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Summary
Russia’s war on its neighbour continues for its tenth day and well into its second week. It is 7am in Ukraine and here is where the situation currently stands:
- US president Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to discuss ongoing efforts to impose sanctions on Russia and speed up US military, humanitarian and economic assistance. The White House said during the call the pair also discussed talks between Russia and Ukraine, but offered no additional details.
- Britain’s prime minister Boris Johnson issued a six-point plan in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and is urging other leaders to endorse it in efforts to ensure Russia fails in its apparent attempt to take over its democratic neighbour.
- Zelenskiy also said he spoke to SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk, announcing the country will receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals this coming week.
- US-based credit card giants Visa and Mastercard announced they will suspend their Russian business operations.
- The Ukrainian military said Russian forces continue to focus on Kyiv while moving ahead with assaults on Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and the creation of a land corridor with Crimea, in its latest operational report. The report said aircraft from airports in Belarusian territory were involved in air strikes on military and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and Zhytomyr.
- US-based think tank and policy research organisation, the Institute for the Study of War, released a report saying Russian forces in Ukraine may have entered a possibly brief operational pause as they prepare to resume operations against Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolayiv, and possibly Odesa in the next 24-48 hours.
- The relief effort to distribute humanitarian aid to Ukraine has stepped up as volunteers across the country work tirelessly to gather basic necessities to give to refugees and prepare food supplies for the army to be sent to the frontline.
- The humanitarian situation in the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol is “catastrophic” and it is vital that civilians be evacuated, a senior official from the NGO Doctors Without Borders warned.
- The International Monetary Fund announced it could approve $1.4 billion emergency funding as early as next week as the body warns of war’s “severe impact” on the global economy.
- Western sanctions on Russia are a stumbling block to revived Iran nuclear deal, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.
- Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba met with US secretary of state Antony Blinken, saying Ukraine “will win this war” but needs more help from Nato.
- Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dymtro Kuleba, appealed for more military assistance while Reuters reports Zelenskiy made a “desperate plea” for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine. In a call with US senators, he is also understood to have called for a no-fly zone, lethal aid, a ban on Russian oil and a suspension of Visa and Mastercard in Russia.
- The US is reportedly in discussions with Poland on the possibility of Poland providing more fighter jets to Ukraine with the US potentially agreeing to backfill Poland’s fleet of fighter planes if Warsaw decides to transfer its used MiG-29s to Ukraine, four US officials told POLITICO.
- Russia and Ukraine plan another round of talks on Monday, even though previous talks that produced an agreement to a limited ceasefire in order to protect corridors for civilian have not been honoured by Russia.
- The United Nations recorded 351 civilians killed and 707 injured in Ukraine, according to the UN high commissioner for human rights.
- Tens of thousands joined rallies around the world in support of Ukraine over the weekend, gathering in cities across Europe, the US and South America to demand an end to Russia’s invasion.
For any tips and feedback please contact me through Twitter or at samantha.lock@theguardian.com
A Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster delivered critical military equipment and medical supplies to Ukraine, recently released images from the Australian defence force reveal.
The delivery follows Australian prime minister Scott Morrison’s announcement that the country will provide defensive military assistance.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently spoke to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, inviting him to visit after the war.
Zelenskiy shared a video of the call on social media shortly after Ukraine announced it would receive more Starlink satellite internet terminals for destroyed cities from the company next week.
“So if you have time - after the war - you’re very welcome. I invite you,” Zelenskiy says. “Sounds good. I look forward to visiting,” Musk replies.
Watch video of the call below.
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in cities including Santiago, Vancouver Paris and New York in support of Ukraine on Saturday, demanding an end to Russia’s invasion.
About 41,600 people demonstrated in 119 protests in towns and cities across France, according to interior ministry estimates. In Paris itself, 16,000 gathered at Place de la Bastille.
One rally in Zurich saw 40,000 people take part, Switzerland’s ATS news agency reported.
Hundreds also turned out in London, including Ukrainians whose families were forced to flee Russian bombs.
In the centre of Rome, unions and organisations rallied in a large “procession of peace”, demonstrating against Putin but also Nato.
More than a thousand people also demonstrated in the Croatian capital Zagreb with banners saying: Stop the War, Save Europe and Glory to Ukraine.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, several thousand people gathered in New York’s Times Square. They carried sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower, and signs calling to, Stop Russian terrorism.
Hundreds also gathered outside the White House in Washington to demand a Nato no-fly zone and military assistance for Ukraine.
In Santiago, Chile, an anti-war protest broke out in front of the Russian embassy, while members of the Ukrainian community demonstrated in front of the Russian embassy in Colombia in the capital Bogotá.
The relief effort to distribute humanitarian aid to Ukraine has stepped up in recent days.
Volunteers across the country have worked tirelessly to gather basic necessities to give to refugees and prepare food supplies for the army to be sent to the frontline.
Thousands of Ukrainian refugees continue to flee their homeland seeking safety in neighbouring countries.
More than 1.3 million Ukrainians have crossed borders since the Russian invasion started on the 24 February in what the United Nations is now calling Europe’s fastest-moving refugee crisis since the end of the second world war.
Figures released today by the United Nation’s Refugee Agency (UNHCR) show that to date 1.37 million people have fled Ukraine into neighbouring European countries after the military offensive ordered by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
“This is the fastest-moving refugee crisis we have seen in Europe since the end of the second world war,” UNHCR head Filippo Grandi said.
The vast majority of people here are women with kids and elderly people, having to spend long hours waiting in the cold for a spot on a packed train.
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) March 5, 2022
The doors on this one opened but there wasn’t an inch for anyone to squeeze in. pic.twitter.com/xUPQyypvG1
Close to midnight in Ukraine and everywhere the streets long deserted due to curfew. But in the railway stations huge crowds wait for trains west. In Vinnytsia, there’s free food, a children’s play room and places to charge phones. A grim situation but everyone doing their best. pic.twitter.com/CmXdGSocfn
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) March 5, 2022
Russian forces in Ukraine may have entered a possibly brief operational pause as they prepare to resume operations against Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolayiv, and possibly Odesa in the next 24-48 hours, according to a US-based think tank and policy research organisation.
A recently published report by the Institute for the Study of War, claims:
Russian troops did not launch major ground offensive operations against Kyiv, Kharkiv, or Mykolayiv in the last 24 hours
Ukrainian forces near Kharkiv, on the other hand, conducted a counter-offensive that reportedly penetrated to the Ukrainian-Russian border.”
The institute adds that Russian troops continued to encircle, bomb, and shell Mariupol while Russian forces east of Kharkiv and in northern Luhansk Oblast appear to be trying to link up.
“Russian troops around Kherson city are likely preparing to resume offensive operations against Mykolayiv and ultimately Odesa and Russian naval infantry in Crimea continue to prepare for amphibious operations, which would most likely occur near Odesa,” the assessment adds.
#Russian forces in #Ukraine may have entered a possibly brief operational pause as they prepare to resume operations against #Kyiv, #Kharkiv, #Mykolayiv, and possibly #Odesa in the next 24-48 hours. Read the latest from @TheStudyofWar and @criticalthreats:https://t.co/5neCMG8col pic.twitter.com/xGBXtwtJm2
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) March 5, 2022
Ukrainians have taken their resistance online through increasingly creative means in an effort to inform Russians of the destruction inflicted upon their country.
In light of Russia blocking multiple social media channels and independent media, one way that Ukrainians are trying to reach the Russian people is through writing unique Google reviews of popular Russian cafes and restaurants.
“Ivan, 27, now spends his time writing Google reviews for Russian cafes and restaurants. But they are no ordinary reviews,” Anastasiia Lapatina, a Ukrainian journalist and reporter for the Kyiv Independent, writes for the New York Times.
“Russian troops have been bombing Kyiv and its peaceful residents for 4 days,” one review reads. “Go out in the streets — stop the deaths of children.”
“By flooding places where Russians are congregating online, Ivan and the hundreds of others writing similar messages hope to spread the truth of the Kremlin’s atrocities,” Lapatina says.
Since most unfavorable news has been blocked in Russia, one way that Ukrainians are trying to reach the Russian people has been to write very unique Google reviews of popular Russian cafes and restaurants.
— Tim Eby (@timjeby) March 5, 2022
This is brilliant. pic.twitter.com/Ni2BQUAJFK
Updated
The US is in discussions with Poland on the possibility of Poland providing more fighter jets to Ukraine with the US potentially agreeing to backfill Poland’s fleet of fighter planes if Warsaw decides to transfer its used MiG-29s to Ukraine, four US officials told POLITICO.
As part of the conversations with Poland, the US is determining what “capabilities we could provide to backfill Poland if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine,” a White House spokesperson said, decline to give any detail surrounding what backfill options are under consideration.
Last week, Poland weighed the possibility of sending its warplanes to Ukraine, with Warsaw asking the White House if the Biden administration could guarantee it would provide them with US-made fighter jets to fill the gap.
The White House said it would look into the matter. The Biden administration didn’t oppose the Polish government giving Kyiv the MiGs, which could potentially escalate tensions between Nato and Moscow. Poland, for now, has held on to its fighter jets.
“We are working with the Poles on this issue and consulting with the rest of our Nato allies,” a White House spokesperson told POLITICO. “We are also working on the capabilities we could provide to backfill Poland if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine.”
The move comes amid a frantic push to find weapons to equip Ukrainian forces as they continue to fight off the massive Russian invasion.
Ukraine needs fighter jets and it needs them now.
— Rep. Jason Crow (@RepJasonCrow) March 6, 2022
It may be the single biggest way to tilt the balance of the war at this point.
The U.S. can make this happen by providing replacement guarantees to our NATO allies.
Get it done!
Updated
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has hailed advances made by Kyiv’s forces against Russia, asserting that “Ukraine is bleeding, but it has not fallen and stands with both feet on the ground.”
Kuleba reiterated his demand for Moscow to withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory.
Watch the video of his address below.
From New York to Paris and Santiago, Chile, thousands gathered in cities across the world this weekend to protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling upon their governments to take more action.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the White House in Washington to demand a Nato no-fly zone and military assistance for Ukraine while demonstrators took part in a protest at Place de la Bastille in Paris on Saturday.
In Santiago, Chile, an anti-war protest broke out in front of the Russian embassy while a crowd of thousands showed their support for Ukraine in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
The Ukrainian military has just released its daily operational report, noting Russian forces continue to focus on Kyiv while moving ahead with assaults on Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and the creation of a land corridor with Crimea.
According to the report, published by Ukraine’s general staff of the armed forces at 2am local time, aircraft from airports in Belarusian territory were involved in air strikes on military and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and Zhytomyr.
Citing internal intelligence information, the military added that Russian forces intend to seize the Kaniv hydroelectric power plant on the Dnieper River in Kaniv, Ukraine while the regrouping of Russian troops continues.
Russian troops continue to “block the city of Mariupol, carry out artillery shelling of civil infrastructure” and Mykolaiv suffered “significant losses” the report reads.
Another four Russian helicopters, five planes and one UAV were shot down, the Ukrainian military added.
Updated
US to 'raise the costs' on Russia and secure more funding for Ukraine
US President Joe Biden has again spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday in call that lasted for about 30 minutes, the White House has said.
According to a White House readout of the call, Biden “highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its Allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine.”
A statement reads:
In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia.
President Biden noted his administration is surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding.”
Zelenskiy confirmed the call, writing over Twitter early this morning:
As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.”
In case you missed this brilliant piece from the Guardian’s diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour, we explain how the phone has become the Ukrainian president’s most effective weapon.
As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 6, 2022
Updated
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he has spoken to SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk, announcing the country will receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals this coming week.
In a post to Twitter early this morning, Zelenskiy confirmed he spoke with Musk, saying: “I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects. But I’ll talk about this after the war.”
Starlink provides high-speed internet from space with satellites flying in low Earth orbit.
Musk said on Thursday that the service was the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine.
Talked to @elonmusk. I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects 🚀. But I’ll talk about this after the war.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 5, 2022
Summary
Hello I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments as they unfold. It is 2am in Ukraine as Russia’s war continues for its second week.
Here is where the crisis currently stands:
- Britain’s Boris Johnson has issued a six-point plan in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and is urging other leaders to endorse it in efforts to ensure Russia fails in its apparent attempt to take over its democratic neighbour.
- US-based credit card giants Visa and Mastercard have both just announced they will sanction Russia by suspending their Russian business operations.
- The humanitarian situation in the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol is “catastrophic” and it is vital that civilians be evacuated, a senior official from the NGO Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières MSF) has warned.
- Western sanctions on Russia are a stumbling block to revived Iran nuclear deal, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.
- Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba met with US secretary of state Antony Blinken, saying Ukraine ‘will win this war’ but needs more help from Nato.
- Kuleba earlier demanded a new round of sanctions on Russia, reports Reuters.
- The International Monetary Fund has announced it could approve $1.4 billion emergency funding as early as next week as the body warns of war’s ‘severe impact’ on the global economy.
- The United Nations recorded 351 civilians killed and 707 injured in Ukraine, according to the UN high commissioner for human rights.
- Russia and Ukraine plan another round of talks on Monday, even though previous talks that produced an agreement to a limited ceasefire in order to protect corridors for civilian have not been honoured by Russia.
- The US government has warned American citizens living or travelling in Russia to “depart immediately”, in new guidelines, published today, by the US state department.
- Volodymyr Zelenskiy reportedly made a “desperate plea” for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine. In a call with US senators, he is also understood to have called for a no-fly zone, lethal aid, a ban on Russian oil and a suspension of Visa and Mastercard in Russia.
For any tips and feedback please contact me through Twitter or at samantha.lock@theguardian.com
Updated
The White House has just put out a statement condemning Russian government stifling of media freedom in reporting “Putin’s unconscionable war” and the Kremlin’s new law promising jail for those spreading information it deems false about the invasion of Ukraine.
It was issued by US National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne about Russian president Vladimir “Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine”.
It says in part: “The Russian government’s efforts to propagate lies and obscure the truth have been rejected by the international community: governments, the private sector, and civil society have taken independent action in an unprecedented manner to reject efforts to sell Putin’s war as justified.
“With our partners, we will continue to condemn Russia’s shuttering [ie closing down] of independent media and technology platforms that refuse to allow Putin to run his disinformation campaigns unchecked.
“To hide the truth from its own citizens, Russia’s censorship agency has shuttered independent Russian media outlets, blocked social media, and restricted access in Russia to international news outlets. We condemn the move by the Russian Federation Council to approve a law threatening prison sentences of up to 15 years for journalists and ordinary citizens that would spread so-called “false” information about Putin’s unconscionable war in Ukraine.
“We urge continued action across all sectors of society to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms online and offline. This includes disinformation that seeks to divide the global community and conceal the Kremlin’s responsibility for this crisis. The United States firmly believes that the best way to accomplish this goal is to hold accountable the propaganda media and disinformation proxies that disseminate Putin’s lies. Through their principled actions, like-minded governments, private companies, and non-governmental organizations are demonstrating leadership in this moment.”
The Guardian’s award-winning Today in Focus news podcast had a tremendous episode on Thursday called “What Russians are being told about the war in Ukraine”, which is worth a listen in case you missed it, you can reach it here.
Visa and Mastercard suspend Russian operations
US-based credit card giants Visa and Mastercard have both just announced they will sanction Russia by suspending their Russian business operations.
Visa Inc, based in California, issued a statement that said: “Visa will work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days. Once complete, all transactions initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation.”
“We are compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed,” said Al Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Visa Inc. “We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values.”
Moments prior, Mastercard Inc, based in New York, issued a statement.
It began: “For more than a week, the world has watched the shocking and devastating events resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our colleagues, our customers and our partners have been affected in ways that most of us could not imagine.”
The company went on to say: “We have decided to suspend our network services in Russia. This decision flows from our recent action to block multiple financial institutions from the Mastercard payment network, as required by regulators globally. With this action, cards issued by Russian banks will no longer be supported by the Mastercard network. And, any Mastercard issued outside of the country will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs [cash point machines].”
It added: “We don’t take this decision lightly. Mastercard has operated in Russia for more than 25 years.”
CNN’s chief White House corr, Kaitlan Collins and others noted that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged the companies to take this action when he talked by video to American members of Congress earlier today.
Mastercard announces they are suspending network services in Russia after President Zelensky called on them to do so during his meeting with US lawmakers this morning.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 5, 2022
It’s a significant move.
BREAKING: Both Visa and Mastercard suspend network services in Russia in the aftermath of President Zelenskyy's appeal this morning.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 5, 2022
It looks as though the situation will be different for those using Visa or Mastercard cards within Russia that were issued by Russian banks, though facts and the implications coming out of Russia may take a bit longer to become clear.
The Reuters news agency noted that the Tass Russian news agency had reported that Sberbank Rossii PAO, Russia’s largest lender, said sanctions announced by Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc would not affect users of the cards it issues in Russia when used inside Russia.
Boris Johnson sets out international 'plan of action' to ensure Russia fails in Ukraine
Britain’s Boris Johnson has issued a six-point plan in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and is urging other leaders to endorse it in efforts to ensure Russia fails in its apparent attempt to take over its democratic neighbour.
The British prime minister’s proposal does not involve western allies engaging in military action with Russia. It was released by Downing Street today.
Johnson is meeting with leaders from Canada and a variety of European countries in London in a series of talks beginning on Monday and he reiterated a point made in the House of Commons last month that Russia must “be seen to fail” in its mission of aggression towards Ukraine.
His new six-point response includes the objective of inflicting maximum economic pain on Moscow.
“It is not enough to express our support for the rules-based international order - we must defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by military force,” Johnson said in a statement.
The plan includes an international humanitarian coalition to help Ukraine’s civilians, support for the country’s self-defence capabilities and greater economic pressure being brought to bear on Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president.
Johnson will seek to rally the international community to make a “renewed and concerted effort” to end Moscow’s devastating war, and launch a six-point plan of action that he will detail tomorrow (Sunday), the Agence France-Presse reported.
“In the days since Russia invaded Ukraine we have seen an unprecedented wave of international condemnation from across the globe,” Downing Street said.
“Nations across the globe have imposed the largest ever package of sanctions against a major economy.”
“Putin must fail and must be seen to fail in this act of aggression,” Johnson is to say.
Reuters adds:
Johnson also called for diplomatic paths for de-escalation with the full involvement of Ukraine’s government, stronger security in the European-Atlantic area, and an end to the “creeping normalisation” of Russian activities in Ukraine.
After meeting the prime ministers of Canada and the Netherlands on Monday, Johnson is due to host leaders from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia - countries experiencing an influx of refugees caused by the invasion - on Tuesday.
Britain is planning to move more quickly to sanction Russian businessmen through new legal measures which will be sent to parliament on Monday.
Updated
Canada tells its citizens in Russia to leave while they can
Canada told its citizens on today to leave Russia “while commercial means are still available,” saying security conditions were unpredictable and could deteriorate without notice.
“Flight availability is becoming extremely limited ... The ability of our embassy to provide consular services in Russia may become severely limited,” Canada’s foreign ministry said in a travel advisory.
Canada tells its citizens to avoid all travel to Russia, and suggests Canadians in Russia leave the country. https://t.co/wg0b8YrNDm
— Sarah Sears (@iamSas) March 5, 2022
Canada has imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Canada tells its citizens in Russia to leave the country while they can - Official govt statement pic.twitter.com/Sx3eLRlIzH
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) March 5, 2022
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau will be heading to eastern Europe next week.
PM Trudeau says he will visit the UK, Latvia, Germany and Poland next week to visit “partners and allies” on Ukraine
— Sarah Sears (@iamSas) March 4, 2022
Updated
Humanitarian situation in Mariupol 'catastrophic' - Doctors Without Borders
The humanitarian situation in the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol is “catastrophic” and it is vital that civilians be evacuated, a senior official from the NGO Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières MSF) has warned.
The city has been under siege by Russian forces and is near the border with its larger aggressor, in the south-eastern part of Ukraine.
A supposed ceasefire agreement there to allow civilians to be evacuated safely never really came to fruition.
“It is imperative that this humanitarian corridor, which could have been created today but which has not really been put in place following non-respect of the ceasefire, is put in place very quickly to allow the civilian population, women and children, to get out of this city... the situation is catastrophic and getting worse day by day,” MSF’s emergency coordinator in Ukraine, Laurent Ligozat, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The agency further reports:
The strategic city and Azoz sea port is considered a key one for Russia to capture.
“Today there is no more water; people have huge problems accessing drinking water and this is becoming a crucial issue,” said Ligozat.
“There is no more electricity, there is no heating. Food is running out, shops are empty.
“For several days quite simply, there has been nothing coming in or going out of the city.”
Russia’s defence ministry earlier declared the ceasefire, to open a humanitarian corridor to allow the city’s 450,000-strong population to begin to leave by bus and private cars.
However, Ukrainian officials then called a delay in the evacuation, saying the Russian side had continued to shell the city and its environs.
Russia later announced “offensive actions” had resumed, each side blaming the other for the failure of the ceasefire.
Updated
John Bolton, former US national security adviser under Donald Trump and, previously, anti-United Nations US ambassador to...the United Nations, speculates in an interview that Vladimir Putin was waiting before invading Ukraine for Trump to win a second term in the White House and pull the US out of NATO.
That didn’t happen so now he’s invaded anyway - though he waited more than a year (did he think, like fanatical Trumpists, that Trump was going to overturn the election result and return to the White House...?). So it seems outlandish. But worth noting in passing...
John Bolton says that he, Pompeo and Esper were “appalled” at how Trump treated Ukraine, that he believes that Trump was going to pull the US out of NATO in his 2nd term, and that is what Putin was waiting for before moving forward with plans to invade Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/nlw1H0yJkW
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) March 5, 2022
Dramatic images have emerged of people trying to flee the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, crossing over the Irpin River, where Russian bombardment has damaged the infrastructure.
More of the pictures taken by Emilio Morenatti of the Associated Press are worth noting here. Extraordinary.
A Ukrainian soldier and a militia man help a fleeing family crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. pic.twitter.com/SwAlpNlSyi
— Emilio Morenatti (@EmilioMorenatti) March 5, 2022
Here he is with this image.
An exhausted woman is attended by Ukrainian soldiers after crossing the Irpin river as fleeing the city in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. pic.twitter.com/XZMmFASMT8
— Emilio Morenatti (@EmilioMorenatti) March 5, 2022
More
Ukrainian soldiers help a fleeing family to cross the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. pic.twitter.com/Upa9jUacEl
— Emilio Morenatti (@EmilioMorenatti) March 5, 2022
Struggling through mud in the cold with the bare minimum of possessions.
Ukrainian soldiers help a fleeing family crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) pic.twitter.com/dNRRWWKKaV
— Emilio Morenatti (@EmilioMorenatti) March 5, 2022
Updated
Agonising scenes have unfolded once again at a hospital in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, as medics fought in vain to save an 18-month-old boy, a young victim of Russian attacks on the city, and not the first child victim in this city.
Authorities in the city have said an evacuation of civilians has been postponed because Russian forces encircling the place were not respecting an agreed ceasefire.
In a statement, the city council asked residents to return to shelters in the city and await further information on evacuation.
As the AP reports, yesterday a young man dashed into a hospital in Mariupol with a desperately wounded toddler in his arms, the child’s mother on his heels. Doctors are forced to use smartphone torches to examine patients’ wounds. They raced to save the boy, but were not able to.
Distraught staff sank to the floor and tried to recover themselves somewhat before the next emergency arrived.
Updated
Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett met Russian president Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin earlier today to discuss the war in Ukraine and later spoke by phone with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Bennett’s spokesperson said.
Bennett is coordinating his efforts in the crisis with the United States, France and Germany, an Israeli official said.
After his meeting with Putin, Bennett headed to Berlin for talks with German chancellor Olaf Scholz, his spokesperson said and Reuters reported.
French president Emmanuel Macron had spoken to Bennett before he flew to Moscow to brief him on his own conversations with Putin, the Elysée Palace said.
Israel, at the behest of Zelenskiy, has offered to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, though officials have previously played down expectations of any breakthrough.
In their three-hour meeting in the Kremlin, the Israeli official said, Bennett also raised with Putin the issue of the large Jewish community caught up in the war in Ukraine.
Israel will send medical teams to Ukraine next week to set up a field hospital that will provide treatment for refugees, its Health Ministry said.
While Israel, a close ally of the United States, has condemned the Russian invasion, voiced solidarity with Kyiv and sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, it has said it will maintain contact with Moscow in the hope of helping to ease the crisis.
Israel, home to a substantial population of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, is also mindful of Moscow’s military support for president Bashar al-Assad in next-door Syria, where Israel regularly attacks Iranian and Hezbollah military targets.
Communication with Moscow prevents Russian and Israeli forces from accidentally trading fire. Bennett and Putin also discussed the ongoing talks between world powers, including Russia and Iran, about reviving a 2015 nuclear deal.
Russia said on Saturday that western sanctions imposed on it over its invasion of Ukraine had become a stumbling block for the Iran nuclear deal. Israel opposes any revival of the deal.
Bennett, a religious Jew, flew to Moscow in violation of Sabbath law because Judaism permits this when the aim is to preserve human life, his spokesperson said.
He was accompanied by his Ukrainian-born housing minister, Zeev Elkin. Elkin had in the past accompanied former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an interpreter in his talks with Putin.
Updated
Western sanctions on Russia a stumbling block to revived Iran nuclear deal - Lavrov
Talks between Tehran and global powers to revive the tattered 2015 nuclear deal - to avoid Iran becoming a nuclear military power - have run into difficulty with a new demand from Russia for written American guarantees that sanctions on Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine would not harm Russian cooperation with Iran.
There had been progress at talks in the Austrian capital of Vienna but Russia’s demand is “not constructive”, a senior Iranian official said today.
The Reuters news agency reports:
The announcement by Russia, which could torpedo months of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington in Vienna, came shortly after Tehran said it had agreed a roadmap with the United Nations nuclear watchdog to resolve outstanding issues that could help secure the nuclear pact.
“Russians had put this demand on the table (at the Vienna talks) since two days ago. There is an understanding that by changing its position in Vienna talks Russia wants to secure its interests in other places. This move is not constructive for Vienna nuclear talks,” said the Iranian official in Tehran, speaking to Reuters.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that the Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine had become a stumbling block for the Iran nuclear deal, warning Russian national interests would have to be taken into account.
Lavrov said Russia wanted a written guarantee from the United States that Russia’s trade, investment and military-technical cooperation with Iran would not be hindered in any way by the sanctions.
When asked whether Russia’s demand would harm 11 months of talks between Tehran and world powers, including Russia, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group, Ali Vaez, said: “Not yet. But it’s impossible to segregate the two crises for much longer.”
Two diplomats, one of them not directly involved in the talks, said China also has demanded written guarantees that its companies doing business in Iran wouldn’t be affected by US sanctions.
Such demands may complicate efforts to seal a nuclear deal at a time when an agreement looked likely. All parties involved in the Vienna talks had said on Friday they were close to reaching an agreement.
The 2015 agreement between Tehran and major powers eased sanctions on Tehran in return for limiting Iran’s enrichment of uranium, making it harder for Tehran to develop material for nuclear weapons. The accord fell apart after President Donald Trump withdrew the United States in 2018.
Updated
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, urged US lawmakers to help provide aircraft to defend the country against the Russian invasion, during a video meeting with members of Congress earlier today.
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic senator from New York and US Senate majority leader, said Zelenskiy “made a desperate plea” for the military aid, which would include planes, drones and anti-aircraft missiles. The Ukrainian president praised sanctions placed upon Russia during the meeting but pressed US lawmakers to go further by banning oil imports from Moscow.
“These planes are very much needed,” Schumer said in a statement following the gathering of more than 280 senators and House of Representative members. “And I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer.”
On Friday, Zelenskiy criticised Nato for not imposing a no-fly zone above Ukraine. “All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you,” he warned in a speech.
Nato has said sending jets to shoot down Russian planes would risk a severe escalation in the conflict. Zelenskiy made a ‘desperate plea’ for military aid to more than 280 senators and representatives as Congress works on a $10bn package.
On Friday, Zelenskiy criticized Nato for not imposing a no-fly zone above Ukraine. “All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you,” he warned in a speech. Nato has said sending jets to shoot down Russian planes would risk a severe escalation in the conflict.
Russian-made fighter jets familiar to Ukrainian pilots may be sent to the beleaguered country, however, possibly via US allies in Europe. Congress is working on a bipartisan $10bn package of humanitarian and security aid that could facilitate this.
Republican senators, including Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham, tweeted their support for Zelenskiy and further measures against Russia following the meeting. Rick Scott, another Republican, said the US should target Russia and Belarus by taking “every action to destroy their economies”.
In Ukraine, Russian forces are attempting to shell and encircle the cities of Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, with numerous reports of civilian areas being hit. Odesa, Ukraine’s largest port city, is under repeated attack from Russian ships, according to Ukrainian officials.
Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, has refused to call off the invasion in face of sanctions that are withering the Russian economy, instead moving to shut down Facebook and Twitter access in the country in an attempt to quell internal dissent.
Putin also warned against any Nato-imposed no-fly zone. “That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are,” he said.
The United Nations has warned of a growing humanitarian crisis within Ukraine, with the UN’s World Food Programme saying that millions of people require food aid “immediately”. An estimated 1.4 million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries.
Updated
Antony Blinken, US secretary of state, was in the city of Rzeszow in Poland earlier today, just prior to meeting the Ukrainian foreign minister at the border between Ukraine and Poland.
Blinken took part in talks with Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and foreign minister Zbigniew Rau a day after attending a Nato foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
The Associated Press reports:
The Nato alliance pledged to step up support for eastern flank members such as Poland to counter the Russian invasion of Ukraine last month.
Poland is seeking more US forces on its territory, where there are currently more than 10,000 American troops.
Rau said Poland had already taken in more than 700,000 refugees from Ukraine and that he expected hundreds of thousands more in the coming weeks unless Russia backs down.
“Poland will never recognise territorial changes brought about by unprovoked, unlawful aggression,” he said, adding that his country will demand that alleged Russian war crimes committed in Ukraine will be prosecuted.
Morawiecki and Blinken discussed stepping up sanctions and freezes of assets on Russia, which Morawiecki said should be “crushing” for Russia’s economy.
No Russian banks should be exempted from the exclusions from the SWIFT (international bank communications) system, he said. Currently, all but the largest Russian banks have been kicked off the financial messaging service.
Updated
In addition to talks with his Ukrainian diplomatic counterpart in Poland earlier today, US secretary of state Antony Blinken visited a welcome centre for refugees, set up by Polish authorities in what once was a shopping mall in Korczowa, close to the border with Ukraine, where roughly 3,000 people fleeing the war are taking shelter after the Russian invasion of their homeland.
The Associated Press reported:
At the refugee centre, America’s top diplomat heard harrowing tales from mothers and their children who described long and perilous journeys and the shock of the sudden disruption and the fear for their lives after fleeing the devastation of the war.
“Near our home we heard bombs,” said Venera Ahmadi, 12, who said she came with her brother and sister, six dogs and seven cats from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, more than 600 kilometers (372 miles) away. “We walked to the border, I don’t know how many hours. We crossed the border on foot.” Her 16-year-old sister, Jasmine, said: “I was scared I would die.”
Natalia Kadygrob, 48, reached the centre with her four adopted children from Kropyvnytskyi, almost 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) by bus on their way to her brother’s home in Germany. Her husband stayed behind. “There they bombed planes at the airport,” she said. “Of course we were afraid.”
Tatyana, 58, who wouldn’t give her last name, came with her daughter, Anna, 37, and her 6- and 1-year-old daughters, Katya and Kira, from Kharkiv, about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) away. “They were shooting on the street,” Tatyana said. Anna said her home had been destroyed by a shell or a rocket.
She was in the basement with her daughters when the explosion happened. “They should be in school,” Anna said. “They are children, they don’t understand.”
Blinken then met with Kuleba on a visit to the Korczowa border crossing where Polish authorities escorted small groups of refugees about 20 at a time across the frontier from the Ukrainian town of Krakovets as sporadic snow flakes fell from a gray sky.
Groups mainly of women, children and elderly men grimly rolling their possessions in luggage and carrying infants and the occasional family pet made their way into makeshift processing centres set up in tents on Polish territory.
Updated
In further details on US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba’s meeting at the Ukraine-Poland border a little earlier, the American diplomat praised Kuleba and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s leadership as “inspired”.
He said support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia to end the war would increase “until this war of choice is brought to an end,” the Associated Press noted.
Kuleba thanked Blinken but was firm in urging the Nato alliance to fight directly alongside Ukraine, which the west has expressed determination not to do as it risks an all-Europe conflagration, not to say a possible world war.
“We are now in the phase where maybe saying ‘No, we’re not going to do that’, but the time will come,” Kuleba said.
As the two top diplomats stood side by side under grey skies with light snow, Kuleba added: “I hope the people of Ukraine will be able to see this as a clear manifestation that we have friends who literally stand by us.”
Blinken said: “The entire world stands with Ukraine, just as I am standing here in Ukraine with my friend, my colleague.”
Updated
Ukraine 'will win this war' but needs more help from Nato, foreign minister says in meeting with US secretary of state
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba just met with US secretary of state Antony Blinken at the Ukraine-Poland border and America’s top diplomat briefly crossed over into Ukraine with his counterpart.
The two met for 45 minutes under high security at a border crossing full of refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion, Agence France Press noted.
They emerged to speak to the media briefly and make a powerful visual statement standing side by side. They also gave bullish remarks, although Kuleba’s was heavily-qualified, with warnings that his citizens would pay the price if the Nato allies did not impose a no-fly zone to keep Russia’s military out of Ukraine’s skies and if the world tired of imposing sanctions on Vladimir Putin and Russia.
Kuleba said: “Ukraine will win this war anyway, because this is the people’s war for their land... The question is the price.”
Blinken traveled to Europe earlier in the week and met leaders of the Nato military alliance and leaders of the European Council, the policy-making body of European Union, in Brussels yesterday, before traveling east to Poland.
Standing outside on the Polish-Ukrainian border moments ago, Blinken said he believe that Ukraine is “going to prevail” in the face of Russia’s invasion late last month.
But the United States, and Nato, have repeatedly said in the last 24 hours that they would not implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine because it would lead to the western allies having to shoot down Russian aircraft, bringing Nato members directly into conflict with Russia, which the alliance is adamant it will avoid.
Standing next to Blinken, Kuleba said of that policy: “I think it’s a sign of weakness... It’s the people of Ukraine who will pay the price for the reluctance of Nato to act.
AFP added:
The top Ukraine diplomat expressed gratitude for global coordination in placing hefty sanctions on Russia in support of Ukraine.
But he expressed concern that countries would grow weary of implementing those sanctions, especially as they also have an economic impact on the countries enforcing them.
“If our partners continue to take bold systemic decisions to step up economic and political pressure... if they continue to provide us with necessary weapons, the price will be lower,” he said.
However, he said: “If anyone in the world one day starts feeling sanctions fatigue, for example, then more people in Ukraine will be dying, suffering.”
Updated
Interim summary
Hello to all those following the Guardian’s Ukraine crisis live blog, where our global teams are bringing you all the news developments around the clock, as they emerge.
The blogging baton now passes across the Atlantic, from Miranda Bryant in London to Joanna Walters in New York. Stay tuned.
Here’s where things stand this hour:
- Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has demanded a new round of sanctions on Russia, reports Reuters. He has been discussing the situation with US secretary of state Antony Blinken, who is in eastern Europe.
- The International Monetary Fund has announced it could approve $1.4 billion emergency funding as early as next week as the body warns of war’s ‘severe impact’ on the global economy.
- The United Nations recorded 351 civilians killed and 707 injured in Ukraine, according to the UN high commissioner for human rights, as reported by BuzzFeed.
- Russia and Ukraine plan another round of talks on Monday, even though previous talks that produced an agreement to a limited ceasefire in order to protect corridors for civilian have not been honoured by Russia.
- The US government has warned American citizens living or travelling in Russia to “depart immediately”, in new guidelines, published today, by the US state department.
- Volodymyr Zelenskiy reportedly made a “desperate plea” for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine. In a call with US senators, he is also understood to have called for a no-fly zone, lethal aid, a ban on Russian oil and a suspension of Visa and Mastercard in Russia.
Updated
Ukraine reportedly demands new round of sanctions
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has demanded a new round of sanctions on Russia, reports Reuters.
He reportedly said he had a productive discussion with US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and that the steps they agreed will probably be implemented in the next few days.
He also said that humanitarian corridors do not exist in Ukraine because Russia violated agreements.
The luxury clothing band Prada has also suspended its retail operations in Russia, reports Reuters.
“Our primary concern is for all colleagues and their families affected by the tragedy in Ukraine, and we will continue to support them,” it said in a statement.
Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett’s Moscow meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin reportedly lasted around three hours.
CNN’s Jerusalem correspondent, Hadas Gold, reports:
Meeting is over after about 3 hours , PM office adds Prime Minister Bennett’s meeting with President Putin is taking place in coordination and with the blessing of the US administration
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) March 5, 2022
Puma today became the latest company to suspend operations in Russia.
The German sportswear brand, which has 100 stores in Russia, had already stopped deliveries to Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, reports Reuters.
Updated
Hundreds have gathered in protests across the UK, including central London and Manchester, to protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to stand in solidarity with Ukrainians.
In central London, demonstrators gathered in Trafalgar Square, carrying placards staying “Stop Putin” and “No to War”, while singing the Ukrainian national anthem among other protest chants.
The Central London demonstration began with a prayer led by Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the papal nuncio to Great Britain, who said: “Today we are all Ukrainians.”
Speaking to the PA news agency, Volodymyr Shevetovskyy, 31, who attended the protest from Kyiv, said: “What Russians are doing is they’re bombing people from the sky and we are quite weak in that department, Russia’s military is much stronger there and we need the United States, Nato and the UK, the developed world, to step up and to close our skies.”
In Manchester, crowds gathered in protest and solidarity at Piccadilly Gardens, at the ‘Manchester Stands with Ukraine” event, the protest having been organised by the Ukrainian Cultural Centre ‘Dnipro’ Manchester group.
One of the organisers of the event, Bohdan Ratycz, told the Manchester Evening News: “Our hearts go out to our families - whether they will survive or not survive,” he said.
“Ukraine will rise again. It has done it in the past, it will do it in the future.”
The UK has said that Russia’s proposed ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was probably an attempt to deflect international condemnation while it reset its forces for another offensive, reports Reuters.
“By accusing Ukraine of breaking the agreement, Russia is likely seeking to shift responsibility for current and future civilian casualties in the city,” the British defence ministry said in an intelligence update.
Russia said earlier it had opened humanitarian corridors near the besieged cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha and, according to RIA news agency, Russia’s defence ministry accused Ukrainian “nationalists” of preventing civilians from leaving.
But Mariupol’s city council said Russia was not observing the ceasefire.
IMF says could approve $1.4 billion emergency funding as early as next week as warns of war's 'severe impact' on global economy
The International Monetary Fund has said it expects to bring Ukraine’s request for $1.4 billion in emergency financing to its board for approval as early as next week as it warned the war will have a “severe impact” on the global economy.
The IMF also said it was in talks about funding options with authorities in neighbouring Moldova, reports Reuters.
The global lender said in a statement that the war in Ukraine was already driving up energy and grain prices amid a growing refugee crisis and unprecedented sanctions on Russia.
“While the situation remains highly fluid and the outlook is subject to extraordinary uncertainty, the economic consequences are already very serious,” the IMF said in a statement.
“The ongoing war and associated sanctions will also have a severe impact on the global economy,” it said, warning that the crisis was impacting inflation and economic activity when pressures were already high.
It said price shocks would be felt across the world and that authorities should provide financial support for poor households and that economic damage would increase if the war continued to escalate.
Vladimir Putin is afraid of democracy, openness and progress and fears the world will “move on without him”, British opposition leader Keir Starmer said today in Glasgow.
The Labour leader said the Russian president is “afraid of everything that we are most proud of” and his invasion of Ukraine is “an affront to the values of this country”, reports PA.
Addressing the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow, Starmer said the UK must target oligarchs and remove their money and influence from British politics.
He said Ukrainian courage is “inspiring the world, just as the actions of Putin repel the world”. The west, he said, would have to “make sacrifices” to oppose the invasion.
He said:
The events we are witnessing right now will stay with us forever. These are dark days, peace in Europe has been threatened by an imperialist aggressor.
Images I didn’t think I would see in my lifetime - Russian tanks rolling into a European country, soldiers kissing their children goodbye, as they stay to fight, and families fleeing for the border.
He called for “the strongest sanctions” against Putin - including against oligarchs and their money in the UK.
We know Putin’s playbook. He seeks division so we must meet him with unity.
He believes the benefits of aggression outweigh the consequences so we must take a stand. And he believes the west is too corrupted to do the right thing, so we must prove him wrong. I believe we can.
Updated
UN records 351 civilians killed and 707 injured in Ukraine
The UN recorded 351 civilians killed and 707 injured in Ukraine.
Between 4am on 24 February and midnight on 4 March the Office of the UN high commissioner for human rights recorded a total of 1,058 civilian casualties in Ukraine, reports BuzzFeed News correspondent Christopher Miller.
New casualty figures: ‘From 4am on 24 February 2022 until 12 midnight on 4 March 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 1,058 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 351 killed and 707 injured.’ pic.twitter.com/UxRHGK7Rvr
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 5, 2022
• This blogpost was amended on 6 March 2022 to correct the timeframe on which the UN casualty figures were based.
Updated
Russia and Ukraine to hold third round of talks on Monday
Russia and Ukraine are to hold a third round of talks on Monday, reports Reuters.
Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamiya said in a Facebook post that talks about ending hostilities would resume but did not provide further details.
On Thursday, both sides agreed to open humanitarian corridors to allow civilians out of some combat zones. However there have been delays implementing them.
US basketball star Brittney Griner reportedly detained in Russia
Bryan Armen Graham reports for Guardian US:
Brittney Griner, one of America’s most decorated women’s basketball players, has reportedly been detained by Russian Federal Customs Service authorities after the discovery of vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.
The Customs Service confirmed “the detainee is a professional basketball player” who played in the Women’s National Basketball Association and won two Olympic gold medals with the United States in a statement issued on Saturday, but did not release the player’s name.
Russia’s TASS news agency identified the player as Griner, a seven-time All-Star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury who helped lead the United States to gold medals at the Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games, citing a law enforcement source.
Updated
US urges US citizens living or travelling in Russia to 'depart immediately'
The US government has warned American citizens living or travelling in Russia to “depart immediately”.
In new guidelines, published today, the US state department also warned that “some credit and debit cards may be declined” when purchasing flights due to sanctions, that cash is in short supply and that foreigners may face “potential harassment”, reports BuzzFeed News correspondent Christopher Miller.
New: State Dept says “US citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately.” It warns “some credit and debit cards may be declined” when purchasing flights as a result of sanctions; cash in short supply; potential harassment of foreigners. https://t.co/8LNtpdtW9n
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 5, 2022
Updated
Axios reporter Barak Ravid says that Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett traveled to Moscow in secret:
BREAKING: Israeli Prime Minister Bennett travelled secretly to Moscow. Meeting Putin now
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) March 5, 2022
The Russian defence ministry has claimed that Russian forces have taken several towns and shot down four Ukrainian SU-27 jets in a wide offensive, reports Reuters, citing Interfax.
The Israeli prime minister, Naftali Bennett, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today to discuss the Ukraine crisis, Reuters reports.
Israel has previously offered to mediate in the conflict, but officials played down expectations of a breakthrough.
Italian state broadcaster RAI today became the latest media operation to suspend its work in Russia “to protect the safety” of its reporters, reports Reuters.
It comes after Moscow introduced a law threatening prison terms of up to 15 years for spreading “fake news”.
German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF also today said they had suspended coverage from Moscow.
They join a growing number of international media companies, including the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Company and Bloomberg News to suspend reporting in Russia.
“This measure is necessary in order to protect the safety of journalists on the spot and (ensure) maximum freedom of information about the country,” RAI said in a statement.
A spokesperson for WDR, a regional affiliate of ARD, said “ARD and ZDF are examining the consequences of the law passed on Friday and are suspending coverage from their Moscow studios for the time being”.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, has rounded off an hour-long video call with United States senators in which he called for more support to defend his country from Russia’s invasion.
All 100 US senators were invited to the Zoom call, with aides briefing reporters afterwards that Zelenskiy requested the delivery of more planes and drones. James Lankford, a Republican senator, tweeted afterwards that the Ukrainian president also wants “the world to stop buying Russian products (like oil and gas).”
Zelenskiy made a “desperate plea” for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine during a call the call, according to the Senate’s majority leader, Chuck Schumer. “These planes are very much needed. And I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer,” Schumer said in a statement, Reuters reported.
Congressional leaders are working on a package worth around $10bn in economic and security assistance to Ukraine, with aides briefing that fighter jets may be sent to the conflict via a third country. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, tweeted that Nato should “immediately facilitate the transfer of fighter aircraft from Poland, Romania, and Slovakia to Ukraine.”
Western leaders have so far rebuffed Zelenskiy’s request to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine. But the senators expressed strong support for the country following the meeting.
“I & others reaffirmed US support for Ukraine & discussed additional aid the US will send to our partners in their fight for freedom. All eyes are on Ukraine as it stands on the frontlines defending democracy,” tweeted Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, while Gary Peters, another Democrat, called Zelenskiy “a true inspiration.”
Rick Scott, a Republican, called for stronger measures against both Russia and Belarus, tweeting that the US should take “EVERY action to destroy their economies.”
Updated
Zelenskiy makes 'desperate plea' for aircraft and calls for no-fly zone and Russian oil ban in call with US senators
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy reportedly made a “desperate plea” for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine during a call with US senators. He is also understood to have called for a no-fly zone, lethal aid, a ban on Russian oil and a suspension of Visa and Mastercard in Russia.
Reuters reports that Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, said after the call on Saturday: “These planes are very much needed. And I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer.”
He also reportedly called for more US businesses to leave Russia in the call which reportedly included Schumer, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar.
Jennifer Jacobs, a White House reporter for Bloomberg News, tweeted:
NEW: Ukraine's @ZelenskyyUa on call with US senators asked for no fly zone, lethal aid, ban on Russian oil, I'm told. Also wants Visa and Mastercard use suspended in Russia, and more US businesses to leave.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 5, 2022
US senators on the Zelenskiy call, which just ended, included Chuck Schumer, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Rick Scott, Amy Klobuchar, Dan Sullivan, sources tell me. Also some US House members.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 5, 2022
Majority Leader @SenSchumer:
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 5, 2022
“President Zelenskyy made a desperate plea for Eastern European countries to provide Russian-made planes to Ukraine. These planes are very much needed. And I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer.”
Updated
Russian forces have seized a psychiatric hospital with 670 people inside in the town of Borodyanka in Ukraine’s Kyiv region, the regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba has said.
Today we do not understand how to evacuate these people, how to help them,” Kuleba said. “They are running out of water and medicines,” Kuleba said. “These are people with certain special needs, they need constant help ... many of them have been bedridden for years.”
Borodyanka is around 60km from Kyiv.
Vladimir Putin has claimed that Ukraine sabotaged the evacuations from Mariupol and Volnovakha after attempts at ensuring safe passage of civilians failed on Saturday, according to the Associated Press. Ukrainian authorities have said Russian forces continued their attacks, preventing civilians from escaping the cities.
The Russian president has also claimed Ukraine’s leadership was casting doubt on the future of the country’s statehood, saying that “if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience”.
Updated
Russia’s foreign ministry has vowed to impose tough measures against British interests in Russia in retaliation to what it labelled London’s “sanctions hysteria” after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reports.
It said that Britain had clearly chosen to move towards an open confrontation with Russia, leaving Moscow with no choice but to take measures in response, which “will undoubtedly undermine British interests in Russia”. The measures have not yet been specified.
Updated
Footage showing the aftermath of a Russian airstrike in Ukraine’s Bila Tserkva, the largest city in Kyiv Oblast and about 40 miles from the capital.
Updated
The number of civilians killed in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion 10 days ago has reached at least 351, while 707 have been wounded, a UN monitoring mission said in a statement reported by Reuters. The true figures are likely to be “considerably higher”.
Most of the civilian casualties were caused by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and from missile and air strikes, monitors from the Office of the UN high commissioner for human rights (OHCHR) said.
“OHCHR believes that the real figures are considerably higher, especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days, as the receipt of information from some locations where intensive hostilities have been going on was delayed and many reports were still pending corroboration,” it said.
Hundreds of civilian casualties have been alleged in the town of Volnovakha, which had attempted to open a safe evacuation corridor, but have not yet been confirmed.
Updated
Putin warns countries against imposing no-fly zone
Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow will consider any country that sought to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine as having entered the conflict.
“Any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict by that country,” the Russian president said during a meeting with Aeroflot employees reported by Reuters.
Imposing a no-fly zone would have “colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world”, Putin said.
Putin also dismissed rumours that Moscow plans to declare martial law. “Martial law should only be introduced in cases where there is external aggression ... we are not experiencing that at the moment and I hope we won’t,” he said.
Updated
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it understood that evacuations of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha in Ukraine would not start on Saturday, according to Reuters.
“We remain in dialogue with the parties about the safe passage of civilians from different cities affected by the conflict,” the ICRC said in a statement.
“The scenes in Mariupol and in other cities today are heart-breaking. Any initiative from the parties that gives civilians a respite from the violence and allows them to voluntarily leave for safer areas is welcome.”
The plan had been to evacuate around 200,000 people from Mariupol and 15,000 from Volnovakha. The ICRC is the ceasefire’s guarantor.
Updated
Only about 400 people were evacuated from Volnovakha and nearby areas during today’s ceasefire, BBC News reports, citing Ukrainian officials.
Authorities had been aiming to evacuate more than 15,000 civilians from the region during the partial ceasefire, which began at 7am GMT.
But regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said: “Although we had the intention and necessary transport to evacuate a lot more people, we had to stop the movement of the column, because the Russians once again started shelling Volnovakha mercilessly, and it was very dangerous to move there.”
Updated
US secretary of state Antony Blinken has spoken with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi about Moscow’s “premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine,” a US state department spokesperson said in a statement reported by Reuters.
“The secretary noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty,” spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
“He underscored that the world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price.”
Summary
-
Partial ceasefire talks in the cities of Volnovakha and Mariupol are ‘ongoing’ after Ukraine accused Russia of continuing attacks despite agreeing to allow civilians to flee. Ukraine has said attacks on the cities continued on Saturday, meaning the evacuation of civilians had to be halted.
- The number of refugees fleeing the Russian invasion could potentially reach 1.5 million by the end of the weekend, the head of the UN refugee agency has said. The figure is currently above 1.3 million.
- Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Nato has given the “green light for further bombing of Ukraine” by ruling out a no-fly zone. Zelenskiy said: “All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you, because of your weakness, because of your lack of unity”.
- Nato warned on Friday that imposing a no-fly zone could provoke full-fledged war in Europe with nuclear-armed Russia. “The only way to implement a no-fly zone is to send Nato fighter planes into Ukraine’s airspace, and then impose that no-fly zone by shooting down Russian planes,” Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said.
- Britain has urged UK nationals to consider leaving Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “If your presence in Russia is not essential, we strongly advise that you consider leaving by remaining commercial routes,” the Foreign Office said.
- President Vladimir Putin has said western sanctions on Russia were akin to a declaration of war. He said Moscow needed to defend Russian speakers in Ukraine’s east as well as its own interests.
Western sanctions on Russia akin to declaration of war, says Putin
President Vladimir Putin said western sanctions on Russia were akin to a declaration of war, reports Reuters.
He said Moscow needed to defend Russian speakers in Ukraine’s east as well as its own interests.
In televised comments to female flight attendants he said Russia wanted Ukraine to be “demilitarised”, “denazified” and to have neutral status.
He also said he has no plans to declare martial law in Russia, reports AFP:
#BREAKING Putin says he has no plans to declare martial law in Russia pic.twitter.com/F0OFQ7l6Jx
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 5, 2022
Here’s an updated summary from Reuters:
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war as his forces pressed their assault on Ukraine on Saturday for a 10th day and the IMF warned that the conflict would have a “severe impact” on the global economy.
Moscow and Kyiv traded blame over the failure of plans to impose a brief ceasefire and enable civilians to evacuate two cities besieged by Russian forces. Russia’s invasion has already driven nearly 1.5 million refugees westwards into the European Union.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a “desperate plea” for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to his country during a call with U.S. senators on Saturday, said the chamber’s majority leader, Chuck Schumer.
NATO, which Ukraine wants to join, has resisted Zelenskiy’s appeals to impose a no-fly zone over his country, saying this would escalate the conflict outside Ukraine. But there is strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress for providing $10 billion in emergency military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Putin said he wanted a neutral Ukraine that had been “demilitarised” and “denazified”, adding: “These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that.”
Ukraine and Western countries have rejected Putin’s arguments as a baseless pretext for invading and have sought to squeeze Russia hard with sanctions.
Updated
Sweden and Finland, both of which are not Nato members, have announced that they will further strengthen their security cooperation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Reuters reports that the Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin, made the announcement at a joint news conference with Swedish prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, today.
France to start fast-jet training flights over Bosnia, says EU peacekeeping force
The European Union’s peacekeeping force in Bosnia, Eufor, has said that France will conduct fast-jet training flights over Bosnia amid the deteriorating international security situation, reports Reuters.
“The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is currently conducting operational training in the Mediterranean Sea and, from Monday 7 March, its Rafale aircraft will conduct overflights of the western Balkans including Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Eufor said.
It comes after the EU last week announced it was increasing its Eufor force from 600 to 1,100 to prevent potential instability following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Bosnia is facing an increasingly assertive Bosnian Serb separatist movement that is understood to have received support from Moscow, the news agency reports. Like Ukraine, Bosnia has long said it wants to join Nato.
Updated
About 400 people have been evacuated from the Ukrainian city of Volnovakha, according to reports:
Only about 400 people have been evacuated from Volnovakha, according to the authorities. But humanitarian corridor didn’t last long and the process had to be halted as Rissian forces started shelling the town, they say.
— Abdujalil A (@abdujalil) March 5, 2022
Aeroflot to halt all international flights except to Belarus
Aeroflot, Russia’s flagship carrier, has announced that it will halt all international flights except to Belarus starting 8 March, reports the Associated Press.
It comes after the country’s aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, recommended that all Russian airlines with foreign-leased planes stop passenger and cargo flights abroad, citing the high risk of them being impounded as part of western sanctions.
Updated
Italian police seize £126m worth of yachts from high-profile Russians
Italian police have seized villas and yachts worth at least €140m (£126m) from four high-profile Russians who were placed on an EU sanctions list after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sources told Reuters today.
A police source said a villa owned by the billionaire businessman Alisher Usmanov on Sardinia, and a villa on Lake Como owned by the Russian state TV host Vladimir Solovyov, had both been seized.
In addition, sources confirmed that yachts belonging to Russia’s richest man, Alexei Mordashov, and Gennady Timchenko, who has close ties with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, were impounded overnight in northern Italian ports.
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Thousands have reportedly gathered in the city of Zaporizhzhia, in south-eastern Ukraine, to join territorial defence forces against Russia.
In Zaporizhia, the city of Cossack glory, thousands came to join territorial defence forces to protect Ukraine from Russian invaders. The only thing we ask our EU&US partners for is fighter jets and air defence, we`ll do the rest ourselves. #ProtectUАSky #UkrainianVictory pic.twitter.com/82VNRsFFab
— Daria Kaleniuk (@dkaleniuk) March 5, 2022
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Poland will not recognise territorial changes brought about by 'unprovoked, illegal agression'
Poland will not recognise any territorial changes brought about by “unprovoked, illegal aggression”, the country’s foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau, has said.
The comments, reported by Reuters, come after talks with US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
And here, scenes of protest from the port city of occupied Berdyansk:
Rally in occupied #Berdyansk. pic.twitter.com/ppZCAqqwBZ
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 5, 2022
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More from Kherson, where people have been demonstrating against Russia’s occupation:
Remember: Kherson, in the Russian-speaking south, is as easy as it’s going to get for occupying troops https://t.co/RuxF78QwIw
— Richard Ensor (@richardjensor) March 5, 2022
Ceasefire talks 'ongoing' to evacuate civilians from Mariupol and Volnovackha, says Ukraine
Ceasefire talks with Russia are “ongoing” to create a humanitarian corridor out of Mariupol and Volnovakha, Ukraine has said after shelling halted the evacuation of civilians.
“The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office, reports the Associated Press. “Talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding setting up a ceasefire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, said Russia breached the deal in Volnovakha as well.
“We appeal to the Russian side to stop firing,” she said.
Zelenskiy has said that they are “doing everything on our part to make the agreement work”. He added: “This is one of the main tasks for today. Let’s see if we can go further in the negotiation process.”
Updated
More than 1.3 million refugees have fled Ukraine since 24 February, with around half going to Poland. The UN refugee agency has said this figure could reach 1.5 million by the end of the weekend.
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Ukrainians in the city of Kherson, which was captured by Russia on Wednesday, have held a demonstration against the occupation:
Huge turnout at a protest against the Russian occupation in Russian-occupied Kherson.
— Valerie Hopkins (@VALERIEinNYT) March 5, 2022
pic.twitter.com/nJKkiD7U8i
Massive protests in Ukrainian cities occupied by Russia, making short work of Putin’s outlandish claims that the @UN-condemned invasion is “liberation.” This is Kherson after the Russian conquest pic.twitter.com/jv5pXrLGAc
— Bojan Pancevski (@bopanc) March 5, 2022
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The number of refugees fleeing the Russian invasion could potentially reach 1.5 million by the end of the weekend, the head of the UN refugee agency has said. The figure is currently above 1.3 million.
“This is the fastest moving refugee crisis we have seen in Europe since the end of World War Two,” the UN high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Grandi also said most refugees at the moment were connecting with friends and family already living in Europe, but warned future waves would be more complex.
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Thousands of people from the rest of Ukraine have been arriving in the western city of Lviv each day. The city is less than 50 miles from the Polish border.
More than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees have crossed the country’s borders after Russia invaded 10 days ago. Most have crossed into the European Union in eastern Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary and northern Romania. Here are some figures via Reuters:
- Poland has accepted nearly 800,000 Ukrainian refugees since the Russian invasion began on 24 February, according to the country’s deputy minister of internal affairs Pawel Szefernaker. More than 106,000 arrived from Ukraine in the last 24 hours, the highest figure since the invasion.
- Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said that 140,000 people have crossed into Hungary.
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Nearly 200,000 have fled to Romania. The government is expected to approve a decree on Saturday to use a buffer fund to finance the costs of housing an average 70,000 people per day for 30 days. Romania is asking for EU help too.
- Some 20,000 Ukrainians have entered Bulgaria, border police said.
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The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has arrived in Poland to discuss security and humanitarian assistance, Reuters reports.
Blinken is in Rzeszow, a south-eastern city close to the Ukrainian border where hundreds of thousands of people have crossed since the invasion began. Blinken will meet Polish officials, including the Nato and European Union member state’s foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau.
More than 1 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the invasion began on 24 February, mostly into Poland, according to the UN refugee agency.
Much of the military aid provided by Nato members to Ukraine’s government forces is passing through Poland. Nato has refused Ukrainian demands to enforce a no-fly zone over the country.
Blinken said on Friday that Nato, which he called a defensive alliance, was seeking to prevent the war from spreading beyond Ukraine. “We seek no conflict, but if conflict comes to us, we’re ready for it,” Blinken said, “and we will defend every inch of Nato territory.”
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Mariupol evacuation postponed
Reuters has this update on the partial ceasefire in Mariupol:
Authorities in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol said an evacuation of civilians planned for Saturday had been postponed as Russian forces encircling the city were not respecting an agreed ceasefire.
In a statement, the city council asked residents to return to shelters in the city and wait for further information on evacuation.
Mariupol’s deputy mayor told BBC News about the difficulties faced by the city’s civilians who were attempting to evacuate.
Updated
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has called for safe routes to allow civilians to flee Mariupol. Multiple MSF staff members are sheltering in the city with their families – one staff member said:
The situation is the same as in recent days. This night the shelling was harder and closer. We collected snow and rain water yesterday to have some utility water. We tried to get free water today but the queue was huge. We also wanted to get ‘social’ bread but it is not clear the schedule and the places of distribution. According to people, multiple grocery stores were destroyed by missiles and the remaining things were taken by people in desperate need. Still no power, water, heating and mobile connection. No one heard about any evacuation yet. Pharmacies are out of medicine.”
Christine Jamet, MSF director of operations, called today for safe routes to allow civilians to leave the city, including MSF staff and their families: “Civilians must not be trapped in a war zone,” Jamet said. “People seeking safety must be able to do so, without fear of violence”.
From Shaun Walker, the Guardian’s Central Europe correspondent, in Ukraine. Bila Tserkva is the largest city in Kyiv Oblast.
Spent the night in Bila Tserkva last night and left early this morning. It was quiet save for the occasional air raid siren. And then this happened, according to numerous sources. Looks like pure residential area. pic.twitter.com/OvzPOSZWsQ
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) March 5, 2022
UK advises British nationals to leave Russia
Britain has urged UK nationals to consider leaving Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“If your presence in Russia is not essential, we strongly advise that you consider leaving by remaining commercial routes,” the British government said in a statement reported by Reuters.
It comes after Britain on Monday advised citizens against travelling to Russia due to a lack of available flight options and increased economic volatility.
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The deputy mayor of Mariupol has said that people continue to be shelled as they try to leave the city. Deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told BBC News: “At first our people said the shelling stops for a little time, but then it continues and they continue to use hard artillery and rockets to bomb Mariupol. People are very scared.”
Orlov said authorities in the city had received information that there is fighting “on the road to Zaporizhzhia” making it unsafe. “We understand that [the ceasefire] was not true from the Russian side, and they continue to destroy Mariupol. We decided to move our citizens back because it’s not safe to be on the streets.” He said the shelling of the city and fighting on the road to Zaporizhzhia makes it “impossible to evacuate people”.
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The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will speak to Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Sunday to discuss the war in Ukraine, spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in a statement reported by Reuters. Kalin said Turkey was ready to help resolve the crisis.
Kalin told reporters in Istanbul that Turkey was offering to host talks between Ukraine and Russia and called for an immediate end to fighting. He reiterated that Turkey could not abandon ties with either Moscow or Kyiv.
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Ukraine will be able to import gas from Poland from from 6 March, including gas from Polish LNG terminals, Ukrainian state-run gas transit system operator said in a statement reported by Reuters.
The two transit operators agreed on the introduction of guaranteed capacity for gas imports and “this allows the physical import of gas from Poland, including from the LNG terminal, on a guaranteed basis”, the Ukrainian company said.
Ukraine, one of Europe’s biggest gas consumers, has not imported gas from Russia since 2015 and buys it in Europe.
Updated
Turning towards Beijing for a moment, my colleague Martin Belam has this update from the Winter Paralympics, from which Russian and Belarusian athletes have been expelled. There are reports that the Russian ministry of sport is planning an alternative event with the expelled athletes:
Ukrainian athletes have made a winning start at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, with Grygorii Vovchynskyi and Oksana Shyshkovaboth securing gold medals in biathlon events on the opening morning of the Games. Vovchynskyi said “please, no war in Ukraine” to the camera at the end of his run. He was warmly congratulated by silver medallist Marco Maier of Germany, who finished just over 45 seconds behind. The German Paralympic committee described them as “Medals for peace” in a tweet. The Ukrainian team then went on to sweep the podium in the men’s vision impaired sprint biathlon, with Vitali Lukianenko delivering their third gold medal, ahead of compatriots Oleksandr Kazik and Dmytro Suiarko.
In Russia, meanwhile, state-run news agency TASS has reported that the Russian ministry of sport is planning an alternative Winter Paralympics event featuring the expelled Russian and Belarusian athletes, to be held in the venues which hosted the Games in Sochi in 2014. Russian state channel Match TV has so far declined to broadcast any of the the Beijing Games domestically, issuing a statement saying that “We express solidarity with our athletes - live broadcasting of the Paralympic Games has been cancelled.”
Mariupol officials say Russian troops not observing ceasefire
Mariupol’s city council has said Russian forces were not observing an agreed ceasefire along the entire length of a planned route for the evacuation of civilians, Reuters reports.
“We are negotiating with the Russian side to confirm the ceasefire along the entire evacuation route,” it said in a statement.
The route of the corridor is Mariupol - Nikolske - Rozivka - Polohy - Orikhiv - Zaporizhzhia.
Authorities had previously urged civilians to leave, with mayor Vadim Boichenko saying on Telegram: “When our home city is constantly under the ruthless fire of the occupiers there is no choice other than to allow residents – us – to leave Mariupol safely.”
Updated
Ukraine’s armed forces claim to have shot down a Russian military helicopter this morning. Its operative command released video of a missile hitting a low-flying helicopter which crashed seconds later.
#stoprussia
— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 5, 2022
⚔️ Так гинуть російські окупанти. Цього разу у вертольоті!
Слава Україні та її захисникам! Разом до перемоги! 🇺🇦@GeneralStaffUA pic.twitter.com/raFOepF06P
Updated
There will be more agreements with Russia to create humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from front line areas, Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko has said in a statement reported by Reuters.
“There will definitely be more agreements like this for all other territories,” he said, referring to an existing evacuation plan for the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol.
New information about the scope of the partial ceasefire has been shared by Reuters. The Ukrainian government said the plan was to evacuate about 200,000 people from Mariupol and 15,000 from Volnovakha, and the Red Cross is the ceasefire’s guarantor.
There was no immediate confirmation that firing had stopped and it was not clear if the ceasefire would be extended to other areas, Reuters reports.
Updated
About 90% of the city of Volnovakha has been damaged by bombing, local MP Dmytro Lubinets said. Dead bodies lie uncollected and people hiding in shelters are running out of food.
My colleagues have more on the humanitarian corridors in Mariupol and Volnovakha announced on Saturday:
The European Union said it had joined members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in suspending Russia and Belarus from the Council’s activities, Reuters reports. Its statement said:
This decision is a part of the European Union’s and like-minded partners response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the involvement of Belarus in this unprovoked and unjustified aggression,” it said on Saturday.
“The EU agrees with the other members of the CBSS (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden) that the suspension of Russia and Belarus will remain in force until it is possible to resume cooperation based on respect for fundamental principles of international law,” it added.
Partial ceasefire due to start in 30 minutes
More detail has emerged on the partial ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol this morning. The measure will allow civilians to leave the city during a five-hour period from Saturday morning. From Reuters, citing Russia’s RIA news agency:
- Civilians will be allowed to leave Mariupol between noon and 5 p.m. Moscow time (0900 - 1400 GMT), Russia’s RIA news agency quoted city authorities as saying. This is 11am to 4pm local time.
- Russia said earlier on Saturday its troops, which have encircled the Azov Sea port city in Ukraine’s south, would stop firing and allow civilians to pass. Russia also plans a partial ceasefire to allow a humanitarian corridor out of Volnovakha.
- Civilians will be able to proceed towards the city of Zaporizhzhia and will be able to use specially arranged bus routes or their own cars, the city council said.
Saturday’s evacuation will be the first of several stages, the city council said. “Given that our hometown is constantly under ruthless fire from the occupiers, there is no other solution,” the statement quoted Mayor Vadym Boychenko as saying.
Hello, I’m Clea Skopeliti and I’ll be bringing you the latest updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on the 10th day of the Russian invasion.
Updated
Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said 66,224 Ukrainian men had returned from abroad to help fight against Russia’s invasion.
That’s how many men returned from abroad at this moment to defend their country from the horde. These are 12 more combat and motivated brigades! Ukrainians, we are invincible,” Reznikov said in statement posted online.
There has been no immediate confirmation from Ukraine regarding the reports Russia will stop firing this morning to allow for the evacuation of civilians, according to Associated Press.
The details of the arrangement are unclear. Russian state media reported that Russia has agreed on evacuation routes with Ukrainian forces to allow civilians to leave Mariupol in the southeast and the eastern town of Volnovakha “from 10 am Moscow time”. The reports cited a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry statement.
It did not state for how long this ceasefire would last.
Updated
Olga Tokariuk, an independent journalist, describes the defiance of the Ukrainian people in the face of continued attacks by Russian forces in cities across the country.
It is still possible to leave the capital, she writes, but those who travel risk being fired at by Russians. “Missiles still rain from the sky,” she writes.
Day ten of Ukraine's resistance. Many people bravely go out to protest in southern cities temporarily taken by Russians. Kharkiv, Mariupol under heavy shelling. Kyiv is not encircled, people can get out of the city, but Russians fire on civilians. Missiles still rain from the sky
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) March 5, 2022
PayPal is the latest company to announce it will no longer offer services in Russia.
Reuters reports:
Payments company PayPal Holdings Inc shut down its services early on Saturday in Russia, citing “the current circumstances,” joining many financial and tech companies in suspending operations there after the invasion of Ukraine.
President and Chief Executive Dan Schulman said in a statement that the company “stands with the international community in condemning Russia’s violent military aggression in Ukraine.”
A company spokesperson said PayPal will support withdrawals “for a period of time, ensuring that account balances are dispersed in line with applicable laws and regulations.
PayPal, which had only allowed cross-border transactions by users in Russia, stopped accepting new users in the country on Wednesday.
Russia to allow humanitarian corridors, defence ministry says
Reuters reports that Russia’s ministry of defence says forces will stop firing this morning to allow residents of Mariupol and Volnovakha to safely flee their homes.
It cites Interfax news agency:
Russian forces will stop firing at 1000 Moscow time to allow humanitarian corridors out of the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, Russia’s defence ministry said, Interfax reported.
The mayor of Mariupol earlier warned the city has been “blockaded” by Russian forces. Mayor Vadym Boychenko said the city has no water, heat or electricity and that supplies of food are low. “They want to wipe Mariupol and Mariupol residents off the face of the earth,” the mayor said, describing indiscriminate shelling of residential areas and hospitals.
The port city, home to 400,000 residents, is a strategic target for Russia. If Russia were to control the city, this would help it to build a land corridor between Crimea, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014, and Russian-backed regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.
The town of Volnovakha has also been subject to some of the heaviest Russian attacks. Guardian correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison has reported on the dire situation in the town:
In Volnovakha, the attack is still so intense that dead bodies lie uncollected, says local MP Dmytro Lubinets. Ukrainians still brave enough to run rescue missions are going back only for the living.
Thousands of them are trapped in basements, with dwindling supplies of food and water, sheltering from an apparently senseless attack on a town Lubinets says has no military defenders in its centre. The line of contact is 20km away, he says.
“It never stops, every five minutes there is a mortar landing or artillery shells, some buildings have been hit by multiple rocket systems,” he said by phone.
“In the city there is not any building which has not suffered from direct or collateral damage. So some buildings have major destruction, some minor destruction, some are completely destroyed to the ground.”
Updated
Chinese state TV neglected to translate comments by the president of the International Paralympic Committee condemning the Russian war in Ukraine during its live broadcast of the opening of Winter Paralympics.
Associated Press reports:
Andrew Parsons, the president of the International Paralympic Committee, declared his horror at the fighting in Ukraine and called on world authorities to promote peace.
“Tonight, I want, I must begin with a message of peace,” Parsons said in brief remarks to the athletes and spectators at the Bird’s Nest stadium. “As the leader of an organization with inclusion at its core, where diversity is celebrated and differences embraced, I am horrified at what is taking place in the world right now.
Paralympic organizers had initially said that Russians and Belarusians would be allowed to compete in Beijing, but later reversed the decision.
AP adds:
The live broadcast of the opening on Chinese state TV did not translate Parsons’ condemnation of war and and then lowered the volume of his remarks in English for a while. The Chinese government has been restricting anti-Russia views in state media and online. Unlike the US and Europe, it has not criticized the invasion and opposed sanctions on Russia.
Updated
Boris Johnson has warned of the risk of nuclear disaster in Europe following the Russian shelling of a Ukrainian power plant, reports PA Media, which cites an interview given to La Repubblica, Die Welt and El Pais.
Here is PA’s summary of the interview:
Johnson said he believes Putin intends to “double down” on his invasion of Ukraine, as the Russian president envisages “no way out” but to “continue with the destruction”.
Johnson recounted his overnight call with Zelenskiy about the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia power station, saying their pair agreed that an attack on a nuclear power plant is “clearly a matter of our common European health and safety”.
“Our security is equally involved, equally jeopardised by such an attack,” he said. “We remember what happened with Chernobyl, the radioactive clouds spread over the whole continent, and indeed, also to North America, as far as I can remember.
“There is clearly a risk... I am concerned about how we stop a disaster: there are other Ukrainian plants and there are certainly other Ukrainian radioactive nuclear waste sites.”
On how nuclear plants can be protected, he said: “We have to make clear to the Kremlin that a civilian nuclear disaster in Ukraine, another Chernobyl, is a disaster for Russia as well as for everybody.”
“Therefore, I think that some system of protecting those plants, some system of ensuring that radioactivity levels are monitored by international authorities, such as the UN (United Nations) and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) on the ground, is going to be extremely important.”
A group of eminent writers has appealed to Russian speakers around the world to convey the truth about the war in Ukraine by directly contacting Russian citizens using “all possible means of communication”.
The 17 signatories to the appeal include the Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich, a Belarusian author who writes in Russian. She won the Nobel prize for literature in 2015 for writing described as “a monument to courage and suffering in our time”.
Another dozen distinguished authors from around the world, including the Nobel laureate JM Coetzee, have backed the appeal.
It comes as the Russian government cracked down on access to news and information about the invasion of Ukraine by blocking websites and effectively closing broadcast outlets.
The Kremlin has sought to crush independent media by blocking news websites and introducing a law against so-called “fake news”.
Here, the investigative editor at the news website Meduza says he left Russia in the middle of the night, with barely the time to call his parents. “Felt a massive door slam shut behind my back,” he writes. Russia’s media watchdog had restricted access to Meduza.
Never thought it'd come to this, but I did have to leave Russia, crossing the border on foot in the middle of the night, with my panic-packed bags on my back and my dog in tow. Felt a massive door slam shut behind my back. Barely had enough time to call my parents. Crazy times.
— Alexey Kovalyov (@Alexey__Kovalev) March 5, 2022
“I’m super lucky and privileged to have been spared many hours or even days of waiting on the roadside in the dirt for asylum, to have friends meet me on the other side and take me and my family to a safe place. Unlike millions of Ukrainians right now,” he says.
Updated
Welcome
Hello, I’m Rebecca Ratcliffe, bringing you our rolling coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war, which is now entering its 10th day.
It is 7.20am in Ukraine. Here is the latest:
- Russian forces have continued to bombard cities and other sites across Ukraine, launching missiles and artillery attacks. A vast Russian convoy, which is thought to be 40 miles long, remains stalled outside Kyiv, according to Associated Press.
- The mayor of Mariupol, a strategic port city that has been subject to heavy Russian attacks, said the city has been “blockaded” by Russian forces. Mayor Vadym Boychenko has previously warned the city has no water, heat or electricity and that supplies of food are running out. He has appealed for military assistance and for a humanitarian corridor.
- Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy strongly criticised Nato for refusing to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying the decision has given “the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian towns and villages”. Zelenskiy will address the US Senate on Saturday during a Zoom call that is scheduled for 9.30am Eastern Time.
- The US Embassy in Ukraine described Russia’s attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest of its kind in Europe, as a war crime, stating: “Putin’s shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear plant takes his reign of terror one step further.” Russia blamed a “Ukrainian sabotage group” for the fire at the plant.
- Major news organisations including the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, CBS News and the Canadian Broadcasting Company have suspended reporting inside Russia, after it imposed a law that threatens jail terms of up to 15 years for spreading “fake news” about the war in Ukraine.
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Russia has also blocked Facebook, Twitter and the websites of the BBC, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America, in an attempt to control the flow of information and stamp out independent media coverage.
- Several leading luxury brands said they will temporarily close stores and halt business operations in Russia. This includes Hermes, the Cartier owner Richemont, LVMH, Kering and Chanel. Samsung has also suspended shipments, after Microsoft and Apple announced similar measures.
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