Tuesday 30 / April / 2024
Kyiv: As talks begin near the Belarusian border, Ukraine has demanded that Russia withdraw its troops. Meanwhile, the value of the Russian ruble has has slumped as Western sanctions bite. Here are the live updates (in local time):-
28th February, 9:30 pm: Zelenskyy signs request for Ukraine to join the EU
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a formal request for his country to join the EU as EU leaders said they might discuss the possibility of Ukraine joining the 27-nation bloc during an informal summit in March.
Zelenskyy posted images signing Ukraine's application to join the EU on Facebook.
28th February, 7.10 pm: IOC calls for exclusion of Russian and Belarusian troops
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended that international sports federations ban athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international sporting events.
The statement comes shortly before the Winter Paralympics, which begin on Friday in Beijing.
"In order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants, the IOC recommends that International Sports Federations and sports event organizers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions," it said in a statement on Monday.
The IOC also said it had stripped Russian President Vladimir Putin of the Olympic Order award in response to the invasion of Ukraine, saying it took the decision "based on the exceptional circumstances of the situation and considering the extremely grave violation of the Olympic Truce and other violations of the Olympic Charger by the Russian government in the past."
The move comes after the men's Champions League final was moved from Saint Petersburg to Paris, Formula One called off its Russian Grand Prix and German soccer team FC Schalke ended its relationship with team sponsor Gazprom.
28th February, 7.00 pm: Switzerland joins EU sanctions against Russia
After initial reluctance, the traditionally neutral Switzerland has agreed to implement a raft of sanctions against Russia in line with those posed by the EU, Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said on Monday.
"This is a big step for Switzerland," Cassis told reporters. The landlocked country is home to several important international banks which will no longer be accessible to certain Russian oligarchs as well as the Russian president himself.
Five oligarchs close to Putin have also been banned from entering the country entirely, Reuters cited Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter as saying.
28th February, 6.45 pm: Russia restricts airspace for more than 30 countries
In response to the decision by multiple countries to close their airspace to Russian aircraft, Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya announced that it was banning flights by airlines from 36 countries including Britain and Germany in a retaliatory move on Monday.
Countries affected by the indefinite ban include all EU member states and Canada. The list also includes Jersey, which is a dependency of the UK, and Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, and airlines will only be able to enter Russian airspace with a special permit.
Russia's civil aviation authority said it was bringing in the restrictions "as a retaliatory measure for the ban by European states on flights by civil aviation operated by Russian airlines or registered in Russia."
Airlines will only be able to enter Russian airspace with a special permit.
Last week Russia banned UK airlines after Britain barred Aeroflot, the country's flagship carrier, as well as private jets.
28th February, 6.15 pm: German FM warns Putin against 'escalating statements'
"Putin didn't expect us to be so resolved," Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at a joint press conference with her Slovenian counterpart Anze Logar, emphasizing the unified response to Russia's invasion from the members of the EU as well as NATO.
The conference comes a day after Germany announced a set of measures to rapidly increase defense spending to meet NATO's target of 2% of GDP this year. "Putin's war is a turning point and it is absolutely appropriate for us to reassess everything we thought we knew for sure," Baerbock said.
Regarding the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Ukraine, Baerbock pledged that Europe would "take in all the refugees."
28th February, 5.45 pm: Russia, Ukraine enter peace talks
Talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials began on the Belarusian border on Monday, with Kyiv urging an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces.
The Russian delegation to the peace talks is led by the Kremlin's special envoy, Vladimir Medinsky, while the Ukrainian side is led by Davyd Arakhamia, who leads President Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party in the Ukrainian parliament.
"Dear friends, the President of Belarus has asked me to welcome you & facilitate your work as much as possible. As it was agreed with the Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin, you can feel completely secure," Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said at the start of talks, according to the foreign ministry's translation on Twitter.
28th February, 5.35 pm: Moscow says Russia will 'ride out' sanctions
"Western sanctions on Russia are hard, but our country has the necessary potential to compensate for the damage," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that President Putin was meeting with key economic advisors on Monday to deal with broad financial penalties implemented by Western governments.
"Russia has been systematically preparing for quite a long time for possible sanctions, including the heaviest sanctions that we are now facing," Peskov said.
Sanctions against Russian banks, businesses, and leaders has sent the ruble tumbling to historically low values. The country’s central bank has had to more than double its main interest rate to 20% to try and prop up the currency. Moscow’s stock market remained closed on Monday.
28th February, 4.45 pm: Bolsonaro says Brazil will remain neutral on Russia's invasion
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has decided to not condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and instead as opted for neutrality.
The right-wing populist leader said he had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone where he discussed Brazil's position.
The two leaders had met earlier in the month for talks in Moscow. At a press conference on Sunday Bolsonaro said: "We will not take sides, we will continue being neutral, and help with whatever is possible."
28th February, 3.45 pm: The European Union prepares for millions of refugees from Ukraine
"I don't know how many will come," EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson replied at the special meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels when asked what influx of refugees from Ukraine she expects. "I think we will have to prepare for millions."
By Sunday, four days after the Russian attack began, at least 200,000 people, mostly children, women and elderly men, had entered Poland, according to the Polish Border Guard. Men considered fit for military service are currently not allowed to leave Ukraine.
Estimates by the United Nations and refugee organizations put the number of people fleeing the Russian invasion at 4 to 7 million. How many will then actually want to cross Ukraine's borders depends entirely on how the military situation in this war develops. Yet how long they want or need to stay depends on who wins or ends this war. If Russia stops its attacks and withdraws, the families could also quickly return to their fathers, sons and brothers, EU officials believe.
28th February, 3.31 pm: Security Council calls for rare emergency General Assembly session
The United Nations Security Council on Sunday called to hold a special session of the General Assembly as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The emergency session will be held on Monday and affords members of the global body an opportunity to express their views on the crisis.
Russia did not have the power to veto the move due to it being a procedural action falling under a 1950 resolution called "Uniting for Peace."
The emergency session was adopted with 11 yes votes, to Russia's no vote.
China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained.
28th February, 3:30 pm: EU to grant fleeing Ukrainians right to stay and work
The EU is preparing to grant fleeing Ukrainians the right to stay and work in the 27-nation bloc for up to three years, senior EU and French officials said.
At least 300,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered the EU so far, and the bloc needs to prepare for millions more, they said. EU members Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary have land borders with Ukraine.
"It is our duty to take in those who flee war," French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told France 2 TV on Monday, saying the EU interior minister had on Sunday tasked the European Commission with preparing draft proposals to grant them protection.
Ministers will meet again on Thursday to agree on the details. The EU temporary protection directive, drawn up after the 1990s war in the Balkans, but never used so far, provides for the same level of protection, for one to three years, in all EU states, including a residence permit, access to employment, social welfare and medical treatment.
28th February, 3:15 pm: Nord Stream 2 foundation to be dissolved
In view of the war in Ukraine, the controversial Climate and Environmental Protection Foundation of the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which is associated with the temporarily halted Nord Stream 2 project, is to be dissolved.
The primary purpose of the foundation is to encourage climate and environmental protection projects. However, it can also become commercially active in the support of the further construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and critics said it could facilitate storage for products such as pipes and other materials to be used in the construction and maintenance of the controversial pipeline.
Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) had asked the foundation's board of directors to "initiate a dissolution of the foundation within the narrow legal possibilities." For the time being, she said, the foundation should suspend its work. Schwesig went on to say that it would "also be examined whether it is legally possible to use the foundation funds provided by Nord Stream for humanitarian purposes."
The German government has also put the approval process for construction of the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline on hold in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is intended to transport Russian natural gas through the Baltic Sea.
28th February, 3:05 pm: UN: More than 100 civilians killed
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Monday that at least 102 civilians had been killed in Ukraine since Russia began its full-scale attack on the country.
The death toll includes 7 children, according to Bachelet.
"Most of these civilians were killed by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and airstrikes," she said.
Bachelet warned that the real figures may be considerably higher.
She added that the UN refugee agency had counted 380,000 people fleeing Ukraine as refugees, and many more had been displaced within Ukraine.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that the escalation of Russia's military operations in Ukraine was leading to rising human rights violations.
Guterres said in a recorded speech at the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva that the UN was monitoring human rights violations with teams on the ground.
"The escalation of military operations by the Russian Federation in Ukraine is leading to escalating human rights violations," Guterres said.
"We must show all people in Ukraine that we stand by them in their time of need."
28th February, 2:30 pm: Talks begin at Belarus border
The advisor to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, says talks with Russia have begun near the border with Belarus.
Before the talks, the Ukrainian presidency demanded an immediate Russian ceasefire and troop withdrawal.
28th February, 2:00 pm: Ukraine calls for instant EU membership
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded on Monday "immediate" EU membership for Ukraine under a "new special procedure."
"I'm certain that this is possible," Zelenskyy said in his address, adding that Ukraine deserved to join the bloc.
Zelenskyy also said that 4,500 Russian soldiers had been killed so far during Moscow's attack on Ukraine.
28th February, 1:25 pm: UN debates at request of Kyiv
The UN Human Rights Council voted Monday to hold an urgent debate about Russia's ongoing attack on Ukraine.
The debate was requested by Ukraine, and supported by 29 of the council's 47 members.
Among the five states that voted against were Russia and China. 13 countries abstained from voting.
Talks set to begin at border
Russia is interested in coming to an agreement that is in the interests of both sides at talks with Ukraine, Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said on Monday.
Hi comments came as officials prepared to meet near the border with Belarus.
Talks were expected to begin at 12 p.m. local time (0900 GMT/UTC). The talks are their first since Mosow's invasion. Ukraine said Sunday that it had agreed to send a delegation to meet Russian representatives on the border with Belarus. Belarus announced Monday that the venue for the talks had been prepared and they would start as soon as the delegations arrived.
However, with his government reporting hundreds of civilian deaths and Russian troops besieging key cities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was skeptical about the talks. "As always: I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try," he said.
Meanwhile, Zelensky's office said its main goal of talks with Russia is to spur an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops.
28th February, 12:32 pm: Russia claims towns, Ukraine defends airfield
Russian forces have taken over the towns of Berdyansk and Enerhodar in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhya region as well as the area around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, Russia's defence ministry said on Monday.
The plant's operations continued normally, it said. Meanwhile, Britain's defence ministry said that Russia's advance on Kyiv has been slowed by logistical failures and fierce Ukrainian resistance.
"The bulk of [President Vladimir] Putin's ground forces remain more than 30km [18.6 miles] to the north of Kyiv their advance having been slowed by Ukrainian forces defending Hostomel airfield, a key Russian objective for day one of the conflict," the ministry said. "Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance."
The Ukrainian military also accused Russia of launching a missile strike on residential buildings in the cities of Zhytomyr and Chernigiv, cities in the country's northwest and north.
"At the same time, all attempts by the Russian invaders to achieve the goal of the military operation failed," the military said. "The enemy is demoralized and bears heavy losses," it claimed.
28th February, 12:15 pm: South Korea bans export of strategic materials to Russia
South Korea has decided to join international sanctions and ban the export of strategic materials to Russia amid the situation around Ukraine, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.
"As a form of sanctions against Russia, our government has prohibited the export of strategic materials to Russia, strengthening the export verification procedure," the ministry said in a statement. The statement went on to say that the relevant South Korean departments will consider possible restrictions on non-strategic materials and extension of sanctions against Russia, including 57 items that are subject to the US sanctions, such as computers, sensors, aviation, and space industries and others.
Western nations have rolled out a sanctions campaign against Russia after it launched a military operation in Ukraine last Thursday, following requests for help from the people's republics in Donbas. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation was targeting the military infrastructure of Ukraine only and that the civilian population was not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine and that the purpose of its operation is demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.
Delegations from Russia and Kyiv are expected to hold talks in the Gomel region in Belarus, at the Ukrainian border, in the coming hours.
28th February, 12:00 pm: Russian interest rate skyrockets
Russia's Central Bank has announced that it will raise its key interest rate to an unprecedented 20%, up from 9.5%, in the face of new sanctions over the country's invasion of Ukraine.
"External conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed," the bank said in a statement. "The increase of the key rate will ensure a rise in deposit rates to levels needed to compensate for the increased depreciation and inflation risks. This is needed to support financial and price stability and protect citizens' savings from depreciation."
In another attempt to support the rouble, the central bank and the finance ministry also jointly ordered Russian exporting companies to sell 80% of their foreign currency revenues on the market.
The moves come after Britain said that it was taking further measures against Russia in coordination with the United States and European Union. The sanctions on the part of Western countries effectively cut off Moscow's major financial institutions from Western financial markets.
28th February, 11:35 am: Russia suspends foreign entities and individuals from selling Russian securities
The central bank of Russia has confirmed on Monday that it has ordered brokers to suspend the execution of all orders by international legal entities and persons from selling Russian securities.
28th February, 11:00 am: Russia taking necessary actions to preserve sovereignty :Myanmar military spokesperson
Myanmar on Monday extended support to the Russian military operations against Ukraine, calling it necessary to preserve the sovereignty of Russia.
"First, in my opinion, in the situation with Ukraine, Russia is taking the necessary actions to preserve and strengthen its own sovereignty. Second, Russia, as a great power, ensures the balance of world forces, which allows maintaining world peace," a spokesperson for the Myanmar military Major General Zaw Min Tun was quoted as saying. He expressed hope that Russia will be able to uproot "modern colonialism," pointing out that the US is moving closer to the Russian borders in order to undermine Russia's sovereignty.
"...the situation around Ukraine is not a problem of the two countries. The President, the government and the people of Russia were obliged to respond to the emerging geopolitical situation in the world, where Ukraine was only one of the links," Zaw Min Tun said as quoted by Sputnik.
The comments come a few days after Russian President Vladimir Putin in an address to the nation, recognised the Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics and announced "special military operations" in the region.
The Russian actions have faced immense criticism, especially from the Western countries. A number of countries, including the US, the UK, Germany and France, among others have announced fresh rounds of sanctions on Russian individuals and financial institutions.
Zaw Min Tun emphasized that the actions of the Russian leadership are aimed at protecting national interests and demonstrating the unity of the Russian people.
"President Vladimir Putin, the Russian government and the people there have demonstrated to the world that they have a broader vision of world political problems and that Russia can and must protect its national interests and unity," the spokesperson said.
Zaw Min Tun recalled how Western countries had financed opposition forces in Myanmar and said that the current Ukraine crisis was caused by unwillingness on the part of the US to provide Russia with security guarantees.
"Today, Ukraine fully follows the policy and ideology of the bloc of Western countries. This situation resulted in Russia rightly putting forward its demands for its own security, but we saw that America did not respond to them and continued to act contrary to the fair solution of problems. We are seeing the consequences of this right now," the spokesperson said.
28th February, 10:30 am: Brazil will not condemn Russia's special military operation in Ukraine: President
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that his country will not back a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin for launching a military operation in Ukraine, and maintain a neutral stance.
"No sanctions or condemnation of President Putin ... The vote of Brazil is not determined by and is not associated with any power. Our free vote will be cast in this direction ... Our stance with Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franca is a balance. And we cannot interfere. We want peace, but we cannot allow the consequences to affect Brazil," Bolsonaro said during a press conference in Sao Paulo on Sunday evening, as quoted by the G1 news outlet. When asked about maintaining neutrality regarding Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine, the president said that a significant part of Ukraine speaks Russian and that Russians and Ukrainians are fraternal peoples.
"Bloodshed of civilians is off the table, nobody is using such tactics, ... talking about a massacre is an exaggeration, it is not in the interests of the Russian leader to arrange a massacre," Bolsonaro added.
28th February, 10:00 am: Australia to provide 'lethal' military equipment to Ukraine
The Australian government announced that it would be providing equipment and resources to Ukraine. According to a government statement issued on Monday, Australia would work with NATO to "provide lethal as well as non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies, and financial assistance to support the people of Ukraine."
Australia said it was "deeply concerned at Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine," and held the president, the foreign minister and defence minister directly responsible for the invasion.
"President Putin joins a very small group that includes Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Bashar al-Assad of Syria," the statement added.
Australia instituted financial sanctions and travel bans on senior members of Russia's government, and more than 350 individuals, over the weekend.
28th February, 9:15 am: Russian rouble plummets in the wake of sanctions
The Russian rouble plunged almost 30 per cent against the dollar on Monday after sanctions imposed by Western states.
According to reports, the currency on Monday was as low as 117.81 against the dollar in offshore trading.
Senior members of the Russian government, including the president, have been hit with sanctions, while there were pledges to cut off a number of banks from the SWIFT interbank payment system.
There have been threats of further sanctions if Russia does not stop its invasion of Ukraine.
28th February, 8:40 am: Canada investigating Russian flight ban violation
Canada's transport authority said it would be launching a review after an Aeroflot flight allegedly violated a ban on Russian flights using Canadian air space.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Transport Canada said: "We are launching a review of the conduct of Aeroflot and the independent air navigation provider, NAVCAN, leading up to this violation." The authority warned that it wouldn't hesitate to take "appropriate enforcement action."
On Sunday, Canada joined a number of European countries to close air space to Russian aircraft, due to the ongoing invasion.
28th February, 8.10 am: Belarus to renounce neutral status, allows Russia to place nuclear weapons on its territory
Belarus is set to renounce its non-nuclear and neutral status, allowing Russia to place nuclear weapons on its territory, following a referendum held on Sunday.
The head of the Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC), Igor Karpenko, said more than 65 per cent of Belarusian citizens have voted in favour of Constitutional amendments during a referendum. "A total of 65.16 per cent of the referendum participants included in the voting lists voted for the adoption of amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, and 10.07 per cent voted against," Karpenko said, as quoted by Russian news agency Sputnik.
According to Belarusian law, a decision at a referendum is considered adopted if more than half of the citizens included in the lists of participants voted for it.
The Belarusian referendum turnout is estimated at over 78 per cent. The Russian news agency said the decision taken at the referendum will come into force 10 days after the official publication of the results.
This comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin placed the country's nuclear deterrent forces on a "special" alert on Sunday. Putin announced the move during a meeting with Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, reported RT News.
According to media reports, a Ukrainian delegation is expected to hold talks with Russia on Monday morning.
Earlier on Sunday, the head of the Russian delegation, said that Kyiv had agreed to hold talks with Russia in Belarus. The two delegations are slated to meet in the Gomel region, at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
Zelenskyy: Next 24 hours 'a crucial period'
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the ongoing Russian invasion.
In a statement issued, Zelenskyy told Johnson that the situation was reaching a critical phase.
"President Zelenskyy said he believed the next 24 hours was a crucial period for Ukraine, and the Prime Minister said would do all he could to help ensure defensive aid from the UK and allies reached Ukraine," the statement read.
Johnson "lauded the bravery of the Ukrainian people" while he "praised the leadership of President Zelenskyy in the face of such adversity."
The Prime Minister described the resistance witnessed thus far as "heroic."
27th February, 10.30 pm: Sweden, Denmark join countries sending arms to Ukraine
Sweden has said it would send anti-tank launchers, field rations, helmets and body armor to Ukraine.
The move is a break from a longstanding policy of not arming nations in an active conflict. Sweden last sent weapons to a country in an armed conflict when the Soviet Union invaded Finland in 1939.
In Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the country would donate up to 2,700 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.
Over 1,700 anti-war protesters arrested in Russia
Anti-war activists took to the streets across Russia to protest the country's invasion of Ukraine and the bloody war in its fourth day there.
Protests on Sunday were smaller than earlier demonstrations, which saw hundreds of people detained by riot police.
Police on Sunday detained more than 1,700 people at anti-war protests that occurred in 46 Russian cities, according to OVD-Info, a group that counts participation in opposition protests. The group said about 5,500 people have been detained at protests since the war began four days ago.
"It is a crime both against Ukraine and Russia," Olga Mikheeva, who protested in the Siberian city of Irkutsk, told the AP news agency. "I think it is killing both Ukraine and Russia. I am outraged, I haven't slept for three nights, and I think we must now declare very loudly that we don't want to be killed and don't want Ukraine to be killed.''
In Moscow and St. Petersburg, many people went to memorials for Boris Nemtsov, a top Russian opposition figure who was shot dead near the Kremlin on February 27, 2015.
27th February, 9:10 pm: Ukrainian president 'skeptical' of talks with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was willing to "try" talks with Russia but added he is "skeptical" they will lead to a ceasefire.
"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 statement.
If there was a "chance" to end war, he should take part in the talks, he added.
27th February, 8:20 pm: Turkey invokes treaty to limit Russian warships
Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, said during a live interview on CNN Turk that Turkey would implement the 1936 Montreux Convention, limiting the passage of Russia's warships through the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus straits.
The Montreux Convention gives Turkey control of the two waterways and permits it to cut off access to warships during wartime or if threatened. The two waterways connect the Mediterranean and Black seas.
Earlier Sunday, NATO member Turkey called the Russian invasion of Ukraine a "war," a shift that made it possible to block Russia's battleships.
27th February, 7.30 pm: Two Russian billionaires come out against war
Russian oligarchs Oleg Deripaska and Mikhail Fridman called for an end to the invasion of Ukraine.
Fridman, who was born in western Ukraine, called it a tragedy for both Russia and Ukraine. In a letter to his staff, he wrote that the war was creating divisions between Russians and Ukrainians who he said have been brothers for centuries.
He wrote, "My parents are Ukrainian citizens and live in Lviv, my favorite city."
Deripaska posed on Telegram a message calling for peace talks "as fast as possible." On February 21, Deripaska incorrectly surmised there would be no military conflict.
27th February, 6:10 pm: Ukraine agrees to peace talks with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to start peace talks with Russia, his office said Sunday.
Following a phone call with Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko, Zelenskyy's office said he had agreed to send a delegation to a meeting on the Belarusian-Ukrianian border near the Pripyat river.
The talks would be the first to take place since Russia invaded Ukraine. His office said the talks would be held without preconditions.
"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.
27th February, 5:50 pm: Russian nuclear deterrence on high alert
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered that Russia's nuclear deterrence forces be put on high alert.
"I order the defence minister and the chief of the general staff of the Russian armed forces to put the deterrence forces of the Russian army into a special mode of combat service," Putin said in a televised address.
The move comes following a wave of sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine that look set to cripple the Russian economy.
27th February, 5.15 pm: Ukraine says it controls Kharkiv after Russian attack
Ukrainian forces said on Sunday afternoon that the city of Kharkiv was still in their hands following an attack earlier in the day by Russian forces.
The city and its surroundings, including a gas pipeline, had been the target of strikes overnight with gunfire and the presence of Russian vehicles reported over the course of the morning.
But later in the day Oleh Sinegubov, the local governor, wrote on Telegram that "Kharkiv is fully under our control," after claiming that Ukrainian forces had expelled Russian troops during a "clean-up" operation.
27th February, 4.20 pm: Deutsche Bahn offers free train rides for Ukrainian refugees
Germany's national rail operator has said that it will offer free train journeys for refugees coming from Ukraine.
People carrying Ukrainian passports or ID can travel for free on Deutsche Bahn trains running from several Polish cities to the German city of Frankfurt an der Oder on the Polish border.
The move is being made in conjunction with neighboring countries "at short notice," but the company plans to expand its capacities in the coming days.
27th February, 3.30 pm: Zelenskyy moves International Court of Justice against Russia
Ukraine has moved the International Court of Justice in The Hague over the Russian military operation that started in Ukraine on Thursday (local time) and urged the top court to order Russia to cease "hostilities".
Taking to Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, "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." "Ukraine has officially filed a lawsuit against Russia in the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague. We demand that Russia be held accountable for distorting the concept of genocide to justify aggression. We ask the court to immediately order Russia to cease hostilities and schedule a hearing next week," he added.
27th February, 3:00 pm: Germany bans Russian planes from air space
Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has announced that Russian planes will be banned from 3 p.m. (1400 UTC) today.
The minister in charge, Volker Wissing, made the decision after numerous other countries closed their air space to Russian aircraft.
Germany joins most Eastern European members of the EU, as well as the UK in taking this step.
27th February, 2.40 pm: Over 156,000 Ukrainians entered Poland since start of hostilities: Polish Border Agency
Over 156,000 residents of Ukraine have entered Poland since the beginning of hostilities in the country amid Russia's military operation, the Polish Border Guard said on Sunday.
"Since the beginning of hostilities, the Border Guard officers have registered a total of 187,800 people at border crossings with Ukraine, including over 156,000 people in the direction of entry into Poland," the agency said in a statement. According to Warsaw, a record number of 88,400 people have been registered on the Polish-Ukrainian border over the past 24 hours, with 77,300 seeking to enter Poland.
27th February, 2:30 pm: Gas pipeline explodes in Ukraine's Kharkiv
An explosion on a gas pipeline occurred in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv on Sunday, the government-run a local news agency reported.
According to the report citing sources from the Kharkiv Regional Civil-Military Administration, the Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in the city's Danylivka district in the early morning.
There is yet no second source confirming Russia's role in the blast.
27th February, 2:00 pm: Google bans download of RT mobile App in Ukraine
Google has banned the download of the mobile application of the Russian RT channel in Ukraine at the request of Kyiv, the broadcaster said on Sunday.
"Google, at the request of Kyiv, has banned the download of the RT mobile application on the territory of Ukraine," the broadcaster said in a statement published on its official Telegram channel. Earlier in the day, Google announced its decision to pause the ability of
Russian state-owned media to monetize content with ads on all of its platforms amid Russia's military operation in Ukraine.
27th February, 12:00 Noon: China to arrange chartered flights to evacuate nationals from Ukraine
China is preparing to evacuate its about 6,000 stranded nationals in Ukraine amid ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine.
On Thursday, the Chinese embassy in Kyiv issued a notice regarding the evacuation and said that the authorities are preparing charter flights for the process, Global Times has reported. The charter flights will be dispatched according to the safety situation and will be notified in advance, the embassy said.
27th February, 11:00 am: Russian troops enter Kharkiv
After a night of bombing, Russian troops have entered Ukraine's second-biggest city, Kharkiv, close to the northeastern border with Russia, local government officials reported.
Anton Herashchenko, a Ukrainian Interior Ministry advisor, wrote on Telegram that Russian soldiers had been spotted on the city's streets.
Regional governor Oleh Sinegubov told residents to stay inside, saying Ukrainian forces were battling Russian troops in the city.
"The Russian enemy's light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city center," Sinegubov said. "We ask civilians not to go out."
Russian forces also said on Sunday morning that they had surrounded the southern city of Kherson and southeastern city of Berdyansk.
"Over the past 24 hours, the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk have been completely blocked by the Russian armed forces," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.
27th February, 10:00 am: Ukraine calls Moscow's offer of talks 'propaganda'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has turned down a Russian offer of peace talks in Belarus on the grounds that the Russian ally has played an integral part in the invasion of Ukraine, acting as a launch pad for Russian troops entering the country from the north.
The Kremlin said on Sunday that it had sent delegates to the Belarusian city of Homel for talks.
"The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Zelenskyy said that his government was open for talks with the Russians, but that they would have to take place elsewhere, suggesting Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternatives.
27th February, 9:00 am: Civilian infrastructure targeted during 'brutal' night of attacks
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian strikes overnight targeted civilian infrastructure.
"The past night in Ukraine was brutal, again shooting, again bombardments of residential areas, civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy said in a post shared online.
"Today, there is not a single thing in the country that the occupiers do not consider an acceptable target. They fight against everyone. They fight against all living things; against kindergartens, against residential buildings and even against ambulances," Zelenskyy said.
Gas pipelines and depots were also hit overnight, leading to dramatic, fiery scenes. Russian gas giant Gazprom said deliveries of gas from Russia to Europe were continuing.
Sunday morning brought reports of air raid sirens and explosions in the capital Kyiv, with unverified videos being shared on social media showing what appear to be residential buildings on fire.
27th February, 8:00 am: Oil and gas facilities attacked
Ukraine's nuclear authority said a radioactive waste site outside Kyiv was hit by Russian missiles overnight.
There was no immediate evidence of a radioactive leak, the Ukraine State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate said on Facebook.
"The hit was on the fence. The building and containers are intact," the service told Interfax.
The service said that once it was safe, inspectors would properly assess the damage.
27th February, 7:30 am: Macron tells Lukashenko to kick Russia out
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to order Russian troops to leave his country.
In a phonecall, Macron told Lukashenko that fraternity between the people of Belarus and Ukraine should lead Belarus to "refuse to be a vassal and an accomplice to Russia in the war against Ukraine," his office said in a statement.
Russia used Belarus as a springboard for part of its attack on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Belarusian opposition leader in exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expressed solidarity with Ukraine, telling DW that most people in her home country "don't support this war."
27th February, 7:00 am: Summary of events in Ukraine-Russia crisis on Saturday:
EU foreign ministers said they planned to convene a virtual gathering on Sunday to discuss further assistance for Ukraine and punitive measures towards Russia.
In a move that marks a major change of course for Germany, the Bundeswehr will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger-class surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion, the government announced.
Kyiv is under curfew until Monday. The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, ordered residents to stay indoors, warning that people outside would be considered "members of sabotage and reconnaissance groups."
Filippo Grandi, the UN's high commissioner for refugees, said on Twitter that the number of Ukrainians who have already fled to neighboring countries was now more than 150,000.
Demonstrators in cities across the globe have expressed solidarity with Ukraine, with many expressing anger at Russia's decision to invade its neighbor.
The Russian owner of Chelsea FC, Roman Abramovich, said he is handing over the club to the trustees of its charitable foundation.
26th February, 6:40 pm: Zelenskyy claims Turkey banning passage of warships in Black Sea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday after the two spoke over the phone.
"The ban on the passage of Russian warships to the Black Sea and significant military and humanitarian support for Ukraine are extremely important today," Zelenskyy said in a tweet.
"The people of Ukraine will never forget that!" he added.
A Turkish official however said Ankara has not yet made a decision to block warships from the Black Sea.
26th February, 5:20 pm: Russian offensive resumes after alleged pause
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian military's offensive push had recommenced on Saturday after claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin had suspended the forward movement of troops to hold peace negotiations.
"In connection with the expected negotiations, the Russian president yesterday afternoon ordered the suspension of the advance of the main forces of the Russian Federation," Peskov told reporters during a conference call.
"Since the Ukrainian side refused to negotiate, the advance of the Russian forces resumed this afternoon," he added.
Despite the claims of a pause in the Russian advances, several Ukrainian cities were hit by Russian missiles overnight. There were also reports of fighting in the capital Kyiv and other major cities.
26th February, 5:00 pm: Zelenskyy claims Russian push on Kyiv 'derailed'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that his country's armed forces had stopped a Russian advance on the capital, Kyiv.
"We've derailed their plan," he said in a video address, one of several he has made during the invasion. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army retains control both of Kyiv and main cities around it.
Zelensky said Russian forces deployed "missiles, fighters, drones, artillery, armored vehicles, saboteurs, and airborne forces" against Ukraine and have hit "residential areas."
Meanwhile, Kyiv's Mayor Vitaly Klitschko announced the enforcement of a stricter curfew in the city that will extend from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. He added that anyone caught outside during the hours of the curfew will be considered members of "Russian saboteur or reconnaissance groups."
26th February, 3:30 pm: The United Kingdom says that most of Russian forces are 30 km from the centre of Ukraine's capital Kyiv
The Britain's Defence Ministry said on Saturday that the bulk of Russian forces on Ukraine's capital Kyiv were now just around 30 km from the centre of the city.
26th February, 3:15 pm: Poland takes in thousands of Ukrainian refugees
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has so far caused more than 100,000 people there to flee into neighboring Poland, the Polish deputy interior minister said Saturday.
Pawel Szefernaker told a news conference that 9,000 people had entered so far on Saturday morning alone. Poland already has the one of Eastern Europe's largest expat Ukrainian community of around 1 million people.
Szefernaker estimated that 90% of the refugees have specific places they can go in Poland, such as the homes of friends or family, remainder are seeking help at nine reception centres set up along the border.
"Most are women and children, but there were also men outside of the 18-to-60 age range, who face conscription in Ukraine." he said in separate remarks on Friday evening.
26th February, 3:00 pm: Cutting Russia off from SWIFT a "matter of days" said the euro zone central banker
A decision to whether or not to cut Russia completely off from the global payment system 'SWIFT' will be taken in a few days, said a central bank governor in the euro zone.
26th February, 2:45 pm: Several EU member states pledge arms to Ukraine
A number of EU countries have said they will give military equipment to Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues into its third day.
The Czech Republic's defence minister, Jana Cernochova, said her country would send machine guns, automatic and sniper rifles, pistols and ammunition valued at €7.6 million ($8.6 million).
"The government on Saturday approved further help to Ukraine, which is facing a Russian attack," Minister Jana Cernochova said in a tweet.
In January, Prague had donated 4,000 artillery shells worth €1.5 million to Ukraine.
The Netherlands has said it will send 200 anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine at Kyiv's request. It already agreed last week to deliver other military equipment to Ukraine, including sniper rifles, radar devices and land mine detectors. Some of this shipment was sent off on Saturday, with the rest to follow as soon as possible, the government said.
A French army spokesman said Paris has decided to send defensive military equipment, adding that the delivery of offensive weapons was under consideration.
26th February, 2:30 pm: Internet in Ukraine disrupted as Russian troops advance
The internet connectivity in war-hit Ukraine has been heavily affected, mainly in the southern and eastern parts of Ukraine. In these regions fighting there has been the heaviest.
26th February, 2:00 pm: Poland withdraws from World Cup qualifier in protest
The Polish Football Association has said the Polish national team is pulling out of its World Cup qualifying match against Russia in protest against the invasion of Ukraine.
''No more words, time to act!'' said association president Cezary Kulesza on Twitter, saying the move was prompted by the ''escalation of the aggression.''
26th February, 1:30 pm: Russia to seize foreigners' funds in retaliation
Russia said it will respond to the seizure of money of its citizens and institutions abroad by seizing funds of foreigners and even the foreign companies based in Russia, said Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the security council on Saturday.
26th February, 1:00 pm: Ukraine's Moscow embassy staff moving to Latvia
The Latvian Foreign Ministry has said the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow is evacuating its staff to Latvia.
"It was their plea, we readily agreed. We are assisting them in the process and help with settling down," Latvian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Janis Bekeris said Saturday.
He did not specify whether the staff had already arrived in Latvia, citing security concerns.
26th February, 12:00 pm: Zelenskyy vows to keep up resistance
As Russian troops advance on Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he will remain in the city and was not giving up.
"We will not put down weapons; we will defend our state," he said in a video filmed outside his office Saturday morning.
Zelenskyy had earlier rejected an offer from the US to take him to safety. "The fight is here,'' he said. The Ukrainian leader has described himself as a "main target" for Russia.
26th February, 10 am: Kyiv residents warned that street fighting has started in capital
Officials in Kyiv have said that street fighting against Russian forces is underway and urged residents to protect their own safety.
News agencies reported witness accounts of shelling in central Kyiv and gunfire heard close to the government headquarters. People were advised in a statement to remain in shelters, stay away from windows and balconies and to protect themselves against flying debris or bullets.
The Ukrainian military has also said fighting was taking place near a military unit to the west of the city center.
26th February, 9:30 am: Artillery blasts reported in Kyiv
Facebook bars Kremlin-backed media ads, monetization
Facebook has stopped Russian state-owned news organizations from running ads or making money on its platform worldwide.
"We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media," Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of security policy, wrote on Twitter.
Gleicher's announcement comes after communications regulator Roskomnadzor on Friday said it would partly restrict Facebook in Russia.
In an official statement, it described its actions as "measures to protect Russian media."
Earlier in the week, the social media giant said it refused to "stop the independent fact-checking and labeling of content posted on Facebook by four Russian state-owned media organizations."
Russian attack on Kyiv army base repelled, says Ukraine
Russian troops attacked an army base in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv but the assault was repelled, the Ukrainian military said.
The battle is said to have taken place on Peremohy, or Victory, Avenue just to the west of the center of the city.
"Military criminals of Russia attacked one of the military units in Kyiv on Victory Avenue. The attack has been fought back," the armed forces of Ukraine said in a post on Facebook.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned earlier in the evening that Russian forces would storm Kyiv in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Russian forces are inside the city limits, according to Ukrainian officials.
26th February, 8:30 am:
Russian and Ukrainian forces clash in Kyiv
Fighting intensified in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv overnight. Witnesses and journalists reported hearing loud artillery rounds and intense gunfire in parts of the city. One witness told a news agency artillery strikes on Kyiv could be heard some distance away from the city center.
Heavy fighting was also reported in the eastern suburb of Troieschyna. The State Service of Special Communications wrote on Facebook that Ukranian forces were trying to repel a Russian attack there.
The Kyiv Independent reported heavy gunfire near Beresteiska metro station. Thousands of Kyiv residents spent the night in bomb shelters and metro stations.
Twitter pauses ads in Ukraine, Russia
Twitter has temporarily paused advertisements on its platform in Ukraine and Russia to "ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don't detract from it," the company announced in a tweet.
Twitter said it was seeking to ensure reliable and trustworthy information reached Ukrainians and Russians in real-time. The company laid out a number of measures it was implementing to keep disinformation at bay, including pausing tweet recommendations from people users didn't follow on their own to reduce "the spread of abusive content."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres showed his frustration with the Security Council on Saturday.
"The United Nations was born out of war to end war, today that objective was not achieved," Guterres said.
He was reacting to Russia's veto of a resolution demanding that Moscow stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres showed his frustration with the Security Council on Saturday.
"The United Nations was born out of war to end war, today that objective was not achieved," Guterres said.
He was reacting to Russia's veto of a resolution demanding that Moscow stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres showed his frustration with the Security Council on Saturday.
"The United Nations was born out of war to end war, today that objective was not achieved," Guterres said.
He was reacting to Russia's veto of a resolution demanding that Moscow stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops.
After the vote, Guterres said, "Soldiers need to return to their barracks" and "leaders need to turn to the path of dialogue and peace."
Speaking just outside the Security Council chambers, he said, "Especially in a moment like this, it is important to remember that the UN is not just the chamber behind me."
He appointed Sudan's Amin Awad as the UN crisis coordinator on Ukraine.
"The humanitarian needs are multiplying and spreading by the hour. Civilians are dying, at least 100,000 Ukrainians have already fled their homes," Guterres said.
26th February, 6:00 am: NATO leaders to bolster eastern forces
NATO leaders agreed Friday to send thousands of troops, backed by air and naval support, to protect allies near Russia and Ukraine in response to Moscow's invasion of its neighbor.
Speaking after chairing an emergency NATO summit in Brussels, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said parts of the NATO Response Force would be sent to the alliance's eastern flank, along with elements of a quickly deployable spearhead unit.
Stoltenberg did not say how many troops would be sent or where they might go, but he did confirm that the move would involve land, sea and air power.
25th February, 10.10 pm: US, UK join EU in freezing Putin's assets
The United States and Britain followed the EU in announcing sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that a travel ban would be part of the US sanctions. The Treasury Department is expected to release more details later Friday.
Psaki also said that any moves by Russia "going after" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who alongside key aides has vowed to stay and defend Kyiv, would be a "horrific act."
The UK Treasury issued a financial sanctions notice against the two Russian politicans, adding them to a list of Russian oligarchs who have already had their property and bank accounts in the UK frozen.
The move suggests that Western powers are acting in concert to try to force Putin to stop the invasion of Ukraine.
25th February, 9:15 pm: Kremlin 'ready' for peace talks with Ukraine, venue one sticking point?
Russia is willing to send a delegation to the Belarusian capital Minsk for peace talks with Ukraine, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
"In response to Zelenskyy's proposal, Vladimir Putin is ready to send a delegation at the level of representatives of Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry and presidential administration to Minsk for negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation," Peskov said.
Russian President Putin has reportedly spoken with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko about the option of setting up a secure location for the talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has twice offered to meet with Putin for talks.
Peskov later said Ukraine proposed Warsaw, the capital of NATO member Poland, as a venue for talks instead of Moscow ally Minsk. He added that Kyiv then halted further communication.
25th February, 9:00 pm: Russia barred from taking part in Eurovision
Russia will be prohibited from taking part in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said.
The EBU said the appearance of Russian act in the contest would "bring the competition into disrepute."
Ukraine and other countries have previously called for Russia to be expelled from the contest. Finland said it would not send an act if Russia were allowed to participate.
The competition will take place in May in Turin, Italy.
25th February, 8:00 pm: Council of Europe suspends Russia
The Council of Europe has suspended Russia's membership due to the Kremlin-backed invasion of Ukraine, the committee of ministers decided.
The 47-member body is the continent's foremost human rights organization.
Permanent representatives of the member states "agreed to suspend the Russian federation from its rights of representation in the Council of Europe" by invoking Article 8 of its statute, according to a statement.
Although the Council of Europe suspended Russia's right to representation, the Eastern European country will still remain a member of the body. The Council has only invoked Article 8 one other time in its history, against Greece's military junta in 1969.
The Council was founded in 1949, and is based in Strasbourg, France.
25th February, 07:00 pm: Russia claims to destroy 118 military facilities of Ukraine's military infrastructure
Moscow on Friday claimed to have destroyed 118 military facilities of Ukraine's military infrastructure in a counter-offensive operation by the groupings of troops of Donetsk and Lugansk with fire support from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
25th February, 06:50 pm: Ukraine accuses Russia of war crimes
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has alleged Russian air strikes hit a Kindergarten and an orphanage, calling the attacks "war crimes" in a post on Twitter.
Kuleba said that Ukrainian prosecutors were collecting evidence of the incidents to send to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.
25th February, 06:10 pm: Pope Francis visits Russian embassy
Pope Francis decided to visit Russia's embassy at the Holy See as tensions continue to escalate, according to the Vatican press office. The 85-year-old Catholic leader visited the embassy "to express his concern for the war."
He reportedly spent over half an hour at the embassy. A Vatican spokesperson said the pope spoke to Russia's ambassador, but no readout of the meeting has been released so far.
Francis previously said on Wednesday, ahead of the invasion, that the idea of war in Ukraine causes "great pain in my heart." He also criticized actions "destabilizing coexistence among nations and discrediting international law."
25th February, 05:40 pm: Kremlin ready for peace talks with Ukraine in Minsk
Russia is willing to send a delegation to the Belarusian capital Minsk for peace talks with Ukraine, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
"In response to Zelenskyy's proposal, Vladimir Putin is ready to send a delegation at the level of representatives of Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry and presidential administration to Minsk for negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation," Peskov said.
Russian President Putin has reportedly spoken with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko about the option of setting up a secure location for the talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has twice offered to meet with Putin for talks.
25th February, 05:00 pm: Kyiv enters 'defensive phase'
Kyiv "has entered into a defensive phase," said the capital's mayor, Vitaly Klitschko.
"Shots and explosions are ringing out in some neighborhoods saboteurs have already entered Kyiv. The enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us," the former boxer told a news briefing.
Earlier reports said that Russian saboteurs had entered the city as Russian forces, including tanks, approached on the city from various directions. Gunfire was heard near the government district earlier in the day.
25th February, 04:00 pm: Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of France, Emmanuel Macron on Thursday discussed the situation in Ukraine.
"During a telephone conversation held at the initiative of the French side, Vladimir Putin and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron had a serious and frank exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine," read a Kremlin statement. Putin gave an exhaustive explanation of the reasons for and the circumstances in which the decision to start a special military operation was made.
25th February, 03:25 pm: Russia claims aim is to demilitarise Ukraine
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday that Russia wanted to "liberate Ukrainians from oppression," adding that the invading force is not planning to occupy Ukraine, Reuters reported.
The aim of the invasion, according to Lavrov, is to demilitarise Ukraine. He went on to say that Russia wants the Ukrainian people to be independent and determine their own destiny.
Lavrov added that Moscow would engage in talks with Kyiv, but only after the Ukrainian military laid down its weapons.
25th February, 03:18 pm: Loud blasts heard in Kharkiv
Explosions were heard in Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv, which lies close to Ukraine's eastern border with Russia, on Friday with the mayor telling residents to seek shelter from Russian missiles in subway stations, basements and bomb shelters. Air raid sirens were set off in cities across the country as reports emerged of rockets landing in residential areas.
25th February, 03:00 pm: We cannot stop Russian warships accessing Black Sea, says Turkey's Foreign Minister
25th February, 02:50 pm: EU agrees on new economic sanctions against Russia
Measures target banks and limit technology exports. EU stops short of banning Russia from SWIFT system.
25th February, 02:35 pm: Missiles pound the Ukrainian capital as Russian forces pressed their advance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pleads with the international community to do more.
25th February, 02:15 pm: UN condemns Russia's 'arbitrary arrests' of anti-war protesters
The United Nations has condemned the reported arrests of hundreds of people in Russia who were protesting against their country's invasion of Ukraine.
"Arresting individuals for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or a peaceful assembly constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of liberty," UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters. She also called for "the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained."
On Thursday, many thousands of Russians defied tough anti-protest laws to hold anti-war rallies across the country. More than 1,800 people in 59 cities have been detained.
25th February, 02:00 pm: Ukraine's nuclear agency said it was recording increased radiation levels from the site of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant
25th February, 01:50 pm: UEFA moves Champions League final out of Russia
In the wake of the war in Ukraine, European soccer's governing body, UEFA, has stripped Russia of hosting the Champions League final. Instead, the French capital, Paris, has been chosen to hold the match in its Stade de France on May 28.
The final had originally been scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg. UEFA also announced that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in international competitions must play home matches at neutral venues "until further notice."
25th February, 01:48 pm: Russian forces approaching Kyiv from northeast and east: Ukraine army
25th February, 01:40pm: EU foreign ministers, NATO to meet on Ukraine
European Union foreign ministers are set to hold an urgent meeting on Friday afternoon to discuss further response options to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Diplomats said the ministers would debate ways of giving Ukraine more support and plan strategies for the bloc's future dealings with Russia.
The meeting comes after EU leaders on Thursday night agreed on a massive new set of sanctions targeting Russia's energy, finance and transport sectors.
NATO heads of state and government are also to discuss the Ukraine crisis on Friday at an extraordinary virtual summit chaired by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Stoltenberg is due to give a press briefing at NATO headquarters in Brussels after the conference.
25th February, 01:15 pm: Fighting reported in Kyiv
Gunfire has been heard close to the government quarter in Kyiv after explosions hit the Ukrainian capital earlier in the morning, the Associated Press has reported.
The Ukrainian military also said that Russian spies and saboteurs had been spotted within the city, some 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the city center.
Russian tanks and troops have already reached the outskirts of the city after entering the country from Belarus to the north.
25th February, 12:45 pm: Russia bans airplanes registered in the UK from landing or crossing its airspace
25th February, 11:40 am: France: Putin wants to 'take Ukraine off the map of nations'
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Friday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to destroy Ukraine's statehood.
"This is total war. Putin has decided to take Ukraine off the map of nations," Le Drian said in an interview to France Inter radio.
He also warned that the security of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was at risk.
25th February, 11:10 am: UK says Russia wants 'whole of Ukraine'
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on Friday that his country believes Russia wants to conquer Ukraine in its entirety but that the Russian army had not fulfilled its aims on the first day of its invasion.
"It's definitely our view that the Russians intend to invade the whole of Ukraine," Wallace told broadcaster Sky.
He went on to contradict claims by Russia's Defense Ministry that the Russian army had fulfilled all its objectives on the first day of the military operation.
25th February, 11:10 am: Zelenskyy calls for eastern European defence assistance
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had spoken with Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda on Friday to seek defense assistance from eastern European NATO members in the so-called Bucharest Nine organization.
"Together we have to put [Russia] at the negotiating table. We need (an) anti-war coalition," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.
25th February, 10:40 am: Ukraine fears imminent attack on Kyiv
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar has warned that Russian forces are poised to enter areas just outside the capital, Kyiv, on Friday.
A government adviser, Anton Herashchenko, said the Russian troops planned to break through into the capital using tanks but that Ukrainian forces were ready to counter the attack with anti-tank missiles supplied by foreign allies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier said the government had information that "subversive groups" were moving on the city.
This comes after a night of reported air raids in the city that were said to have set some residential buildings on fire. Many Kyiv residents have taken shelter in underground metro stations.
25th February, 10:10 am: Zelenskyy: Western sanctions 'not enough' to convince Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday it was clear that new Western sanctions imposed on Moscow were not enough to curb Russian aggression against his country. Speaking after reported Russian missile attacks on the capital, Kyiv, he said the world was still just observing the events in Ukraine from a distance.
25th February, 9:50 am: Ukrainian forces downed an enemy aircraft over Kyiv in the early hours on Friday, which then crashed into a residential building and set it on fire.
25th February, 9:11 am: Ukraine central bank bans payments to Russia, Belarus
The National Bank of Ukraine has banned payments to entities located in Russia and Belarus, the regulator said on Friday. It has also banned operations involving Russian and Belarusian rubles.
25th February, 8:40 am: Ukraine foreign minister: 'horrific' airstrikes in Kyiv
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv had suffered "horrific" Russian airstrikes. He went on to compare the attacks by Russian forces with World War II.
"Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany. Ukraine defeated that evil and will defeat this one," Kuleba said in a tweet. Kuleba urged countries to adopt tough sanctions against Russia and to "several all ties" and "kick Russia out of everywhere." "Stop Putin. Isolate Russia," he wrote.
25th February, 8:21 am: The sound of explosions echoed through central Kyiv as Russian missiles fell on the Ukrainian capital early on Friday, news agencies have reported.
25th February, 8.20 am: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on Thursday ordering general mobilization in the wake of Russia's military operation.
25th February, 8.05 am: Amid Russia's ongoing military operation in Ukraine, a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) vote on a resolution has been listed on a UN schedule for Friday.
25th February, 7.30 am: Many Russians have been detained in cities across Russia for protesting against the 'military operation' in Ukraine. Solo pickets --public protest in Russia --have taken place from the southern city of Tolyatti to the Far East city of Khabarovsk.
25th February, 7:00 am: Russian forces are about 20 miles from Kyiv, Biden administration officials tell lawmakers
25th February, 6.30 am: Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking a return to the age of empires and confrontations, French President Emmanuel Macron said after speaking to Putin on the phone. Macron said he had called his Russian counterpart on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request. Zelenskyy said he tried to call Putin but failed to reach him.
25th February, 6.00 am: Russia is continuing its assault on Kyiv following a full-scale invasion. Local officials say Ukrainian forces have downed enemy aircraft.
24th February, 11:30 pm: US President Joe Biden, while addressing the nation on the situation in Ukraine, condemned Russia for launching the military strike on Thursday and announced "new strong sanctions and limitations" on Russia.
24th February, 9:35 pm: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced on Thursday new sanctions against Russia over the military operation in Ukraine, saying the UK will aim to "squeeze Russia from the global economy."
24th February, 9:15 pm: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said that a package of additional tough sanctions against Russia from the European Union is approaching amid Moscow's ongoing military operations in Ukraine as discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron.
24th February, 8:35 pm: Expressing his disappointments over UN Chief Antonio Guterres's statement on Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday said that Guterres statements were amenable to West's pressure and were at odds with his status and powers under the UN Charter.
24th February, 7:15 pm: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Russia was left with no other choice than military operations in Ukraine, agencies reported.
24th February, 6:40 pm: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is deploying additional defensive land and air forces to the eastern part of the Alliance, as well as additional maritime assets, the alliance's council said on Thursday.
24th February, 6:30 pm: Russia and China on Thursday discussed Moscow's recognition of the people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. The discussions took place between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi
24th February, 6:00 pm: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday called on Russia and Ukraine to resolve the crisis through dialogue within the Minsk Agreements.
24th February, 5:40 pm: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing crisis at the Ukraine-Russia border.
24th February, 5:10 pm: Ukraine military plane with 14 aboard crashes near Kyiv: Agencies
24th February, 4:40 pm: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is deploying additional defensive land and air forces to the eastern part of the Alliance, as well as additional maritime assets, the alliance's council said on Thursday.
24th February, 4:10 pm: Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) on Thursday announced the suspension of scheduled and charter flights to/from Ukraine due to the closure of its airspace for civilian airspace users until 23:59 pm (Kiev time).
24th February, 3:10 pm: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz calls emergency parliamentary sitting on Sunday over Ukraine invasion. Putin 'jeopardising peace in Europe', he says. He also said that the assault on Ukraine was completely without justification and called it "Putin's war."
24th February, 2:35 pm: Frightened Ukrainians took to metro stations in the capital Kyiv today as air raid sirens rang out across the country's main cities following Russia's launch of its feared military attack
24th February, 1:50 pm: Ukraine's Zelenskyy gives emotional address to nation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said weapons will be issued to those who want them and called on Ukrainians to donate blood.
In an address to the nation, he said Russia had suffered losses during the initial stages of its invasion and added Ukraine had severed diplomatic relations with Russia. He concluded his emotional speech, "Glory to Ukraine!"
24th February, 1:41 pm: The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have claimed to have shot down five Russian aircraft and a helicopter, media reports said on Thursday. However, the Russian military has denied the claims.
24th February, 1:40 pm: Russia must "immediately" end military operations in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday as he extended solidarity with Kiev.
24 February, 1:21 pm: The current events have nothing to do with a desire to infringe on the interests of Ukraine & Ukrainian people. They are connected with defending Russia from those who have taken Ukraine hostage & are trying to use it against our country: Russian President Vladimir Putin
24 February, 1:11 pm: Lithuania declares a state of emergency: Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda signed a decree calling for a state of emergency in his country.
24 February, 1:10 pm: Ukraine says killed 'around 50 Russian occupiers'
24 February, 12:48 pm: It's a case of blatant aggression which started at 5 o'clock in the morning. We have confirmed information that a lot of Ukrainian aerodromes, military airports, military installations were attacked by bombs & missile attacks. Some attacks happened on outskirts of capital. Some attacks happened deep inside the territory of Ukraine. We're getting the first information about casualties among our soldiers & among civilian population: Dr Igor Polikha, Ambassador of Ukraine to India
24 February, 12:40 pm: Ukrainian president urges world leaders to provide defence assistance, help protect Ukraine's airspace from Russia.
24 February, 12:24 pm: Ukraine Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov says anyone who is ready and able to hold a weapon can join the ranks of the Territorial Defence Forces
24 February, 12:15 pm: Russia's target is not just Donbass, the target is not just Ukraine, the target is stability in Europe and the whole international rules-based order. For that, we will hold Russia accountable: Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission
24 February, 11:15 am: Ukraine says at least 7 killed, 9 wounded by Russian shelling
24 February, 11:02 am: Police officers inspect the remains of a missile that fell in the street, after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation in eastern Ukraine, in Kyiv
24 February, 11:00 am: Smoke fumes out of a military installation near the airport, tanks move into the city, after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation in eastern Ukraine, in Mariupol
24 February, 10:56 am: Russian-backed separatists say they now control two towns in the Luhansk region of Ukraine
24 February, 10:50 am: Ukraine interior ministry says 1 killed, 1 wounded in Brovary, Kyiv. Shelling across Ukraine
