes and one helicopter had been downed in the country's eastern Luhansk region.

Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the claims made by both sides.

Air raid sirens blaring throughout Kyiv

Al Jazeera Andrew Simmons, reporting from Kyiv, says air raid sirens have been blaring throughout the city.

"It would appear that military installations have been the target [of the attack] - there have been missiles attacks and the number of casualties and level of damage is unclear at the moment," Simmons said.

"But the whole sky was awash with red and orange when these missiles struck - some of which were apparently cruise missiles. And the main international airport did come under attack - it is not clear what the damage is there, but all air space is closed," he added.

Zelenskyy declares martial law, says Ukraine will 'win'

Ukraine's president has made a brief national address to declare martial law throughout the country.

"Dear Ukrainian citizens, this morning President Putin announced a special military operation in Donbas. Russia conducted strikes on our military infrastructure and our border guards. There were blasts heard in many cities of Ukraine. We're introducing martial law on the whole territory of our country," Zelenskyy said in a video address.

He added he had spoken with Biden, and that Washington was moving to unite "international support" for Kyiv.

"Today each of you should keep calm. Stay at home if you can. We are working. The army is working. The whole sector of defence and security is working," Zelenskyy said. "No panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything. We will win over everybody because we are Ukraine."

Ukraine says troops attacked from Russia and Belarus

Russian troops attacked Ukraine from Belarus as well as Russia itself, with Belarusian support, at about 5 am local time (07:00 GMT), Ukraine's border guard service says.

The agency said an attack had also been launched from Crimea, which Russia annexed from Crimea in 2014.

Russian military 'tight-lipped' on Ukraine attack

Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, says the Russian military is being "very tight-lipped on what is happening on the ground with Ukraine".

"We are hearing reports of the Russian military going in from various sides of Ukraine - from the east, from the west and now allegedly from the north in Belarus," Jabbari said.

"It is clear now that this is not just a small military operation in the eastern region of Donbas as the president [Putin] had said," she added.

"Many residents in Moscow yesterday were commemorating their version of Remembrance day. They said they could not possibly fathom the idea of going to war with Ukraine. [They said] Ukraine is their neighbour, is part of their family, they are brother and sisters and there is really no justification for launching a full-scale attack on Ukraine."

Intensive shelling in Ukraine's east, minister says

Ukraine's defence minister has said that Ukrainian units, military control centres and airfields in the country's east are under intensive Russian shelling.

His update came as the military said that Ukraine's air force was trying to repel a Russian air attack.

Russia's move could 'change dynamics in Russia', analyst says

Chris Weafer, Macro-Advisory CEO, said that Russia's move could pose a risk for Putin's domestic consensus.

"What Putin has done is not just risky in terms of geopolitics and in terms of western reaction, but it is also in terms of domestic politics," Weafer said, pointing out that a growing active part of the population will not easily accept the consequences for them that will now come from Russia's invasion.

"We are already seeing a weak ruble at the early opening this morning that will have consequences in terms of inflation and lifestyle," he added, noting that sanctions could affect people's ability to use bank cards, to withdraw money from ATMs and to travel.

"All of these are potential consequences and if that happens there will be a domestic public reaction. Not immediately, but it will start to change dynamics in Russia."

Russia says targeting Ukraine military facilities with 'precision' weapons

The Russian defence ministry has said it is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure with precision weapons.

"Military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, and aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being disabled with high-precision weapons," the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

EU chief promises to hold Kremlin 'accountable' for 'unjustified' Ukraine attack

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has denounced Russia's attack and promised to hold Moscow "accountable".

"We strongly condemn Russia's unjustified attack on Ukraine. In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives," she wrote on Twitter.

"We will hold the Kremlin accountable."

We strongly condemn Russia´s unjustified attack on Ukraine.

In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives.

We will hold the Kremlin accountable.

- Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 24, 2022

Biden speaks with Ukraine's Zelenskyy, White House says

Biden spoke with Zelenskyy soon after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine, the White House has said.

Biden "just spoke with Zelensky," a spokesman for his office said, adding that details would be issued later.

Moscow's UN envoy says Russia targeting 'junta in power in Kyiv'

Russia's ambassador to the UN has told an emergency UN Securtiy Council (UNSC) meeting that Moscow's military operation against Ukraine was targeting "the junta" in power in Kiyv.

"I wanted to say in conclusion that we aren't being aggressive against the Ukrainian people but against the junta that is in power in Kiyv," said Vassily Nebenzia.

UN chief urges Russia to cease military operations in Ukraine

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Russia to end the attack on Ukraine.

"President Putin, in the name of humanity bring your troops back to Russia," the secretary-general said.

"In the name of humanity do not allow to start in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century," he said, adding the conflict "must stop now".

Russia has launched full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv says

Russia has launched a "full-scale invasion" of Ukraine and is targeting cities with weapons strikes, Ukraine's foreign minister says.

"Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes," Kuleba tweeted. "This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now."

Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022

Loud explosions heard in Kyiv: Al Jazeera correspondent

Al Jazeera's Simmons, reporting from Kyiv, says at least seven "loud explosions" have been heard in Ukraine's capital.

"It sounds like shell fire, but it could be air strikes," Simmons said.

"Boryspil international airport came under attack ... we're not sure whether it was shelled or whether it's an explosion," he added. "We've heard sirens as well, so there's definitely a full attack happening on the capital."

NATO chief condemns Russia 'attack'

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has condemned Russia's "reckless and unprovoked attack" on Ukraine.

He said the military alliances member states will meet to address Russia's latest move, adding: "We stand with the people of Ukraine at this terrible time."

"NATO will do all it takes to protect and defend allies," he added.

Ukraine urges UN 'to do everything possible to stop the war'

Ukraine's UN envoy has urged the world body's Security Council to "stop the war".

"I would like to ask the ambassador of the Russian delegation to say on the record that this very moment your troops do not shell and bomb Ukrainian cities, that your troops do not move in the territory of Ukraine," Sergiy Kyslytsya said.

In response, Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, said the attack was not a "war". He claimed Moscow had launched a "military operation in the Donbas".

Biden denounces 'unprovoked and unjustified' attack

The US president has denounced Moscow's "unprovoked and unjustified" attack on Ukraine, pledging the world will "hold Russia accountable".

Biden said Russia alone is responsible for the "catastrophic loss of life and human suffering" to come, adding that he will address the nation on Thursday on 'consequences' for Russia.

Gunfire heard near Kyiv's main airport: Report

Gunfire was heard near the main airport of Boryspil in Kyiv soon after Russia announced a military operation in Ukraine, Interfax has reported, citing local media.

Putin says Russia will conduct a military operation in eastern Ukraine

Putin has said Russia will conduct a "military operation" in Donbas and called on Ukraine's military to lay down its arms.

"I have made the decision of a military operation," he said in a surprise statement on television shortly before 6 am local time in Moscow (03:00 GMT).

Putin claimed the action comes in response to threats coming from Ukraine. He added that Russia does not have a goal to occupy Ukraine. Putin said the responsibility for bloodshed lies with the Ukrainian "regime".

He also warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences they have never seen."

US tells UN a 'full-scale' invasion of Ukraine is imminent

The US believes a "full-scale" further invasion of Ukraine by Russia is imminent, Washington's ambassador to the UN has warned, saying this is a "perilous" moment.

"Tonight we're seeing the Russians close airspace, move troops into Donbas, and move forces into combat-ready positions," Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.

UN chief tells Putin: 'Stop your troops from attacking Ukraine'

Guterres has made a personal appeal to Putin to stop his troops from entering Ukraine at an emergency UNSC meeting.

"President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine, give peace a chance, too many people have already died."

Russia ally Cuba slams US over Ukraine crisis, urges diplomacy

Cuba, a close ally of Russia, has sharply criticised the US for imposing "the progressive expansion of NATO towards the borders of the Russian Federation" and called for a diplomatic solution to preserve international peace.

"The US government has been threatening Russia for weeks and manipulating the international community about the dangers of an 'imminent massive invasion' of Ukraine," a Cuban statement said. "It has supplied weapons and military technology, deployed troops to several countries in the region, applied unilateral and unjust sanctions, and threatened other reprisals."

The statement said "constructive and respectful dialogue" was necessary to resolve the Ukraine crisis.

Cyberattacks are about 'undermining confidence in government': Analyst

Cyberattacks are "about perception" and about "undermining confidence in the government," Patrick Howell O'Neill, cybersecurity senior editor for MIT Technology Review, has said.

"At a moment like this, that's pretty important," O'Neill told Al Jazeera.

"Right now, we haven't seen anything that would be dangerous to anyone's lives or anyone's physical wellbeing," he said, referring to reports of a fresh cyber attack against Ukraine.

"Historically, especially in Ukraine, the way that Russian intelligence hackers have behaved, the things that they've done, are unlike anything any other country has every carried out," O'Neill said.

Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia airports in Ukraine closed until Thursday morning

Airports at Dnipro, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine are closed to traffic until Thursday morning, according to notices issued by local authorities.

No reason was provided for the closures, which are due to end between 05:00 and 06:35 GMT, depending on the airport.

Airlines should stop flying over all of Ukraine's airspace - conflict zone monitor

Airlines should stop flying over any part of Ukraine because of the risk of an unintended shootdown or a cyberattack targeting air traffic control amid tensions with Russia, a conflict zone monitor has said.

Safe Airspace, which was set up to provide safety and conflict zone information for airlines after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014, said it had increased its risk level to "do not fly".

"Regardless of the actual movements of Russian forces into Ukraine, the level of tension and uncertainty in Ukraine is now extreme," Safe Airspace said on its website. "This itself gives rise to significant risk to civil aviation."

Russia partially shuts airspace near border with Ukraine

Russia has partially closed airspace in the Rostov flight information region to the east of its border with Ukraine "in order to provide safety" for civil aviation flights, according to a notice issued by authorities.

The notice lists specific route segments and altitudes to be avoided.

Blinken believes Russia will invade Ukraine before night is out

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told NBC News that he expected Russia to invade Ukraine before the night was over but still sees a chance to "avert a major aggression".

"Everything seems to be in place for Russia to engage in a major aggression against Ukraine," Blinken told US broadcaster NBC, adding he could not be precise about time or place.

G7 leaders to hold virtual meeting on Thursday

The Group of Seven (G7) world leaders will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, the White House has said.

UNSC to meet Wednesday night on Ukraine, diplomats say

The UNSC will convene for its second emergency session in three days over the crisis, "due to military developments" on the ground, diplomatic sources have said.

The meeting, which was requested by Kyiv, is scheduled for 9:30 pm local time in New York (02:30 GMT Thursday), the sources said.

EU sanctions Russian defence minister, military chiefs

The EU has imposed sanctions on Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu and military chiefs as part of a package of measures over the Kremlin's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.

The 27-nation bloc slapped asset freezes and visa bans on high-ranking figures including the commanders of Russia's army, navy and air force, the Kremlin's chief of staff, the head of state-run television channel RT and the foreign ministry's spokeswoman, according to the EU's official journal.

France's Macron reiterates support for Ukraine's sovereignty

French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity after a call with Zelenskyy, the Elysee Palace has said.

"[Macron] also praised the Ukrainian President's composure in the current situation," the French president's office said in a statement.

Support that the EU can provide to Ukraine will be on the agenda of the meeting of the European Council on Thursday, the Elysee Palace added.

Ukraine president says nearly 200,000 Russian troops on border

Zelenskyy says Russia has massed nearly 200,000 troops around Ukraine's borders.

On the Ukrainian border "nearly 200,000 soldiers are stationed, [as are] thousands of combat vehicles," he said, adding that a "major war in Europe" could be started by Moscow soon.

Zelenskyy says Russia has approved an offensive against Ukraine

Zelenskyy has said Russia has approved an offensive against Ukraine and accused Putin of not replying to his invitation to hold talks.

"I initiated a telephone call with the president of the Russian Federation. Result: silence," he said.

"The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace. But if we come under attack that threaten our freedom and lives of our people we will fight back."

Zelenskyy made the remarks in a 10-minute address posted on Telegram during which he spoke in both Ukrainian and Russian.

Australia flags potential cyberattacks after Russia sanctions

Australia must prepare itself for likely cyberattacks from Russia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said.

"Cyberattacks are a real threat, and they're a present threat and that is the most likely response from Russia in terms of what we've done," Morrison told Australian broadcaster Channel Nine when asked if he expected any retaliation from Russia over sanctions imposed on Moscow by Canberra.

He urged Australian businesses to bolster their cyber-defences. They may not get hit directly but there could be "collateral cyber-impacts" from computer viruses when deployed that can "take on a course of their own," Morrison said.

France urges citizens to leave Ukraine 'without delay'

France has become the latest Western nation to call on its citizens to leave Ukraine "without delay".

"In the context of serious tensions caused by the concentration of Russian troops on Ukraine's borders" as well as Russia's recognition of two separatist regions and Ukraine's imposition of a state of emergency, "French citizens finding themselves in Ukraine should leave the country without delay," France's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine requests urgent UN Security Council meeting

Kuleba says he has demanded an urgent meeting of the UNSC regarding Russian-backed separatists' appeal to Russia for military assistance.

"Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council due to the appeal by Russian occupation administrations in Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia with a request to provide them with military assistance, which is a further escalation of the security situation," the Ukrainian foreign minister tweeted.

Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council due to the appeal by Russian occupation administrations in Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia with a request to provide them with military assistance, which is a further escalation of the security situation.

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 23, 2022

Images show new deployments in western Russia near Ukraine border

Satellite imagery showed a number of new deployments in western Russia, many of them within 16km (10 miles) of the border with Ukraine and less than 80km (50 miles) from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, a private US company has said.

The images showed field deployment, military convoys, artillery and armoured personnel carriers with support equipment and troops. The images released by Maxar Technologies, which has been tracking the buildup of Russian forces for weeks, could not be independently verified by Al Jazeera.

Putin 'tightening the screws on Ukraine': Correspondent

Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from Moscow, says Putin is "continuing to tighten the screws on Ukraine".

"He [Putin] says the two states that they have now recognised [the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics] are being recognised on embassy levels and Russia says it is also evacuating its diplomatic staff from Ukraine to protect their lives," Smith said.

"Putin has also praised the battle-readiness of Russian troops," he added.

White House says it is in contact with Ukraine over cybersecurity

Biden's administration is in touch with Ukrainian authorities over their cybersecurity needs, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki says.

The websites of Ukraine's government, foreign ministry and state security service were down on Wednesday in what the government said was the start of another massive denial of service attack.

"We are in conversations with Ukraine regarding their cyber-related needs including as recently as today and we're going to move with urgency to assess the nature and extent of this, what steps need to be taken, and therefore a response," Psaki said.

Kremlin says Ukraine rebels have asked Russia for 'help' against Kyiv

The Kremlin has said the heads of east Ukraine's rebel republics have asked Putin for "help" to "repel aggression" from the Ukrainian army.

In a statement carried by Russian state news agencies, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the separatist republics have petitioned Moscow "for help in repelling the aggression of the armed forces in Ukraine".

White House says Putin is adapting, improvising after sanctions

Putin is improvising and having to adapt his Ukraine strategy following sanctions imposed by the West this week, Psaki has said.

Welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

Read all the updates from Tuesday, February 23, here.

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Latest Russia-Ukraine updates: Tens of thousands flee their homes

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The UN refugee agency says an estimated 100,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes. US President Joe Biden announces new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine invasion, says Putin "chose" war. Russian President Vladimir Putin launches sweeping Ukraine invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vows to defend his nation, declares martial law.

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https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-24-22-intl/index.html

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By Aditi Sangal, Meg Wagner, Adrienne Vogt, Melissa Macaya, Rob Picheta, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Ed Upright, Maureen Chowdhury and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 8:06 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

What we covered

Blasts are being reported in Kyiv early Friday, with a Ukrainian official saying the country's capital has been hit by cruise or ballistic missiles. Russian forces are now about 20 miles from Kyiv, according to top US officials.

Russia's assault began Thursday with a series of missile attacks and the use of long-range artillery. It quickly spread across central and eastern Ukraine as Russian forces attacked the country from three sides.

US President Joe Biden announced new "strong" sanctions on Russia as he condemned President Vladimir Putin's invasion, calling him an "aggressor."

Having connection issues? Bookmark CNN's lite site for fast connectivity or read updates at CNN Español here. Scroll through photos on the ground here.

8:06 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022
Our live coverage has moved. Head here for the latest updates on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke with allies in Europe by phone on Thursday, after Russia began an invasion of Ukraine.

Milley spoke with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada. He also had a "combined meeting with the Bucharest 9 allies," - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - according to a readout of the calls.

"The leaders shared assessments of the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces into Ukraine," the readout said. "The Chairman addressed US reinforcement of NATO Allies through repositioning of forces in Europe to assure Allies and partners and deter Russia from conducting further provocations."

Earlier Thursday, US President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the deployment of an additional 7,000 troops to Germany from the US to support NATO allies amid the crisis.

Milley will "continue to conduct outreach" to partners and allies in the coming days, the readout said.

At least three more explosions reverberated across the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, at dawn on Friday. They appeared to be coming from the southwest of the city.

It's now just past 6:30 a.m. in Kyiv. Earlier this morning, CNN teams on the ground reported hearing large blasts in the city.

11:29 p.m. ET, February 24, 2022
Ukraine's foreign minister: Kyiv hasn't experienced anything like this since 1941 Nazi attack

In a tweet early Friday morning, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba decried the "horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv."

"Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany," he wrote. "Ukraine defeated that evil and will defeat this one. Stop Putin. Isolate Russia. (Sever) all ties. Kick Russia out of (everywhere.)

CNN teams in Kyiv reported hearing blasts early Friday morning.

Ukraine's Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin attributed an explosion Friday to a Ukrainian "anti-missile system shooting a (Russian) missile out of the sky." CNN has not been able to independently verify this.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry says its armed forces have inflicted some 800 casualties on Russian forces since the invasion began in the early hours of Thursday.

It was not immediately clear whether the ministry was referring solely to the number killed.

The ministry said more than 30 Russian tanks had been destroyed, as well as seven Russian aircraft and six helicopters.

CNN is not able to independently verify Ukraine's figures.

The European Union announced new sanctions on Russia early Friday that would target the country's financial, energy and transport sectors, visa policy, and include export controls and export financing bans.

The sanctions will have "maximum impact on the Russian economy and political elite," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. "We will hold the Kremlin accountable," she said.

She said the financial sanctions cut Russia's most important capital markets, and that they are now targeting 70% of the Russian banking market and key state-owned companies. The sanctions will increase Russia's borrowing costs, raise inflation and "gradually erode Russia's industrial base," she said.

"We are also targeting Russian elites by curbing their deposits so that they cannot hide their money anymore in safe havens in Europe," she added.

An export ban will also hit Russia's oil sector, and ban the sale of all aircraft spare parts and equipment to Russian airlines, which Von der Leyen said would hit a key sector of Russia's economy and the country's connectivity. The sanctions also limit Russia's access to "crucial technology," she said.

Diplomats, related groups and businesspeople will no longer have privileged access to the EU, she added.

Ukraine's Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin has attributed an explosion early Friday over the capital, Kyiv, to a Ukrainian "anti-missile system shooting a (Russian) missile out of the sky."

CNN has not been able to independently verify this. Earlier Friday morning, CNN reporters on the ground in Kyiv reported hearing several loud blasts.

Separately, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said Friday that Kyiv had been hit by "cruise or ballistic missiles."

Photos shared by Gerashchenko on Friday show a Kyiv residential building on fire, and firefighters responding on the scene as clouds of black smoke rise in the distance.

French President Emmanuel Macron is positioning himself as the mediator between Russia and Ukraine for a potential ceasefire agreement.

"I think it is my responsibility, first of all, to take such initiatives when they are requested by Ukraine, and then, while condemning, while sanctioning, while continuing to decide and act, to leave this path open so that the day when the conditions can be met, we can obtain a cessation of hostilities for the Ukrainian people," Macron said a joint news conference Friday in Brussels after an emergency European Union summit.

Macron was the first major Western leader to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russian military actions began. They spoke before the summit - but Macron admitted the phone call didn't achieve much, "since the Russian President has chosen war."

Macron also accused Putin of duplicity, saying he and other European leaders had been discussing "the details of the implementation of the Minsk agreements" with Putin just hours before the Russian President launched the operation, referring to the 2015 pact that established a shaky ceasefire in the region.

"So yes, there was duplicity. Yes, there was a deliberate, conscious choice by President Putin to launch the war when we could still negotiate peace," Macron said.

At the summit on Thursday, EU leaders signed off on a new round of sanctions, described by European Council President Charles Michel as "massive" and "painful" against Russia and Belarus.

US President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday the United States was "in consultation with India" on the issue of Ukraine and Russia.

The comments came in response to a question on whether India, a major US defense partner, was "fully in sync" with the United States, with Biden adding, "We haven't resolved that completely."

India has a historic friendship with Russia. At the same time, its strategic partnership with the US has grown at an unprecedented pace over the past two decades.

Also on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a phone conversation with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stressing the importance of a "strong collective response" toward Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an official spokesperson said.

"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today to discuss Russia's premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine. Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of a strong collective response to condemn Russia's invasion and call for an immediate withdrawal and ceasefire," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a readout of the call on Thursday.

Following the call, Blinken tweeted a similar statement, highlighting the "importance of a strong collective response to Russian aggression," adding "Russia's attack on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is a clear violation of the rules-based international order."

In response, Jaishanker tweeted: "Appreciate the call from @SecBlinken. Discussed the ongoing developments in Ukraine and its implications."

What we covered

Blasts are being reported in Kyiv early Friday, with a Ukrainian official saying the country's capital has been hit by cruise or ballistic missiles. Russian forces are now about 20 miles from Kyiv, according to top US officials.

Russia's assault began Thursday with a series of missile attacks and the use of long-range artillery. It quickly spread across central and eastern Ukraine as Russian forces attacked the country from three sides.

US President Joe Biden announced new "strong" sanctions on Russia as he condemned President Vladimir Putin's invasion, calling him an "aggressor."

Having connection issues? Bookmark CNN's lite site for fast connectivity or read updates at CNN Español here. Scroll through photos on the ground here.

8:06 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022
Our live coverage has moved. Head here for the latest updates on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke with allies in Europe by phone on Thursday, after Russia began an invasion of Ukraine.

Milley spoke with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada. He also had a "combined meeting with the Bucharest 9 allies," - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - according to a readout of the calls.

"The leaders shared assessments of the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces into Ukraine," the readout said. "The Chairman addressed US reinforcement of NATO Allies through repositioning of forces in Europe to assure Allies and partners and deter Russia from conducting further provocations."

Earlier Thursday, US President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the deployment of an additional 7,000 troops to Germany from the US to support NATO allies amid the crisis.

Milley will "continue to conduct outreach" to partners and allies in the coming days, the readout said.

At least three more explosions reverberated across the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, at dawn on Friday. They appeared to be coming from the southwest of the city.

It's now just past 6:30 a.m. in Kyiv. Earlier this morning, CNN teams on the ground reported hearing large blasts in the city.

11:29 p.m. ET, February 24, 2022
Ukraine's foreign minister: Kyiv hasn't experienced anything like this since 1941 Nazi attack

In a tweet early Friday morning, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba decried the "horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv."

"Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany," he wrote. "Ukraine defeated that evil and will defeat this one. Stop Putin. Isolate Russia. (Sever) all ties. Kick Russia out of (everywhere.)

CNN teams in Kyiv reported hearing blasts early Friday morning.

Ukraine's Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin attributed an explosion Friday to a Ukrainian "anti-missile system shooting a (Russian) missile out of the sky." CNN has not been able to independently verify this.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry says its armed forces have inflicted some 800 casualties on Russian forces since the invasion began in the early hours of Thursday.

It was not immediately clear whether the ministry was referring solely to the number killed.

The ministry said more than 30 Russian tanks had been destroyed, as well as seven Russian aircraft and six helicopters.

CNN is not able to independently verify Ukraine's figures.

The European Union announced new sanctions on Russia early Friday that would target the country's financial, energy and transport sectors, visa policy, and include export controls and export financing bans.

The sanctions will have "maximum impact on the Russian economy and political elite," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. "We will hold the Kremlin accountable," she said.

She said the financial sanctions cut Russia's most important capital markets, and that they are now targeting 70% of the Russian banking market and key state-owned companies. The sanctions will increase Russia's borrowing costs, raise inflation and "gradually erode Russia's industrial base," she said.

"We are also targeting Russian elites by curbing their deposits so that they cannot hide their money anymore in safe havens in Europe," she added.

An export ban will also hit Russia's oil sector, and ban the sale of all aircraft spare parts and equipment to Russian airlines, which Von der Leyen said would hit a key sector of Russia's economy and the country's connectivity. The sanctions also limit Russia's access to "crucial technology," she said.

Diplomats, related groups and businesspeople will no longer have privileged access to the EU, she added.

Ukraine's Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin has attributed an explosion early Friday over the capital, Kyiv, to a Ukrainian "anti-missile system shooting a (Russian) missile out of the sky."

CNN has not been able to independently verify this. Earlier Friday morning, CNN reporters on the ground in Kyiv reported hearing several loud blasts.

Separately, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said Friday that Kyiv had been hit by "cruise or ballistic missiles."

Photos shared by Gerashchenko on Friday show a Kyiv residential building on fire, and firefighters responding on the scene as clouds of black smoke rise in the distance.

French President Emmanuel Macron is positioning himself as the mediator between Russia and Ukraine for a potential ceasefire agreement.

"I think it is my responsibility, first of all, to take such initiatives when they are requested by Ukraine, and then, while condemning, while sanctioning, while continuing to decide and act, to leave this path open so that the day when the conditions can be met, we can obtain a cessation of hostilities for the Ukrainian people," Macron said a joint news conference Friday in Brussels after an emergency European Union summit.

Macron was the first major Western leader to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russian military actions began. They spoke before the summit - but Macron admitted the phone call didn't achieve much, "since the Russian President has chosen war."

Macron also accused Putin of duplicity, saying he and other European leaders had been discussing "the details of the implementation of the Minsk agreements" with Putin just hours before the Russian President launched the operation, referring to the 2015 pact that established a shaky ceasefire in the region.

"So yes, there was duplicity. Yes, there was a deliberate, conscious choice by President Putin to launch the war when we could still negotiate peace," Macron said.

At the summit on Thursday, EU leaders signed off on a new round of sanctions, described by European Council President Charles Michel as "massive" and "painful" against Russia and Belarus.

US President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday the United States was "in consultation with India" on the issue of Ukraine and Russia.

The comments came in response to a question on whether India, a major US defense partner, was "fully in sync" with the United States, with Biden adding, "We haven't resolved that completely."

India has a historic friendship with Russia. At the same time, its strategic partnership with the US has grown at an unprecedented pace over the past two decades.

Also on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a phone conversation with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stressing the importance of a "strong collective response" toward Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an official spokesperson said.

"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today to discuss Russia's premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine. Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of a strong collective response to condemn Russia's invasion and call for an immediate withdrawal and ceasefire," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a readout of the call on Thursday.

Following the call, Blinken tweeted a similar statement, highlighting the "importance of a strong collective response to Russian aggression," adding "Russia's attack on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is a clear violation of the rules-based international order."

In response, Jaishanker tweeted: "Appreciate the call from @SecBlinken. Discussed the ongoing developments in Ukraine and its implications."

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By Aditi Sangal, Meg Wagner, Adrienne Vogt, Melissa Macaya, Rob Picheta, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Ed Upright, Maureen Chowdhury and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

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By Aditi Sangal, Meg Wagner, Adrienne Vogt, Melissa Macaya, Rob Picheta, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Ed Upright, Maureen Chowdhury and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN Updated 8:06 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022 What we covered Blasts are being reported in Kyiv early Friday, with a Ukrainian official saying the country's capital has been hit by cruise or ballistic missiles.

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Zelensky stayed in Ukraine despite being Russia’s number 1 target
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/24/russia-ukraine-attack-news/

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Russia 'alone' responsible for death and destruction in Ukraine, Biden says In speech, Putin warns opponents of grave consequences

A Russian army column at a railroad platform close to the border with Ukraine on Feb. 23. (For The Washington Post)

| Updated today at 2:24 a.m. EST

Russia on Thursday launched a military assault against Ukraine, President Biden said, with explosions occurring across a wide swath of the country, in what the president called an "unjustified attack" that signals "a premeditated war."

The explosions could be heard in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and Kharkiv, in the country's northeast. A senior Ukrainian official said there were also explosions at the country's largest airport, in Kyiv. Air raid sirens were going off in the capital, though the official said that they were intended to wake up residents and that there were no indications of incoming warplanes.

The attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the launch of a "special military operation" to carry out the "demilitarization and denazification" of Ukraine and end eight years of war in the country's east, where Kyiv government forces have been fighting Russian-backed separatists.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law. Kyiv's generals said the military was at full combat readiness and had repelled a Russian air attack, though few claims were immediately verifiable amid the uncertainty of armed conflict.

What you need to know about the Russia-Ukraine crisis

In a statement, Biden said that Putin "has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering" and vowed that he would face "further consequences."

"Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way," he said. "The world will hold Russia accountable."

Here's what to know

President Biden will on Thursday morning meet virtually with leaders of the Group of Seven nations to discuss the unfolding crisis.

Putin warned anyone considering interfering with Russia's plans of grave consequences, appearing to threaten the use of nuclear weapons.

Several European NATO member states said they would request security consultations in Brussels on Thursday, citing a potential threat to their security, territory or independence.

Zelensky imposed martial law after pleading with the Russian people late Wednesday to stop their leadership from sending troops across the border and into his country.

Global leaders react to Russia's attack on Ukraine, criticize Putin
Return to menu

As President Biden promised that "the world will hold Russia accountable" for what he described as an "unprovoked and unjustified attack" on Ukraine, other global leaders were quick to condemn Russia's actions and call for a decisive response.

Before dawn in London, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter that "President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine" and promised to work with allies to "decisively" respond.

The country's foreign minister, Liz Truss, called it "a terrible act of aggression."

Finland's President Sauli Niinistö strongly condemned the Russian military measures, describing them as an assault not just on Ukraine, but "on the entire European security order."

Russia has 'launched a full-scale invasion,' Ukrainian official says
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Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs says Russia has "launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine."

"Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes," Dmytro Kuleba tweeted early Thursday morning local time. "This is a war of aggression."

He said that Ukraine "will defend itself and will win" and urged the world to "stop Putin."

In a later tweet, he called for the world to immediately impose further sanctions on Russia, as well as dispatch weapons and equipment, humanitarian assistance and financial support to Ukraine. "Fully isolate Russia by all means, in all formats," Kuleba wrote.

Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.
- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022

The world must act immediately. Future of Europe & the world is at stake. To do list:

1. Devastating sanctions on Russia NOW, including SWIFT
2. Fully isolate Russia by all means, in all formats
3. Weapons, equipment for Ukraine
4. Financial assistance
5. Humanitarian assistance
- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022

Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's ministry of internal affairs, said troops are in Odessa - one of Ukraine's most populous cities - and are crossing into Kharkiv, a city in the country's northeast, according to NBC.

Distant booms heard in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city
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As Russia launched a military assault against Ukraine on Feb. 24, explosions were heard near Kharkiv, in the country's Northeast. (Whitney Leaming)

KHARKIV, Ukraine - Just after Russian President Vladimir Putin finished his speech announcing military action against Ukraine, distant booms could be heard in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, which is 50 miles from the Russian border.

It's unclear what caused the explosion or what targets were hit.

Russian troops, tanks and missile launchers had been massing in Belgorod, a Russian city 90 minutes from downtown Kharkiv. This is a majority Russian-speaking city that was long considered a target in a full-scale invasion by Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared martial law, according to a Ukrainian government official.

As the sun rose, some people in the city reacted with confusion. At one hotel, a staff member asked a guest what was happening. Told this was likely a Russian invasion, she cursed.

"I don't watch the news," she said.

Outside of the hotel, a mother and child packed their car to leave Kharkiv. There were commuters with suitcases on the subway and people were in line at a water-filing station near the city center.

Russia 'alone' responsible for death and destruction in Ukraine, Biden says
Return to menu

President Biden said Russia "alone is responsible for the death and destruction" its military action in Ukraine may bring, according to a statement released late Wednesday after Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced plans to launch a "special military operation" in the country.

"President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering," Biden's statement read. "The world will hold Russia accountable."

Calling Putin's military actions "unprovoked and unjustified," the president pledged that the United States and allies will coordinate their responses in a "united and decisive" fashion. Biden will meet with leaders from the Group of Seven nations Thursday morning and will address the American people on further sanctions to deter Russian aggression.

Shortly after Putin's speech, explosions could be heard in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and Kharkiv, in the country's northeast. A senior Ukrainian official said there were explosions at Kyiv's Boryspil airport.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declares martial law, describes Russian attack as 'unjustified and deceitful'
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law on Feb. 24, after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a military operation against Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Office)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law after Russia on Thursday launched a multipronged attack on its neighbour, with explosions heard across a wide swath of the country.

In a statement posted on the president's website, Zelensky described Russia's military operation as "an unjustified, deceitful and cynical invasion."

Russia is carrying out strikes on military targets and other important defense facilities, border units are under attack, and the situation in Donbas - in the country's east, where Ukrainian government forces have been fighting Russian-backed separatists for the past eight years - has degraded, the statement said.

The country's armed forces and law enforcement agencies are on alert, while the National Security and Defense Council is working in emergency mode ahead of a meeting called by Zelensky.

"Ukrainians will never give up their freedom and independence to anyone," the statement said. "But now the fate of not only our state is being decided, but also what life in Europe will be like. Whether at least something of the force of international law remains will depend on the world's fair and just response to this aggression."

President Biden has promised that "the world will hold Russia accountable" for what he described as an "unprovoked and unjustified attack" on Ukraine, and other global leaders were also quick to condemn Russia's actions and call for a decisive response.

In a video address posted on social media Thursday, his second of the day, Zelensky urged Ukrainians to remain calm, and stay at home if they can.

Hours earlier, before the assault began, the president made an emotional appeal to the Russian people to stop their leadership from sending troops across the border and into his country, warning of the despair that would come from a needless war.

In speech, Putin warns opponents of grave consequences
Return to menu

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on state television on Feb. 24 that Russia was beginning a military operation in eastern Ukraine. (Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation against Ukraine in an address carried on Russian state television early Thursday, as the Kremlin attacked military targets across Ukrainian territory in what President Biden called "premeditated war" against Russia's western neighbor.

Putin described the goal of the military operation as ending the "genocide" against the people in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, where Russia-backed separatists have been at war with Ukrainian forces since 2014.

"Its goal is to protect people who have been abused by the genocide of the Kyiv regime for eight years," Putin said. "And to this end, we will strive for the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. We will also bring to justice those who committed the numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including citizens of the Russian Federation."

Though Putin said the operation was about the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine, the Russian military proceeded to attack a wide range of targets across the country, including in the capital, Kyiv, and the eastern city of Kharkiv.

Putin said Russia didn't plan to occupy Ukrainian territory but made references to the right to self-determination by local peoples, suggesting that Moscow could be planning to organize referendums in areas of Ukraine after the military campaign.

The Russian leader made mention of the referendum that Russia held in Crimea in 2014, subsequently annexing the piece of Ukrainian territory located on the Black Sea.

Putin also directly addressed members of the Ukrainian armed forces, calling on them to lay down their arms and refuse to take orders from their superiors in Kyiv.

He also warned anyone considering interfering with Russia's plans of grave consequences, appearing to threaten the use of nuclear weapons.

"Whoever tries to interfere with our actions should know that the Russian response will be immediate and will lead to the kind of consequences you have never experienced in your entire history," Putin said. "We are ready for any scenario of events."

He said Russia could no longer tolerate a Ukraine that he said had been taken hostage by forces hostile to Russia.

Putin said Russia "cannot feel safe and develop and exist with the constant threat coming from the modern territory of Ukraine."

Therefore, he said, he had no choice but to authorize a military operation. He noted, "We simply weren't given any other option to defend Russia and our people other than that which we will use today."

UNDERSTANDING THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE CRISIS

HAND CURATED

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Russia-Ukraine live updates: U.S. vows to hold Russia responsible after it begins attack on Ukraine

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Russia 'alone' responsible for death and destruction in Ukraine, Biden says In speech, Putin warns opponents of grave consequences | Updated today at 2:24 a.m. EST Russia on Thursday launched a military assault against Ukraine, President Biden said, with explosions occurring across a wide swath of the country, in what the president called an "unjustified attack" that signals "a premeditated war."

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.The rebel-held areas have been evacuating women, children and the elderly to Russia since late last week.
.Western powers have rallied behind Ukraine, promising tough sanctions against Russia if it invades - though it is not yet clear how effective this move could be.

The US swiftly condemned Mr Putin's move, and President Joe Biden signed an executive order that prohibits new investment, trade and financing by Americans in the breakaway regions. The White House said the measures were separate to wider Western sanctions which are ready to go "should Russia further invade Ukraine".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60468237

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognising them as independent states.

Russia said the troops have not yet been deployed but will be "peacekeeping" in the regions, which it has backed since 2014.

The US said calling them peacekeepers was "nonsense", and accused Russia of creating a pretext for war.

Several countries have announced sanctions in response.

Ukraine's president said his country was "not afraid of anything or anyone".

In a late-night televised address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky called for "clear and effective actions of support" from Ukraine's international allies.

"It is very important to see now who our real friend and partner is, and who will continue to scare the Russian Federation with words only," he added.

Fears over an invasion have been rising in recent months, as Russia has massed some 150,000 troops along Ukraine's borders, according to US estimates.

At an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield dismissed Russia's claims that troops would be taking on a "peacekeeping" role, saying: "We know what they really are."

Recognising Luhansk and Donetsk as independent was part of Russia's bid to create a reason to invade Ukraine, she said.

Russia has been backing a bloody armed rebellion in eastern Ukraine for the past eight years. Some 14,000 people - including many civilians - have died in fighting since then.

The rebel-held areas have been evacuating women, children and the elderly to Russia since late last week.

In an hour-long address on Monday, Mr Putin said Ukraine was an integral part of his country's history, and described eastern Ukraine as "ancient Russian lands".

Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya argued for the need to defend the rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region from what he called Ukrainian aggression. "Allowing a new bloodbath in the Donbas is something we do not intend to do," he said.

But Mr Zelensky said Moscow's recognition of the rebel-held regions represented a threat to the security of Ukraine and other European nations.

"If we have a full-scale escalation... our neighbours would be put at risk," he said.

'A barrage of sanctions'

Western powers have rallied behind Ukraine, promising tough sanctions against Russia if it invades - though it is not yet clear how effective this move could be.

The US swiftly condemned Mr Putin's move, and President Joe Biden signed an executive order that prohibits new investment, trade and financing by Americans in the breakaway regions. The White House said the measures were separate to wider Western sanctions which are ready to go "should Russia further invade Ukraine".

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia had violated Ukrainian sovereignty and "completely torn up" international law. He said Mr Putin appeared "bent on a full-scale invasion", and promised a "barrage of sanctions".

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was halting the process of certifying the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline because of Russia's actions. The gas pipeline between Russia and Germany was completed last September but is not yet operating. Running under the Baltic Sea, it would double Moscow's gas exports to Germany and circumvent Ukraine, which relies on existing pipelines for income.

The European Union pledged to "react with unity, firmness and with determination in solidarity with Ukraine".

Both Mr Scholz and France's President Emmanuel Macron spoke with the Russian leader ahead of his announcement.

Putin builds to a showdown

This speech was Putin the angry, impatient and directly threatening. It felt like Russia's president was getting 20-odd years of hurt off his chest and hitting back.

"You didn't want us to be friends," was how he put it to the West, "but you didn't have to make an enemy of us."

There was a lot we've heard before, repackaged for this moment when he knows he has maximum attention.

He's clearly ceding no ground on his key security demands: Nato expansion must be rolled back, and Ukrainian membership is a red line. He complained that Russia's concerns had been ignored as irrelevant for years and accused the West of trying to "contain" Russia as a resurgent global force.

Mr Putin's focus on Ukraine felt obsessive, like a man who thinks about little else. At times it sounded like a bid to run for president there, it was so detailed.

And, of course, there was his re-writing of Ukrainian history, to claim it has never really been a state. In today's context, that had deeply ominous overtones.

Groundwork for the controversial decision was laid earlier on Monday, when Mr Putin convened Russia's security council to discuss recognising the self-declared republics as independent.

Mr Putin's top officials were called to a podium to deliver their views, each speaking in favour of the move. Monday's televised meeting was not entirely smooth, however.

Two officials appeared to reference a possibility to "incorporate" the regions into Russia. On both occasions, Mr Putin corrected them.

"We are not talking about that," Mr Putin said, shaking his head in response to one official's use of the phrase. "We are talking about whether to recognise their independence or not."

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Ukraine crisis: Russia orders troops into rebel-held regions

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognising them as independent states. Russia said the troops have not yet been deployed but will be "peacekeeping" in the regions, which it has backed since 2014.

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Ukrainian and Russian negotiators agree to hold talks in Belarus

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/27/1083368793/ukraine-russia-negotiations-belarus

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Ukrainian and Russian negotiators agree to hold talks in Belarus

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said a delegation of the Ukrainian government will meet for talks with Russian officials near the Pripyat River in Belarus.

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Putin recognized the separatist regions in Ukraine and moved Russian forces into those regions.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-boris-johnson-europe-emmanuel-macron-2b7c2949ae3168effce9d0cb2584bb32

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MOSCOW (AP) - A long-feared Russian invasion of Ukraine appeared to be imminent Monday, if not already underway, with Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

A vaguely worded decree signed by Putin did not say if troops were on the move, and it cast the order as an effort to "maintain peace." But it appeared to dash the slim remaining hopes of averting a major conflict in Europe that could cause massive casualties, energy shortages on the continent and economic chaos around the globe.

Putin's directive came hours after he recognized the separatist regions in a rambling, fact-bending discourse on European history. The move paved the way to provide them military support, antagonizing Western leaders who regard it as a breach of world order, and set off a frenzied scramble by the U.S. and others to respond.

Underscoring the urgency, the U.N. Security Council held a rare nighttime emergency meeting on Monday at the request of Ukraine, the U.S. and other countries. Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo opened the session with a warning that "the risk of major conflict is real and needs to be prevented at all costs."

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, sought to project calm, telling the country: "We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don't owe anyone anything. And we won't give anything to anyone." His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, would be in Washington on Tuesday to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.

The White House issued an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures - likely sanctions - were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The State Department, meanwhile, said U.S. personnel in Lviv - in Ukraine's far west - would spend the night in Poland but return to Ukraine to continue their diplomatic work and emergency consular services. It again urged any American citizens in Ukraine to leave immediately.

The developments came during a spike in skirmishes in the eastern regions that Western powers believe Russia could use as a pretext for an attack on the Western-looking democracy that has defied Moscow's attempts to pull it back into its orbit.

Putin justified his decision in a far-reaching, pre-recorded speech blaming NATO for the current crisis and calling the U.S.-led alliance an existential threat to Russia. Sweeping through more than a century of history, he painted today's Ukraine as a modern construct that is inextricably linked to Russia. He charged that Ukraine had inherited Russia's historic lands and after the Soviet collapse was used by the West to contain Russia.

"I consider it necessary to take a long-overdue decision: To immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic," Putin said.

Afterward he signed matching decrees recognizing the two regions' independence, eight years after fighting erupted between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces, and called on lawmakers to approve measures paving the way for military support.

Until now, Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of supporting the separatists with arms and troops, but Moscow has denied that, saying that Russians who fought there were volunteers.

At an earlier meeting of Putin's Security Council, a stream of top officials argued for recognizing the regions' independence. One slipped up and said he favored including them as part of Russia - but Putin quickly corrected him.

Recognizing the separatist regions' independence is likely to be popular in Russia, where many share Putin's worldview. Russian state media released images of people in Donetsk setting off fireworks, waving large Russian flags and playing Russia's national anthem.

Ukrainians in Kyiv, meanwhile, bristled at the move.

"Why should Russia recognize (the rebel-held regions)? If neighbors come to you and say, 'This room will be ours,' would you care about their opinion or not? It's your flat, and it will be always your flat," said Maria Levchyshchyna, a 48-year-old painter in the Ukrainian capital. "Let them recognize whatever they want. But in my view, it can also provoke a war, because normal people will fight for their country."

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, the U.S. has warned that Moscow has already decided to invade. Still, President Joe Biden and Putin tentatively agreed to a meeting brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron in a last-ditch effort to avoid war.

If Russia moves in, the meeting will be off, but the prospect of a face-to-face summit resuscitated hopes in diplomacy to prevent a conflict that could devastate Ukraine and cause huge economic damage across Europe, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy.

Russia says it wants Western guarantees that NATO won't allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members - and Putin said Monday that a simple moratorium on Ukraine's accession wouldn't be enough. Moscow has also demanded the alliance halt weapons deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe - demands flatly rejected by the West.

Macron's office said Biden and Putin had "accepted the principle of such a summit," to be followed by a broader meeting that would include other "relevant stakeholders to discuss security and strategic stability in Europe."

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, meanwhile, said the administration has always been ready to talk to avert a war - but was also prepared to respond to any attack.

During Monday night's emergency meeting, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Putin "has put before the world a choice" and it "must not look away" because "history tells us that looking the other way in the face of such hostility will be a far more costly path."

China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun called for restraint and a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Putin's announcement shattered a 2015 peace deal signed in Minsk requiring Ukraine to offer broad self-rule to the rebel regions, a major diplomatic coup for Moscow.

That deal was resented by many in Ukraine who saw it as a capitulation, a blow to the country's integrity and a betrayal of national interests. Putin and other officials argued Monday that the Ukrainian government has shown no appetite for implementing it.

Over 14,000 people have been killed since conflict erupted in the eastern industrial heartland of Donbas in 2014, shortly after Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

Potential flashpoints multiplied. Sustained shelling continued Monday along the tense line of contact separating the opposing forces. Unusually, Russia said it had fended off an "incursion" from Ukraine - which Ukrainian officials denied. And Russia decided to prolong military drills in Belarus, which could offer a staging ground for an attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

Ukraine and the separatist rebels have traded blame for cease-fire violations with hundreds of explosions recorded daily.

While separatists have charged that Ukrainian forces were firing on residential areas, Associated Press journalists reporting from several towns and villages in Ukrainian-held territory along the line of contact have not witnessed any notable escalation from the Ukrainian side and have documented signs of intensified shelling by the separatists that destroyed homes and ripped up roads.

Some residents of the main rebel-held city of Donetsk described sporadic shelling by Ukrainian forces, but they added that it wasn't on the same scale as earlier in the conflict.

The separatist authorities said Monday that at least four civilians were killed by Ukrainian shelling over the past 24 hours, and several others were wounded. Ukraine's military said two Ukrainian soldiers were killed over the weekend, and another serviceman was wounded Monday.

Ukrainian military spokesman Pavlo Kovalchyuk insisted that Ukrainian forces weren't returning fire.

In the village of Novognativka on the Ukraine government-controlled side, 60-year-old Ekaterina Evseeva said the shelling was worse than at the height of fighting early in the conflict.

"We are on the edge of nervous breakdowns," she said, her voice trembling. "And there is nowhere to run."

In another worrying sign, the Russian military said it killed five suspected "saboteurs" who crossed from Ukraine into Russia's Rostov region and also destroyed two armored vehicles and took a Ukrainian serviceman prisoner. Ukrainian Border Guard spokesman Andriy Demchenko dismissed the claim as "disinformation."

With fears of invasion high, the U.S. administration sent a letter to the United Nations human rights chief claiming that Moscow has compiled a list of Ukrainians to be killed or sent to detention camps after the invasion. The letter, first reported by The New York Times, was obtained by the AP.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the claim was a lie and no such list exists.

___

Karmanau reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Cook from Brussels. Lori Hinnant in Kyiv; Angela Charlton in Paris; Zeke Miller and Aamer Madhani in Munich, Germany; Geir Moulson in Berlin; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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War fears grow as Putin orders troops to eastern Ukraine

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MOSCOW (AP) - A long-feared Russian invasion of Ukraine appeared to be imminent Monday, if not already underway, with Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. A vaguely worded decree signed by Putin did not say if troops were on the move, and it cast the order as an effort to "maintain peace."

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President Biden ordered that the US secretary of state needs to release $350 million in immediate support to Ukraine's security and defense to try and help defend and protect them from Russia.
https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-25-22/index.html

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Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine early Thursday. US President Joe Biden announced new “strong” sanctions on Russia and limitations on exports as he condemned Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Follow here for live news updates from the ground in Ukraine.

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https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiH2IGyiqP2AhVrUN8KHQiWAa4QFnoECBQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fbriefing-room%2Fstatements-releases%2F2022%2F02%2F23%2Fstatement-by-president-biden-on-russias-unprovoked-and-unjustified-attack-on-ukraine%2F&usg=AOvVaw2F4REPXe3dqGQWWYOROjJN

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US President Joe Biden has announced what he called the “first tranche” of sanctions against Russia, including steps to starve the country of financing, saying Moscow had started an invasion of Ukraine.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/22/un-meets-after-russia-sends-troops-to-eastern-ukraine-liveblog

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells the nation that Ukraine is "not afraid of anyone or anything" [AP]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his countrymen "are not afraid" after Russia moved to recognise the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and hours later said it would deploy troops there to "maintain peace".

An urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) took place on the deepening Ukraine crisis as the United States said the announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin was an "unprovoked violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Western countries have repeatedly warned Moscow not to officially recognise the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic.

Russia has been massing its forces around Ukraine's borders for weeks, raising concern among the US and other Western governments that it might be planning to invade the country. Moscow has insisted it has no plans to do so.

Here are all the latest updates:

OSCE voices 'deep regret' over Moscow's move

The special representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe's chairman-in-office in Ukraine says Putin's decision to recognise Ukraine's breakaway republics is a source of "deep regret".

"This decision ... can be seen contradicting the Minsk agreements in different ways, including the aim of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions being part of Ukraine with a special status," Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen said in a statement, citing agreements aimed at ending the war in eastern Ukraine.

"As [with] all [other] OSCE participating States, Russia has [a] commitment to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others, including Ukraine," he added. "It is of crucial importance that today's decision will not lead to new military action and bloodshed."

UK says Putin has 'chosen confrontation over dialogue'

Putin's actions towards Ukraine show he has chosen confrontation with the West over dialogue, the United Kingdom's health minister says.

"We've always preferred dialogue and still continue to do so but it's clear from President Putin's actions that he has chosen confrontation over dialogue," Sajid Javid told the BBC.

He also warned the current situation was as grave as the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when a confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

"I do think it's as serious a situation as that," Javid said.

NATO, EU cannot allow violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, Spanish minister says

NATO and European Union member states cannot allow Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity to go unchecked, Spain's defence minister says.

"Russia must know the firmness of EU and NATO is absolute and total," Margarita Robles said in an interview to radio station COPE. "We cannot allow a violation of international law nor the attack to Ukraine's territorial integrity, which is what has happened, without a doubt."

Spain and its partners would still give a chance to diplomacy, she added.

Amnesty calls on all parties to respect human rights law

Amnesty International's Secretary-General says the protection of civilians in Ukraine is an "absolute priority".

"While the potential for full-blown conflict is now a devastating reality, every effort must be made to minimise civilian suffering and prioritise humanity in this crisis. It is a legal obligation of all parties to do so," Agnès Callamard said in a statement.

She also urged all parties to ensure the protection of civilian lives and refrain from indiscriminate attacks or the use of prohibited weapons.

"We also call on all parties to allow and facilitate access of humanitarian agencies to provide assistance to civilians affected by hostilities," Callamard said.

Damascus to recognise breakaway republics: Report

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will recognise the independence of the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, a Russian lawmaker in charge of ties with Damascus has told a Russian news agency.

"I spoke about the situation in Donbass with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad," Dmitry Sablin, who coordinates the ties between Russian and Syrian parliaments, told the RIA Novosti news agency.

"He said that Syria would be ready to recognize them the way it had recognized [breakaway Georgian regions of] South Ossetia and Abkhazia" after the 2008 Russian-Georgian war, he said.
Reporting by Al Jazeera's Mansur Mirovalev in Kyiv.
Separatists say Ukrainian 'saboteurs' behind deadly blast

A Russian-backed separatist official in eastern Ukraine has accused Ukrainian "saboteurs" of detonating a mine on a road in a breakaway region that killed three civilians, Interfax news agency reports.

The separatist official did not provide evidence and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which has denied a spate of claims from Moscow and the rebel republics of other alleged incidents in recent days.

Greece says Russia move in eastern Ukraine violates international law

Russia's formal recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine violates international law, the Minsk agreements and the country's territorial integrity, Greece's foreign ministry says.

"Greece supports the respect of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of all states and condemns any decision that violates fundamental principles of international law," the ministry said.

Greece would coordinate with its European Union and NATO partners on the response to Russia's decision, it said.

Iran's foreign ministry calls for dialogue to resolve crisis

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says Tehran is closely watching developments in Ukraine and calls on all sides to refrain from any action that would increase tensions.

"Unfortunately, NATO interference and provocative moves led by the United States have made conditions in the region more complicated," Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

Khatibzadeh also urged all parties involved to resolve the crisis through dialogue.

Russia says too early to discuss borders of breakaway Ukrainian regions

Russia's foreign ministry has said that Moscow needed to first ratify its friendship treaties with the two breakaway Ukrainian regions before it could discuss matters like the exact borders of the territories, the RIA Novosti news agency reports.

Russia's parliament is expected to review friendship treaties with the territories on Tuesday.

'We are not afraid', says Ukraine's Zelenskyy

Zelensky has told a news conference that Ukraine is "not afraid of anything or anyone"

"We are on our own land," he said. "We owe nothing to anyone. And we will not give anything to anyone."

World reaction to Putin's move to recognise Ukraine rebel regions

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognise the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine has drawn condemnation.

Read more here.

Russia tells UN it won't allow 'bloodbath' in Ukraine's Donbas

Russia's ambassador to the UN says that eastern Ukraine has been on the brink of a new "Ukrainian military adventure" that Russia could not allow, and vowed it would not let a "new bloodbath" happen in the Donbas region.

Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the Russian ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, also warned Western powers to "think twice" and not worsen the situation in Ukraine.

China at UN urges all parties in Ukraine crisis to exercise restraint

China's Ambassador to the UN has called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any action that might fuel tensions.

In very brief remarks at an emergency meeting of the UNSC over Ukraine, China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun also said Beijing welcomed and encouraged every effort for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Kenya cites colonial past in condemnation of Russia moves

Kenya's ambassador at the UN, Martin Kimani, says his country and many other African nations had been "birthed" with the end of colonialism and had not been able to set their own borders.

But instead of pursuing states based on "ethnic, racial or religious homogeneity", which carried the risk of decades of "bloody wars", the countries "agreed that we would settle for the borders we inherited".

"Rather than form nations that looked ever backwards into history with a dangerous nostalgia, we chose to look forward to a greatness none of our many nations and peoples had ever known," he said.

Kenya makes strong statement opposing the undermining of the sovereignty & territorial integrity of #Ukraine during the emergency meeting of the #SecurityCouncil at 9pm on 21st February. See full statement delivered below 👇🏿 pic.twitter.com/3S36UNW7OE

- Permanent Mission of Kenya to the UN 🇰🇪 🇺🇳 (@KenyaMissionUN) February 22, 2022

Blinken and China's Wang Yi discuss Ukraine

The US says Secretary of State Antony Blinken has had a call with China's foreign minister on "Russia's aggression against Ukraine" as well as North Korea.

"The Secretary underscored the need to preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

He gave no other details.

What will Putin do next?

Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in the US and an expert in international affairs, says he is concerned about what turn the crisis will take next.

"The big question in my mind is whether Putin is going to say: 'Mission accomplished. I've protected my ethnic kin in Donbas', or is this the first move in what will likely be a Russian invasion of the rest of the country," Kupchan told Al Jazeera.

Noting that the Russian president's speech on Monday suggested that Russia and Ukraine were one and the same, Kupchan said he was worried about the prospect for further escalation.

"That sounded to me like an ideological foundation for going in, toppling the government and bringing Ukraine into a Russian sphere of influence," he said.

US: Russia 'tore Minsk agreement to shreds'

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, has said Russia's move to recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk rebel areas "tore the Minsk agreement to shreds".

She said Washington would be announcing retaliatory sanctions later today.

You can read more on the Minsk agreement here.

UN Security Council adjourns

The emergency meeting of the Security Council has been adjourned after about 90 minutes.

Ukraine's representative Sergiy Kyslytsya was the second last diplomat to speak and condemned Putin's "illegal and illegitimate" decision to recognise the rebel-held areas in Ukraine's east.

He equated Russia to a virus that was affecting the world and infecting even the UN.

"The UN is sick; that's a statement of fact," Kyslytsya said, echoing the Albanian representative's comments on previous Russian manoeuvres. "It's been hit by a virus spread by the Kremlin. Will it succumb to this virus? It's in the hands of the members. Who is next?"

Russia blames Ukraine, Western countries for escalation of crisis

Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia has just finished addressing the council.

He said some of the previous statements had been "highly emotional" and claimed Russia had been forced to act because of alleged Ukrainian intransigence over the rebel-held areas in Ukraine's east and its "bellicose rhetoric".

"We remain open to diplomacy, but allowing a bloodbath in the Donbas is not what we intend to do," Nebenzia said.

He ended his speech by blaming Western countries for contributing to the deterioration of the situation.

China delivers brief statement on Ukraine crisis

China's UN representative Zhang Jun has made a very brief statement to the UNSC.

Zhang said Beijing was playing "close attention" to developments in Ukraine and urged "all parties" to "exercise restraint and avoid any action that might fuel tensions".

Unlike the speakers before him, he did not condemn Moscow's decision to recognise the two separatist-held territories. Zhang said it was a "complex" situation.

US diplomats to spend night in Poland

The US State Department has announced its diplomats will spend the night in Poland for security reasons.

They had already been moved from Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, to the western city of Lviv.

"The fact that we are taking prudent precautions for the sake of the safety of U.S. government personnel and U.S. citizens, as we do regularly worldwide, in no way undermines our support for, or our commitment to, Ukraine," Blinken said in a statement. "Our commitment to Ukraine transcends any one location."

The State Department again urged all US citizens to leave Ukraine.

Who is at the Security Council meeting?

The UNSC has 15 members - five of them permanent - and each will address the emergency meeting on Ukraine.

China, France, Russia, the UK and the US are the five permanent members and have the power of veto.

The 10 non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly. The current list of UNSC members is set out below, with the end of their term in brackets.

Albania (2023)

Brazil (2023)

Gabon (2023)

Ghana (2023)

India (2022)

Ireland (2022)

Kenya (2022)

Mexico (2022)

Norway (2022)

United Arab Emirates (2023)

UNSC member states express deep concern over Russia's moves

Representatives from Albania, France, India and Brazil have addressed the meeting.

All have expressed deep concern about the latest developments in Ukraine, stressing the need for de-escalation and diplomatic dialogue.

Albania's representative was particularly vehement in his condemnation, noting that Moscow had made similar moves in Georgia in 2008 and Crimea.

"Who will be next?" Ferit Hoxha asked. "Every UN state should be alarmed."

US says "no one can stand on the sidelines"

Thomas-Greenfield has just finished addressing the council.

The US ambassador to the UN urged the world body to come together and condemn Russia's move.

"No one can stand on the sidelines," she said, stressing Moscow's actions in Ukraine represent "an attack on every UN member state and the UN charter".

She earlier told the meeting that Putin was wanting a return to the past.

"Putin wants the world to travel back in time, to a time before the United Nations, to a time when empires ruled the world," she said. "It is not 1919, it is 2022."

UN Security Council meeting gets under way

The emergency meeting of the UNSC has now begun.

The council is chaired by Russia.

Zelenskyy calls for 'clear and effective' steps against Russia

Zelenskyy has accused Russia of wrecking peace talks and ruled out making any territorial concessions.

The Ukrainian president said in an address to the nation that Kyiv was expecting "clear and effective" steps from its allies in response to Moscow's moves.

'Key topic: sanctions': Ukraine's foreign minister

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says he has had another call with Blinken over the crisis.

"Key topic: sanctions," he wrote on Twitter, stressing that the imposition of "tough sanctions" was crucial after Russia's "illegal" declaration.

Taking into account the dynamics of the situation, I had another call with @SecBlinken ahead of our tomorrow's meeting in Washington, DC. Key topic: sanctions. I underscored the need to impose tough sanctions on Russia in response to its illegal actions.

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 22, 2022

World capitals don't sleep now, regardless of their time zones. The scope & timeline of sanctions are being finalized. Ukraine insists: further Russian actions rely on how the world reacts. Russia must be in no doubt that the world talks the talk and walks the walk on sanctions.

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 22, 2022

Biden signs 'executive order' on sanctions targeting rebel regions

US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to ban all new investment, trade and financing by US citizens to, from, or in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics regions of Ukraine.

"The E.O. is designed to prevent Russia from profiting off of this blatant violation of international law. It is not directed at the people of Ukraine or the Ukrainian government and will allow humanitarian and other related activity to continue in these regions," Blinken said in a statement.

The secretary of state added Washington will work with Ukraine and its allies to take action in response to Putin's declaration of the eastern rebel regions as "independent".

Tanks seen on outskirts of Donetsk: Reuters

The Reuters news agency is reporting a witness seeing columns of military vehicles including tanks on the streets on the outskirts of Donetsk.

The Reuters reporter saw about five tanks in a column on the edge of the city and two more in another part of town.

The report says no insignia were visible, and that no tanks had been seen on the streets in previous days.

UN Security Council to meet after Russia move

The UNSC is due to meet in just over an hour's time over the Ukraine crisis.

Ukraine called for the meeting and was backed by the United States, as well as other countries. Russia holds the rotating presidency of the council this month.

Al Jazeera's Shihab Rattansi, reporting from Washington, DC, says that there was some debate over the format of the meeting, with Russia wanting a closed-door session and other countries led by the US pushing for an open discussion.

UK to announce 'significant' Russia sanctions on Tuesday

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce a "significant package of sanctions" in a few hours' time.

A spokesperson for Johnson's administration told Reuters that the sanctions will be agreed to at a meeting of the UK government's crisis response committee at 06:30 GMT and take immediate effect.

'Brazen': US calls for urgent UN Security Council meeting

The US' ambassador to the UN has slammed Russia's move to recognise Luhansk and Donetsk as a "brazen attempt to usurp Ukraine's sovereignty" and backed Kyiv's call for an urgent meeting of the UNSC.

"The Security Council must demand that Russia respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a UN Member State," Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement.

"There can be no fence-sitters in this crisis," she warned.

We support Ukraine's call for an urgent meeting of the @UN Security Council. We must all stand with Ukraine in the face of Russia's brazen attempt to usurp Ukraine's sovereign territory. There can be no fence-sitters in this crisis. https://t.co/SI81WBLkmZ

- Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) February 21, 2022

Russia to weigh military cooperation deals with breakaway regions

Russia's lower house of parliament will consider draft laws to provide military cooperation and border protection to the breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine later today.

An agreement signed by Putin and published on Monday shows Russia also plans to build military bases in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the Ukraine crisis.

Read all the updates from Monday, February 21 here.

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Ukraine's Zelenskyy says 'we're not afraid' after Russia moves

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his countrymen "are not afraid" after Russia moved to recognise the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and hours later said it would deploy troops there to "maintain peace".

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Putin’s War Ushers In Crisis for Russia

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/world/europe/russian-economy-ukraine-war.html

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Despite the Kremlin's efforts to obscure the offensive in Ukraine, the costs of the war were already evident in both economic and social turmoil.

Walking past Red Square in Moscow on Saturday. Credit... Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

MOSCOW - President Vladimir V. Putin has ushered in a crisis for his country - in its economy and identity.

The Kremlin is hiding the reality of the country's attack on Ukraine from its own people, even cracking down on news outlets that call it a "war."

But the economic carnage and societal turmoil wrought by Mr. Putin's invasion is becoming increasingly difficult to obscure.

Airlines canceled once-ubiquitous flights to Europe. The Central Bank scrambled to deliver ruble bills as the demand for cash spiked 58-fold. Economists warned of more inflation, greater capital flight and slower growth; and the S&P credit rating agency downgraded Russia to "junk" status.

The emphasis on hiding the war's true extent was a sign that the Kremlin fears that Russians would disapprove of a violent, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a country where many millions of Russians have relatives and friends.

Even so, more public figures with ties to the state spoke out against the war, including a lawmaker in Russia's rubber-stamp Parliament. Business owners tried to assess the consequences of an economic crisis that appeared already to be beginning, even before sanctions were fully in place.

Facing the greatest test yet of its reality-distorting prowess, the Kremlin's propaganda machine for the moment appeared to be keeping widespread opposition to the war in check. There were no signs that the war could undermine Mr. Putin's hold on power, and in the event of a speedy victory, analysts noted, it could end up strengthening it.

But the enormous risks of the war, along with the economic pressure the country was suddenly under, have created a new and more treacherous reality for both the Kremlin and Russia's 145 million people.

Russians have been stunned at how quickly the economic impact of the war was being felt. The ruble hit its lowest level ever against the dollar, which traded at about 84 rubles on Saturday compared to 74 a few weeks ago. That sent prices for imports surging, while sanctions on Russia's largest banks wreaked havoc in the financial markets and new export restrictions promised to scramble supply chains.

"Those who shout that Putin is great and bravo to him are no longer shouting as loud," said Lalya Sadykova, the owner of a chain of beauty salons in St. Petersburg. "They're in shock from what is happening, from how quickly prices are changing and how suppliers are stopping deliveries."

The chief executive of one of Russia's biggest electronics retailers, DNS, said on Thursday that a supply crunch had forced his chain to raise prices some 30 percent. Days earlier, the chief executive, Dmitri Alekseyev, had posted on Facebook: "For the life of me I can't understand why Russia needs a war."

"I understand that the prices in stores provoke frustration," Mr. Alekseyev wrote. "But that's the reality."

S7, Russia's second-largest airline, suspended all of its flights to Europe because of airspace closures to Russian companies, an early sign that the cheap and easy travel to the West that middle-class Russians had grown used to could become a thing of the past. Photos of retailers changing or removing their price tags went viral on social media.

"We're all waiting for what happens next," said Anastasia Baranova, describing a wave of cancellations on Friday at the hotel she runs in St. Petersburg. "It's as though the whole country is on pause."

The Kremlin rushed to maintain its narrative, signaling the start of a new and more brutal phase in its long-running crackdown on dissent. The government's communications regulator slowed down access to Facebook and warned 10 Russian news outlets that their websites could be blocked. The outlets' declared offense was publishing articles "in which the operation that is being carried out is called an attack, an invasion or a declaration of war."

Even as a vicious battle for Kyiv unfolded on Saturday morning, a Russian Defense Ministry statement about the situation in Ukraine made no mention of the Ukrainian capital or any Russian casualties. The ministry, which typically releases sleek and copious footage daily of the Russian military in action, published no videos of its combat operations in Ukraine.

And Russia's state-run news channel on Saturday showed footage of a peaceful day in Kyiv to try to counter the videos of violence spreading on the social network Telegram.

"As you can see, the situation in the cities is calm," the anchor said. "No explosions, no bombings, unlike what some of the Telegram channels are writing."

A hint of the potential opposition came on Saturday when Mikhail Matveyev, a Communist lawmaker who had voted to endorse Mr. Putin's recognition of the Russian-backed separatist territories, wrote on Twitter that he had been tricked.

"I was voting for peace, and not for war," he wrote, "and not for Kyiv to be bombed."

It was a rare crack in the firmament of the Parliament, where dissent over Mr. Putin's key foreign policy decisions has been virtually nonexistent in recent years. Tatyana Yumasheva, the daughter of former President Boris N. Yeltsin who helped bring Mr. Putin to power, posted an antiwar message on Facebook.

The Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow, a sleek showcase of a Westward-looking Russia founded by the Kremlin-friendly oligarch Roman Abramovich, declared it would cease working on new exhibits until the "human and political tragedy" ceased in Ukraine.

"We cannot keep up the illusion of normality," the museum said. "We see ourselves as part of a greater world that is not broken up by war."

Still, it appeared on Saturday that the Kremlin's enforced blinders were doing their job, as were the clear dangers of voicing dissent. The spontaneous antiwar rallies that brought several thousand people to the streets in cities across the country on Thursday, with more than 1,500 arrests, were not repeated at that scale on Friday.

While many in Russia's intellectual elite voiced horror and the fence across from the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow filled up with flowers, there was little evidence of a broader groundswell of opposition.

Understand Russia's Attack on Ukraine

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"The propaganda is working very well," said Anastasia Nikolskaya, a Moscow sociologist. "It's not that anyone is welcoming the war, but it is being seen as a last-ditch measure that is necessary."

The main determining factor for what comes next, of course, will be what happens on the battlefield in Ukraine - the longer the war lasts and the greater the loss of life and destruction, the more difficult it will be for the Kremlin to cast the war as a limited operation not directed against the Ukrainian people.

Andrei Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a research organization close to the Russian government, said he believed that the Kremlin expected the fighting to last no more than two weeks.

If Russia forced a capitulation of the Ukrainian army within that time, with limited destruction and limited Russian and civilian casualties, Mr. Kortunov said, Mr. Putin should be able to count on continuing domestic support.

But if the war does not go according to plan, Mr. Kortunov cautioned, the country could see "serious political consequences and consequences for the popularity of the leadership."

"Victory will write off a lot - not everything, but a lot," Mr. Kortunov said. "If there is no victory, then there may be some complications because of course, many doubt that there were no other policy alternatives."

There were indications that recent days were only the beginning of a new chapter in Mr. Putin's conflict with the West and of his crackdown on freedoms at home. Dmitri A. Medvedev, the vice chairman of Mr. Putin's security council, speculated in a social-media post on Saturday that Russia might reintroduce the death penalty or seize foreigners' assets in Russia as a response to Western sanctions.

"The interesting part is only beginning ... ," he wrote.

Despite the economic pain, sanctions are unlikely to alter Russia's course in the near term, analysts say. Russia has the reserves to prop up the ruble, and the Kremlin has worked to insulate the economy from external shocks since it was hit by sanctions over the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The real cost of sanctions will be Russia's long-term development, said Yevgeny Nadorshin, chief economist at the PF Capital consulting company in Moscow. Incomes will further stagnate, and the country's middle class will continue shrinking. Many of the country's manufacturers that launched the production of modern trains, cars and other products over the past decade will face serious trouble if the West bans technology exports to Russia, he said.

The country will be stable, Mr. Nadorshin said. However, he added, this stability "will resemble a swamp where nothing happens and changes even as forests burn around it."

"Some reeds will bloom in this swamp, but there will only be scorched land around it," said Mr. Nadorshin. "You can get into that swamp, but you will get stuck in it and you may eventually drown."

And beyond the economic impact of the war, many Russians could not yet imagine coming to terms with living in a country that had launched an unprovoked assault on its neighbor. A steady stream of people came to the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow on Friday, bringing flowers. A police officer prevented a woman from also leaving a small sign that said: "Yes to peace."

"I fear meeting Ukrainians and looking them in the eye," said a designer, Aleksei, 28, declining to give his last name for fear of repercussions from the security services. "That is the scariest thing of all."

Alina Lobzina and Oleg Matsnev contributed reporting from Moscow.

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Despite the Kremlin's efforts to obscure the offensive in Ukraine, the costs of the war were already evident in both economic and social turmoil. MOSCOW - President Vladimir V. Putin has ushered in a crisis for his country - in its economy and identity.

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Russian troops start pressing the Ukraine capital, it’s phrased “a night of shelling by Russian forces.”

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Explosions were heard in Kyiv as Russia's military pressed Ukraine's capital and air raid sirens were heard in several cities on Monday morning following reports of a night of shelling by Russian forces in Chernihiv and Kharkiv.

The latest: As Ukrainian and Russian officials prepared for peace talks Monday, the U.K. Defense Ministry issued a statement saying British intelligence supports Ukrainian forces' claims that they've "slowed down" Russia's offensive, adding: "Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance."

The British statement concurs with comments by a Pentagon official on Sunday that the bulk of Russia's forces had stalled about 30 kilometers (19 miles), from Kyiv's city center.

Meanwhile, Russia's currency collapsed in overnight trading, with the ruble plummeting against the dollar, as the West ramps up sanctions over the invasion.

By the numbers: A senior Pentagon official said Sunday that Russia had committed two-thirds of its massed forces to fight in Ukraine and fired over 320 missiles, but still does not hold a major population center.

The invasion has caused at least 352 civilian casualties, including 14 children with another 1,684 people - including 116 children - injured, Ukraine's Ministry of Interior said Sunday.

State of play: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Sunday following a conversation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to hold peace talks with "no preconditions" on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River.

Putin ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert Sunday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this was an attempt "to put additional pressure on the Ukrainian delegation" in peace talks.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry said all of Kharkiv - Ukraine's second-largest city, which lies on its eastern border with Russia and has endured some of the heaviest fighting of the war - was back under Ukrainian control Sunday.

The European Union announced sweeping sanctions on Russian aircraft and state media and said that, for the first time, the bloc will buy and deliver weapons to Ukraine - including transferring Soviet-era fighter jets.

What to watch: The United Nations will convene a rare emergency session of the 193-member General Assembly on Monday to vote on a resolution calling for peace in Ukraine.

What they're saying: Announcing the peace talks, Zelensky said: "Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return."

"Our president, from the beginning, even before the war started, was focused on the diplomatic solution," Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said after the announcement, per CNN.

"But he always said, 'we're ready for peace talks, we're not ready to surrender," added Markarova, who compared Putin's tactics to those of Adolf Hitler.

Between the lines: It's unclear what exactly can be achieved from negotiations between envoys sent byPutin and Zelensky, given that Putin's unprovoked invasion appears to be aimed largely at removing Zelensky from power.

Putin has called on the Ukrainian military to topple their president and absurdly suggested that Zelensky's administration comprises Nazis (Zelensky is Jewish and lost family members in the Holocaust).

Zoom in: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told AP Kyiv residents had water and electricity, "but the infrastructure is destroyed to deliver the food and medication," which he said could cause a "humanitarian catastrophe."

What else is happening: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the all "Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft," including the private jets of oligarchs, would be banned from European airspace.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared that Russia's invasion "marks a turning point in the history of our continent," and promised major new contributions to Ukraine and to Germany's own defenses.

The Kremlin and state media continue to tell Russians that no "war" or "invasion" is taking place, but instead states there's a limited defensive operation in eastern Ukraine.

What to watch: Having already threatened independent publications that report on Russian casualties or aggression with censorship, the Kremlin announced Sunday that "the provision of any assistance to a foreign state" during the "military operation" would be considered treason - punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Go deeper: Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. The latest on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Russian troops advance on Kyiv as Ukraine continues to resist

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Explosions were heard in Kyiv as Russia's military pressed Ukraine's capital and air raid sirens were heard in several cities on Monday morning following reports of a night of shelling by Russian forces in Chernihiv and Kharkiv. The latest: As Ukrainian and Russian officials prepared for peace talks Monday, the U.K.

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Ukraine has eliminated all Russian troops in Kharkiv and are now defending the city from Russia
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/27/street-battles-in-kharkiv-as-russians-enter-ukraines-2nd-city

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A residential building damaged by recent shelling in Kharkiv, as seen on Saturday [Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/Reuters]

Ukrainian forces have full control of Kharkiv, the regional governor says, after fighting Russian troops in the streets of the country's second largest city.

"Control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The armed forces, the police, and the defence forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy," Oleh Sinegubov wrote on Facebook on Sunday afternoon, as Russia stepped up its four-day military advance.

Earlier, Sinegubov had said "the Russian enemy's light vehicles broke into the city of Kharkiv" and called on residents not to leave shelters.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

Maria Avdeeva, the Kharkiv-based research director at the European Expert Association, told Al Jazeera heavy shelling started late on Saturday and continued through the night and into the morning.

"I've even heard the [sound] of guns on the streets," she said on Sunday morning.

"What we know now is that Russia is entering the city in small groups, on lighter military vehicles, and they are destroyed by the Ukrainian military. Some of the groups were already destroyed, they tried to get close to the city centre and we see many images of the destroyed Russian military vehicles," she added.

"The situation is very fluid and the Ukrainian military fights back fiercely, and there are also territorial defence units, and these people will also participate in this fight on the streets."

Reporting from the city of Dnipro, further south, Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid said Russian forces had also blown up a gas pipeline north of Kharkiv as part of efforts to damage the country's infrastructure.

"From what we understand, the city is now surrounded from all sides by the Russians and it is quite difficult also for civilians - those who are trying to escape - to get out of there," she added.

Kharkiv is in Ukraine's northeast, near the separatist-held regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, more than 400km (nearly 250 miles) from the capital, Kyiv.

"A lot of people who live there are ethnically Russian, and it is a city that had shown support to Russia in the past," said Abdel-Hamid. "There are a lot of commercial and familial links between the two sides - and I think the Russians were quite surprised to see that this city, regardless of all these links, has actually put up a fight and is resisting their advance," she added.

Abdel-Hamid said it was "by calculation" that the Russian forces eyed Kharkiv from the start of their offensive on Thursday.

"They wanted to use Kharkiv as some sort of a rear base, and from there maybe head south towards here Dnipro, which is a city that the Russians would like to take," she added. Abdel-Hamid noted that when war broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014, Dnipro "was the headquarters of the Ukrainian military and it was from here they were launching the attacks to push back the separatists".

Elsewhere, huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the sky before dawn from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, where there has been intense fighting, according to the town's mayor. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said another explosion was at the civilian Zhuliany Airport.

On Saturday, four days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin told its troops to advance in Ukraine "from all directions".

Russian ground forces have pressed into Ukraine from the north, east and south but have encountered fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops, the intensity of which has likely surprised Moscow, according to Western sources.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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Kharkiv under full Ukrainian control, regional governor says

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Ukrainian forces have full control of Kharkiv, the regional governor says, after fighting Russian troops in the streets of the country's second largest city. "Control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The armed forces, the police, and the defence forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy," Oleh Sinegubov wrote on Facebook on Sunday afternoon, as Russia stepped up its four-day military advance.

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https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-20-22-intl/index.html

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Where things stand

President Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a White House statement.

The potential Biden-Putin summit was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, and comes amid renewed US warnings that war is imminent.

Ukraine says it recorded more than 100 truce violations in the east, after a day of heavy weapons fire that saw fears of a Russian invasion mount.

And, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned Russia is planning "the biggest war in Europe since 1945."

Our live coverage has moved. Head here for the latest updates on the tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

A White House official says Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will discuss a possible summit between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin when they meet later this week.

But the official added a word of caution about those discussions.

"Blinken and Lavrov will discuss further if the invasion hasn't started by then - in which case it's all off," the official said.

Another senior official added that no plans currently exist for a summit when it comes to timing or format.

French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a second time in fewer than 24 hours, the Elysée Palace said in a statement late Sunday.

The talk comes as Macron proposed a summit between US President Joe Biden and Putin, the Elysée Palace said.

Of the second Putin call late Sunday Paris time, the Elysée said: "The phone call between the French President and President Putin started at 11 p.m. Paris time (1 a.m. Moscow time)." That is 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The Elysée said the call lasted an hour.

This is the second time Macron has spoken to Putin in fewer than 24 hours, according to the French presidency. The first call lasted one hour and 45 minutes.

Macron's second call with Putin follows his conversation with Biden earlier on Sunday. The White House said Biden and Macron spoke for 15 minutes.

Context: President Joe Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with President Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki. CNN has asked the Kremlin if it has also agreed in principle, but has not received an immediate response.

French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed a summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Elysée Palace said in a statement.

The statement said the potential summit can only be held "if Russia does not invade Ukraine."

Macron and Biden spoke by phone for around 15 minutes to discuss the situation in Ukraine on Sunday.

The French presidency also said Macron had two calls with Putin on Sunday.

The Elysée said Macron proposed a summit on security and strategic stability in Europe with Biden and Putin, and then with all other stakeholders. The statement did not name those stakeholders, but said Macron would work with them to prepare the content of these discussions.

The Elysée claimed both Biden and Putin agreed to the summit "on principle."

Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

CNN has reached out to the Kremlin to ask about the agreement in principle for a summit, but did not receive an immediate response.

The Elysée said the content of the summit will be prepared by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during their planned meeting on Feb. 24. CNN is yet to confirm this assertion from the French presidency.

President Joe Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

This potential summit, according to an Elysee Palace statement, was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The meeting, according to Psaki, would happen after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meet on Feb. 24.

"President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin following that engagement, again, if an invasion hasn't happened," Psaki said in a written statement on Sunday night.
"We are always ready for diplomacy. We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon."

New satellite imagery shows intensified activity among Russian units close to Ukraine's northeastern border, with units that were in garrisons appearing to take up field positions.

The satellite images were collected by Maxar on Sunday.

Maxar assesses that "multiple new field deployments of armored equipment and troops have been observed northwest of Belgorod and near Soloti and Valuyki, Russia."

These towns are within 35 kilometers (around 21 miles) of the Russian border with Ukraine.

Maxar observes, "This new activity represents a change in the pattern of the previously observed deployments of battle groups (tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery and support equipment). Until recently, most of the deployments had been seen primarily positioned at or near existing military garrisons and training areas."

"Today (Sunday) most of the combat units and support equipment at Soloti have departed and extensive vehicle tracks and some convoys of armored equipment are seen throughout the area."

The images show that encampments or staging grounds that contained substantial forces last Sunday, February 13, are now relatively empty.

"Some equipment has also been deployed east of nearby Valuyki, Russia in a field approximately 15 kilometers north of the Ukraine border," Maxar noted.

Separately, CNN has geolocated several videos from the region over the weekend that show long columns including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and howitzers moving through rural areas in the Belgorod oblast (district).

"A number of new field deployments are also seen northwest of Belgorod (deployments are approximately 30 kilometers from the border with Ukraine) with much of the equipment and troops positioned in or near forested areas," Maxar observed.

The images show extensive tracks where armor has moved across the countryside.

"Other company-sized units are deployed within farm and/or industrial areas."

CNN has observed that some tanks and other vehicles in the area appears to have been marked with a large "Z" -- suggesting they are being formed into a fighting unit.
Watch:

The Ukrainian Joint Forces Command has alleged that Russian-backed separatists launched "'heavy armament fire' against their own territory in an effort to 'falsely accuse' the armed forces of Ukraine and further escalate the situation."

It said the barrage began at 9 p.m. local time Sunday and involved firing from Lobacheve toward the city of Luhansk. Both places are within the self-declared Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine.

"With Ukrainian defenders refraining from any aggressive acts that could possibly trigger a violent response, the occupation forces continue to destroy civilian infrastructure on the temporarily occupied territories and sporadically shell civilian settlements," the command said.

"By doing so, the occupation forces once again demonstrated their cowardice and complete disregard for the lives and health of the local civilian population."

For its part, the LPR alleged that Ukrainian forces were "firing artillery into the territory of the LPR along the entire line of contact, presumably they are preparing to attack."

Ivan Filiponenko, an LPR official, said, "All along the line of contact, the enemy undertook preparations for an intended offensive."

The separatists have accused Ukraine of preparing for an offensive against the two self-declared republics, an accusation that has been denied by Ukraine.

On Saturday, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said it deplored "the spreading of disinformation about an imminent military action by the Ukrainian government forces."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke about the situation in Ukraine on Sunday, according to readouts from the United Kingdom and France.

In a readout of the call, the Élysée Palace said the two leaders updated one another on their diplomatic efforts involving Ukraine, including Macron's call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where France said the leaders agreed to hold trilateral talks to reach a ceasefire.

"The Prime Minister noted that President Putin's commitments to President Macron were a welcome sign that he might still be willing to engage in finding a diplomatic solution. The Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine's voice must be central in any discussions," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

"The leaders agreed on the need for both Russia and Ukraine to meet their commitments under the Minsk Agreements in full. They also underscored the need for President Putin to step back from his current threats and withdraw troops from Ukraine's border," the Downing Street statement said.

Johnson and Macron agreed to stay in close contact over the next week.

The US has intelligence indicating orders have been sent to Russian commanders to proceed with an attack on Ukraine, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the US intelligence.

The intelligence regarding the order to tactical commanders and intelligence operatives is one of several indicators the US is watching to assess if Russian preparations have entered their final stages for a potential invasion.

Other indicators, such as electronic jamming and widespread cyber-attacks, have not yet been observed, according to some of the sources. The sources cautioned that orders can always be withdrawn or that it could be misinformation meant to confuse and mislead the US and allies.

But the news of the intelligence comes after President Biden said on Friday that he believes Putin has made a decision to invade - a comment echoed by Vice President Kamala Harris and by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday. Blinken said the Russian playbook is "moving forward."

"We believe President Putin has made the decision," Blinken said Sunday in an interview on CNN. "But until the tanks are actually rolling and the planes are flying, we will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from carrying this forward."

The Washington Post first reported on the orders being given.
CNN's Katie Bo Lillis contributed to this report

President Joe Biden is expected to speak Sunday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron following Macron's back-to-back phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky, a source familiar said.

The exact timing of the conversation wasn't clear.

Macron is working to find a diplomatic path to avoid conflict, as reflected in the Élysée readouts of his calls today.

Biden's Sunday National Security meeting regarding Ukraine has ended, per a White House official. The meeting began at 11:30 a.m., a White House official told CNN.

Some more context: French President Emmanuel Macron and Putin agreed on Sunday on "working intensively to enable a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group to be held in the next few hours," the Élysée Palace said in a readout of the call on Sunday.

The Élysée readout said the aim of the meeting would be to "obtain a commitment from all parties to a ceasefire on the line of contact."

The Trilateral Contact Group includes representatives from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Per the statement, the two leaders agreed on the need to "give priority to a diplomatic solution to the current crisis and to do everything possible to achieve it."

Where things stand

President Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a White House statement.

The potential Biden-Putin summit was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, and comes amid renewed US warnings that war is imminent.

Ukraine says it recorded more than 100 truce violations in the east, after a day of heavy weapons fire that saw fears of a Russian invasion mount.

And, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned Russia is planning "the biggest war in Europe since 1945."

Our live coverage has moved. Head here for the latest updates on the tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

A White House official says Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will discuss a possible summit between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin when they meet later this week.

But the official added a word of caution about those discussions.

"Blinken and Lavrov will discuss further if the invasion hasn't started by then - in which case it's all off," the official said.

Another senior official added that no plans currently exist for a summit when it comes to timing or format.

French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a second time in fewer than 24 hours, the Elysée Palace said in a statement late Sunday.

The talk comes as Macron proposed a summit between US President Joe Biden and Putin, the Elysée Palace said.

Of the second Putin call late Sunday Paris time, the Elysée said: "The phone call between the French President and President Putin started at 11 p.m. Paris time (1 a.m. Moscow time)." That is 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The Elysée said the call lasted an hour.

This is the second time Macron has spoken to Putin in fewer than 24 hours, according to the French presidency. The first call lasted one hour and 45 minutes.

Macron's second call with Putin follows his conversation with Biden earlier on Sunday. The White House said Biden and Macron spoke for 15 minutes.

Context: President Joe Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with President Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki. CNN has asked the Kremlin if it has also agreed in principle, but has not received an immediate response.

French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed a summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Elysée Palace said in a statement.

The statement said the potential summit can only be held "if Russia does not invade Ukraine."

Macron and Biden spoke by phone for around 15 minutes to discuss the situation in Ukraine on Sunday.

The French presidency also said Macron had two calls with Putin on Sunday.

The Elysée said Macron proposed a summit on security and strategic stability in Europe with Biden and Putin, and then with all other stakeholders. The statement did not name those stakeholders, but said Macron would work with them to prepare the content of these discussions.

The Elysée claimed both Biden and Putin agreed to the summit "on principle."

Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

CNN has reached out to the Kremlin to ask about the agreement in principle for a summit, but did not receive an immediate response.

The Elysée said the content of the summit will be prepared by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during their planned meeting on Feb. 24. CNN is yet to confirm this assertion from the French presidency.

President Joe Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

This potential summit, according to an Elysee Palace statement, was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The meeting, according to Psaki, would happen after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meet on Feb. 24.

"President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin following that engagement, again, if an invasion hasn't happened," Psaki said in a written statement on Sunday night.
"We are always ready for diplomacy. We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon."

New satellite imagery shows intensified activity among Russian units close to Ukraine's northeastern border, with units that were in garrisons appearing to take up field positions.

The satellite images were collected by Maxar on Sunday.

Maxar assesses that "multiple new field deployments of armored equipment and troops have been observed northwest of Belgorod and near Soloti and Valuyki, Russia."

These towns are within 35 kilometers (around 21 miles) of the Russian border with Ukraine.

Maxar observes, "This new activity represents a change in the pattern of the previously observed deployments of battle groups (tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery and support equipment). Until recently, most of the deployments had been seen primarily positioned at or near existing military garrisons and training areas."

"Today (Sunday) most of the combat units and support equipment at Soloti have departed and extensive vehicle tracks and some convoys of armored equipment are seen throughout the area."

The images show that encampments or staging grounds that contained substantial forces last Sunday, February 13, are now relatively empty.

"Some equipment has also been deployed east of nearby Valuyki, Russia in a field approximately 15 kilometers north of the Ukraine border," Maxar noted.

Separately, CNN has geolocated several videos from the region over the weekend that show long columns including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and howitzers moving through rural areas in the Belgorod oblast (district).

"A number of new field deployments are also seen northwest of Belgorod (deployments are approximately 30 kilometers from the border with Ukraine) with much of the equipment and troops positioned in or near forested areas," Maxar observed.

The images show extensive tracks where armor has moved across the countryside.

"Other company-sized units are deployed within farm and/or industrial areas."

CNN has observed that some tanks and other vehicles in the area appears to have been marked with a large "Z" -- suggesting they are being formed into a fighting unit.
Watch:

The Ukrainian Joint Forces Command has alleged that Russian-backed separatists launched "'heavy armament fire' against their own territory in an effort to 'falsely accuse' the armed forces of Ukraine and further escalate the situation."

It said the barrage began at 9 p.m. local time Sunday and involved firing from Lobacheve toward the city of Luhansk. Both places are within the self-declared Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine.

"With Ukrainian defenders refraining from any aggressive acts that could possibly trigger a violent response, the occupation forces continue to destroy civilian infrastructure on the temporarily occupied territories and sporadically shell civilian settlements," the command said.

"By doing so, the occupation forces once again demonstrated their cowardice and complete disregard for the lives and health of the local civilian population."

For its part, the LPR alleged that Ukrainian forces were "firing artillery into the territory of the LPR along the entire line of contact, presumably they are preparing to attack."

Ivan Filiponenko, an LPR official, said, "All along the line of contact, the enemy undertook preparations for an intended offensive."

The separatists have accused Ukraine of preparing for an offensive against the two self-declared republics, an accusation that has been denied by Ukraine.

On Saturday, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said it deplored "the spreading of disinformation about an imminent military action by the Ukrainian government forces."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke about the situation in Ukraine on Sunday, according to readouts from the United Kingdom and France.

In a readout of the call, the Élysée Palace said the two leaders updated one another on their diplomatic efforts involving Ukraine, including Macron's call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where France said the leaders agreed to hold trilateral talks to reach a ceasefire.

"The Prime Minister noted that President Putin's commitments to President Macron were a welcome sign that he might still be willing to engage in finding a diplomatic solution. The Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine's voice must be central in any discussions," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

"The leaders agreed on the need for both Russia and Ukraine to meet their commitments under the Minsk Agreements in full. They also underscored the need for President Putin to step back from his current threats and withdraw troops from Ukraine's border," the Downing Street statement said.

Johnson and Macron agreed to stay in close contact over the next week.

The US has intelligence indicating orders have been sent to Russian commanders to proceed with an attack on Ukraine, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the US intelligence.

The intelligence regarding the order to tactical commanders and intelligence operatives is one of several indicators the US is watching to assess if Russian preparations have entered their final stages for a potential invasion.

Other indicators, such as electronic jamming and widespread cyber-attacks, have not yet been observed, according to some of the sources. The sources cautioned that orders can always be withdrawn or that it could be misinformation meant to confuse and mislead the US and allies.

But the news of the intelligence comes after President Biden said on Friday that he believes Putin has made a decision to invade - a comment echoed by Vice President Kamala Harris and by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday. Blinken said the Russian playbook is "moving forward."

"We believe President Putin has made the decision," Blinken said Sunday in an interview on CNN. "But until the tanks are actually rolling and the planes are flying, we will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from carrying this forward."

The Washington Post first reported on the orders being given.
CNN's Katie Bo Lillis contributed to this report

President Joe Biden is expected to speak Sunday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron following Macron's back-to-back phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky, a source familiar said.

The exact timing of the conversation wasn't clear.

Macron is working to find a diplomatic path to avoid conflict, as reflected in the Élysée readouts of his calls today.

Biden's Sunday National Security meeting regarding Ukraine has ended, per a White House official. The meeting began at 11:30 a.m., a White House official told CNN.

Some more context: French President Emmanuel Macron and Putin agreed on Sunday on "working intensively to enable a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group to be held in the next few hours," the Élysée Palace said in a readout of the call on Sunday.

The Élysée readout said the aim of the meeting would be to "obtain a commitment from all parties to a ceasefire on the line of contact."

The Trilateral Contact Group includes representatives from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Per the statement, the two leaders agreed on the need to "give priority to a diplomatic solution to the current crisis and to do everything possible to achieve it."

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By Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Sana Noor Haq, Jeevan Ravindran, Fernando Alfonso III, Amir Vera, Helen Regan and Brad Lendon, CNN

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Where things stand President Biden has agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, according to a White House statement. The potential Biden-Putin summit was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, and comes amid renewed US warnings that war is imminent.

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. Ukraine said on Saturday that Russian forces blew up a Kharkiv gas pipeline on Saturday. Meanwhile, the U.S. and several allies touted a plan to restrict Russia’s financial capabilities.
.Earlier in the day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv had managed to repel Russian attacks overnight and that his army remained in control of the capital. Ukraine said Russian missiles hit an apartment building in Kyiv as Russian troops closed in.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/26/ukraine-russia-news-fighting-in-kyiv-zelenskyy-defiant.html

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Russia hits Kharkiv gas pipeline, allies devise plan for SWIFT restrictions

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As Russia awaits fresh restrictions on the capabilities of its banks, Russian troops attack a gas pipeline in Ukraine’s second-largest city.

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https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/26/world/ukraine-russia-war
Vladimir V. Putin ordered his military to place Russia’s nuclear forces on alert

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What Happened on Day 3 of Russia’s Assault on Ukraine (Published 2022)

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Western intelligence reports indicated that the Russian advance had been slowed, if only for the moment. The Russian priority remained the capture of Kyiv.

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Russian troops attack Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60513116

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The sound of gunfire has echoed through Ukraine's capital Kyiv as Russian tanks were filmed entering the city for the first time.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence called on those living in the northern outskirts, where the tanks were seen, to make fire bombs "to neutralise the enemy".

The European Union has announced new sanctions to freeze Vladimir Putin's personal assets in Europe.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, says that Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said talks would have to be about Ukraine declaring a "neutral status" - which would include "demilitarisation". Russia wants Ukraine to rule out ever joining Nato.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for talks with Mr Putin, but has given no sign that he would agree to talks on the basis of "demilitarisation".

Overnight, Kyiv was hit by blasts, with at least one block of flats damaged and several civilians injured.

Russia has denied carrying out strikes.

An unnamed source at Russia's defence ministry also said a plane shot down over Kyiv was Ukrainian, Reuters news agency reports. Ukraine has said the jet was Russian.

As the second day of fighting began, Moscow - which is attacking from the east, north and south - appeared to have Kyiv firmly in its sights. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said "the enemy" was trying to put Kyiv "on its knees".

On Friday afternoon, Russia's defence ministry announced it had captured the Antonov airport, using 200 helicopters and a landing force in order to take the base to the north of Kyiv from Ukraine. Western intelligence officials warned earlier that Russia was building an "overwhelming force" to take control of the city.

Citizens in the northern Obolon district have been told to stay at home to avoid "active military operations" by city officials, Reuters adds. Obolon is the same area where it appeared tanks were filmed earlier in the day.

The Ministry of Defence had already appealed to the district's residents on its Facebook page to "inform us of troop movements, to make Molotov cocktails [firebombs] and neutralise the enemy".

Overnight, families took shelter in Kyiv's metro stations as aerial attacks struck the city, including the densely populated Pozniake area, injuring at least eight.

"Putin, we want to see you slaughtered like an animal," one Kyiv resident told the BBC's Nick Beake.

"How we can live through it in our time?" Oxana Gulenko asked Reuters as she cleaned up broken glass from one blast. "What should we think. Putin should be burnt in hell along with his whole family."

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said no talks could be held until the Ukrainian military lays down its arms.

Mr Lavrov is also included in the EU's move to freeze personal assets - but it not clear whether he or President Putin have any significant assets in Europe.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier said Russia was seeking to "destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state".

"According to the information we have, the enemy has designated me as target number one. My family is target number two," he said.

President Zelensky has vowed to stay in Kyiv and to continue fighting the attacks across Ukraine - which is coming from the north, south and east - ordering the call-up of conscripts and reservists in all of Ukraine's regions. The country's defence minister urged anyone able to hold a weapon to join the effort to repel Russia.

Russia attacks Ukraine: More coverage

There have already been stories of immense bravery in the face of stark odds - including that of 13 border guards on a tiny island in the Black Sea who refused to surrender to a Russian warship and were massacred in a bombardment.

President Zelensky said they would be given posthumous war hero honours.

Thursday also saw fighting around the site of the former nuclear power plant in Chernobyl. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak said the nuclear site itself had been lost following a "fierce battle".

On Friday, Ukraine's nuclear agency said it was recording raised radiation levels in the area. A statement released by Russia's Ministry of Defence said levels were normal, adding an agreement had been reached "to ensure security of the power plant and sarcophagus of the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant".

Ukraine says at least 137 people - civilians and soldiers - have been killed. Russia has not admitted any deaths, whilst both sides claim to have inflicted heavy losses on the other.

President Vladimir Putin - who declared war in a dramatic televised address - has threatened any country attempting to interfere with "consequences you have never seen".

The UK, EU and other allies vowed to impose tough new sanctions to punish Moscow, but said they would not send in troops.

French President Emmanuel Macron held a telephone call with his Russian counterpart, in what was Mr Putin's first conversation with a Western leader in days, demanding an "immediate halt" to the offensive. The Kremlin, however, simply said the pair had a "serious and frank exchange of views".

Mr Zelensky, meanwhile, hit out at the European leaders' response.

"Like World War Two, you said never again, but here it is again and you're not doing enough to respond," he said.

Many said it couldn't, wouldn't, happen. Not in 2022.

For weeks, Western officials analysing the intelligence warned of President Putin's plan to take Kyiv.

For weeks, I've asked Ukrainians in Kyiv about it, and ran it past every foreign and defence minister, every Russia-watcher I met at last weekend's security conference in Munich.

It just didn't make sense. Just didn't add up.

And now, with every hour, Russian forces and fighting come ever closer to Kyiv.

A city where Ukrainians tell all of us to "call it Kyiv in Ukrainian, not Kiev in Russian", a city which feels so European, is now in Moscow's sights.

"A failure of imagination" is how former British intelligence chief Sir Alex Younger described it, adding "we thought history had changed in 1991" when the Soviet empire collapsed.

Are you in Ukraine? If it is safe to do so, tell us about your experiences of the recent events by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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Ukraine conflict: Kyiv braces for Russian assault

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The sound of gunfire has echoed through Ukraine's capital Kyiv as Russian tanks were filmed entering the city for the first time. Ukraine's Ministry of Defence called on those living in the northern outskirts, where the tanks were seen, to make fire bombs "to neutralise the enemy".

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The US and many other countries have put heavy sanctions on Ukraine. The US has started helping fund Ukraine’s military but will not send troops. | Sebastian Shields 

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The US and many other countries have put heavy sanctions on Ukraine. The US has started helping fund Ukraine’s military but will not send troops. | Sebastian Shields 

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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-orders-military-operations-ukraine-demands-kyiv-forces-surrender-2022-

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KYIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow unleashed the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war in a pre-dawn televised address, explosions and gunfire were heard through the day in Ukraine's capital and elsewhere in the country, with at least 70 people reported killed.

The assault brought a calamitous end to weeks of fruitless diplomatic efforts by Western leaders to avert war over Russian demands for a redrawing of post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe.

"This is a premeditated attack," U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House as he unveiled harsh new sanctions, coordinated with allies, against Russian banks, oligarchs and state companies.

"Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences," he said.

In his address, Putin said he had ordered "a special military operation" to protect people, including Russian citizens, subjected to "genocide" in Ukraine - an accusation the West calls baseless propaganda.

"And for this we will strive for the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine," Putin said. read more

After nightfall, a picture was emerging of fierce fighting across multiple fronts. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy late on Thursday ordered a general mobilization, to be carried out within 90 days, "to ensure the defence of the state".

An adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office said Russian forces had captured the Chernobyl former nuclear power plant, just 90 km (60 miles) north of Kyiv. The plant is along the shortest route from the Ukrainian capital to Belarus, where Moscow has staged troops.

There was also fighting at Hostomel airport, just outside Kyiv, where Russian paratroopers landed. A Ukrainian official later said the airfield had been recaptured, while a senior U.S. defence official said Russian forces were advancing closer to Kyiv.

Heavy exchanges of fire were also reported in the regions of Sumy and Kharkiv in the northeast and Kherson in the south.

The highway heading west out of Kyiv, home to 3 million people, was choked with traffic across five lanes as residents sought to escape, fearful of bombardments while stuck in their cars.

The U.N. refugee agency said an estimated 100,000 Ukrainians had fled their homes. Thousands were crossing into neighbouring countries, including Romania, Moldova, Poland and Hungary. read more

Some 57 people were killed and 169 were wounded on Thursday, Ukraine's health minister said, while the interior ministry said 13 border guards died when a Russian vessel shelled Ukraine's Zmiinyi Island, south of the Black Sea port of Odessa.

'NEW IRON CURTAIN'

The day began with missiles raining down on targets across Ukraine and reports of troops and armour pouring across the borders from Russia and Belarus to the north and east.

Zelenskiy called on Ukrainians to defend their country and said arms would be given to anyone prepared to fight.

"What we have heard today are not just missile blasts, fighting and the rumble of aircraft. This is the sound of a new Iron Curtain, which has come down and is closing Russia off from the civilised world," Zelenskiy said.

Putin, after referring earlier in his speech to Russia's powerful nuclear arsenal, warned: "Whoever tries to hinder us... should know that Russia's response will be immediate. And it will lead you to such consequences that you have never encountered in your history."

Asked whether that threat was tantamount to threatening Russian use of nuclear weapons, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said it was indeed understood as such, adding that Putin should also understand that NATO was a nuclear alliance.

Biden has ruled out sending U.S. troops to defend Ukraine, but Washington has reinforced its NATO allies in the region with extra troops and planes.

After consulting with the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations, Biden announced measures to impede Russia's ability to do business in the world's major currencies, along with sanctions against banks and state-owned enterprises.

Britain also targeted banks, as well as members of Putin's inner circle. European Union leaders said measures would include freezing Russian assets in the 27-nation bloc. read more

China remained out of step, however, rejecting the description of Russia's actions as an "invasion". read more

Russia is one of the world's biggest energy producers, and both it and Ukraine are among the top exporters of grain. War and sanctions will disrupt economies around the world already facing a crisis as they emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.

European stocks dived to nine-month lows, but U.S. stocks ended higher after Biden's sanctions announcement. Brent oil earlier surged past $100/barrel for the first time since 2014.

'HANG THEM FROM BRIDGES'

Putin said he did not plan a military occupation, only to disarm Ukraine and purge it of nationalists, and his endgame remains unclear.

The senior U.S. defence official said Washington believed the invasion was intended to "decapitate" Zelenskiy's government. read more

But it is hard to see Ukrainians accepting leadership installed by Moscow.

"I think we must fight all those who invade our country so strongly," said one man stuck in traffic trying to leave Kyiv. "I would hang every single one of them from bridges."

A democratic nation of 44 million people, Ukraine is Europe's biggest country by area after Russia itself. It voted for independence at the fall of the Soviet Union and has recently stepped up efforts to join NATO and the European Union, aspirations that infuriate Moscow. read more

Putin, who denied for months that he was planning an invasion, has called Ukraine an artificial construct carved from Russia by its enemies - a characterisation Ukrainians see as an attempt to erase their more than 1,000-year-old history.

While many Ukrainians, particularly in the east, speak Russian as a native language, virtually all identify themselves as Ukrainian.

There was also some dissent in Russia. Police detained more than 1,600 taking part in anti-war rallies in 53 cities and authorities threatened to block media reports carrying "false information". read more

UKRAINIANS FLEE, SUPPORTERS PROTEST

In the southeastern port of Mariupol, near a frontline held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, local authorities said 26 people were wounded in shelling.

Civilians packed bags. "We are going into hiding," a woman said.

Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, said its forces had downed two Russian helicopters and seven other Russian aircraft and destroyed several Russian trucks, and a platoon from Russia's 74th Motor Rifles Brigade had surrendered. read more

Russia's defence ministry said it had destroyed 83 land-based Ukrainian targets and had achieved all its goals, according to Interfax news agency.

Protests against Russia's invasion were held in Europe and the United States. At a demonstration in New York's Time Square, Ivana Lotoshynski, who was born in Ukraine, urged solidarity with Ukrainians.

"People are losing their lives right now. Ukrainians are fighting against this regime from Russia and it's really devastating," she said. "Today I think everybody is Ukrainian."

Reporting by Natalia Zinets and Aleksandar Vasovic; Additional reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Peter Graff, Alex Richardson and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Frank Jack Daniel and Rosalba O'Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Aleksandar Vasovic

Thomson Reuters

Reports on the Western Balkans and Ukraine. Previously worked with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network as editor-trainer. While serving as a correspondent for the Associated Press covered the war in Kosovo in 1998-1999, the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro, insurgencies in North Macedonia and the Presevo Valley, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine. During the 1990s worked as an editor and correspondent at-large for Belgrade's Radio B92 covering wars in Croatia and Bosnia and peace processes between Israel and the Palestinian territories and in Northern Ireland. Awarded with APME Deadline Reporting Award in 2004 for the capture of Saddam.

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KYIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow unleashed the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

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After bombs and missiles landed very close to peoples’ towns, thousands of Ukrainians fled to Poland.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/24/world/russia-attacks-ukraine

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The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was under bombardment on Friday morning, with missile strikes and a rocket crashing into a residential building as the second day of Russia's military offensive pressed closer to the heart of the government.

Ukrainian forces were battling Russian troops on the outskirts of Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million people, where President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in a television address that he was "target No. 1" of the Russian advance.

By midmorning, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said that Russian forces had entered the Obolon district, a few miles north of central Kyiv, and urged people in the capital to stay indoors. In a sign of the potentially chaotic fight that could unfold, the ministry said on Facebook that Kyiv residents should "prepare Molotov cocktails" to deter "the occupier."

Mr. Zelensky said that 137 Ukrainians, military and civilian, had been killed in the Russian invasion that began on Thursday morning, and that Russian "sabotage groups" had entered the capital with the aim of decapitating Ukraine's government "by destroying the head of the state."

The 44-year-old president, appearing unshaven and in a T-shirt, called on Ukrainians to defend themselves, in absence of military help from the outside world. He said not to expect foreign military forces to come to their aid. "We are left to our own devices in defense of our state," he said. "Who is ready to fight together with us? Honestly, I do not see such."

A day earlier, Mr. Zelensky's government had declared martial law and ordered a general mobilization, urging all able-bodied Ukrainians to sign up with the country's defense forces. Under the mobilization, most men ages 18 to 60 are barred from leaving the country, even as many Kyiv residents sought to flee the capital via road and rail to the relative safety of western Ukraine.

"The first days are the most difficult, because right now the enemy will feel it has the advantage, or will be broken physically and morally," Hanna Malyar, the deputy minister of defense, said on Friday morning before calling on people to join the general mobilization.

"It is important that everyone is strong in spirit," Ms. Malyar said. "This is our land. We will not hand it over."

In front of a residential building hit by shelling in Kyiv on Friday. Credit... Daniel Leal/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images

A day after heavy fighting was reported in eastern Ukraine, in Moscow-backed separatist enclaves along the Russian border, the conflict appeared to be intensifying in Kyiv.

Videos verified by The New York Times showed a large explosion in the sky over the outskirts of southern Kyiv early Friday. Witnesses filmed fiery debris falling over parts of the city. The videos appeared to show at least two surface-to-air missiles being fired near Kyiv before the explosion.

Vitali Klitschko, the city's mayor, said that a rocket fragment had hit a residential building in a civilian neighborhood, injuring three people, one of them critically, according to preliminary reports. Emergency workers were on the scene, and the house was on fire and at risk of collapsing, Mr. Klitschko said.

Ukrainian officials said that Kyiv had been under such large-scale attack only once before - in 1941, when it was attacked by Nazi Germany.

"Ukraine defeated that evil and will defeat this one," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. "Stop Putin."

Show more

Credit... Maciek Nabrdalik and Mauricio Lima for The New York Times

MEDYKA, Poland - Terrified by Russian bombs and missiles landing near their towns and villages, and rumors that Russian tanks would soon arrive, thousands of Ukrainians crossed into eastern Poland on Friday as a mass exodus from Ukraine gathered pace.

Poland's border service said that 29,000 people had arrived from Ukraine on Thursday, the first day of the war. Many more made the journey across Ukraine's western border on Friday as fears grew that Russia intended to seize the whole country, even western regions far from the fiercest fighting north of Crimea on the Black Sea and in the eastern Donbas region.

Most of those who crossed into Poland at Medyka, one of the few border posts with Ukraine that allows pedestrians as well as vehicles, were women and their children. All men between the ages of 18 and 60 are barred from leaving Ukraine by a government order aimed at keeping potential fighters inside the country to confront advancing Russian forces.

Russia's attack has taken on such large unpredictable dimensions that even people living far from what were expected to be the main combat zones are taking flight and racing to border crossings into Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.

Oxana Olekhsova, 49, said her town of Khmelnitski, in western Ukraine, had not been hit directly but bombs had fallen on a nearby military airfield. She left her husband, a retired police officer, at their home and traveled overnight by car to the Polish border. There, they joined a line of pedestrians and vehicles waiting to cross the frontier that she said now stretches for miles.

Her 11-year-old daughter shivered at her side as they waited for her son, a Polish resident, to arrive to collect them after they crossed.

An ethnic Russian, she cursed President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for causing so much suffering for the people of her adopted home in Ukraine. She said that Russian forces "will of course win eventually" because they have so many more soldiers and better equipment than Ukraine. His goal, she added, "is not just to beat Ukraine but to make the whole world afraid of him."

In contrast to the often brutal reception Poland gave last year to migrants, mainly from the Middle East and Afghanistan, who tried to sneak across the border from Belarus, refugees arriving from Ukraine have been greeted with welcoming smiles, hot drinks and transport to the nearest railway station. Police officers handed out fruit and sandwiches to Ukrainians camped out in the waiting room.

Unlike the migrants beaten back from the border by Polish security forces last year, Ukrainians have a legal right to enter Poland and other European Union countries without visas. Nearly a million Ukrainians already live in Poland.

Lyudmilla Vitovich arrived with her two children from Lviv, a city near the Polish border that has been largely untouched by the fighting. "It is mostly calm now but nobody knows what their next target will be," she said.

Show more

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the biggest in Europe since World War II. With the full-scale assault entering its second day on Friday, Ukrainians are coming to terms with the reality that the unthinkable has actually happened. A new episode of "The Daily" podcast explores the significance of this moment and speaks to Ukrainians on the ground.

Listen to 'The Daily': Ukrainian's Choice: Fight or Flee?

An exploration of the significance of Russia's invasion and the decisions Ukrainians must now make.

Back to The Daily

transcript

Listen to 'The Daily': Ukrainian's Choice: Fight or Flee?

An exploration of the significance of Russia's invasion and the decisions Ukrainians must now make.

sabrina tavernise

This is Sabrina Tavernise. It's 9:15. And we just got to the railway station. And there's a huge crowd of people standing outside. Oh, my god. Hundreds of people standing outside the railway station.

So young man in a black coat carrying a cat carrier with a cat in it. Elderly woman carrying a large red bag, struggling down the stairs.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

tatiana

Tatiana.

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Tatiana [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Sabrina.

tatiana

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

tatiana

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

[music]

sabrina tavernise

It's 9:30 in the morning in Central Kyiv. I'm at the bus station. And it's absolutely packed, long lines of people trying to pack onto buses. Just overheard a young man saying there are no tickets, there no tickets, I don't know what to do.

[music]

I'm walking up to a large white bus, two large white buses. People are arguing over who gets to get on.

[interposing voices]

speaker 1

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 2

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 3

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

[interposing voices]

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

[interposing voices]

sabrina tavernise

People are scrambling to leave and are in shock.

[music]

Hi. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I'm a journalist from The New York Times. Can I ask you a question?

[interposing voices]

[music]

I think if there's one sound of Kyiv this morning so far, just after 10 o'clock in the morning, it's the sound of wheelie bags being dragged over cobblestones and pavement.

michael barbaro

From The New York Times, I'm Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

As Russia's full-scale assault on Ukraine enters its second day, the people of Ukraine are starting to come to terms with the reality that the unthinkable has actually happened.

Today, my colleague Anton Troianovski explains the significance of this moment. And Sabrina Tavernise, Lynsea Garrison, and Michael Schwirtz speak to Ukrainians about the agonizing decisions that they now must make.

[music]

It's Friday, February 25.

Anton, we are talking to you on Thursday night in Moscow. We are coming to the end of day one of this invasion. Help us wrap our heads around what's happening and the significance of what we're all witnessing. Because even if we've been hearing warnings about this for weeks, it's hard to believe that we're now experiencing a full scale attack on Ukraine by Russia.

anton troianovski

Yeah. It is really hard to believe. It's the biggest attack of one nation on another nation in Europe since World War II. It is really kind of the worst case scenario of all those scenarios of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine that have been discussed. It's something that I've spent just about every day writing about this crisis for the last two months or so. And honestly, even until yesterday I didn't think that this could actually happen.

It's Europe's most powerful military, bearing, basically, its entire firepower, much of its firepower against the neighboring country. So since about 5:00 AM, we have seen cruise missile, ballistic missile strikes against infrastructure targets, military targets in Ukraine. Then during the day, today, we started seeing footage coming in of helicopter assaults, of paratroopers landing, of tanks rolling across the border.

And this is happening from 3 sides, from the North, Belarus, from the East, Russia, from the South, from the Black Sea in Crimea. It started, what, like 18 hours ago or so, and it's still very hard to just wrap our heads around the magnitude of what's happening.

michael barbaro

And what do we understand to be the end goal here at this point?

anton troianovski

Well, Putin laid it out quite clearly in his early morning speech. He said, our goal is to demilitarize and de-Nazify, in his words, Ukraine.

michael barbaro

And just explain that because-

anton troianovski

Yeah.

michael barbaro

De-nazification is not a familiar phrase in 2022.

anton troianovski

Exactly. And I mean, I will say, until recently, it hasn't been a familiar phrase in Russia either. But the Kremlin in their propaganda they consider the democratically elected government of Ukraine a Nazi regime. They claim falsely that it has perpetrated a genocide on Russian speakers in Eastern Ukraine. And so Putin is trying to claim the moral high ground here.

He is saying he's going in to remove this evil regime. And what that means is this is a full scale military assault to topple the government, most likely, of another country. This is just a massive undertaking that we're only seeing the beginnings of.

michael barbaro

So we're talking about a sovereign nation in Europe being attacked by another European nation. And its democratically elected leadership being, by what you just described, deposed. And these are developments that are unheard of in modern Europe. So how should we think about that?

anton troianovski

Yeah. I think it's really the end of a certain post-Cold War order in Europe. It's the end of 30 years of Russia trying to find a place in that kind of Western led order. It's the end of 20 years of Putin trying to use diplomacy as well as his kind of hybrid warfare tactics to try to further his interests in Europe. That's all gone now.

We're in a new reality now, where Russia is showing it is prepared to fight a large land war in Europe to achieve what it describes to be its aims. It's just a totally different world that we're in now.

michael barbaro

Well, so let's talk about the consequences of that for all involved.

anton troianovski

Yeah. I mean, I would break it up into a few different parts, the consequences for Ukraine, for Russia, for Europe, and the U.S., and the rest of the world. So starting with Ukraine. This is just the beginning, I fear. If this continues, if this continues the way we think it's going to, to Putin pursuing regime change, it could get much more bloody. So we don't know yet what happens to the cities.

There is a fight for territory going on in Eastern Ukraine, where those separatist regions are. But the big question is, will they go into Kyiv?

michael barbaro

Right.

anton troianovski

Very scarily, it looks like they may well.

michael barbaro

OK. So what about Russia, where you are based? What are the consequences you are seeing and expecting there?

anton troianovski

Well, so people are expecting a new crackdown on civil liberties, on freedom of speech, freedom of the press, even on business. The reason being that whenever we've had crackdowns here in Russia, the justification has always been that the Kremlin is hunting down internal enemies, who are serving some kind of foreign agenda to destabilize the country. So that's certainly one thing to watch over the coming days and weeks is how much of an additional crackdown is there.

protesters

[CHANTING]

anton troianovski

Tonight, we had pretty significant anti-war protests-

protesters

[CHANTING]

anton troianovski

-in Moscow, and St. Petersburg, and in a number of cities in Siberia all told several thousand people were in the streets and there were more than 1,500 arrests. So-

michael barbaro

Wow.

anton troianovski

-one thing that's very important to point out is, there has been next to no outpouring of support for this. And there is a lot of anger, disbelief, fear to see your country inflicting so much suffering on a neighboring country is awful, and this narrative for why it was necessary to do it. It really does fall apart quite quickly upon inspection. Why- How does Ukraine actually threaten Russia?

Can it really be true that the Ukrainians were planning an invasion of these pro-Russian separatist areas in the East just as 150,000 plus troops were surrounding Ukraine on three sides? There's just so much in the Kremlin propaganda narrative that doesn't hold up, that I think a lot of people aren't buying that story.

michael barbaro

OK. Finally, let's talk about the consequences for the United States and for the rest of the world.

anton troianovski

So President Biden and the E.U. announced major sanctions today against Russia. And Russia has promised to respond potentially asymmetrically. So we might not see sanctions by Russia against the U.S., but we might see Russia take other actions that could cause harm and pain in the U.S. And they're- We can really only speculate what that would be. Some folks are talking about the potential for cyber attacks here in Moscow.

There's been a lot of talk that Russia could base missiles or other military assets in Latin America, to more directly threaten the United States. Russia, obviously, is one of the world's biggest energy suppliers, especially to Europe. If it were to turn that spigot, that could cause incredible problems for Europeans. So there is so much uncertainty here still, not just in Ukraine, not just in Russia, but really about how this crisis plays out and what it means for the rest of the world.

michael barbaro

And Anton, as you're preparing to sign-off for the night, I want to return to Ukraine and where this situation leaves its people at this moment.

anton troianovski

I mean, it's a horrible situation. These are people who- I think there was so little expectation that Russia could actually go ahead with this kind of invasion. And now they are making choices they would never thought they would have to make. Do they stay in Kyiv? Do they try to flee West? Do they try to get out of the country? Do you sleep in the basement? It's really an unimaginable situation for millions and millions of people right now.

[music]

michael barbaro

Well, Anton, thank you. We'll talk again soon. Stay safe.

anton troianovski

Thank you.

[music]

michael barbaro

We'll be right back.

[music]

All day yesterday, my colleagues in Ukraine and back in the U.S. we're speaking with Ukrainians around the country about their experiences of the past 24 hours.

denis surkov

Hello.

lynsea garrison

Hi. How are you?

denis surkov

Hi, Lynsey.

Not good.

lynsea garrison

Not good.

denis surkov

It's not the same.

michael barbaro

Lynsea Garrison got on the phone with Denis Surkov, who lives in a city called Dnipro in Eastern Ukraine.

denis surkov

I am doctor, Chief of Dnipro Regional Children's Hospital.

lynsea garrison

You're a doctor at Dnipro Regional Children's Hospital.

denis surkov

Yep.

lynsea garrison

OK.

denis surkov

And I am Chief of NICU and I.C.U.

lynsea garrison

Chief of NICU?

denis surkov

Exactly.

lynsea garrison

Got it. Can you just tell me a little bit about what the past 24 hours have been like for you?

denis surkov

So in the morning, we wake up and we have heard, first, rocket explosions near Dnipro Airport. So I was in my hospital. We were nervous. We were confused. Everybody was near their laptops or iPhones.

lynsea garrison

Yeah.

denis surkov

And checked the news. And the news were and are dramatic.

lynsea garrison

Dramatic.

How were you understanding this? Did you think that this would happen?

denis surkov

Honestly, no. We were expected for the beginning of the attack, but we didn't know that it could be so, so fast, so right now.

And now, the borders between Ukrainian regions are closed. We had some possibilities and some efforts to go last week.

lynsea garrison

OK.

denis surkov

I can't explain, but something stopped us. We hoped that finally everything will resolve. But now, honestly, I don't know exactly what to do.

lynsea garrison

What do you think stopped you?

denis surkov

My family didn't want to leave Ukraine because we love Ukraine, and we wanted to live here happy and in peace, and so on. So I said, OK, maybe everything will be not so bad. Let's wait. So my main question for myself is, if I made a very, very big mistake not to move from Ukraine when I had an opportunity to do this.

lynsea garrison

That's a heavy question.

denis surkov

Yes.

If there was a big mistake or not so big, and I have no answer. I can ask you, do you want to wake up in the morning and understand you should go forever, not for one day, not for two days, forever? Can you make such a decision in- I don't know, in 10 minutes? My question to you.

lynsea garrison

Yeah.

denis surkov

To bring just a bit of water, just a bit of food, single cloth, documents, money, and go outside your home forever, can you make such a decision?

Just imagine.

lynsea garrison

Yeah.

denis surkov

So this was my family feeling last week. Even though yesterday in the evening, I told to my wife that this is the last calm day we can evacuate. In the morning, we realized that war came to Ukraine, not conflict, not disturbs, war, conventional war.

lynsea garrison

What are your children asking you? Like, how are you talking about this with them?

denis surkov

I say to my children, everything will be OK, your father will care about you.

lynsea garrison

How old are they?

denis surkov

My elder daughter is 30 and she lives abroad. And my younger daughter, she is 14. She's with me.

lynsea garrison

How is she doing?

denis surkov

She believed me.

lynsea garrison

That you'll protect her? And how does that make you feel that she believes you?

denis surkov

I will do all I can to protect her.

I don't know exactly what, but I will do everything, everything can.

lynsea garrison

Are you worried it won't be enough?

denis surkov

I am worried.

Everything could be changed, I don't know, next few hours or even next few maybe minutes.

[music]

sabrina tavernise

It's 3 o'clock and I'm getting out of the gas station.

So I'm looking at this line, I'd say it's maybe 30-40 cars long.

speaker 7

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 8

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 7

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

Everybody is limited now. You can only get 20 liters of gas.

speaker 7

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 9

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I'm walking up to an ambulance that's waiting in line for gas. The ambulance is being ushered ahead. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 7

Ya.

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 7

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

The man who's managing here says he's too busy. He's running, trying to usher the ambulance to the front of the line. I'm going to talk to another person. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Sabrina [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] The New York Times [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

varari

Varari.

sabrina tavernise

This is Varari. Varari, [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I hear- I'm hearing on the radio now that they're bombing us. I live in this area that they're bombing.

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

No one believed it. No one believed that they would act toward us this way. We were brothers. We're neighboring countries. We're brothers. No one believed it.

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I feel- I have this feeling of nervousness, of anxiousness.

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I'm calling with my loved ones, my mother.

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

He said, she's an elderly person, she doesn't see very well, and she does not hear very well. So it's very difficult for her, she's not understanding what's happening.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

So, so far, I'm going to hunker down in place, but I'm getting as much gas as I can because I might need to make it to my mom's.

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I bought some food.

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I got all my phones, passports, documents.

varari

Yes.

sabrina tavernise

I bought-

varari

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

-vermicelli bread, milk, and dill, and sour cream.

I'm going to talk to another person.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

ura

Ura.

sabrina tavernise

Ura. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Ura. I'm taking to Ura, who's getting some gas. He says he does not plan to leave.

ura

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I'm a little shocked-

ura

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

-that Russia attacked Ukraine. It's so bad.

ura

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

We're going to defend our country to the last drop of blood.

[music]

ura

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

Tomorrow I'm going to sign up for a territorial defense force. And I'm going to defend my country.

ura

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

[music]

sabrina tavernise

It's 3:30 and we're driving in Central Kyiv, and this is just a closed town right now.

The day is still very gray. The sky is very low. Feels sort of raw, and cold, and wet.

The air has a kind of bitter smell of ordinance. It's the smell of the air after an air strike.

Someone carrying a gun and some body armor down the street. A very sweet little bakery, I'm going to come in.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

Yeah. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] The New York Times.

speaker 10

Yeah.

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Sabrina. Yeah. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I'm saying I'm a journalist from The New York Times and I would like sweets, but also her opinion. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

Today, there's panic, people are panicking very strongly.

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

You can see that they've bought me a lot of bread.

So I'm doing a bit of panic buying myself, two large bags of cookies, three candy bars, 10 quiches, and a bunch of almond croissants.

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I'm asking her if she plans to leave. No, I don't plan to leave.

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I really don't have a place to leave to.

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I'm here.

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I have my home here.

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

I think everything will be OK.

[MUSIC]

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

Today is the hardest day. I think tomorrow might be easier.

[music]

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 10

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

[music]

sabrina tavernise

OK. Back to the hotel.

Everything is closed now. It's almost as if it was nighttime. A few cars are still going by, but almost no pedestrians. It's very central. The street is just completely deserted.

[music]

It does feel ominous.

michael schwirtz

Day one of the war it's been a very long day. The town I'm in, Slovyansk, kind of continued on as normal. There were bits of panic that could be evident. There were lines at the A.T.M.s. And people were stocking up on medications. But overall, the mood was pretty calm and collected, probably because these people have been through this before, the town came under heavy attack in 2014 when Ukrainian forces clashed with Russian backed rebels who had come in from the East.

And so when I'm walking around town, people are telling me that this is just part of their lives. Very few people I met around town today said that they had any intention of leaving even though rocket attacks hit an airport nearby and Russian forces were fighting with the Ukrainian military just a few dozen kilometers away.

lera alekseevna

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael schwirtz

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

lera alekseevna

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael schwirtz

I met a woman named Lera Alekseevna, who was in the courtyard near my hotel. Oh, [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

lera alekseevna

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael schwirtz

And she had stuffed her pet hairless cat in her jacket and it was shivering.

lera alekseevna

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael schwirtz

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] And she was telling me how she was planning on going to work at a company that sells cash registers and bringing her animals with her, so that they wouldn't have to be alone. So if she had to make a quick dash for it, she could be with her animals. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

lera alekseevna

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael schwirtz

But she said she had no intention of leaving, mostly out of fear that she would be forced to leave behind her pets. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

lera alekseevna

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael schwirtz

Outside a blood bank in Slovyansk, I met a young man named Bogdan Kravchenko,

[non-english singing]

who was just sitting in his car listening to the Ukrainian national anthem cranked up on high volume.

[music]

sabrina tavernise

It's 11:30 AM on Friday in Kyiv.

Last night, in the city there were a lot of airstrikes and it seems like they're getting closer. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

speaker 13

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

sabrina tavernise

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

[music]

The airstrikes are beginning again. You can hear the siren. We're trying to decide whether to leave.

Our colleagues, a few of them drove out this morning because it's really unclear what's going to happen. Will there be a big fight with the Ukrainian military? Or will the Russians just come in? What will happen if they take the city? And it seems like that is imminent.

So we're trying to make arrangements. Our hotel doesn't have a generator, which means we would be out of power if the power gets cut off in the city, which is a pretty good chance.

Yeah. We're trying to figure it out.

I guess, like a lot of people here, we're trying to make that decision. Should we leave or should we stay?

michael barbaro

As of Friday afternoon in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials were bracing for an attack on the capital city as Russia's military offenses pressed closer to the heart of the government.

volodymyr zelensky

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael barbaro

In a televised address, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that at least 137 Ukrainians, military and civilians, had already been killed. And he called on Ukrainians to defend themselves against Russian forces, saying that nobody else would come to their rescue.

volodymyr zelensky

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

michael barbaro

Zelensky, who was unshaven and in a t-shirt said that he himself was now Russia's number one target. Followed, he said, by his own family.

[music]

We'll be right back.

Here's what else you need to know today.

On Thursday, three former Minneapolis police officers were found guilty of federal crimes for failing to intervene as a fellow officer, Derek Chauvin, killed George Floyd by pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes. The case is believed to be the first time that the federal government has charged police officers for inaction when a more senior officer was using excessive force.

Two of the officers were rookies at the time of Floyd's death, but the jury rejected their defense that they had been trained to obey superior officers, like Chauvin, and to carry out orders without question.

Today's episode was produced by Rob Szypko, Rachelle Bonja, Lynsea Garrison, Rachel Quester, Kaitlin Roberts and Clare Toeniskoetter. It was edited by Lisa Tobin and Lisa Chow. Contains original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Corey Schreppel. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landfurg of Wonderlake.

The Daily is made by Lisa Tobin, Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Larissa Anderson, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Austin Mitchell, Dan Powell, Dave Shaw, Sydney Harper, Robert Jimison, Michael Benoist, Liz O'Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Kaitlin Roberts, Rachelle Bonjour, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Anita Badejo, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Chelsea Daniel, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsy, and John Ketchum.

Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchuman, Cliff Levy, Lauren Jackson, Julia Simon, Mahima Chablani, Sofia Milan, Des Ibekwe, Erica Futterman, Wendy Dorr, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, and Daniel Friedman. That's it for The Daily. I'm Michael Barbaro. See you on Monday.

Ukrainian defense officials said Friday morning that multiple missile strikes had hit Kyiv, but the targets and the damage inflicted remained unclear. "They say that civilian objects are not a target for them," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the Russian assault. "It is a lie, they do not distinguish in which areas to operate."

LVIV, Ukraine - In Lviv on Friday, air-raid sirens sounded repeatedly, sending waves of anxiety through the city.

After a second alarm in the morning, the hotel staff at the Citadel Inn grew nervous. They said that there was a bomb shelter under the hotel, which started as an imposing and solid fort built in 1865 to look down over the city.

Staff and guests went outside first and talked nervously, then decided to go into the basement, hoping that walls that have stood for over 150 years would protect them from any Russian bombs.

A father ran back to his room to get blankets for his daughter. A woman carried a small dog.

The hotel is like a stone fortress. But many guests, including small children, were huddled in a tiny room in the basement.

Show more

Ukrainian officials on Friday braced for an attack on the capital, Kyiv, as an explosion lit up the night sky on the city's outskirts and a rocket crashed into a civilian apartment building.

Ukrainian officials said there were multiple missile strikes in Kyiv, but the targets and the damage remained unclear.

President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of targeting civilian areas with rocket attacks on Friday morning, including in Kyiv.

"They say that civilian objects are not a target for them," he said in a televised address. "It is a lie. They do not distinguish in which areas to operate."

He said that rocket attacks had resumed around 4 a.m. and claimed that "in most directions the enemy was stopped, the fighting continues."

"The purpose of this attack is pressure, not only on the government, but on all Ukrainians," he said.

As Russian troops advanced on Kyiv, officials tried to reassure Ukrainians that the government would stand strong.

"The first days are the most difficult, because right now the enemy will feel it has the advantage, or will be broken physically and morally," Hanna Malyar, the deputy minister of defense, said on Friday morning, before calling on people to join the general mobilization.

"It is important that everyone is strong in spirit," Ms. Malyar said. "This is our land. We will not hand it over."

Officials fear a major attack on the city of 2.8 million people.

"Horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv," the foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, wrote on Twitter. He said the last time the capital had experienced something similar was in 1941, when it was attacked by Nazi Germany.

"Ukraine defeated that evil and will defeat this one. Stop Putin," Mr. Kuleba said, referring to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

Videos verified by The Times showed a large explosion in the sky over the outskirts of southern Kyiv. Witnesses filmed fiery debris falling over parts of the city. The videos appeared to show at least two surface-to-air missiles being fired near Kyiv before the explosion.

Separately, a rocket struck a civilian building in a residential neighborhood, according to Ukrainian officials.

Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said on Twitter that according to preliminary reports, three people were injured, one of them critically, when a residential building was hit by debris. He said emergency workers were on the scene and that the house was on fire and at risk of collapsing.

Mr. Klitschko, a former heavyweight champion in boxing, said in an interview with "Good Morning Britain" on Thursday that he was prepared to take up arms to defend against Russia's invasion and that Mr. Putin had "lost reality."

"I don't have another choice - I have to do that," the mayor said.

Show more

Video

Credit Credit... Osint_Ukraine via Twitter

Videos verified by The Times showed a large explosion in the sky over the outskirts of southern Kyiv early on Friday morning. Witnesses filmed fiery debris falling over parts of the city. The videos appeared to show at least two surface-to-air missiles being fired near Kyiv before the explosion.

For weeks, a Russian invasion had been expected by some Ukrainians and merely sequestered in the mind's recesses by others. But once the sweeping attacks began on Thursday, hitting seemingly every corner of the country, the war became unavoidably tangible for Ukrainians - a hovering cloud of darkness that once seemed unimaginable in the post-Cold War era. These images are a visual documentation of a populace coping with the initial stages of a national military invasion, struggling with newfound uncertainty and fear.

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Ukrainian Officials Report Missile Attacks in Kyiv

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was under bombardment on Friday morning, with missile strikes and a rocket crashing into a residential building as the second day of Russia's military offensive pressed closer to the heart of the government.

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French President Emmanuel Macron and President Alexander Lukashenko – an ally of the Kremlin – have discussed Minsk’s role in the war in Ukraine, the Belarusian leader’s office says.
“The parties discussed Belarus’s position and involvement in the [Ukraine] conflict,” Lukashenko’s office said in a statement. They also talked about “the future of Europe” and “the relationship between Belarus and Russia”, it added.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/25/unsc-to-vote-on-resolution-condemning-russia-invasion-liveblog

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Ukrainian forces have faced Russian attacks by land, air and sea [Emilio Morenatti/AP]

Kyiv's mayor imposes a city-wide curfew lasting until Monday morning after fighting reaches the capital's streets.

The United States and its Western allies move to supply Kyiv with weapons as it faces down Russia's invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the country's forces "have withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks".

Nearly 200 people have been killed so far, including civilians, three of whom were children, according to Ukraine's health minister.

More than 150,000 Ukrainians have fled the country since the beginning of Moscow's assault, the UN says.

Western countries have announced sweeping sanctions on Moscow, including measures targeting President Vladimir Putin himself.

The live blog is now closed; thank you for joining us. Here are the updates for February 26:

Lukashenko and Macron discuss Belarus's role in Ukraine war, Minsk says

French President Emmanuel Macron and President Alexander Lukashenko - an ally of the Kremlin - have discussed Minsk's role in the war in Ukraine, the Belarusian leader's office says.

"The parties discussed Belarus's position and involvement in the [Ukraine] conflict," Lukashenko's office said in a statement. They also talked about "the future of Europe" and "the relationship between Belarus and Russia", it added.

France to deliver more military equipment to Ukraine

France will send more military equipment, as well as fuel, to Ukraine to help fight off the Russian invasion and slap more economic sanctions on Moscow, the country's presidential office says in a statement.

The new sanctions would encompass "national measures to freeze the financial assets of Russian figures", as well as "new measures" to be taken "with European partners concerning the SWIFT" interbank system, the Elysee Palace statement said.

EU to facilitate delivery of military aid to Ukraine

The European Union will facilitate the delivery of military aid to Ukraine, EU Council President Charles Michel says on Twitter.

"Democratic Ukraine will prevail," he added.

EU defence in action in support to #Ukraine

Will facilitate deliveries of military aid from #EU to Ukraine.

Democratic #Ukraine will prevail. @ZelenskyyUa https://t.co/JQomw768DD

- Charles Michel (@eucopresident) February 26, 2022

EU foreign ministers to discuss Ukraine aid, measures against Moscow on Sunday

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has announced that EU foreign ministers will come together for a virtual meeting on Sunday to adopt further measures in support of Ukraine and against "aggression by Russia".

"I will propose a package of emergency assistance for the Ukrainian armed forces, to support them in their heroic fight," he said on Twitter, adding that the meeting would start on Sunday at 17:00 GMT.

More than 3,000 arrested at Russian anti-war protests, monitor says

More than 3,000 people have been detained in Russia for participating in anti-war protests since Moscow launched its assault, according to protest monitoring group OVD-Info.

"In the last three days, at least 3,052 people were arrested," OVD-Info tweeted. It said 467 people were arrested in 34 cities on Saturday alone.

Pope expresses 'profound pain' over invasion in call with Zelenskyy

Pope Francis has called Ukraine's president and expressed his "most profound pain" for the country's suffering, the Ukrainian Embassy to the Vatican says.

"The Holy Father expressed his most profound pain for the tragic events happening in our country," the embassy said in a tweet.

The Vatican confirmed the call and in his own tweet, Zelenskyy said he thanked the pope "for praying for peace in Ukraine and a ceasefire"

"The Ukrainian people feel the spiritual support of His Holiness," he added.

Russian assault on the capital has stalled, adviser to Zelenskyy says as night falls in Kyiv

An adviser to Ukraine's president has claimed that Russia's assault on Kyiv is not advancing and that about 3,500 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured since Moscow launched its invasion.

"We are striking the enemy around Kyiv. The enemy is not moving for now," Oleksiy Arestovych said.

There was no immediate response to the claim from Moscow, and Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the figures provided.

YouTube blocks RT, other Russian channels from generating revenue

YouTube has suspended multiple Russian channels, including state-funded media outlet RT, from generating revenue on the video service following a similar move by Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc.

"In light of extraordinary circumstances in Ukraine ... we're pausing a number of channels' ability to monetize on YouTube, including several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions," YouTube, which is operated by Alphabet Inc's Google, said in a statement.

Netherlands to supply anti-tank weapons to Ukraine

The Netherlands will send anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, the country's defence ministry says.

The Dutch government will supply 50 Panzerfaust-3 anti-tank weapons and 400 rockets, the ministry said in a letter to parliament.

UN chief tells Ukrainian president world body will boost aid

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has spoken with Zelenskyy and told him the world body plans to "enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine", according to a UN spokesperson.

"He informed the President that the United Nations would launch on Tuesday an appeal to fund our humanitarian operations in Ukraine," the spokesperson said in a statement.

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Friday that more than $1bn will be needed for aid operations in Ukraine over the next three months as a result of Russia's attack.

'A sense of Russia having rolled the dice': Analyst

Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the United Kingdom-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, says Moscow is "facing setbacks that it did not expect" but retains a "very significant" numerical advantage over Kyiv in military terms.

"It is taking casualties and Ukraine is taking prisoners, including some quite senior, at least one, possibly two, brigade commanders," Gould-Davies told Al Jazeera from Washington.

"So Russia will be motivated now to accelerate the forces that it brings to this conflict," he added. "So far, it has been using about less than half of the total forces it has mobilised and prepared for this [invasion]. So in numerical terms, it is quite clear that Russia has a very, very significant advantage.

"But the really impressive aspect of Ukraine's resistance so far is how strong and how wide it has been ... there is a sense of Russia having rolled the dice."

Zelenskyy says he welcomes potential move to cut Russia off from SWIFT

Ukraine's president has said he welcomes the prospect of Russia being disconnected from "global financial civilisation" as Western powers move to roll out punishing sanctions on Moscow over its attack on Ukraine.

EU member states are reportedly nearing an agreement on excluding Russia from the SWIFT global payments system.

"Our diplomats fought around the clock to inspire all European countries to agree on a strong and fair decision to disconnect Russia from the international interbanking network. We also have this victory," Zelenskyy said in a video message.

"This is billions and billions of losses for Russia - a tangible price for this vile invasion of our country ... Ukraine won the attention of the entire civilised world. And the practical result? Here it is - SWIFT... Disconnecting from global financial civilisation," he added.

Germany to supply Ukraine with anti-tank weapons, missiles

Germany's government has approved the delivery of a batch of weapons to Ukraine in a major policy U-turn, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz calling Russia's invasion of the country a "turning point".

Berlin will supply Kyiv with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles from its military's stocks.

"The Russian invasion marks a turning point. It is our duty to support Ukraine to the best of our ability in defending against Putin's invading army," Scholz said on Twitter.

Read more here.

Biden approves $350m in military aid for Ukraine

The US will provide an additional $350m worth of military aid to Ukraine, the country's secretary of state has announced, following approval of the package from President Joe Biden.

"This package will include further lethal defensive assistance to help Ukraine address the armoured, airborne, and other threats it is now facing," Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Washington had already drawn from US weapons stocks to supply Ukraine in the final months of 2021 and then again in December. In total, during the past year the US has committed more than $1bn in security assistance to Kyiv, Blinken said.

Ukraine has been asking for Javelin anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to shoot down aircraft.

Germany in favour of 'targeted and functional' SWIFT curbs on Russia

Germany is in favour of imposing "targeted and functional" restrictions on Russia's access to SWIFT, its foreign and economy ministers have said.

"We are urgently working on how to limit the collateral damage of decoupling from SWIFT in such a way that it affects the right people. What we need is a targeted and functional restriction of SWIFT," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said in a joint statement.

Read more on SWIFT here.

Greece says six nationals killed in Ukraine

Athens says that six Greek nationals have been killed and six others wounded by Russian bombing near the key southeastern port city of Mariupol.

"The death of our nationals creates grief and anger for this unacceptable Russian attack against civilians," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement.

The bombing took place on the outskirts of the villages of Sartana and Bugas, the foreign ministry said. It added that a child was among those wounded.

Photos: Ukrainians flee en masse

Masses of Ukrainians are fleeing from Russia's invasion, with many exiting the country via its western borders in search of safety.

Take a look here.

Russian military convoys 'flooding' across the Russia-Ukraine border

Al Jazeera's Rania Dridi, reporting from the city of Volgograd, in southwestern Russia, says military units in the area are being deployed across the border with Ukraine.

"Convoys of Russian military gear continue to flood across the Russia-Ukraine border; armoured gear and vehicle-mounted missiles," Dridi said.

"The convoys will take part in the ongoing military operations, the fiercest of which is currently raging on the Donbas front," she added, citing the region in eastern Ukraine where Russian-backed separatists control swaths of territory.

"This scene is repeated elsewhere as other convoys are crossing the borderline into Ukraine on other roads."

Twitter says its site is being restricted in Russia

Twitter has said it is aware its service is being restricted for some people in Russia, adding it is working to keep the site safe and accessible.

Internet blockage observatory NetBlocks reported that the social media platform had been restricted on leading networks.

The throttling came after Moscow said on Friday that it was partially limiting access to Facebook, accusing it of "censoring" Russian media. It was not immediately clear what Russia's restrictions on Facebook would involve.

We're aware that Twitter is being restricted for some people in Russia and are working to keep our service safe and accessible.

- Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) February 26, 2022

Berlin discussing export of RPGs to Ukraine via a third country

Germany's government is in talks over approving the delivery of 400 rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) to Ukraine via a third country but no final decision on whether to do so has been taken, the country's defence ministry says.

If carried through, the move would signal a major policy shift after Berlin faced criticism for refusing to send weapons to Kyiv, unlike other Western allies.

Germany has a longstanding policy of not exporting weapons to warzones, rooted partly in its bloody 20th-century history and resulting pacifism. Countries aiming to onpass German weapons exports need to apply for approval in Berlin first.

Berlin is also still to decide on a request from Estonia regarding the passing on of old GDR howitzers to Ukraine. Finland had bought the howitzers in the 1990s after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and later re-sold them to Estonia.

'Increasing fears' as Russian forces advance on Ukraine's cities

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from Dnipro, says there are reports of Ukrainian forces in the key southeastern port city of Mariupol preparing to defend it from a possible Russian assault.

"Witnesses [in Mariupol] are telling us that there are what they describe as increasing numbers of Ukrainian paramilitaries on the streets, helping the Ukrainian army to defend the city from what we understand is a push by Russian forces from the west," Stratford said.

"We know that the city has also suffered heavy shelling from the east," he added.

"We've also been speaking to people fleeing the area north of Crimea, around the city of Kherson. People are alleging that Russian forces that have taken control of some of those towns are preventing Ukrainian citizens from leaving there."

"There are increasing fears about the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of civilians, who are trying to put as much distance as they can between them and the Russian forces advancing on Ukrainian cities, as the front lines become increasingly blurred."

Russian army ordered to broaden Ukraine advance

The Russian army has been given orders to broaden its offensive in Ukraine "from all directions" after Kyiv refused to hold talks in Belarus, the country's defence ministry says.

"After the Ukrainian side rejected the negotiation process, today all units were given orders to develop the advance from all directions in accordance with the operation's plans," Russian army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

UN refugee chief says 150,000 Ukrainians have fled the country

More than 150,000 Ukrainians have fled the country since the start of Russia's invasion, the UN's high commissioner for refugees has said.

"Displacement in Ukraine is also growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid," Filippo Grandi tweeted.

More than 150,000 Ukrainian refugees have now crossed into neighbouring countries, half of them to Poland, and many to Hungary, Moldova, Romania and beyond.

Displacement in Ukraine is also growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid.

- Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) February 26, 2022

'Atmosphere of tension' grips Ukraine's countryside

Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, reporting from a highway in central Ukraine, says there is an "atmosphere of tension" in the country's rural areas.

"There are lots of checkpoints, barricades being put up and military reserves about," Simmons said.

"They look stressed, and they're looking for saboteurs," he added. "There have been saboteurs arrested and killed ... and, of course, it is dangerous for anyone on the streets, civilians or otherwise, because of that."

A view from a city 'frozen in horror'

Maria Avdeeva, a resident of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, has written a first-person account of Russia's invasion for Al Jazeera.

"This city of 1.5 million people, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Russian border, where I was born and raised, is frozen in horror," she writes. "The streets are deserted. The shelling continues."

Click here to read the full account.

US official claims Russian forces frustrated by 'viable' Ukrainian resistance

Russian forces are becoming increasingly frustrated by what Washington believes is "viable" Ukrainian resistance, a US defence official has said.

"We know that they have not made the progress that they have wanted to make, particularly in the north. They have been frustrated by what they have seen is a very determined resistance," the official claimed, without providing evidence. "It has slowed them down."

Ukraine open to talks, but not Russian ultimatums, Zelenskyy's advisor says

Kyiv has denied suggestions from the Kremlin that it is refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia, but says it is not ready to accept ultimatums or unacceptable conditions.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy, told the Reuters news agency that Ukraine has prepared a negotiating position but was being confronted with impractical negotiating conditions from Moscow.

"It was yesterday that the aggressive actions of the armed forces of the Russian Federation escalated, up to evening and night mass air and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities," he said. "We consider such actions only an attempt to break Ukraine and force it to accept categorically unacceptable conditions."

EU should speed Ukraine's path to membership, Poland's president says

The EU should speed Ukraine's path to membership, Polish President Andrzej Duda has said, adding that Kyiv should also have access to funds from the bloc for reconstruction.

"Poland supports an express path for Ukraine membership in the European Union," Duda wrote on Twitter.

"Candidate status should be granted immediately and membership talks initiated immediately thereafter," he added. "Ukraine should also have access to EU funds for reconstruction. This is what Ukraine deserves."

Russia's Chechen leader says his forces deployed in Ukraine

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's Chechnya region and an ally of Putin, says Chechen fighters have been deployed in Ukraine.

In a video posted online, Kadyrov claimed that units from the North Caucasus region - a constituent republic of Russia - had suffered no losses so far.

He alleged that Russian forces could easily take large control of Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, but that their task was to avoid mass loss of life.

Zelenskyy thanks Turkey for military, other support

Ukraine's president has thanked his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan for Ankara's "military and humanitarian" support, saying a "ban on the passage of [Russian] warships to the Black Sea" was very important for his country.

Turkey, which controls the Dardanelles and Bosphorus Straits that link the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, has not publicly announced any ban on Russian warships using the channels despite Kyiv's urgent requests that it take such a measure.

On Friday, Turkey's foreign minister said that under the 1936 convention covering the matter, Ankara could not bar warships returning to a home base in the Black Sea from passing through the straits. Russia has a major naval base in the Black Sea.

I thank my friend Mr. President of 🇹🇷 @RTErdogan and the people of 🇹🇷 for their strong support. The ban on the passage of 🇷🇺 warships to the Black Sea and significant military and humanitarian support for 🇺🇦 are extremely important today. The people of 🇺🇦 will never forget that!

- Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022

Russia bars flights from Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic

Russia has closed its airspace to flights from Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic in a series of tit-for-tat moves.

"Air carriers of these states and/or registered in them are subject to restrictions on flights to destinations on the territory of the Russian Federation, including transit flights through the airspace of the Russian Federation," the federal air transport agency, Rosaviation, said.

The move came after all three countries closed their own airspace to Russian carriers. Several other European nations have taken the same move, including Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia.

"There is no place for planes of the aggressor state in democratic skies," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tweeted.

Kremlin says offensive resumed after talks about talks broke down

Russian troops have started advancing into Ukraine again after Putin allegedly paused Moscow's offensive in anticipation of talks with Kyiv that failed to materialise, the Kremlin says.

Speaking to reporters at a news briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine's leadership of "refusing to negotiate".

On Friday, Peskov said Putin was ready to send a delegation of officials to Belarus, where Russia has stationed thousands of troops, for talks. He later claimed Kyiv had proposed Warsaw as a venue instead and that negotiations over a potential meeting ended without an agreement because the Ukrainian side went silent.

"Since the Ukrainian side refused to negotiate, the advance of the Russian forces resumed this afternoon," Peskov said at Saturday's news briefing.

Hungary won't block any sanctions against Russia, Orban says

Hungary will support all EU sanctions against Russia and will not block any punitive measures against Moscow, Prime Minister Viktor Orban says.

"Hungary made clear that we support all the sanctions, so we will block nothing, so what the ... [leaders] of the EU are able to agree, we accept it and we support it," Orban told reporters in English on the Ukraine-Hungary border.

"This is the time to be united, it's a war," he added.

Orban's right-wing, nationalist government has been at odds with the EU in recent years over a number of issues.

Romania on edge as Russia invades Ukraine

Despite assurances from Romania's leadership, many in the Eastern European nation - a NATO member since 2004 - fear wider Russian attacks.

Read more here.

Ankara calls for Moscow to stop its assault

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has urged Moscow to stop its attack, according to a statement issued by his ministry.

The ministry said Cavusoglu made his appeal during talks by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. It added Cavusoglu had reiterated during the call that Ankara was ready to host the Russian and Ukrainian leaders for peace talks.

UN refugee agency says nearly 120,000 Ukrainians have fled the country

Nearly 120,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of Russia's invasion, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has said.

The agency added the number was rising as people continue to grab their belongings and rush to escape from Moscow's deadly onslaught.

Ukraine: UNHCR will soon be launching a portal with current displacement estimates.⁰Latest update is that almost 116,000 have fled to neighbouring countries since 24 Feb - mainly Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania. ⁰Numbers are rising.

- UNHCR News (@RefugeesMedia) February 26, 2022

Ukraine's army tells civilians to build barricades, use petrol bombs to stop Russian troops

Ukraine's army has called on the country's civilians to stop the advance of Russian troops by any means necessary.

"Cut down trees, build barricades, burn tyres ... Use everything available" the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement posted on Facebook.

The statement also encouraged Ukrainians to assemble and use petrol bombs against Moscow's forces.

"The occupiers must understand that they are not wanted here and that they will be resisted in every street," it said.

UNHCR says 160,000 people displaced

UNHCR's representative in Ukraine has warned the displacement of more than 150,000 people in the country marks "just the beginning" of a looming humanitarian crisis.

"People are fleeing from eastern, southern and northern Ukraine towards the centre and west of the country ... they are on the road and on trains," Karolina Lindholm Billing told Al Jazeera from Kyiv.

"It's very difficult to get evidence of how many people have been internally displaced, but we estimate that it is at least 160,000," she added. "The human suffering is going to be enormous."

Ukrainian forces have 'withstood and repelled attacks', Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy says Ukraine's military has "withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks" as battles continue to rage nationwide.

"Fighting continues in different cities and regions of our country," the Ukrainian president said in his latest video message.

Zelenskyy added that Kyiv and other key towns nearby were still under the control of the army.

"We have ruined their plans," he said, before again appealing to Ukrainian civilians to resist the Russian invasion.

"Each Ukrainian should keep one thing in mind: if you can stop and destroy the occupiers - do it. Everyone who can come back to Ukraine - come back to defend Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

France seizes Russian cargo ship in the English Channel

French sea police have seized a ship that authorities suspect belongs to a Russian company targeted by EU sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, according to an official.

Captain Veronique Magnin of the French Maritime Prefecture said the "Baltic Leader" - a cargo vessel - was headed from Rouen, in Normandy, for the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.

It was stopped in the English Channel and diverted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France in the early hours of Saturday morning, Magnin added. She said ongoing checks were being carried out by customs officials and the ship's crew was "being cooperative."

The Russian embassy in France is seeking an explanation from authorities over the seizure, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency quoted the embassy as saying.

'This war will last,' warns France's Macron

Macron has warned the world must brace for a long war between Russia and Ukraine.

"I can tell you one thing this morning - it is that this war will last," he told France's annual agriculture fair, one of the main fixtures on the country's political calendar.

"This crisis will last, this war will last and all the crises that come with it will have lasting consequences," the French president added.

Kyiv mayor imposes curfew until Monday

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has imposed a stricter curfew in the Ukrainian capital as Russian troops press in on the city.

The measure will extend from 5pm local time on Saturday until 8am local time Monday morning, Klitschko's office said in a statement.

It added the new rules were needed to help rid the city of "the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups".

A previous curfew imposed two days ago lasted from 10pm until 7am local time each day.

Medvedev says Moscow does not 'especially need' diplomatic ties with the West

Moscow does not "especially need" diplomatic ties with the West anymore, ex-president and top security official Dmitry Medvedev has said.

"It's time to padlock the embassies and continue contacts looking at each other through binoculars and gun sights," Medvedev said in comments on his verified page on Russian social network VK.

He also shrugged off sweeping sanctions imposed on Moscow in the wake of its incursion.

"The sanctions are being imposed for one simple reason - political impotence arising from their (the West's) inability to change Russia's course," Medvedev said.

"[They] will not change a thing," he added, suggesting the measures gave Russia a good reason to pull out of dialogue with Western powers on arms control.

Poland says about 100,000 people have crossed from Ukraine

About 100,000 people have entered into Poland from Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion, the country's deputy interior minister has said.

The figure includes 9,000 people who had crossed since 7am local time (06:00 GMT) on Saturday, Pawel Szefernaker told a news conference.

Poland, an EU member state, was already home to more than one million Ukrainians before Russia's attack began and has seen a throng of refugees head for its borders since the assault began.

Read more here.

Internet in Ukraine disrupted as Russian troops advance

Internet connectivity in Ukraine has been badly affected, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country where fighting has been heaviest, NetBlocks says.

Connectivity to GigaTrans, Ukraine's main internet provider, dropped to below 20 percent of normal levels before returning to higher levels in the early hours of Friday morning, the internet blockage observatory said.

"We currently observe national connectivity at 87 percent of ordinary levels, a figure that reflects service disruptions as well as population flight and the shuttering of homes and businesses since the morning of the 24th," Alp Toker, the observatory's director, told Reuters.

Air raid near Zaporizhzhia causes 'utter panic'

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, says the situation in the area is "very tense" after a recent air raid near a checkpoint blocking access to the city.

"The situation here 10 minutes ago was of utter panic. A fighter jet passed very low overhead and a sudden obviously huge explosion," he said.

"The situation is very tense indeed. On our way to this checkpoint, we saw trenches being dug and what looked like civilian defence forces setting up along with the army to defend bridge positions. This city is of huge significance, it has a massive hydroelectric plant in it - so very important civilian infrastructure," Stratford added.

"We also understand that there is significant fighting in the east along the separatist-controlled line."

Poland will not play World Cup match with Russia

Poland will not play a World Cup qualifying football match against Russia next month because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the president of Poland's Football Association has announced.

"In light of the escalation of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine, the Polish national team is not going to play a match against Russian Republic," Cezary Kulesza said on Twitter. "This is the only right decision."

Russia is due to host Poland in the semi-finals of its strand of the World Cup playoffs on March 24 and, if its team advances, is scheduled to host either Sweden or the Czech Republic on March 29 in the Path B final.

Read more here.

🇵🇱🤝🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/2SnhdEPyqg

- Kamil Glik (@kamilglik25) February 26, 2022

Residents donate blood in Ukrainian city of Mariupol

Dozens of residents have made their way to Mariupol's hospital to donate blood while Ukrainian forces block the southeastern city's main roads with trees in a bid to stave off Russian forces.

"Heavy fighting is taking place near Mariupol," Podolyak, Zelenskyy's adviser, told a news briefing. "But there is no chance that Mariupol will surrender or be captured."

People waiting to give blood today in #Mariupol 's intensive care hospital as fighting rages and there are warnings the city could soon be surrounded.

"I don't know how to hold a weapon but at least I can give my blood this way," said doner Nik. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/AMO4Mb5axJ

- Liz Cookman (@liz_cookman) February 26, 2022

Ukraine's health minister puts death toll at nearly 200 people

Ukraine's health minister says 198 people, including three children, have been killed so far amid Russia's assault.

A further 1,115 people have been wounded, among them 33 children, Viktor Lyashko said in a statement on Facebook.

Ukrainians crowd Kyiv's train stations

Masses of people have headed to Kyiv's train stations as they desperately attempt to escape the city and flee Russia's assault.

"We have been trying to leave all day since this morning but as you can see it's unrealistic," a young girl at one station in the capital told Al Jazeera.

Russian regulator warns local media over war coverage

Russia's communications regulator has accused 10 local media outlets of falsely depicting what Moscow has termed its "special military operation" in Ukraine and distributing false information about events in the country.

Roskomnadzor, the regulator, ordered a number of independent media outlets including television channel Dozhd and Echo of Moscow radio to delete the offending information or face restricted access to their websites and media resources.

It called on the outlets to remove reports describing Moscow's attack on Ukraine as an "assault, invasion, or declaration of war".

Zelenskyy calls for Ukraine to be granted EU membership

Zelenskyy has called for his country to be admitted to the EU.

"It is a crucial moment to close the long-standing discussion once and for all and decide on Ukraine's membership in the EU," the Ukrainian leader wrote on Twitter.

Zelenskyy added he had discussed "further effective assistance" as well as "the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their free future" with European Council President Charles Michel.

Ukraine embassy staff evacuating from Moscow, Latvia says

The staff of Ukraine's embassy in Moscow is evacuating to Latvia, the Latvian foreign ministry has told Reuters.

"It was their plea, we readily agreed. We are assisting them in the process and help with settling down," ministry spokesperson Janis Bekeris said.

He declined to say whether the embassy staff had already arrived in Latvia, citing security concerns.

Fighting continues but Kyiv 'is under control'

Podolyak, Zelenskyy's adviser, says Ukrainian forces have been able to mount a strong defence of the capital.

Russian forces are still trying to move a large number of troops and equipment into the city, and fighting continues to take place on its outskirts, Podolyak was quoted as saying by Ukraine's UNIAN news agency.

"Both in the city itself and on the outskirts of Kyiv, the situation is under control," he said.

Russia: Over 800 Ukrainian military infrastructure sites destroyed

Russia has crippled the operations of more than 800 Ukrainian military infrastructure sites so far, the country's defence ministry says.

Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said 14 military airfields, 19 command posts, 24 S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems and 48 radar stations had been destroyed. In addition, eight Ukrainian naval boats were hit, he said.

Ukrainian foreign minister calls for Russian oil embargo

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called for a full isolation of Russia, including an embargo on the purchase of Russian crude oil.

"I demand the world: fully isolate Russia, expel ambassadors, oil embargo, ruin its economy," Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

Kyiv, our splendid, peaceful city, survived another night under attacks by Russian ground forces, missiles. One of them has hit a residential apartment in Kyiv. I demand the world: fully isolate Russia, expel ambassadors, oil embargo, ruin its economy. Stop Russian war criminals! pic.twitter.com/c3ia46Ctjq

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 26, 2022

Damage to residential building near Kyiv airport

Kyiv's mayor says a missile has hit an apartment building in the city, but that no casualties have been immediately reported.

Klitschko said the missile slammed into a high-rise building on the capital's southwestern outskirts, near Zhuliany airport. He said that rescue workers were heading to the site.

Read more here.

Poland, Lithuania and Germany to discuss sanctions on Russia

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin to discuss sanctions on Russia, Polish government spokesperson Piotr Muller says on Twitter.

"At the initiative of Prime Minister Morawiecki a meeting will be held in Berlin today. Prime Minister Morawiecki together with the President of Lithuania will hold talks with the German Chancellor," Muller said in a tweet.

"The European Union must immediately adopt a package of ruthlessly harsh sanctions against Russia."

Russia suspends space launches from French Guiana over sanctions

Russia is suspending space launches from French Guiana and withdrawing its technical personnel in response to EU sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the space agency says.

"In response to EU sanctions against our enterprises, Roskosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners over organizing space launches from the Kourou cosmodrome and withdrawing its technical personnel... from French Guiana," Dmitry Rogozin, chief of the Russian space agency, said on Telegram.

Russia targets Ukraine military infrastructure with cruise missiles

The Russian army has targeted Ukraine's military infrastructure with air and sea-based cruise missiles, the country's defence ministry says.

"During the night, the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a strike with long-range precision weapons using air and sea-launched cruise missiles against the military infrastructure of Ukraine," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in televised remarks.

The ministry also said its troops have captured the Ukrainian city of Melitopol, in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.

'We won't put down weapons': Zelenskyy vows to fight on in Kyiv

The Ukrainian president recorded a video address outside his presidential office in Kyiv urging residents not to believe in "fakes" about the surrender of the Ukrainian army.

"I am here. We will not put down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth," Zelenskyy said, denouncing as disinformation claims that he had surrendered or fled.

Read more here.

⚡️Zelensky posts another video filmed in central Kyiv.

"There's a lot of fake information online that I call on our army to lay down arms, and that there's evacuation," he said.

"I'm here. We won't lay down our arms. We will defend our state." pic.twitter.com/VKVY4XRUip

- The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 26, 2022

Biden signs order to give Ukraine $600m in military assistance

US President Joe Biden has signed a memorandum to provide up to $600m in "immediate military assistance" to Ukraine.

The order directs Secretary of State Antony Blinken to provide "immediate military assistance to Ukraine" of up to $250m "in assistance without regard to any provision of law".

A further $350m was allocated "in defence articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training," the order said.

'Extraordinarily awful night' on Kyiv

Ukraine's capital witnessed relentless bombardment by Russia's Air Force, shuddering the city with ballistic missiles, Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons said.

"Here in the capital, the force of the conflict has reached a seismic level," he said, speaking from Kyiv.

"During the night, everyone has take some form of shelter, most of them below the ground, some of them in whatever form of handy shelter people could get. No one slept properly tonight."

Ukraine reports fresh air, cruise missile strikes

Ukraine's military command said areas near the cities of Sumy, Poltava and Mariupol were hit by air raids on Friday, with Russian Kalibr cruise missiles launched at the country from the Black Sea.

Russian and Ukrainian forces clash near Kyiv

Russian and Ukrainian forces have clashed on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as authorities urged citizens to help defend the city from advancing Russian forces.

Meta to bar Russian state media from running ads, monetising on platform

Meta Platforms Inc is barring Russian state media from running ads or monetising on its platform anywhere in the world, the parent company of social media giant Facebook has said.

"We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media," its security policy head, Nathaniel Gleicher, said on Twitter. "These changes have already begun rolling out and will continue into the weekend."

He added, "We are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on our platform anywhere in the world."

Read more here.

1/ We are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on our platform anywhere in the world. We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media. These changes have already begun rolling out and will continue into the weekend.

- Nathaniel Gleicher (@ngleicher) February 26, 2022

Day three of Russian attack on Ukraine: What we know so far

A roundup of key events that took place on the third day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine can be found here.

Japan considering imposing sanctions against Belarus

Japan is considering imposing economic sanctions on Belarus, in line with the US, for its support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, two government officials with knowledge of the matter have told Reuters news agency.

It was not immediately clear which individuals or entities would be targeted by such sanctions. The officials said Tokyo will coordinate with other members of the Group of Seven (G7) industrial powers.

Japan has announced sanctions on Russia over the invasion, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida terming Moscow's moves an unacceptable violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and international law.

Russian troops attack Kyiv military base, are repelled, Ukraine army says

Russian troops attacked an army base in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv but the assault was repelled, the Ukrainian military has said in a Facebook post.

Separately, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency said Russian soldiers were trying to capture one of the city's electricity generating stations.

Frequent artillery blasts heard in Kyiv: Witness

Frequent artillery blasts could be heard in Kyiv, coming from an unspecified location some distance from the city centre, the Reuters news agency reported, citing a witness.

'Nazi-style course of action': Ukraine blasts Russia at UNSC meet

Ukraine's ambassador to the UN has railed against Russia at a meeting of the UN Security Council, calling the Russian invasion "a Nazi-style course of action".

Sergiy Kyslytsya also accused Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia of violating Security Council rules by continuing as president of the council during votes and actions that concerned his country.

For his part, Nebenzia thanked the Security Council members who did not support a draft resolution condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine, which he described as anti-Russian.

"Your draft resolution is nothing other than yet another brutal, inhumane move in this Ukrainian chessboard," Nebenzia said after the vote.

Read more here.

Guatemalan president orders return of ambassador to Russia

Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei has said that he has ordered the return of the Central American country's ambassador to Russia, adding that his government rejected Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Giammattei had earlier expressed "full support for the sovereignty of Ukraine as like-minded countries and stand in solidarity with its people and government".

UN chief says Russian soldiers should 'return to their barracks'

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on soldiers in Russia's war on Ukraine to "return to their barracks".

"We must never give up. We must give peace another chance," he told reporters after Moscow vetoed a UN resolution condemning its "aggression" in Ukraine.

Australia seeks to join global move to hit Putin with sanctions

Australia seeks to join others in imposing direct sanctions on Putin and has extended its punitive financial measures to members of Russia's parliament and more oligarchs, Foreign Minister Marise Payne has said.

"It is an exceptional step to sanction leaders, but this is an exceptional situation," Payne said at a press conference, adding that the government is seeking advice on how to follow other nations in the move.

"Vladimir Putin has unparalleled personal power over his country and he has chosen to go to war against a neighbour that posed no threat to Russia, because he wants to reverse history and take away the freedom and the democracy that the Ukrainian people chose for themselves."

In its new sanctions, Payne said Australia will target 339 members of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament and eight more oligarchs. The new measures follow a series of Australian sanctions announced earlier in the week.

Ukraine says two commercial ships hit by Russian missiles near Odesa port

Ukraine has said Russian warships shelled a Moldovan-flagged chemical tanker and a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship due to load grain near the Odesa port in the Black Sea.

A total of three non-military vessels have now been hit since the start of the invasion. On Thursday, the Turkish-owned Yasa Jupiter cargo ship was struck off Odesa.

Ukraine's president says Russia will try to 'storm' Kyiv overnight

Zelenskyy has said that Russian troops would attempt to take the capital city, Kyiv, during the night.

"I have to say absolutely openly. This night will be more difficult than the day. Many cities of our state are under attack," Zelenskyy said in a video address to the nation.

"Special attention on Kyiv - we cannot lose the capital," he added in the clip released by the presidency.

"I am turning to our defenders, male and female, on all fronts: this night the enemy will use all the forces it has to crush our defence in a treacherous, harsh and inhumane way," he said. "Tonight they will attempt a storming," he added, in an apparent reference to the capital.

White House asks Congress for $6.4bn for Ukraine crisis

The White House asked Congress to approve $6.4bn in aid to address the Ukraine crisis, including $2.9bn in security and humanitarian assistance and $3.5bn for the defence department, Biden administration and congressional aides have said.

"In a recent conversation with lawmakers, the administration identified the need for additional US humanitarian, security, and economic assistance to Ukraine and Central European partners due to Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion," an official from the White House Office of Management and Budget said.

Russia 'cannot veto our voices', US envoy to UN says

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US envoy to the UN, has said that Russia "will not veto accountability" shortly after Moscow vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning its attack on Ukraine.

"Russia can veto this resolution, but cannot veto our voices," she wrote on Twitter.

Russia can veto this resolution, but cannot veto our voices.

Russia cannot veto the truth.

Russia cannot veto our principles.

Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people.

Russia cannot veto the UN Charter.

And Russia will not veto accountability.

- Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) February 25, 2022

Moody's puts Russia, Ukraine ratings on review for downgrade

Moody's said it has put the credit ratings of Russia and Ukraine on review for a downgrade.

There are "serious concerns" around Russia's ability to manage the disruptive impact of new sanctions on its economy, public finances and financial system, the ratings agency said.

Russia currently has an investment-grade rating of Baa3; a downgrade will lower its rating to junk status. Ukraine has a B3 rating and Moody's said an extensive conflict could pose a risk to the government's liquidity and external positions, given the country's sizeable external maturities in the coming years and the reliance of its economy on foreign-currency funding.

Russia vetoes UN Security action on Ukraine, China abstains

Russia has vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, while China abstained from the vote - a move Western countries view as a win for demonstrating Russia's international isolation.

The United Arab Emirates and India also abstained from the vote on the US-drafted text. The remaining 11 council members voted in favour. The draft resolution is now expected to be taken up by the 193-member UN General Assembly.

Russia's invasion 'threatens international system', US envoy to UN says

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US envoy to the UN, has accused Russia of threatening the international system with its invasion of Ukraine.

"Russia's latest attack on our most fundamental principles is so bold, so brazen that it threatens our international system as we know it. We have a solemn obligation to not look away," she told the UN Security Council.

Echoing Biden's comments from earlier this week, Thomas-Greenfield said Russia is engaged in a "war of choice" in Ukraine.

"Russia chose to inflict untold suffering on the Ukrainian people and on its own citizens," she said. "Russia chose to violate Ukraine's sovereignty, to violate international law, to violate the UN Charter."

Russia will 'most likely veto any resolution': Amnesty chief

Agnes Callamard, the secretary general of Amnesty International, has said that Russia "will most likely veto any resolution" at the UN Security Council meeting.

"If the UNSC is paralysed, it is up to the entire membership to step up," she said.

She called for the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution denouncing Russia's "unlawful attack" and "calling for an end to all violations of humanitarian law and human rights".

"The lives, safety and wellbeing of millions of civilians is at stake," she added, though a UNGA resolution would be non-binding.

IMF says Ukraine requested emergency funding

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Ukraine has requested emergency funding.

Georgieva said the IMF will "work closely with the authorities to support Ukraine" in all ways it can.

"Beyond Ukraine, the repercussions of the conflict pose significant economic risks in the region and around the world," she added in a statement. "We are assessing the potential implications, including for the functioning of the financial system, commodity markets, and the direct impact on countries with economic ties to the region."

Canada to impose sanctions on Russia's Putin

Canada is imposing sanctions on Putin and Lavrov, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

"We will be imposing sanctions on President Putin and his fellow architects of this barbaric war, his chief of staff and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov," Trudeau told a news conference. "These men bear the greatest responsibility for the death and destruction occurring in Ukraine."

Canada will also levy additional sanctions on Belarus and its leaders for "abetting" Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Trudeau said.

He also expressed support for barring Russia from the SWIFT international financial messaging system.

Ukraine and Russia are discussing place and time for talks: Reports

Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks, Zelenskyy's spokesman has said.

"Ukraine was and remains ready to talk about a ceasefire and peace," spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov said on social media.

Ukrainian diaspora in US, Canada rallies against 'surreal' attack

The Ukrainian diaspora in the US and Canada is demonstrating, fundraising and organising social media campaigns, as well as calling on their elected leaders to act after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Read more here.

Bulgaria closes its airspace to Russian carriers

Bulgaria will ban flights into the country operated by Russian airlines and will close its airspace to all Russian aircraft from Saturday, the country's transport ministry has said.

The ministry said the move was a result of the escalation of the military conflict and as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine.

US to provide additional security aid to Ukraine, Pentagon says

The US will provide additional security assistance to Ukraine, the Pentagon has said, adding it was determining the best way to deliver that support.

"I'll be very clear here: We are going to provide additional security assistance for Ukraine. We will. How that is going to be done is still being worked out," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said during a news briefing, adding: "The airspace over Ukraine is contested."

UK bans Russian private jets from its airspace

UK transport minister Grant Shapps has said that no Russian private jet can fly in UK airspace or touch down, effective immediately.

"Putin's actions are unlawful and anyone benefitting from Russia's aggression in Ukraine is not welcome here. I've strengthened our ban in the UK so that no Russian private jet can fly in UK airspace, or touchdown - effective immediately," Shapps tweeted.

Poland and the Czech Republic also said they were banning Russian airlines from their respective airspace, while other air passenger carriers, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, began routing flights around Russian airspace.

Putin's actions are unlawful and anyone benefitting from Russia's aggression in Ukraine is not welcome here. I've strengthened our ban in the UK so that no Russian private jet can fly in UK airspace, or touchdown - effective immediately.

- Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) February 25, 2022

Welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

Read all the updates from Friday, February 25, here.

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Latest Russia-Ukraine updates: Battles rage for Ukraine's cities

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Kyiv's mayor imposes a city-wide curfew lasting until Monday morning after fighting reaches the capital's streets. The United States and its Western allies move to supply Kyiv with weapons as it faces down Russia's invasion. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the country's forces "have withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks".

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MOSCOW, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday said there were no concrete plans for a summit over Ukraine between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden, after the French president said the two leaders had agreed a meeting in principle.

A summit might offer a possible path out of Europe's biggest military crisis in decades, and financial markets edged higher on the glimmer of hope for a diplomatic solution.

However, both Washington and Moscow played down hopes of a breakthrough, and satellite imagery appeared to show Russian deployments closer to Ukraine's border than before.

Western countries accuse Russia of planning an invasion of its neighbour. Moscow denies planning any attack but has demanded security guarantees including a promise that Ukraine would never join NATO.

Nerves were further frayed when the Belarusian defence ministry announced on Sunday that Russia would extend military drills in Belarus that had been due to end. Russia has tens of thousands of troops there, north of the Ukrainian border.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that a phone call or meeting between Putin and Biden could be set up at any time, but there were no concrete plans yet for a summit. Tensions were growing, but diplomatic contacts were active and a meeting of foreign ministers was possible this week.

He also said Putin would imminently address an extraordinary session of Russia's Security Council.

The White House said in a statement that Biden had accepted the meeting "in principle" but only "if an invasion hasn't happened".

"We are always ready for diplomacy," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. "We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences, should Russia instead choose war."

Western countries are preparing sanctions they say would be far-reaching against Russian companies and individuals in the event that Russia invades, including steps to bar U.S. financial institutions from processing transactions for major Russian banks, people familiar with the matter said. read more

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, arriving in Brussels to meet his European Union counterparts, urged the bloc to start imposing some sanctions on Russia now to show it was serious about wanting to prevent a war. read more

The West has so far rebuffed Kyiv's calls to impose tighter sanctions now, arguing that to work as a deterrent they must be saved as a potential punishment if Russia invades.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he still saw room for diplomacy, but would convene an extraordinary EU meeting to agree sanctions "when the moment comes".

U.S. stock index futures rallied on prospects for further diplomacy, the euro rose and stocks steadied around the world.

French President Emmanuel Macron's office said in a statement that he had pitched a summit on "security and strategic stability in Europe" to both leaders.

SUMMIT PLANS UNCLEAR

Macron's office and the White House said the substance of the plan would be worked out by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a meeting planned for Feb. 24.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Twitter that he would hold talks with Lavrov later on Monday.

Ukraine welcomed a possible summit between but said it must be included in any decisions aimed at resolving the crisis.

"No one can resolve our issue without us," Ukraine's top security official Oleksiy Danilov told a briefing. "Everything should happen with our participation."

Macron's announcement followed a volley of phone calls between Macron, Biden, Putin, Zelenskiy and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

U.S.-based satellite imagery company Maxar on Sunday reported multiple new deployments of Russian military units in forests, farms, and industrial areas as little as 15 km (9 miles) from the border with Ukraine. read more

Blinken said the extension of the exercises in Belarus made him more worried that Russia was on the brink of an attack. read more

In a letter to U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet seen by Reuters, the United States said an invasion "could create a human rights catastrophe" and might include rounding up and killing opponents.

Washington has also repeatedly raised concerns that Russia could manufacture a pretext for an invasion with a so-called false flag attack designed to look as if it had been carried out by Ukraine. Russia accuses the West of hysteria.

Sporadic shelling across the line dividing Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the east has intensified since Thursday, with both sides trading blame.

The separatists have been busing out civilians, accusing Kyiv of planning an attack. Ukraine and the West view the rebels as Russian proxies, escalating to provide Moscow with a justification to invade.

Sounds of fighting were heard again on Monday, including a blast in the centre of the separatist-held city of Donetsk. The cause could not be determined.

Russia's FSB intelligence service said a shell fired from Ukrainian territory had hit a Russian border guard post in the city of Rostov, but that no one had been hurt. read more

The rebels said two civilians were killed in shelling by Kyiv government forces, Russia's RIA news agency said. Russian media reported 61,000 evacuees from east Ukraine had crossed into Russia.

Kyiv denies firing on civilians or across the border into Russia. Washington says accusations that Kyiv would intentionally escalate the conflict are absurd at a time when Russia has massed troops on the border.

Reporting by Reuters bureaux Writing by Kevin Liffey Editing by Peter Graff

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Kremlin says no concrete plans for summit with Biden over Ukraine

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The Kremlin on Monday said there were no concrete plans for a summit over Ukraine between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden, after the French president said the two leaders had agreed a meeting in principle.

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Chinas citizens have expressed their confidence and support in Russia and how they believe that everything Putin is ordering is the exact thing that should be happening, they are pro-Russia, pro-war and pro-Putin.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/27/business/china-russia-ukraine-invasion.html

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Why the Chinese Internet Is Cheering Russia’s Invasion (Published 2022)

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As the world overwhelmingly condemns the assault on Ukraine, online opinion in China is mostly pro-Russia, pro-war and pro-Putin.

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French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have agreed to work for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, with the foreign ministers of the two countries set to meet in the coming days.https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/20/ukraines-zelenskyy-calls-on-putin-to-meet-as-tensions-soar-live

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Will this conflict effect us?

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Ukraine says hundreds of people have been killed so far in Russia’s invasion, with fighting widespread across the country and Russian forces advancing on the capital, Kyiv.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin ordered wide-ranging attacks on Ukraine on Thursday, hitting multiple cities and bases with air raids or shelling, and attacking by land and sea.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/24/russia-ukraine-invasion-casualties-death-toll

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Debris and rubble are seen where a missile landed in the street in Kyiv, Ukraine [Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters]

Ukraine says hundreds of people have been killed so far in Russia's invasion, with fighting widespread across the country and Russian forces advancing on the capital, Kyiv.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered wide-ranging attacks on Ukraine on Thursday, hitting multiple cities and bases with air raids or shelling, and attacking by land and sea.

Ukraine's health ministry said on Sunday that at least 352 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed since the Russian invasion began.

A further 1,684 people have been wounded, it said.

The United Nations said late on Saturday that it has confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties from the fighting, including at least 64 people killed, though it believed the "real figures are considerably higher" because many reports of casualties remain unconfirmed.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) relayed the count from the UN human rights office, which has strict methodologies and verification procedures about the toll from conflict.

The Ukrainian civilian casualties included three people who were killed on Thursday in the eastern port city of Mariupol, according to its mayor, as well as a boy who was killed in eastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region after shelling struck an apartment building.

'Significant losses'

It is not clear how many Ukrainian soldiers have died during the Russian invasion.

But Kyiv reported on Friday that 18 people were killed at a military base near the Black Sea port of Odesa in the deadliest single attack of Russia's assault.

Moscow has not released figures on casualties among its troops either.

The Ukrainian military says at least 4,500 Russian soldiers had been killed, and Moscow has acknowledged that Russian soldiers had been killed and wounded. But it has said that its losses were far lower than those suffered by Ukraine.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the figures.

Meanwhile, at least 368,000 people have now fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of Russia's invasion, the UN refugee agency said on Sunday.

On the battlefield, Ukraine's military claimed on Monday that Russia had suffered "significant losses," including 150 tanks, 700 armoured vehicles and 26 helicopters.

For its part, Russia claimed on Sunday that it has hit more than 1,000 Ukrainian military targets since the invasion began. The "destroyed targets" include 27 command posts, 38 S-300 Buk M-1 and Osa air defence missile systems as well as 56 radars.

'Brutal act of war'

After weeks of denying plans to invade, Putin justified his actions in a televised address early on Thursday, asserting that the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine - a claim Ukraine and its allies have slammed as false and a pretext for a wider invasion.

Putin also accused the United States and its allies of ignoring Russia's demands for Ukraine to be barred from joining NATO and for security guarantees. He has also called Ukraine an artificial creation and denied its right to statehood.

After Russia launched attacks on Thursday, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy declared martial law, cut diplomatic ties with Moscow and called on civilians to join the fight to defend Ukraine.

"As of today, our countries are on different sides of world history," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. "Russia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself and won't give up its freedom."

Jens Stoltenberg, the chief of the NATO alliance, said Russia's "brutal act of war" shattered peace in Europe, joining a chorus of world leaders who decried the attack, which could cause massive casualties, topple Ukraine's democratically elected government and upend the post-Cold War security order.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has voiced alarm over an expected health emergency in Ukraine.

"Amid the conflict rapidly unfolding in Ukraine, the WHO Regional Office for Europe reiterates its deepest concern for the safety, health and wellbeing of all civilians impacted by the crisis in the country and possibly beyond," the office said in a statement, warning any further escalation could result in a humanitarian catastrophe.

The European arm of the WHO added it was working closely "with all UN partners in rapidly scaling up readiness to respond to the expected health emergency triggered by the conflict".

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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Ukraine says hundreds of people have been killed so far in Russia's invasion, with fighting widespread across the country and Russian forces advancing on the capital, Kyiv. Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered wide-ranging attacks on Ukraine on Thursday, hitting multiple cities and bases with air raids or shelling, and attacking by land and sea.

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.KHARKIV, Ukraine — An increasingly isolated Russia on Sunday put its nuclear forces on alert as government leaders around the world pledged economic measures to further punish the Kremlin for its brutal invasion and tactical weapons to arm the Ukrainian resistance.

.Ukrainian officials have charged that Russian soldiers have indiscriminately fired on ambulances, kindergartens and residential neighborhoods. At least 353 civilians have been killed in the four days since the invasion began, Ukrainian officials said Sunday. An additional 1,684 civilians have been wounded, including 116 children.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/02/27/ukraine-russia-putin-nuclear-alert/

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Luhansk and Donetsk regions recognised as as independent states by Russia

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Ukraine crisis live: Kremlin says talk of specific plan for Biden-Putin summit is 'premature'

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Putin spokesman says Russian and US presidents could meet if necessary but no concrete plans are in place

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The New York Times highlights that Russian troops may not fulfill the wars true violence as promised because of how many relatives and friends that Russians have in Ukraine.

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Despite the Kremlin's efforts to obscure the offensive in Ukraine, the costs of the war were already evident in both economic and social turmoil.

Walking past Red Square in Moscow on Saturday. Credit... Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

MOSCOW - President Vladimir V. Putin has ushered in a crisis for his country - in its economy and identity.

The Kremlin is hiding the reality of the country's attack on Ukraine from its own people, even cracking down on news outlets that call it a "war."

But the economic carnage and societal turmoil wrought by Mr. Putin's invasion is becoming increasingly difficult to obscure.

Airlines canceled once-ubiquitous flights to Europe. The Central Bank scrambled to deliver ruble bills as the demand for cash spiked 58-fold. Economists warned of more inflation, greater capital flight and slower growth; and the S&P credit rating agency downgraded Russia to "junk" status.

The emphasis on hiding the war's true extent was a sign that the Kremlin fears that Russians would disapprove of a violent, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a country where many millions of Russians have relatives and friends.

Even so, more public figures with ties to the state spoke out against the war, including a lawmaker in Russia's rubber-stamp Parliament. Business owners tried to assess the consequences of an economic crisis that appeared already to be beginning, even before sanctions were fully in place.

Facing the greatest test yet of its reality-distorting prowess, the Kremlin's propaganda machine for the moment appeared to be keeping widespread opposition to the war in check. There were no signs that the war could undermine Mr. Putin's hold on power, and in the event of a speedy victory, analysts noted, it could end up strengthening it.

But the enormous risks of the war, along with the economic pressure the country was suddenly under, have created a new and more treacherous reality for both the Kremlin and Russia's 145 million people.

Russians have been stunned at how quickly the economic impact of the war was being felt. The ruble hit its lowest level ever against the dollar, which traded at about 84 rubles on Saturday compared to 74 a few weeks ago. That sent prices for imports surging, while sanctions on Russia's largest banks wreaked havoc in the financial markets and new export restrictions promised to scramble supply chains.

"Those who shout that Putin is great and bravo to him are no longer shouting as loud," said Lalya Sadykova, the owner of a chain of beauty salons in St. Petersburg. "They're in shock from what is happening, from how quickly prices are changing and how suppliers are stopping deliveries."

The chief executive of one of Russia's biggest electronics retailers, DNS, said on Thursday that a supply crunch had forced his chain to raise prices some 30 percent. Days earlier, the chief executive, Dmitri Alekseyev, had posted on Facebook: "For the life of me I can't understand why Russia needs a war."

"I understand that the prices in stores provoke frustration," Mr. Alekseyev wrote. "But that's the reality."

S7, Russia's second-largest airline, suspended all of its flights to Europe because of airspace closures to Russian companies, an early sign that the cheap and easy travel to the West that middle-class Russians had grown used to could become a thing of the past. Photos of retailers changing or removing their price tags went viral on social media.

"We're all waiting for what happens next," said Anastasia Baranova, describing a wave of cancellations on Friday at the hotel she runs in St. Petersburg. "It's as though the whole country is on pause."

The Kremlin rushed to maintain its narrative, signaling the start of a new and more brutal phase in its long-running crackdown on dissent. The government's communications regulator slowed down access to Facebook and warned 10 Russian news outlets that their websites could be blocked. The outlets' declared offense was publishing articles "in which the operation that is being carried out is called an attack, an invasion or a declaration of war."

Even as a vicious battle for Kyiv unfolded on Saturday morning, a Russian Defense Ministry statement about the situation in Ukraine made no mention of the Ukrainian capital or any Russian casualties. The ministry, which typically releases sleek and copious footage daily of the Russian military in action, published no videos of its combat operations in Ukraine.

And Russia's state-run news channel on Saturday showed footage of a peaceful day in Kyiv to try to counter the videos of violence spreading on the social network Telegram.

"As you can see, the situation in the cities is calm," the anchor said. "No explosions, no bombings, unlike what some of the Telegram channels are writing."

A hint of the potential opposition came on Saturday when Mikhail Matveyev, a Communist lawmaker who had voted to endorse Mr. Putin's recognition of the Russian-backed separatist territories, wrote on Twitter that he had been tricked.

"I was voting for peace, and not for war," he wrote, "and not for Kyiv to be bombed."

It was a rare crack in the firmament of the Parliament, where dissent over Mr. Putin's key foreign policy decisions has been virtually nonexistent in recent years. Tatyana Yumasheva, the daughter of former President Boris N. Yeltsin who helped bring Mr. Putin to power, posted an antiwar message on Facebook.

The Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow, a sleek showcase of a Westward-looking Russia founded by the Kremlin-friendly oligarch Roman Abramovich, declared it would cease working on new exhibits until the "human and political tragedy" ceased in Ukraine.

"We cannot keep up the illusion of normality," the museum said. "We see ourselves as part of a greater world that is not broken up by war."

Still, it appeared on Saturday that the Kremlin's enforced blinders were doing their job, as were the clear dangers of voicing dissent. The spontaneous antiwar rallies that brought several thousand people to the streets in cities across the country on Thursday, with more than 1,500 arrests, were not repeated at that scale on Friday.

While many in Russia's intellectual elite voiced horror and the fence across from the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow filled up with flowers, there was little evidence of a broader groundswell of opposition.

Understand Russia's Attack on Ukraine

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"The propaganda is working very well," said Anastasia Nikolskaya, a Moscow sociologist. "It's not that anyone is welcoming the war, but it is being seen as a last-ditch measure that is necessary."

The main determining factor for what comes next, of course, will be what happens on the battlefield in Ukraine - the longer the war lasts and the greater the loss of life and destruction, the more difficult it will be for the Kremlin to cast the war as a limited operation not directed against the Ukrainian people.

Andrei Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a research organization close to the Russian government, said he believed that the Kremlin expected the fighting to last no more than two weeks.

If Russia forced a capitulation of the Ukrainian army within that time, with limited destruction and limited Russian and civilian casualties, Mr. Kortunov said, Mr. Putin should be able to count on continuing domestic support.

But if the war does not go according to plan, Mr. Kortunov cautioned, the country could see "serious political consequences and consequences for the popularity of the leadership."

"Victory will write off a lot - not everything, but a lot," Mr. Kortunov said. "If there is no victory, then there may be some complications because of course, many doubt that there were no other policy alternatives."

There were indications that recent days were only the beginning of a new chapter in Mr. Putin's conflict with the West and of his crackdown on freedoms at home. Dmitri A. Medvedev, the vice chairman of Mr. Putin's security council, speculated in a social-media post on Saturday that Russia might reintroduce the death penalty or seize foreigners' assets in Russia as a response to Western sanctions.

"The interesting part is only beginning ... ," he wrote.

Despite the economic pain, sanctions are unlikely to alter Russia's course in the near term, analysts say. Russia has the reserves to prop up the ruble, and the Kremlin has worked to insulate the economy from external shocks since it was hit by sanctions over the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The real cost of sanctions will be Russia's long-term development, said Yevgeny Nadorshin, chief economist at the PF Capital consulting company in Moscow. Incomes will further stagnate, and the country's middle class will continue shrinking. Many of the country's manufacturers that launched the production of modern trains, cars and other products over the past decade will face serious trouble if the West bans technology exports to Russia, he said.

The country will be stable, Mr. Nadorshin said. However, he added, this stability "will resemble a swamp where nothing happens and changes even as forests burn around it."

"Some reeds will bloom in this swamp, but there will only be scorched land around it," said Mr. Nadorshin. "You can get into that swamp, but you will get stuck in it and you may eventually drown."

And beyond the economic impact of the war, many Russians could not yet imagine coming to terms with living in a country that had launched an unprovoked assault on its neighbor. A steady stream of people came to the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow on Friday, bringing flowers. A police officer prevented a woman from also leaving a small sign that said: "Yes to peace."

"I fear meeting Ukrainians and looking them in the eye," said a designer, Aleksei, 28, declining to give his last name for fear of repercussions from the security services. "That is the scariest thing of all."

Alina Lobzina and Oleg Matsnev contributed reporting from Moscow.

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Despite the Kremlin's efforts to obscure the offensive in Ukraine, the costs of the war were already evident in both economic and social turmoil. MOSCOW - President Vladimir V. Putin has ushered in a crisis for his country - in its economy and identity.

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President Biden agreed to meet with Vladimir Putin in order to try and stop this possible war that might occur.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/20/ukraine-russia-biden-agrees-to-meet-putin-in-principle-if-no-invasion.html

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President Joe Biden has accepted "in principle" a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in what could represent a last-ditch effort at diplomacy over tensions surrounding Ukraine and a possible avenue to avert a looming invasion directed by Moscow.

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said Sunday evening that the summit between the two world leaders would happen following a meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. That meeting is scheduled for later this week.

Psaki noted that the agreement is conditioned on Moscow holding off on an invasion.

"As the President has repeatedly made clear, we are committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins," Psaki said in a statement. "President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin following that engagement, again, if an invasion hasn't happened. We are always ready for diplomacy."

The Kremlin said on Monday that there were currently no concrete plans for a meeting between Putin and Biden, according to Reuters.

News of a possible one-on-one between Biden and Putin comes as the White House warns that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could come at any time. Moscow has for weeks built up its military force on its ex-Soviet neighbor's northern and eastern borders, with recent totals putting Russia's force at about 190,000.

The threat of an assault by Russia has kept global markets on edge for much of the last several weeks, with oil prices climbing and equities volatile.

The broad S&P 500, which tracks the equity performance of the largest U.S. companies, is down 3.69% in February, while the Nasdaq Composite has shed 4.8%. West Texas crude oil futures have gained 4.2% over the past month.

The potential for imminent conflict forced Biden earlier on Sunday to scrap plans to return to his home in Delaware following a two-hour meeting with his national security team.

The rare Sunday National Security Council meeting began around noon and lasted a little over two hours, according to reporters who watched the attendees arrive and then depart the White House compound. The abrupt cancellation to the president's holiday-weekend plans carries heightened meaning in recent days given the administration's belief in a looming Russian offensive.

Biden spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, who's emerged as a crucial diplomat between the U.S. and Russia over the course of the frenzied weekend. Macron's office said that, this weekend alone, the French president spoke with Biden, Putin, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Moscow has to date insisted it has no plans to invade Ukraine and said its forces in Belarus are there to conduct military drills over the next week.

Despite U.S. concerns that Russia could strike any day, the White House has also stressed that there's still room for diplomacy. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg appeared to leave room for a peaceful solution when he spoke with CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

"They have all the capabilities in place, Russia, to launch an attack on Ukraine without any warning at all. No one is denying that Russia has all these forces in place," Stoltenberg said. "The question is, will they launch an attack?"

Those comments came as Russia's military launched ballistic and cruise missiles on Saturday, an exercise the Kremlin called a "planned exercise of the strategic deterrence forces."
- CNBC's Christina Wilkie contributed reporting

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Biden agrees 'in principle' to meet with Putin if Russia has not invaded Ukraine

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President Joe Biden has accepted "in principle" a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in what could represent a last-ditch effort at diplomacy over tensions surrounding Ukraine and a possible avenue to avert a looming invasion directed by Moscow.

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Key areas across Ukraine were at risk of falling to Russian troops Thursday evening as fighting with Ukrainian forces escalated after a full-fledged invasion that began in the early morning hours.

Russian paratroopers seized the Antonov International Airport, located in Hostomel on the outskirts of Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, and fighting with Ukrainian troops was still occurring late on Thursday, according to The Kyiv Independent. Downed jets and missile strikes were reported in other parts of the country, including the eastern city of Kharkiv. A Ukraine official notedThursday that positional fighting between forces “continues almost throughout the country.” Adding to the confusion, massive cyberattacks downed government websites.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2022-02-24/russia-ukraine-fighting-escalates-after-invasion

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China has been in a very interesting situation with Russia as they have had good relations with Russia |  Sebastian 

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China has been in a very interesting situation with Russia as they have had good relations with Russia |  Sebastian 

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https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-rejects-calling-russia-move-invasion-urges-citizens-ukraine-stay-home-2022-02-24/

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WASHINGTON/BEIJING, Feb 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said any country that backed Russia's onslaught in Ukraine would be "stained by association," after China rejected calling Moscow's move an invasion and instead urged all sides to exercise restraint.

Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides after Moscow mounted an assault on Ukraine by land, sea and air in the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two. read more

Biden, speaking to reporters at the White House where he unveiled tough new sanctions on Russia coordinated with allies, said Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions represented a dangerous moment for freedom around the world.

"Putin will be a pariah on the international stage. Any nation that countenances Russia's naked aggression against Ukraine will be stained by association," Biden said without naming China.

Asked if he was urging China to isolate Russia, Biden said: "I'm not prepared to comment on that at the moment."

Biden said Putin's action "betrays a sinister vision for a future of our world; one where nations take what they want by force."

White House spokeswoman Jan Psaki told a later news briefing "this is really a moment for China, for any country, about what side of history they want to stand on here."

She noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken to his Chinese counterpart about Ukraine this week and that Biden was "certainly open to speaking with his counterpart," referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. read more

However, she added: "I don't have any prediction of that at this point in time."

Some geopolitical analysts said Russia's action could embolden China over Taiwan, a democratically governed island Beijing says is part of China and has vowed to reclaim by force, if necessary. read more

Russia attacked Ukraine three weeks after Putin met with Xi Jinping in the run-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics that ended on Sunday. The two announced a strategic partnership aimed at countering U.S. influence and said they would have "no 'forbidden' areas of cooperation".

Ahead of Biden's remarks on Ukraine, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying called on "all sides to exercise restraint to prevent the situation from getting out of control," but bridled at journalists' characterisation of Russia's actions.

"This is perhaps a difference between China and you Westerners. We won't go rushing to a conclusion," she said.

"Regarding the definition of an invasion, I think we should go back to how to view the current situation in Ukraine. The Ukrainian issue has other very complicated historical background that has continued to today. It may not be what everyone wants to see."

The ministry said later that senior diplomat Wang Yi, also China's foreign minister, had spoken with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

Wang said that the Ukraine issue had a "complex" history and reiterated that China understands what it called Russia's "legitimate concerns" on security, the ministry said.

'FANNING THE FLAME'

Xi and Putin have developed a close partnership, but Russia's actions in Ukraine put China, which has an oft-stated foreign policy principle of non-interference, in an awkward position, international relations experts said. read more

Asked if Putin had told China he was planning to invade Ukraine, Hua said Russia, as an independent power, did not need to seek the consent of China.

"It independently decides and implements its own diplomacy and strategy according to its own strategic judgment and interests," she said.

"And I would also like to add that every time the heads of state meet, they will of course exchange views on issues of common concern."

China has been expected to back Russia diplomatically and perhaps economically over Ukraine, but not militarily. Hua, in response to a question, said China had not provided Russia with any military support.

On Wednesday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson accused China and Russia of working together to create a new "profoundly illiberal" world order, of which Moscow's actions towards Ukraine were just a part. read more

Washington has warned Chinese firms they would face consequences if they sought to evade export controls imposed on Moscow. read more

A senior official in the Biden administration told reporters on Thursday that China had seemed to go close to endorsing Russia's actions and many countries would be watching how Beijing votes when the a U.N. Security Council considers a resolution on the issue on Friday. read more

The official said Russia's actions "carry risks for China along with everyone else" and added: "It's not in China's interest to endorse a devastating conflict in Europe and defy the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity it claims to hold dear."

Hua called on Europe to reflect on how it can better protect its peace and accused some countries of "following the U.S. in fanning the flame."

"We object to any action that hypes up war," she said.

Reporting by Ryan Woo, Martin Quin Pollard and Tony Munroe in Beijing, and Steve Holland, Humeyra Pamuk, David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina in Washington; Editing by Nick Macfie, Rosalba O'Brien and Grant McCool

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Biden takes veiled swipe at China in condemning Russia backers on Ukraine

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WASHINGTON/BEIJING, Feb 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said any country that backed Russia's onslaught in Ukraine would be "stained by association," after China rejected calling Moscow's move an invasion and instead urged all sides to exercise restraint.

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China’s foreign minister had a phone call with Russian foreign minister as a part of a delicate geopolitical balancing act.

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BEIJING - China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, held a phone call with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday after Russian troops invaded Ukraine and began airstrikes on numerous Ukrainian cities.

The call is part of a delicate geopolitical balancing act on China's part. Beijing has been careful not to explicitly endorse nor condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According to a readout from China's foreign ministry, Lavrov told Wang the invasion was precipitated by the inability of the U.S. and NATO to uphold commitments made under a complicated truce agreement called the Minsk Protocol.

Wang responded ambiguously. "China respects each country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. "At the same time, we also see the Ukraine problem has a complex and particular historical state of affairs and we understand Russia's reasonable concern on security issues."

But Wang also stressed that China wanted "dialogue and negotiation," rather than military means, to solve tensions. "China's position is to thoroughly cast aside a Cold War mentality," he said.

China has edged closer to Russia as both countries try to counter American influence globally. Earlier this month, presidents from both countries released a lengthy joint statement with Russia, pledging solidarity ideologically.

Russia's Vladimir Putin was also one of the few world leaders to attend the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing.

The partnership has allowed China to hit back against perceived American interference.

This week, after Ned Price, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department of State, asked that China urge Russia to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, China responded angrily.

"The U.S. has no right to instruct China what to do in terms of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Hua Chunying, a Chinese ministry spokesperson "Just some 20 years ago, the Chinese embassy in the Yugoslavia was bombed by NATO. Today, we still face the real threat of the U.S. and its so-called 'allies' interfering in China's internal affairs."

But China has also been careful not to endorse Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. It wants to avoid being drawn into a rapidly escalating conflict in Ukraine and attracting some of the global condemnation already being levied against Russia.

On Thursday, China's foreign ministry urged all parties to "maintain restraint" on Ukraine and once again encouraged Russia to return to the negotiation table, rather than take to the battlefield.

"The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of any countries should be respected and safeguarded because this is a basic norm of international relations," said China's Wang said last week at the Munich Security Conference. "Ukraine is no exception."

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In phone call, China plays a balancing act over Russia's invasion of Ukraine

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BEIJING - China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, held a phone call with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday after Russian troops invaded Ukraine and began airstrikes on numerous Ukrainian cities. The call is part of a delicate geopolitical balancing act on China's part.

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Stocks are dropping fast while oil is soaring, S&P 500 confirmed it is in a correction by closing more than 10% under its record high.
https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/global-markets-wrapup-2pix-2022-02-22/

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NEW YORK, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Crude oil futures on Tuesday reached their highest levels since 2014 on supply concerns and stocks sold off in a volatile session as investors eyed international responses after Russia sent troops into parts of Ukraine.

Markets were jittery a day after Russia's move but the safe-haven U.S. dollar was slightly lower against major currencies while gold, another safety bet, was also in the red.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced the first sanctions against Russia for what he called Moscow's beginning of an invasion of Ukraine, and he promised steeper punishments ahead if Russia continued its aggression. read more

While the S&P 500 confirmed it is in a correction by closing more than 10% under its record high, it still finished above its session low, reached before Biden spoke.

"When Biden came out and set sanctions they weren't maybe as severe as people were fearing," said Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth in Fairfield, Connecticut.

And while investors were jittery, Pavlik said that "people are trying to sit with what they own if they've adjusted their portfolio ahead of all this. For those that haven't, it's a little late in the game."

The European Union also agreed on new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz halted the new Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia and Britain took action against Russian banks. read more

"The world is still hoping this is somewhat limited and doesn't really spread across Europe and Ukraine," said Peter Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel in Charlottesville, Virginia, noting that riskier assets were selling off. "Nobody's rushing to buy."

Brent crude futures settled up 1.5% at $96.84 per barrel after earlier topping $99 for the highest level since September 2014, reflecting fears that Russia's energy exports could be disrupted by any conflict. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled up 1.4% at $92.35 per barrel after earlier hitting $96, its highest level since August 2014.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) closed down 482.57 points, or 1.42%, at 33,596.61, while the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 44.11 points, or 1.01%, falling to 4,304.76 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) dropped 166.55 points, or 1.23%, to 13,381.52.

The MSCI world equity index (.MIWD00000PUS), which tracks shares in 50 countries, shed 0.9% after earlier falling 1.5%, with the index at levels not seen since Jan. 28.

Spot gold fell 0.4% at $1,898.77 after earlier climbing to its highest level since June. read more

Yields on U.S. Treasuries edged higher after Biden announced new sanctions on Russia in retaliation for Moscow's dispatch of troops into what it recognized as two breakaway regions of Ukraine, but the bond market reaction was muted overall.

Benchmark 10-year notes last fell 2/32 in price to yield 1.9372%, up from 1.93% in the previous session. Yields move in the opposite direction to bond prices.

The dollar index fell 0.047%, with the euro up 0.14% to $1.1326. The Japanese yen weakened 0.29% versus the greenback at 115.06 per dollar, while Sterling was last trading at $1.3581, down 0.13% on the day. read more

The Russian rouble slid to 80.9275 against the U.S. dollar in earlier trading, touching its lowest level against the greenback since November 2020, before reversing course. The dollar was last down 1.7% against the rouble.

Russian dollar bonds extended their losses a little after the U.S. sanctions were announced, with longer-dated issues slipping to record lows trading in the mid-90s, data showed. ,

The premium demanded by investors to hold Russian debt over safe-have U.S. Treasuries blew out to 329 basis points, the widest since the COVID-19 pandemic market rout in spring 2020. (.JPMEGDRUSR)

Reporting by Sinéad Carew in New York, Devik Jain in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Karin Strohecker, Tom Wilson, Marc Jones in London, Alun John and Xie Yu in Hong Kong, Tom Westbrook in Singapore, Andrew Galbraith in Shanghai Editing by David Goodman, Will Dunham, Mark Potter and Mark Heinrich

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Oil soars, stocks fall as Russia, Ukraine fears intensify

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NEW YORK, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Crude oil futures on Tuesday reached their highest levels since 2014 on supply concerns and stocks sold off in a volatile session as investors eyed international responses after Russia sent troops into parts of Ukraine. Markets were jittery a day after Russia's move but the safe-haven U.S.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-orders-military-operations-ukraine-demands-kyiv-forces-surrender-2022-02-24/
Moscow unleashed the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes

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KYIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow unleashed the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war in a pre-dawn televised address, explosions and gunfire were heard through the day in Ukraine's capital and elsewhere in the country, with at least 70 people reported killed.

The assault brought a calamitous end to weeks of fruitless diplomatic efforts by Western leaders to avert war over Russian demands for a redrawing of post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe.

"This is a premeditated attack," U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House as he unveiled harsh new sanctions, coordinated with allies, against Russian banks, oligarchs and state companies.

"Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences," he said.

In his address, Putin said he had ordered "a special military operation" to protect people, including Russian citizens, subjected to "genocide" in Ukraine - an accusation the West calls baseless propaganda.

"And for this we will strive for the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine," Putin said. read more

After nightfall, a picture was emerging of fierce fighting across multiple fronts. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy late on Thursday ordered a general mobilization, to be carried out within 90 days, "to ensure the defence of the state".

An adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office said Russian forces had captured the Chernobyl former nuclear power plant, just 90 km (60 miles) north of Kyiv. The plant is along the shortest route from the Ukrainian capital to Belarus, where Moscow has staged troops.

There was also fighting at Hostomel airport, just outside Kyiv, where Russian paratroopers landed. A Ukrainian official later said the airfield had been recaptured, while a senior U.S. defence official said Russian forces were advancing closer to Kyiv.

Heavy exchanges of fire were also reported in the regions of Sumy and Kharkiv in the northeast and Kherson in the south.

The highway heading west out of Kyiv, home to 3 million people, was choked with traffic across five lanes as residents sought to escape, fearful of bombardments while stuck in their cars.

The U.N. refugee agency said an estimated 100,000 Ukrainians had fled their homes. Thousands were crossing into neighbouring countries, including Romania, Moldova, Poland and Hungary. read more

Some 57 people were killed and 169 were wounded on Thursday, Ukraine's health minister said, while the interior ministry said 13 border guards died when a Russian vessel shelled Ukraine's Zmiinyi Island, south of the Black Sea port of Odessa.

'NEW IRON CURTAIN'

The day began with missiles raining down on targets across Ukraine and reports of troops and armour pouring across the borders from Russia and Belarus to the north and east.

Zelenskiy called on Ukrainians to defend their country and said arms would be given to anyone prepared to fight.

"What we have heard today are not just missile blasts, fighting and the rumble of aircraft. This is the sound of a new Iron Curtain, which has come down and is closing Russia off from the civilised world," Zelenskiy said.

Putin, after referring earlier in his speech to Russia's powerful nuclear arsenal, warned: "Whoever tries to hinder us... should know that Russia's response will be immediate. And it will lead you to such consequences that you have never encountered in your history."

Asked whether that threat was tantamount to threatening Russian use of nuclear weapons, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said it was indeed understood as such, adding that Putin should also understand that NATO was a nuclear alliance.

Biden has ruled out sending U.S. troops to defend Ukraine, but Washington has reinforced its NATO allies in the region with extra troops and planes.

After consulting with the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations, Biden announced measures to impede Russia's ability to do business in the world's major currencies, along with sanctions against banks and state-owned enterprises.

Britain also targeted banks, as well as members of Putin's inner circle. European Union leaders said measures would include freezing Russian assets in the 27-nation bloc. read more

China remained out of step, however, rejecting the description of Russia's actions as an "invasion". read more

Russia is one of the world's biggest energy producers, and both it and Ukraine are among the top exporters of grain. War and sanctions will disrupt economies around the world already facing a crisis as they emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.

European stocks dived to nine-month lows, but U.S. stocks ended higher after Biden's sanctions announcement. Brent oil earlier surged past $100/barrel for the first time since 2014.

'HANG THEM FROM BRIDGES'

Putin said he did not plan a military occupation, only to disarm Ukraine and purge it of nationalists, and his endgame remains unclear.

The senior U.S. defence official said Washington believed the invasion was intended to "decapitate" Zelenskiy's government. read more

But it is hard to see Ukrainians accepting leadership installed by Moscow.

"I think we must fight all those who invade our country so strongly," said one man stuck in traffic trying to leave Kyiv. "I would hang every single one of them from bridges."

A democratic nation of 44 million people, Ukraine is Europe's biggest country by area after Russia itself. It voted for independence at the fall of the Soviet Union and has recently stepped up efforts to join NATO and the European Union, aspirations that infuriate Moscow. read more

Putin, who denied for months that he was planning an invasion, has called Ukraine an artificial construct carved from Russia by its enemies - a characterisation Ukrainians see as an attempt to erase their more than 1,000-year-old history.

While many Ukrainians, particularly in the east, speak Russian as a native language, virtually all identify themselves as Ukrainian.

There was also some dissent in Russia. Police detained more than 1,600 taking part in anti-war rallies in 53 cities and authorities threatened to block media reports carrying "false information". read more

UKRAINIANS FLEE, SUPPORTERS PROTEST

In the southeastern port of Mariupol, near a frontline held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, local authorities said 26 people were wounded in shelling.

Civilians packed bags. "We are going into hiding," a woman said.

Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, said its forces had downed two Russian helicopters and seven other Russian aircraft and destroyed several Russian trucks, and a platoon from Russia's 74th Motor Rifles Brigade had surrendered. read more

Russia's defence ministry said it had destroyed 83 land-based Ukrainian targets and had achieved all its goals, according to Interfax news agency.

Protests against Russia's invasion were held in Europe and the United States. At a demonstration in New York's Time Square, Ivana Lotoshynski, who was born in Ukraine, urged solidarity with Ukrainians.

"People are losing their lives right now. Ukrainians are fighting against this regime from Russia and it's really devastating," she said. "Today I think everybody is Ukrainian."

Reporting by Natalia Zinets and Aleksandar Vasovic; Additional reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Peter Graff, Alex Richardson and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Frank Jack Daniel and Rosalba O'Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Aleksandar Vasovic

Thomson Reuters

Reports on the Western Balkans and Ukraine. Previously worked with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network as editor-trainer. While serving as a correspondent for the Associated Press covered the war in Kosovo in 1998-1999, the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro, insurgencies in North Macedonia and the Presevo Valley, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine. During the 1990s worked as an editor and correspondent at-large for Belgrade's Radio B92 covering wars in Croatia and Bosnia and peace processes between Israel and the Palestinian territories and in Northern Ireland. Awarded with APME Deadline Reporting Award in 2004 for the capture of Saddam.

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KYIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow unleashed the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

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Have other countries joined in yet?

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Biden administration as well as Germany, Czech Republic will be sending arms to Ukraine.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-conflict-updates-today-c489b6f56d84f9483802dc3f142cbc8e

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VIENNA (AP) - After a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country, Russian forces were closing in on Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Saturday. City officials warned of street fighting, and residents were preparing for a third night of assaults.

Here are the things to know about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the security crisis in Eastern Europe:

WHAT IS GOING ON IN UKRAINE'S CAPITAL?

Russian troops closed in on Kyiv and skirmishes flared on its outskirts Saturday as Ukraine's leader vowed to continue battling an invasion that had terrified men, women and children seeking safety inside and underground amid a 39-hour curfew the government imposed to keep people off the streets.

Ukrainian officials reported some success in fending off Russian assaults, but fighting persisted near the capital. Skirmishes reported on the edge of the city suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces.

Britain and the U.S. said the bulk of Russian forces were 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the center of the city.

With growing signs that Russia aims to overthrow him and his government, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to "stand firm."

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko extended the city's curfew from 5 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday to keep people indoors on Sunday. He said "all civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups."

ALLIES STEP UP TO AID UKRAINE

International allies put Russia under increasing pressure and pledged additional aid to help Ukraine in the coming days.

In a significant shift, Germany announced Saturday evening that it would send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 "Stinger" surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine "as quickly as possible." Those weapons are in addition to the 400 German-made anti-tank weapons Germany also approved to be shipped from the Netherlands, as well as 9 D-30 howitzers and ammunition from Estonia.

The Biden administration said it was sending Ukraine up to $350 million in arms and other defensive supplies from U.S. stockpiles, with another $250 million in defensive support possible. The Czech Republic also approved a plan to send more arms to Ukraine.

German officials said Saturday that the country is preparing to close its airspace to Russian planes. The Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also decided to close their airspace to Russian airlines.

WHERE IS UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT?

Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, has been posting video messages of himself and other national leaders in Kyiv since the invasion began on Thursday but his exact whereabouts were not publicly known.

Zelenskyy was urged early Saturday to evacuate Kyiv at the behest of the U.S. government but turned down the offer, according to a senior American intelligence official. The official quoted the president as saying "the fight is here" and that he needed anti-tank ammunition but "not a ride."

Zelenskyy said Saturday that Russian attempts to forge into Kyiv have been repelled and Moscow's plan to quickly seize the capital and install a puppet government had been thwarted.

"The real fighting for Kyiv is ongoing," Zelenskyy said, accusing Russia in a video message of hitting infrastructure and civilian targets. "We will win."

Zelenskyy has posted regular updates on his Twitter account and spoke with world leaders Saturday, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also praised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany's decision to send weapons directly to Ukraine.

POSSIBLE MEDIATOR?

A respected Swiss newspaper is reporting that Zelenskyy asked his Swiss counterpart on Saturday to act as a neutral mediator between Ukraine and Russia, and help work toward a ceasefire between the two countries.

Daily Tages Angeizer said the request of Swiss President Ignazio Cassis came in the context of the upcoming Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva starting on Monday, at which Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to attend on Tuesday. The report was not immediately confirmed by the Swiss Foreign Ministry that Cassis also leads

RUSSIAN TROOPS MARCH ON IN UKRAINE

A senior U.S. defense official said the United States estimates that more than 50% of Russian combat power arrayed along Ukraine's borders has entered Ukraine. That is up from a U.S. estimate Friday that one-third of the Russian force had been committed to the fight.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. assessments, would not say how many Russian troops that amounts to inside Ukraine, but the U.S. had estimated the total Russian force arrayed near Ukraine at more than 150,000.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed Saturday that since the start of Russia's attack, its military had hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, 87 tanks and other targets.

Konashenkov claimed the Russian military has taken full control of the southern city of Melitopol, 35 kilometers (22 miles) inland from the Azov Sea coast, and said Russia-backed separatists have made significant gains in the eastern region of Donbas.

UKRAINIAN CIVILIANS IN HARM'S WAY

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit and civilians have been killed and injured during Europe's largest ground war since World War II.

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said Saturday that 198 people have been killed and more than 1,000 others have been wounded in the Russian offensive. It was not clear whether the figure included both military and civilians.

He said 1,115 other people, including 33 children, were wounded in the Russian invasion.

SOME UKRAINIANS FLEE TO SAFETY

U.N. officials said at least 150,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland, Romania, Hungary and other neighboring countries and the number was going up fast as Ukrainians rushed to escape the deadly Russian onslaught. Some walked many miles through the night while others fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings.

Miles-long lines of vehicles clogged border crossings Saturday, mostly carrying women, children and the elderly. Others came on trains or buses. Authorities in neighboring countries mobilized to receive the Ukrainians, providing shelter, food and legal help and lifting COVID-19 entry restrictions.

"Shabia Mantoo, spokeswoman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees., said the situation is "very fluid and changing by the hour."

The agency says up to 4 million Ukrainians could flee if the situation deteriorates.

PROTESTERS TURN OUT ACROSS THE GLOBE TO CRITICIZE RUSSIA

From Tokyo to London to Taipei, Ukrainians living abroad and hundreds of protesters around the world have turned out on the streets to show their support for Ukraine. Street protests, albeit small, resumed in the Russian capital of Moscow, the second-largest city of St. Petersburg and other cities Saturday as more and more Russians spoke out against the invasion - even as the government's official rhetoric grew increasingly harsher.

Several hundred Ukrainians living in Japan gathered outside of Tokyo's main train stations Saturday, chanting "Stop war!" and "Peace for Ukraine." They held up signs including "No war," "Stop Putin, Stop Russia," while others waved Ukrainian flags.

In Taiwan, demonstrators chanting "Stand with Ukraine" and "Glory to Ukraine" protested outside the Russian representative office on Saturday.

Outside the Russian Embassy in an Athens suburb, protesters on Saturday chanted slogans and held posters with messages including "Russia go home," "Putin burn in hell," and "We need your help, world!!!"

Protests were also held in Milan, Rome, Belgrade, New York, London and Paris.

TURNING THE SANCTIONS SCREWS ON RUSSIA

The European Union's top diplomat said he's calling an urgent meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers on Sunday to weigh yet more measures against Russia as it wages its military campaign in Ukraine.

The West has taken a military option in Ukraine off the table, but world leaders - with the exception of Moscow ally China - are preparing measures aimed at hurting the Russian economy and its leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

The United States, Canada and European allies all announced they are adding direct measures against Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov. EU ministers have said even further sanctions were still possible, including booting Russia out of SWIFT, the dominant system for global financial transactions.

Russia on Saturday warned it could react by opting out of its last remaining nuclear arms pact and cutting diplomatic ties.

The deputy head of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said sanctions could offer Moscow a pretext for a review of its ties with the West, suggesting that Russia could cut them altogether. He also suggested that Russia could opt out of the New START nuclear arms control treaty that limits U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals.

"We may look at each other in binoculars and gunsights," he said.

SPORTING WORLD TURNS ITS BACK ON RUSSIA

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich suddenly handed over the "stewardship and care" of the Premier League club to its charitable foundation trustees on Saturday, after a member of the British parliament called for the Russian billionaire to hand over the club in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich, who has owned Chelsea since 2003, made no mention of the war in his statement.

Poland is refusing to play its World Cup qualifier against Russia next month, the Polish soccer president said Saturday. Sweden also declared that its national soccer team would not play against the Russians.

In addition, Russia has been stripped of hosting the May 28 Champions League final by UEFA w ith St. Petersburg replaced by Paris, and Formula One dropped this season's Russian Grand Prix in Sochi in September.

The International Ski Federation announced Russia will not host any more of its World Cup events this winter, and the European curling championships will be relocated from Perm, Russia.

The International Tennis Federation also canceled all events in Russia indefinitely.

___

In other news:

- Some bars and liquor stores are pulling Russian vodka off their shelves and promoting Ukrainian brands instead.

- Delta Air Lines has suspended its codesharing partnership with Russian national airline Aeroflot following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Atlanta-based Delta on Friday said its decision put a hold on the codesharing system allowing Delta and Aeroflot customers to book flights on both airlines.

___

Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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Ukraine invasion: What to know as Russian forces target Kyiv

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VIENNA (AP) - After a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country, Russian forces were closing in on Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Saturday. City officials warned of street fighting, and residents were preparing for a third night of assaults.

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Romania is fearing being invaded by Russia as well due to Romania being in support of Ukraine. | Sebastian 

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Romania is fearing being invaded by Russia as well due to Romania being in support of Ukraine. | Sebastian 

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/26/romania-moldova-fears-russian-invasion-ukraine

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Romania on edge as Russia invades Ukraine

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Despite assurances from Romania's leadership, many in the Eastern European nation fear wider Russian attacks.

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Russia-Ukraine tensions rise as Moscow orders troops to region for ‘peacekeeping’

https://baylorlariat.com/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-tensions-rise-as-moscow-orders-troops-to-region-for-peacekeeping/

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By Camille Cox | Staff Writer

The threat of the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to rise with Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognizing two separatist regions as independent from Ukraine and ordering troops to enter the regions for "peacekeeping."

According to the New York Times, this means that Russia will officially see the two territories, Donetsk and Luhansk, within Ukraine as entirely separate. Putin addressed the nation of Russia with this decision on Monday and sent troops to the areas, furthering tensions between the two groups.

This is a "move many fear may be the spark for a Russian military intervention against Ukraine," the New York Times said.

The White House immediately issued a response to the Russian announcement, stating that it is ready to respond and anticipated this move from Russia.

"President Biden will soon issue an Executive Order that will prohibit new investment, trade and financing by U.S. persons to, from or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine. This E.O. will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine," the White House response said.

Dr. Sergiy Kudelia, Baylor associate professor of political science, said there has been constant back-and-forth for seven years, with Germany and France serving as mediators between Russia and Ukraine following Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea. Kudelia said Russia now observing the independent regions could lead to multiple scenarios, but likely further escalation.

"Some in Ukraine think that will be the end of the conflict because once they [Russia] recognize independence, Russia will basically recognize that it takes responsibility for the separatists republics, and there is no incentive for it to move back," Kudelia said. "Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to me at least that this would be the case. In fact, what it seems like, that the recognition of the independence from these states is one of the steps that would ultimately lead to further capture of the Ukrainian territory of Russian troops."

Kudelia said that within these separatist regions, mass evacuation continues to occur, with citizens flocking to Russia. According to the Washington Post, Moscow-backed leaders in these regions told citizens that Ukraine was planning to attack, using propaganda to cause mass chaos within the state.

"Russia is preparing ground for the deployment of full-scale Russian troops in these republics that would be put along the so-called contact line with the Ukrainian troops," Kudelia said. "Ukrainian troops have also built up over the last months in response to the rise in Russian threat, and there are about 50,000 to 60,000 troops now on that contact line. There is a continuous exchange of fire between the separatists positions and the Ukrainian positions. Once Russian troops are officially there - which is likely to be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow - any type of damage that will be done to the Russian troops, let's say an artillery is fired and a Russian soldier is killed, will be used a pretext for the declaration of war on Ukraine."

If Russia invades Ukraine, the United States will feel the global effects, as heavy economic sanctions will be placed on Russia; counter sanctions, cyberattacks and a flood of refugees could develop; and the possibility of neighboring NATO allies' involvement could lead the United States to direct involvement.

"If conflicts spill over into any NATO member states, that certainly will trigger a response from the United States that will put them directly at odds with Russia," Kudelia said.

Russia has launched cyberattacks on both the United States and Ukraine in the past, and Russia has voiced that it plans to do the same if economic sanctions are put on them by the United States.

"The question is whether or not Russia would be willing to engage in more serious cyberattacks that would affect, let's say, the power grid of the United States," Kudelia said. "That is one of the things many are concerned about. Through the cyberattack, large parts of the country would be left without power, which means huge damage to the American economy and panic."

President Joe Biden said that invasion is imminent and has agreed "in principle" to a proposal from President Emmanuel Macron of France to meet with Putin, but it would not happen if Russian troops cross the Ukrainian border.

United States Representative Pete Sessions said that while this potential meeting should have taken place some time ago to prevent the ongoing tensions, the Biden administration is positively handling the situation.

"The reality of where we are is that this state department and our intelligence agencies are well behind effectively countering what is happening," Sessions said. "Today, Russia, through Putin, is using thuggery and deception to use their - what I think they're trying to do is justification for this huge war. It is important that America puts its best thinking on the table and with the world against the Russians."

The New York Times offers up-to-date information about the ongoing conflict, with real-time updates following Russia, Ukraine and the United States' response.

"The situation is getting worse, and the risks of full-fledged war are going up," Kudelia said.

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Russia-Ukraine tensions rise as Moscow orders troops to region for 'peacekeeping'

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By Camille Cox | Staff Writer The threat of the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to rise with Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognizing two separatist regions as independent from Ukraine and ordering troops to enter the regions for "peacekeeping." According to the New York Times, this means that Russia will officially see the two territories, Donetsk and Luhansk, within Ukraine as entirely separate.

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If the United States refuses to send troops to Ukraine and one of natos countries starts to defend Ukraine with their troops would all of them have to get involved and cause world war 3?

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Russian air strikes have been reported in and around Ukraines capitol Kyiv. These strikes have continued due to Russia's continued efforts to take the capitol. Ukrainian forces have currently been successful in fending off the Russian attacks.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-conflict-updates-today-c489b6f56d84f9483802dc3f142cbc8e

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VIENNA (AP) - After a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country, Russian forces were closing in on Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Saturday. City officials warned of street fighting, and residents were preparing for a third night of assaults.

Here are the things to know about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the security crisis in Eastern Europe:

WHAT IS GOING ON IN UKRAINE'S CAPITAL?

Russian troops closed in on Kyiv and skirmishes flared on its outskirts Saturday as Ukraine's leader vowed to continue battling an invasion that had terrified men, women and children seeking safety inside and underground amid a 39-hour curfew the government imposed to keep people off the streets.

Ukrainian officials reported some success in fending off Russian assaults, but fighting persisted near the capital. Skirmishes reported on the edge of the city suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces.

Britain and the U.S. said the bulk of Russian forces were 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the center of the city.

With growing signs that Russia aims to overthrow him and his government, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to "stand firm."

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko extended the city's curfew from 5 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday to keep people indoors on Sunday. He said "all civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups."

ALLIES STEP UP TO AID UKRAINE

International allies put Russia under increasing pressure and pledged additional aid to help Ukraine in the coming days.

In a significant shift, Germany announced Saturday evening that it would send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 "Stinger" surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine "as quickly as possible." Those weapons are in addition to the 400 German-made anti-tank weapons Germany also approved to be shipped from the Netherlands, as well as 9 D-30 howitzers and ammunition from Estonia.

The Biden administration said it was sending Ukraine up to $350 million in arms and other defensive supplies from U.S. stockpiles, with another $250 million in defensive support possible. The Czech Republic also approved a plan to send more arms to Ukraine.

German officials said Saturday that the country is preparing to close its airspace to Russian planes. The Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also decided to close their airspace to Russian airlines.

WHERE IS UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT?

Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, has been posting video messages of himself and other national leaders in Kyiv since the invasion began on Thursday but his exact whereabouts were not publicly known.

Zelenskyy was urged early Saturday to evacuate Kyiv at the behest of the U.S. government but turned down the offer, according to a senior American intelligence official. The official quoted the president as saying "the fight is here" and that he needed anti-tank ammunition but "not a ride."

Zelenskyy said Saturday that Russian attempts to forge into Kyiv have been repelled and Moscow's plan to quickly seize the capital and install a puppet government had been thwarted.

"The real fighting for Kyiv is ongoing," Zelenskyy said, accusing Russia in a video message of hitting infrastructure and civilian targets. "We will win."

Zelenskyy has posted regular updates on his Twitter account and spoke with world leaders Saturday, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also praised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany's decision to send weapons directly to Ukraine.

POSSIBLE MEDIATOR?

A respected Swiss newspaper is reporting that Zelenskyy asked his Swiss counterpart on Saturday to act as a neutral mediator between Ukraine and Russia, and help work toward a ceasefire between the two countries.

Daily Tages Angeizer said the request of Swiss President Ignazio Cassis came in the context of the upcoming Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva starting on Monday, at which Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to attend on Tuesday. The report was not immediately confirmed by the Swiss Foreign Ministry that Cassis also leads

RUSSIAN TROOPS MARCH ON IN UKRAINE

A senior U.S. defense official said the United States estimates that more than 50% of Russian combat power arrayed along Ukraine's borders has entered Ukraine. That is up from a U.S. estimate Friday that one-third of the Russian force had been committed to the fight.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. assessments, would not say how many Russian troops that amounts to inside Ukraine, but the U.S. had estimated the total Russian force arrayed near Ukraine at more than 150,000.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed Saturday that since the start of Russia's attack, its military had hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, 87 tanks and other targets.

Konashenkov claimed the Russian military has taken full control of the southern city of Melitopol, 35 kilometers (22 miles) inland from the Azov Sea coast, and said Russia-backed separatists have made significant gains in the eastern region of Donbas.

UKRAINIAN CIVILIANS IN HARM'S WAY

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit and civilians have been killed and injured during Europe's largest ground war since World War II.

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said Saturday that 198 people have been killed and more than 1,000 others have been wounded in the Russian offensive. It was not clear whether the figure included both military and civilians.

He said 1,115 other people, including 33 children, were wounded in the Russian invasion.

SOME UKRAINIANS FLEE TO SAFETY

U.N. officials said at least 150,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland, Romania, Hungary and other neighboring countries and the number was going up fast as Ukrainians rushed to escape the deadly Russian onslaught. Some walked many miles through the night while others fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings.

Miles-long lines of vehicles clogged border crossings Saturday, mostly carrying women, children and the elderly. Others came on trains or buses. Authorities in neighboring countries mobilized to receive the Ukrainians, providing shelter, food and legal help and lifting COVID-19 entry restrictions.

"Shabia Mantoo, spokeswoman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees., said the situation is "very fluid and changing by the hour."

The agency says up to 4 million Ukrainians could flee if the situation deteriorates.

PROTESTERS TURN OUT ACROSS THE GLOBE TO CRITICIZE RUSSIA

From Tokyo to London to Taipei, Ukrainians living abroad and hundreds of protesters around the world have turned out on the streets to show their support for Ukraine. Street protests, albeit small, resumed in the Russian capital of Moscow, the second-largest city of St. Petersburg and other cities Saturday as more and more Russians spoke out against the invasion - even as the government's official rhetoric grew increasingly harsher.

Several hundred Ukrainians living in Japan gathered outside of Tokyo's main train stations Saturday, chanting "Stop war!" and "Peace for Ukraine." They held up signs including "No war," "Stop Putin, Stop Russia," while others waved Ukrainian flags.

In Taiwan, demonstrators chanting "Stand with Ukraine" and "Glory to Ukraine" protested outside the Russian representative office on Saturday.

Outside the Russian Embassy in an Athens suburb, protesters on Saturday chanted slogans and held posters with messages including "Russia go home," "Putin burn in hell," and "We need your help, world!!!"

Protests were also held in Milan, Rome, Belgrade, New York, London and Paris.

TURNING THE SANCTIONS SCREWS ON RUSSIA

The European Union's top diplomat said he's calling an urgent meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers on Sunday to weigh yet more measures against Russia as it wages its military campaign in Ukraine.

The West has taken a military option in Ukraine off the table, but world leaders - with the exception of Moscow ally China - are preparing measures aimed at hurting the Russian economy and its leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

The United States, Canada and European allies all announced they are adding direct measures against Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov. EU ministers have said even further sanctions were still possible, including booting Russia out of SWIFT, the dominant system for global financial transactions.

Russia on Saturday warned it could react by opting out of its last remaining nuclear arms pact and cutting diplomatic ties.

The deputy head of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said sanctions could offer Moscow a pretext for a review of its ties with the West, suggesting that Russia could cut them altogether. He also suggested that Russia could opt out of the New START nuclear arms control treaty that limits U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals.

"We may look at each other in binoculars and gunsights," he said.

SPORTING WORLD TURNS ITS BACK ON RUSSIA

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich suddenly handed over the "stewardship and care" of the Premier League club to its charitable foundation trustees on Saturday, after a member of the British parliament called for the Russian billionaire to hand over the club in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich, who has owned Chelsea since 2003, made no mention of the war in his statement.

Poland is refusing to play its World Cup qualifier against Russia next month, the Polish soccer president said Saturday. Sweden also declared that its national soccer team would not play against the Russians.

In addition, Russia has been stripped of hosting the May 28 Champions League final by UEFA w ith St. Petersburg replaced by Paris, and Formula One dropped this season's Russian Grand Prix in Sochi in September.

The International Ski Federation announced Russia will not host any more of its World Cup events this winter, and the European curling championships will be relocated from Perm, Russia.

The International Tennis Federation also canceled all events in Russia indefinitely.

___

In other news:

- Some bars and liquor stores are pulling Russian vodka off their shelves and promoting Ukrainian brands instead.

- Delta Air Lines has suspended its codesharing partnership with Russian national airline Aeroflot following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Atlanta-based Delta on Friday said its decision put a hold on the codesharing system allowing Delta and Aeroflot customers to book flights on both airlines.

___

Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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Ukraine invasion: What to know as Russian forces target Kyiv

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VIENNA (AP) - After a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country, Russian forces were closing in on Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Saturday. City officials warned of street fighting, and residents were preparing for a third night of assaults.

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Why was Ukraine not accepted into nato in the first place?

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Europe prepares for incoming refugees from Ukraine
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/22/central-europe-braced-for-ukrainian-refugee-crisis

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Central Europe braces for an influx of Ukrainian refugees

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Poland, Slovakia and other states are ready to welcome Ukrainians fleeing tensions with Russia.

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According to the Associated Press, massive anti-war protests have taken place in many of Russia's largest city. Not only that but there is also a petition being started in Russia to stop the war that has over 70,000 signatures. Responding to the protests the Russian police has arrested around 460 people.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-business-dmitry-medvedev-global-trade-858a23b058209e5662ee59d768b615bd

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MOSCOW (AP) - As Russian troops were closing in on the Ukrainian capital, more and more Russians spoke out Saturday against the invasion, even as the government's official rhetoric grew increasingly harsher.

Street protests, albeit small, resumed in the Russian capital of Moscow, the second-largest city of St. Petersburg and other Russian cities for the third straight day, with people taking to the streets despite mass detentions on Thursday and Friday. According to OVD-Info, rights group that tracks political arrests, at least 460 people in 34 cities were detained over anti-war protests on Saturday, including over 200 in Moscow.

Open letters condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine kept pouring, too. More than 6,000 medical workers put their names under one on Saturday; over 3,400 architects and engineers endorsed another while 500 teachers signed a third one. Similar letters by journalists, municipal council members, cultural figures and other professional groups have been making the rounds since Thursday.

A prominent contemporary art museum in Moscow called Garage announced Saturday it was halting its work on exhibitions and postponing them "until the human and political tragedy that is unfolding in Ukraine has ceased."

"We cannot support the illusion of normality when such events are taking place," the statement by the museum read. "We see ourselves as part of a wider world that is not divided by war."

An online petition to stop the attack on Ukraine, launched shortly after it started on Thursday morning, garnered over 780,000 signatures by Saturday evening, making it one of the most supported online petitions in Russia in recent years.

Statements decrying the invasion even came from some parliament members, who earlier this week voted to recognize the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, a move that preceded the Russian assault. Two lawmakers from the Communist Party, which usually toes the Kremlin's line, spoke out against the hostilities on social media.

Oleg Smolin said he "was shocked" when the attack started and "was convinced that military force should be used in politics only as a last resort." His fellow lawmaker Mikhail Matveyev said "the war must be immediately stopped" and that he voted for "Russia becoming a shield against the bombing of Donbas, not for the bombing of Kyiv."

Russian authorities, meanwhile, took a harsher stance towards those denouncing the invasion, both at home and abroad.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said Moscow may respond to Western sanctions by opting out of the last nuclear arms deal with the U.S., cutting diplomatic ties with Western nations and freezing their assets.

He also warned that Moscow could restore the death penalty after Russia was removed from Europe's top rights group - a chilling statement that shocked human rights activists in a country that has had a moratorium on capital punishment since August 1996.

Eva Merkacheva, a member of the Kremlin human rights council, deplored it as a "catastrophe" and a "return to the Middle Ages."

The Western sanctions imposed new tight restrictions on Russian financial operations, a draconian ban on technology exports to Russia and froze the assets of Putin and his foreign minister. Russian membership in the Council of Europe was also suspended.

Washington and its allies say even tougher sanctions are possible, including kicking Russia out of SWIFT, the dominant system for global financial transactions.

Medvedev was a placeholder president in 2008-2012 when Putin had to shift into the prime minister's seat because of term limits. He then let Putin reclaim the presidency and served as his prime minister for eight years.

During his tenure as president, Medvedev was widely seen as more liberal compared with Putin, but on Saturday he made a series of threats that even the most hawkish Kremlin figures haven't mentioned to date.

Medvedev noted that the sanctions offer the Kremlin a pretext to completely review its ties with the West, suggesting that Russia could opt out of the New START nuclear arms control treaty that limits the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals.

The treaty, which Medvedev signed in 2010 with then-U.S. President Barack Obama, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance. The pact, the last remaining U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control agreement, had been set to expire in February 2021 but Moscow and Washington extended it for another five years.

If Russia opts out of the agreement now, it will remove any checks on U.S. and Russian nuclear forces and raise new threats to global security.

Medvedev also raised the prospect of cutting diplomatic ties with Western countries, charging that "there is no particular need in maintaining diplomatic relations." Referring to Western threats to freeze the assets of Russian companies and individuals, Medvedev warned that Moscow wouldn't hesitate to do the same.

Cracking down on critics at home, Russian authorities demanded that top independent news outlets take down stories about the fighting in Ukraine that deviated from the official government line.

Russia's state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, charged that reports about "Russian armed forces firing at Ukrainian cities and the death of civilians in Ukraine as a result of the actions of the Russian army, as well as materials in which the ongoing operation is called 'an attack,' 'an invasion,' or 'a declaration of war'" were untrue and demanded that the outlets take them down or face steep fines and restrictions.

On Friday, the watchdog also announced "partial restrictions" on access to Facebook in response to the platform limiting the accounts of several Kremlin-backed media.

On Saturday, Russian internet users reported problems with accessing Facebook and Twitter, both of which have played a major role in amplifying dissent in Russia in recent years.

___

Follow all AP stories on tensions and fighting over Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.

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Anti-war sentiment grows in Russia despite govt crackdown

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MOSCOW (AP) - As Russian troops were closing in on the Ukrainian capital, more and more Russians spoke out Saturday against the invasion, even as the government's official rhetoric grew increasingly harsher. Street protests, albeit small, resumed in the Russian capital of Moscow, the second-largest city of St.

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Only women and children are allowed to leave Ukraine as the men aged 18-60 must stay to fight Russia. | Sebastian Shields 

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Only women and children are allowed to leave Ukraine as the men aged 18-60 must stay to fight Russia. | Sebastian Shields 

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60539104

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Ukraine conflict: Children on their own, parents stay behind

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Mothers and grandmothers lead their children into the unknown as men aged 18 - 60 must stay behind.

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Russia starts invasion of Ukraine
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/24/timeline-after-months-tensions-russia-attacks-ukraine

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Tensions over the Ukraine-Russia crisis have been simmering for more than two months, with diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue showing no sign of progress [File: Gleb Garanich/Reuters]

Russian forces have launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine as President Vladimir Putin demanded Kyiv's army lay down its weapons.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday Russia is attacking his country's "military infrastructure" and border guards. In a brief televised address to the nation, he called for martial law and pledged victory.

Tensions over the Ukraine-Russia crisis have been simmering for months, with diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue showing no sign of progress.

Here is a timeline of some of the key recent events.

November 2021

Satellite imagery shows a new build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, and Kyiv says Moscow has mobilised 100,000 soldiers along with tanks and other military hardware.

December 7, 2021

US President Joe Biden warns Russia of sweeping Western economic sanctions if it invades Ukraine.

December 17, 2021

Russia presents detailed security demands to the West, including that NATO ceases all military activity in Eastern Europe and Ukraine and that the alliance never accept Ukraine or other former Soviet nations as members.

January 3, 2022

Biden reassures Zelenskyy that the US will "respond decisively" if Russia invades Ukraine.

The two men speak on the phone to discuss preparations for a series of upcoming diplomatic meetings to address the crisis.

January 10, 2022

US and Russian officials meet in Geneva for diplomatic talks but differences remain unresolved as Moscow repeats security demands that Washington says it cannot accept.

January 24, 2022

NATO puts forces on standby and reinforces its military presence in Eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets. Some Western nations start evacuating non-essential embassy staff from Kyiv. The US puts 8,500 soldiers on alert.

January 26, 2022

Washington presents a written response to Russia's security demands, repeating a commitment to NATO's "open-door" policy while offering a "principled and pragmatic evaluation" of Moscow's concerns.

January 27, 2022

Biden warns of a likely Russian invasion in February. China throws its political weight behind Russia and tells the US that Moscow's "legitimate security concerns" should be "taken seriously".

January 28, 2022

Putin says Russia's main security demands have not been addressed but that Moscow is ready to continue with talks.

Zelenkskyy warns the West to avoid creating "panic" that will negatively affect his country's economy.

January 31, 2022

The US and Russia spar over the Ukraine crisis at a special closed session of the UN Security Council.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield tells the council a Russian invasion of Ukraine would threaten global security.

Russia's UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya accuses Washington and its allies of drumming up the threat of war despite Moscow's repeated denials of a planned invasion.

"The discussions about a threat of war is provocative in and of itself. You are almost calling for this. You want it to happen," Nebenzya says.

February 1, 2022

Putin denies planning an invasion and accuses the US of ignoring his country's security demands.

"It is already clear that fundamental Russian concerns ended up being ignored," he says.

February 6, 2022

Russia has established 70 percent of the military build-up it needs to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the US officials cited anonymously in US media.

February 8, 2022

French President Emmanuel Macron meets Putin for marathon talks in Moscow and tells reporters Russia will not escalate the Ukraine crisis.

However, the Kremlin denies that Macron and Putin struck a deal on de-escalating the crisis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says that "in the current situation, Moscow and Paris can't be reaching any deals".

February 10, 2022

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hold fruitless talks.

In an icy news conference, Lavrov describes the meeting as "a conversation between a mute and a deaf person".

He adds that the "facts" presented by his team on the crisis "bounced off" their British counterparts.

Truss, who warns of tough Western sanctions if Ukraine was attacked, challenges Lavrov about his assertion that Russia's build-up of troops and weaponry was not threatening anyone.

February 11, 2022

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, says US intelligence shows a Russian invasion could begin within days, before the Beijing Olympics end on February 20.

The Pentagon orders an additional 3,000 US soldiers to be sent to Poland to reassure allies. Meanwhile, a number of countries called upon their citizens to leave Ukraine, with some warning that a military evacuation will not be guaranteed in the event of war.

February 12, 2022

Biden and Putin hold talks via video conference. The US president says a Russian invasion of Ukraine would cause "widespread human suffering" and that the West was committed to diplomacy to end the crisis but "equally prepared for other scenarios".

Putin complains in the call that the US and NATO have not responded satisfactorily to Russian demands that Ukraine be prohibited from joining the military alliance and that NATO pull back forces from Eastern Europe.

Yuri Ushakov, Putin's top foreign policy aide, says that while tensions have been escalating for months, in recent days "the situation has simply been brought to the point of absurdity".

He says Biden mentioned the possible sanctions that could be imposed on Russia, but "this issue was not the focus during a fairly long conversation with the Russian leader".

February 14, 2022

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby warns that Putin was boosting military capability near Ukraine's border with each passing day.

"This is a military that, that continues to grow stronger, continues to grow more ready. They're exercising, so we believe that he has a lot of capabilities and options available to him should he want to use military force," Kirby tells MSNBC in an interview.

"As we said, it could happen any day," he says.

February 15, 2022

Putin says he was "ready to work further" with the West on security issues to de-escalate tensions over Ukraine, but emphasises the need for the West to heed Russia's main demands.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow says at a briefing that he agrees with Russia's assessment that there is still a chance to avert war over Ukraine and that "diplomatic options are far from exhausted".

February 16, 2022

NATO says there is no sign of Russian de-escalation as it tasks its commanders to work out details for the deployment of battlegroups to the alliance's southeastern flank.

"Ministers decided to develop options to further strengthen NATO's deterrence and defence, including to consider establishing new NATO battlegroups in Central and Eastern and Southeastern Europe," Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States has yet to see any evidence of a significant Russian withdrawal of its military forces from near Ukraine's frontiers, despite claims from Moscow that a pullback was under way.

February 17, 2022

Biden and Blinken warn that Russia could be on the brink of invading Ukraine amid an apparent failure to withdraw troops from its side of the border and accusations of a possible false-flag operation in Ukraine's east.

NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also voiced concern that Russia may be attempting to "stage a pretext" for an attack on Ukraine following reports of shelling in the country's conflict-hit east.

February 18, 2022

Biden says he was "convinced" Putin has made a decision to invade Ukraine, warning Moscow against starting what he called a "war of choice" that would be catastrophic.

But the US president says the door for diplomacy remains open. Until war breaks out, "diplomacy is always a possibility", Biden tells reporters.

February 19, 2022

The Russian-backed leaders of Ukraine's two breakaway regions announce a general mobilisation, spurring fears of a further escalation.

The announcements come as pro-Russian rebels and Ukraine accuse each other of fresh attacks, and Kyiv says a Ukrainian soldier has been killed in separatist shelling.

February 21, 2022

Putin recognises two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk, as independent entities and then orders Russian troops to "maintain peace" there.

Putin's announcement paves the way for Russia to openly send troops and weapons to the long-running conflict pitting Ukrainian forces against Moscow-backed rebels.

February 22, 2022

Biden announces what he calls the "first tranche" of sanctions against Russia, including steps to starve the country of financing.

"We're implementing sanctions on Russia's sovereign debt. That means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing," Biden says, adding that the measures also would target financial institutions, and Russian "elites".

The US earlier said Russia's deployment of troops into two Moscow-backed, self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine amounts to the "beginning of an invasion".

February 23, 2022

Ukraine's parliament votes to approve a national state of emergency in response to the threat of a Russian invasion.

The measure is overwhelmingly approved on the same day that Moscow begins to evacuate its Kyiv embassy and Washington steps up its warnings about the chances of an all-out Russian attack.

Meanwhile, Biden allows sanctions to move forward against the company that built the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and against the company's CEO.

February 24, 2022

Russian forces unleash an attack on Ukraine, as Putin demands the neighbouring country's army lay down its weapons.

In an address broadcast on state television,

"We urge you to lay down arms immediately and go home. I will explain: all servicemen of the Ukrainian army who comply with this requirement, can freely leave the area of military actions and return to their families," he says in an address broadcast on state television.

Putin also urges other nations to not intervene.

"Whoever would try to stop us and further create threats to our country, to our people, should know that Russia's response will be immediate and lead you to such consequences that you have never faced in your history. We are ready for any outcome."

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Timeline: After months of tensions, Russia attacks Ukraine

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Russian forces have launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine as President Vladimir Putin demanded Kyiv's army lay down its weapons. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday Russia is attacking his country's "military infrastructure" and border guards. In a brief televised address to the nation, he called for martial law and pledged victory.

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Australian Minister has closed embassy operations in Ukraine just to stop the risk.

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Helen Regan, Brad Lendon, Rob Picheta, Mike Hayes, Maureen Chowdhury, Melissa Macaya and Meg Wagner, CNN

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Tensions between Moscow and Kyiv are at their highest in years, with a large Russian troop buildup near the shared borders of the two former Soviet republics. Follow here for the latest news updates.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier said he would be willing to hold talks with Russia but not in Belarus, pointing out that Russian military actions are being launched from that country.https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/26/europe/ukraine-russia-invasion-sunday-intl-hnk/index.html

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Russian rubles lose value from Western sanctions and Putin ordered his nuclear forces on increased alert as invasion of Ukraine continues.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-what-to-know-1c7a5fc5e9cf84134592c855c363e791

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How is this affecting the US?

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How long do you think this will last?

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Why is Russia losing to Ukraine and having trouble with the invasion

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How are the Ukrainians such good fighters

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Why did Putin invade in the first place?