Politics
A girl holds an indication at a rally in Occasions Sq. to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in New York. (AP Picture/Brittainy Newman)
The Related Press
The most recent on the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:
WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. intelligence official says Belarus is anticipated to ship troops into Ukraine as quickly as Monday to battle alongside Russian forces that invaded Ukraine final week.
Belarus has been offering assist for Russia’s struggle effort, however to this point has not taken a direct half within the battle.
The American official has direct data of present U.S. intelligence assessments and says the choice by Belarus’ chief on whether or not to convey Belarus additional into the struggle depends upon talks between Russia and Ukraine taking place within the coming days. The official spoke anonymously to debate the delicate info.
Russian forces have encountered sturdy resistance from Ukraine defenders, and U.S. officers say they imagine the invasion has been tougher, and slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, although that would change as Moscow adapts.
— James LaPorta
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CLEVELAND — Russia has apparently rendered Fb largely unusable throughout main Russian telecommunications suppliers amid rising friction between Moscow and the social media platform.
The London-based web monitor NetBlocks experiences that Fb’s community of content-distribution servers in Russia was so badly restricted Sunday that “content material now not masses, or masses extraordinarily slowly making the platforms unusable.”
Russian telecoms regulator Roskomnadzor on Friday introduced plans to “partially prohibit” entry to Fb. That very same day, Fb’s head of safety coverage had mentioned the corporate was barring Russian state media from operating advertisements or in any other case profiting on its platform anyplace on the earth.
Fb says it has additionally refused a request by the Kremlin to not run truth checks associated to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the platform for customers inside Russia.
NetBlocks reported earlier that entry to Twitter was equally restricted Saturday. That was a day after Twitter mentioned it was briefly halting advertisements in each Ukraine and Russia.
The Twitter and Fb restrictions could be circumvented inside Russia utilizing VPN software program, simply as customers do in mainland China.
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TOKYO — Asian inventory costs have fallen after Western nations moved to tighten sanctions in opposition to Russia and as President Vladimir Putin escalated tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces on excessive alert.
U.S. futures fell, with the contract for the S&P 500 down 2.5% early Monday. The inventory markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai declined whereas Sydney was greater.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has induced markets to swing wildly, given the potential impression on inflation, power provides and different areas. The Russian ruble has weakened sharply however was regular early Monday at 83.86 to the greenback.
Japan joined strikes by the U.S. and Western nations to impose sanctions on Russia, together with blocking some Russian banks from the SWIFT international cost system.
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BERLIN — The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog says missiles have hit a radioactive waste disposal web site within the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, however there aren’t any experiences of harm to the buildings or indications of a launch of radioactive materials.
In an announcement late Sunday, Worldwide Atomic Power Company Director Normal Rafael Grossi says Ukrainian authorities knowledgeable his workplace concerning the in a single day strike. He says his company expects to quickly obtain the outcomes of on-site radioactive monitoring.
The report got here a day after {an electrical} transformer at an analogous disposal facility within the Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv was broken.
Such services sometimes maintain low-level radioactive supplies reminiscent of waste from hospitals and business, however Grossi says the 2 incidents spotlight a “very actual threat.” He says if the websites are broken there could possibly be “probably extreme penalties for human well being and the setting.”
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CANBERRA, Australia — Australia will present deadly army gear to Ukraine to assist the Ukrainians resist the Russian invasion.
The Australian authorities’s announcement Monday gave no particulars on what materials it could be sending. The transfer follows a proposal on Friday of non-lethal army gear, medical provides and a $3 million contribution to a NATO belief fund for assist of the besieged nation.
Australia has imposed sanctions on greater than 350 Russian people, together with Russian President Vladimir Putin since Thursday.
Australia has additionally focused with sanctions 13 people and entities in Belarus, together with that nation’s protection minister, Viktor Khrenin. Belarus is supporting Russia in its struggle with Ukraine.
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TORONTO — The 2 largest media corporations in Canada are dropping Russian state TV channel RT from their cable choices.
Rogers spokesman Andrew Garas says Russia As we speak will now not be out there on its channel lineup as of Monday.
The Bell media firm is also eradicating RT.
Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is commending the motion, saying Russia has been conducting warfare in Ukraine since 2014 and knowledge warfare internationally. He says RT is the propaganda arm of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime that spreads disinformation.
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FRANKFURT, Germany — An Austria-based subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned Sberbank has been dominated more likely to fail after depositors fled as a result of impression of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The European Central Financial institution mentioned early Monday that the financial institution had 13.6 billion euros in belongings on the finish of final yr, however has skilled “vital deposit outflows” resulting from “geopolitical tensions.”
The ECB says Vienna-headquartered Sberbank Europe AG “is more likely to be unable to pay its money owed or different liabilities as they fall due.” The financial institution is a totally owned subsidiary of Russia’s Sberbank, whose majority shareholder is the Russian authorities.
Europe’s financial institution decision board individually says it has imposed a funds ban on cash owed by the financial institution and a restrict on how a lot depositors can withdraw. The board will determine on additional steps, which might embody restructuring, promoting or liquidating the financial institution.
Sberbank Europe operates 185 branches and has greater than 3,933 staff.
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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s Inside Ministry says 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed throughout Russia’s invasion, together with 14 kids. It says a further 1,684 folks, together with 116 kids, have been wounded.
he ministry’s assertion Sunday doesn’t give any info on casualties amongst Ukraine’s armed forces.
Russia has claimed that its troops are focusing on solely Ukrainian army services and says that Ukraine’s civilian inhabitants shouldn’t be at risk.
Russia has not launched any info on casualties amongst its troops. The Russian Protection Ministry acknowledged on Sunday solely that Russian troopers have been killed and wounded, with out giving any numbers.
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RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says his authorities will stay impartial relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Bolsonaro mentioned he had a two-hour lengthy dialog with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday to speak concerning the struggle and warranted Russia’s chief that Brazil will hold a impartial place. Nevertheless, Brazil’s international ministry later mentioned Bolsonaro didn’t converse to Putin on Sunday, however somewhat was referring to his two-hour assembly with the Russian throughout a go to to Moscow earlier this month.
Brazil’s extremely conservative president mentioned Sunday that he doesn’t need to “convey the implications of the battle” to Brazil.
Bolsonaro says that Russia has no intention of finishing up any massacres and that in some areas of Ukraine “90% of the folks need to get nearer to Russia.”
The Brazilian president additionally criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying folks “entrusted the destiny of the nation to a comic.”
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. for the primary time has authorized the direct supply of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as a part of a package deal authorized by the White Home on Friday.
The precise timing of supply shouldn’t be identified, however officers say the U.S. is at present engaged on the logistics of the cargo. The officers agreed to debate the event provided that not quoted by identify.
The choice comes on the heels of Germany’s announcement that it’s going to ship 500 Stinger missiles and different weapons and provides to Ukraine.
The high-speed Stingers are very correct and are used to shoot down helicopters and different plane. Ukrainian officers have been asking for extra of the highly effective weapons.
The Baltic states have additionally been offering Ukraine with Stingers since January, and in an effort to try this needed to get U.S. permission.
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TORONTO — Canada will ship a further $25 million price of defensive army gear to Ukraine in an effort to assist the nation defend in opposition to Russia’s invasion.
Overseas Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says the gear contains helmets, physique armor, gasoline masks and night-vision gear.
She says will probably be routed by Poland to get there as rapidly as potential.
Anand says Canada will provide up cybersecurity consultants who can assist Ukraine “defend its networks in opposition to cyber assaults which can be more and more forming a part of modern-day warfare.”
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UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Safety Council has voted for the 193-member Normal Meeting to carry an emergency session on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday.
The vote on Sunday to authorize an emergency assembly was 11 in favor, Russia opposed, and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining. That was the very same vote on a decision Friday demanding that Moscow instantly cease its assault on Ukraine and withdraw all troops. However in that case, Russia used its veto and the decision was defeated.
Ukrainian U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya requested for the Normal Meeting assembly to be held underneath the so-called “Uniting for Peace” decision, initiated by the US and adopted in November 1950 to bypass vetoes by the Soviet Union in the course of the Korean Conflict.
That decision offers the Normal Meeting the facility to name emergency conferences when the Safety Council is unable to behave due to the dearth of unanimity amongst its 5 veto-wielding everlasting members — the US, Russia, China, Britain and France.
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MOSCOW — The U.S. Embassy in Moscow urged Americans in Russia to consider leaving the nation instantly on Sunday, as some airways halt flights there and a few international locations shut their skies to Russian plane.
“U.S. residents ought to take into account departing Russia instantly by way of business choices nonetheless out there,” the Embassy mentioned in an announcement on its web site.
U.S. officers in current weeks have urged Individuals to not journey to Russia, and warned that the U.S. authorities couldn’t assist in any evacuation of Individuals from there.
An earlier alert advisable Individuals develop contingency plans about the way to depart the nation if needed.
The European Union was amongst these asserting Sunday they had been closing their airspace to Russian flights
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NEW YORK CITY — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an government order on Sunday forbidding her state from doing enterprise with Russia. The order contains canceling its investments in Russia.
Throughout a press convention in Albany, the governor mentioned her state would additionally welcome refugees from the besieged nation. Hochul mentioned New York is dwelling to the biggest Ukrainian inhabitants in the US.
“If you happen to want a spot to remain, you need to come over right here, we’ll assist you to turn into built-in into our neighborhood,” she mentioned.
The financial sanctions observe these issued by President Joe Biden to assist siphon assets from the Russian authorities, which launched its long-expected invasion of Ukraine final Thursday.
It stays to be seen how Hochul’s transfer will help the hassle to severely squeeze the Russian economic system within the international effort to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to retreat.
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KYIV, Ukraine — As Russian troops draw nearer to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv’s mayor is each crammed with satisfaction over his residents’ spirit and anxious about how lengthy they’ll maintain out.
In an interview with The Related Press on Sunday, after a grueling evening of Russian assaults on the outskirts of town, Mayor Vitali Klitschko mentioned there have been no plans to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv.
“We are able to’t try this, as a result of all methods are blocked,” he mentioned. “Proper now we’re encircled.”
When Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Thursday, town of two.8 million folks initially reacted with concern but additionally a measure of self-possession. Nevertheless, nerves began fraying when grocery shops started closing and town’s famously deep subway system turned its stations into bomb shelters.
The mayor confirmed to the AP that 9 civilians in Kyiv had been killed to this point, together with one baby.
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NEW YORK — Some early indicators are rising of serious financial penalties to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine three days in the past. Whereas official quotes for the Russian ruble had been unchanged at roughly 84 rubles to the greenback, one on-line Russian financial institution, Tinkoff, was giving an unofficial change charge of 152 rubles over the weekend.
Movies from Russia confirmed lengthy traces of Russians making an attempt to withdraw money from ATMs, whereas the Russian Central Financial institution issued an announcement calling for calm, in an effort to keep away from financial institution runs. Reviews additionally confirmed that Visa and Mastercard had been now not being accepted for these with worldwide financial institution accounts.
“Banks and bank card corporations coping with Russia are going into lock down mode given the quick tempo and growing chunk of the sanctions,” mentioned Amanda DeBusk, a associate with Dechert LLP.
Russia might must briefly shut financial institution branches or declare a nationwide financial institution vacation to guard its monetary system, analysts mentioned.
“If there’s a full-scale banking panic, that’s a driver of disaster in its personal proper,” mentioned Adam Tooze, a professor of historical past at Columbia College and Director of the European Institute. “A rush into {dollars} by the Russian common inhabitants strikes issues into a wholly new area of economic warfare.”
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MOSCOW — The Russian army mentioned Sunday that a few of its troops had been killed and a few had been wounded in Ukraine — admitting for the primary time that it had suffered casualties for the reason that Russian invasion.
Russian Protection Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov mentioned Sunday “there are lifeless and wounded amongst our comrades,” with out providing any numbers, however including that Russia’s losses had been “many instances” fewer than these of Ukraine’s forces.
It was the primary time Russian army officers talked about casualties on their aspect. Ukraine has claimed that its forces killed 3,500 Russian troops. Konashenkov additionally mentioned that for the reason that begin of the assault Thursday, the Russian army have hit 1,067 Ukrainian army services, together with 27 command posts and communication facilities, 38 air protection missile system and 56 radar stations.
Konashenkov’s claims and Ukraine’s allegations that its forces killed hundreds of Russian troops can’t be independently verified.
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KYIV, Ukraine — A whole lot of individuals protested Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in Belarus on Sunday. The protests got here even if the authoritarian Belarusian authorities has sided with Moscow.
The anti-war rallies spanned no less than 12 Belarusian cities, and human rights advocates reported that greater than 170 folks have been arrested. Within the capital of Minsk, demonstrators marched in several components of town carrying Ukrainian flags. A big pile of flowers stored rising on the constructing of Ukraine’s Embassy.
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JERUSALEM — Round 2,500 Ukrainian Jews have requested to immigrate to Israel and take citizenship for the reason that onset of Russia’s invasion, a quasi-governmental group says.
The Jewish Company for Israel, which handles immigration issues, mentioned that it has acquired over 5,000 inquiries about immigration to Israel. Round half have requested to immigrate instantly, the company mentioned.
Ukraine is dwelling to a Jewish neighborhood of round 43,000. However roughly 200,000 Ukrainians are eligible for immigration underneath Israel’s Regulation of Return, which extends the proper to citizenship to anybody with one Jewish grandparent.
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TORONTO — Canada is becoming a member of many European international locations in closing its airspace to all Russian plane because the West ramps up stress on Russia for invading Ukraine.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra mentioned Sunday that Canada will maintain Russia accountable for its unprovoked assaults.
Most European international locations have both introduced they’re closing their airspace or mentioned they intend to take action. Thus far Spain, Greece, Serbia and Turkey are among the many few left that haven’t joined within the transfer in opposition to Russia.
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BRUSSELS — The European Union’s prime migration official says greater than 300,000 Ukrainians fleeing struggle have entered the 27-nation bloc in current days and is warning that Europe should be prepared for thousands and thousands to reach.
EU House Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson is urging the bloc’s inside ministers assembly on Sunday to set off a particular safety mechanism arrange 20 years in the past to assist take care of influxes of refugees.
“We’ve to organize for even greater numbers, and we now have to organize for the assist that we have to give to the Ukrainians fleeing,” she instructed reporters on the EU assembly in Brussels.
The safety system was arrange within the wake of the wars in former Yugoslavia and Kosovo, when hundreds of individuals had been pressured to flee their properties. It has by no means been used. It supplies residence permits for a hard and fast time, the potential of jobs, lodging, social welfare, medical remedy and training for kids.
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ATHENS — Authorities say Greece is sending ammunition, assault rifles and missile launchers to Ukraine in response to a request by Ukraine’s authorities.
The army help was determined at a gathering Sunday morning between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and senior protection officers.
A C-130 aircraft with the gear has arrived in Poland, and a second one will arrive later, a Protection Ministry official mentioned.
Two extra planes carrying humanitarian help reminiscent of blankets and meals have additionally left Athens Worldwide Airport for Poland, the spokesman mentioned.
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GENEVA — The World Well being Group is warning that oxygen provides – necessary for the battle in opposition to COVID-19 and different sicknesses – are reaching a “very harmful level” in Ukraine resulting from transportation difficulties within the wake of Russia’s army invasion, jeopardizing hundreds of lives.
“Nearly all of hospitals might exhaust their oxygen reserves inside the subsequent 24 hours. Some have already run out. This places hundreds of lives in danger,” mentioned WHO Director-Normal Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Europe regional director Dr. Hans Kluge in a joint assertion Sunday afternoon in Europe.
They mentioned electrical energy and energy shortages, and the hazard of ambulances getting caught within the crossfire, had been growing the dangers to sufferers.
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TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says Japan has determined to hitch the US and European nations in chopping key Russian banks from the SWIFT worldwide monetary messaging system to step up sanctions in opposition to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Japan may also freeze belongings of Russian President Vladimir Putin and different prime Russian officers, whereas sending $100 million in emergency humanitarian help to Ukraine, Kishida instructed reporters.
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a unilateral try to alter the established order and the act shakes the muse of the worldwide order. It’s an outright violation to worldwide legislation and we strongly denounce the act,” Kishida mentioned.
In an announcement welcoming new sanctions from Japan, White Home Press Secretary Jen Psaki mentioned the US and its allies “will proceed working intently collectively to impose additional extreme prices and make Putin’s struggle of alternative a strategic failure.”
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MOSCOW — From Moscow to Siberia, Russians have taken to the streets once more on Sunday to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Demonstrators marched in metropolis facilities, chanting “No to struggle.”
Protests in opposition to the invasion began on Thursday and have continued for 4 days in a row, regardless of police swiftly shifting to detain lots of of individuals every day.
In St. Petersburg, the place dozens gathered within the metropolis heart, police in riot gear grabbed protesters and dragged some to police vans, although the demonstration was peaceable.
In keeping with the OVD-Information rights group that tracks political arrests, by Sunday afternoon police detained no less than 356 Russians in 32 cities over anti-war demonstrations.
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KYIV, UKRAINE — The workplace of Ukraine’s president has confirmed {that a} delegation will meet with Russian officers as Moscow’s troops draw nearer to Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy workplace mentioned Sunday on the Telegram messaging app that the 2 sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border and didn’t give a exact time for the assembly.
The assembly information got here shortly after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces placed on excessive alert in response to what he known as “aggressive statements” by main NATO powers.
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BERLIN — Roughly 100,000 folks have turned out in Berlin to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and present solidarity with the Ukrainian folks.
Police mentioned giant crowds have crammed the world initially deliberate for the demonstration, across the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, and that they had been allocating extra area to accommodate the protesters.
Sunday’s protest was peaceable, together with many households with kids. Folks waved yellow and blue Ukrainian flags to point out their assist. Some carried placards with slogans reminiscent of “Palms off Ukraine” and “Putin, go to remedy and depart Ukraine and the world in peace.”
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MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces placed on excessive alert amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.
Putin asserted at a gathering along with his prime officers on Sunday that main NATO powers had made “aggressive statements” together with the West imposing hard-hitting monetary sanctions in opposition to Russia, together with the president himself.
The alert means Putin has ordered Russia’s nuclear weapons ready for elevated readiness to launch. He instructed the Russian protection minister and the chief of the army’s Normal Workers to place the nuclear deterrent forces in a “particular regime of fight responsibility.”
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WARSAW, Poland — Whereas international locations like Poland and Hungary have welcomed fleeing Ukrainians, some international residents searching for to depart Ukraine have reported difficulties on the Polish border.
An Indian volunteer in Poland mentioned Sunday some Indian residents searching for to flee Ukraine into Poland are caught on the border main into Medyka, Poland, and unable to cross.
The Indian Embassy in Kyiv mentioned Sunday that Indian residents are being evacuated from Ukraine to Romania and Hungary. However some have arrived on the border with Poland apparently unaware of this and are caught.
Ruchir Kataria, the volunteer, instructed The Related Press that the Indians searching for to cross at Medyka had been instructed in damaged English: “Go to Romania.” However they’d already made lengthy journeys on foot to the border, and haven’t any approach to attain the border with Romania lots of of kilometers away.
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BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Germany is committing 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to a particular fund for its armed forces, elevating its protection spending above 2% of its GDP.
Scholz instructed a particular session of the Bundestag in Berlin on Sunday that it was clear “we have to make investments considerably extra within the safety of our nation, in an effort to shield our freedom and our democracy.”
Germany had come underneath criticism for not investing adequately in its protection price range and never doing sufficient to answer Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On Saturday night, the German authorities introduced it will be sending weapons and different provides on to Ukraine to assist troops in opposition to invading Russia forces.
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BUDAPEST, Hungary — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has briefly misplaced his most senior official place in world sports activities.
The Worldwide Judo Federation on Sunday cited “the continuing struggle battle in Ukraine” for suspending Putin’s honorary president standing.
The Russian president is a eager judoka and attended the game on the 2012 London Olympics.
The judo federation is uncommon amongst Olympic sports activities our bodies for utilizing the phrase “struggle” to explain Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ordered by Putin since Thursday. Others have used phrases reminiscent of “escalation of battle.”
A Kremlin-supporting oligarch and longtime good friend of Putin, Arkady Rotenberg, stays on the IJF government committee as growth supervisor.
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TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s prime minister says the nation is sending 100 tons of humanitarian help to help civilians caught up within the combating in Ukraine.
Naftali Bennett instructed a gathering of his Cupboard Sunday that the help contains medical gear and drugs, tents, sleeping luggage and blankets.
Bennett didn’t touch upon a report by Israeli public broadcaster Kan which mentioned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested the Israeli chief to mediate talks on ending the disaster with Russia. Bennett’s workplace confirmed there had been a name however declined to touch upon the report. The Ukrainian embassy couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
Bennett has treaded fastidiously in his public feedback on Russia’s invasion. He has voiced assist for Ukrainian civilians however has stopped wanting condemning Russia. Israeli depends on Russia for safety coordination in Syria, the place Russia has a army presence and the place Israel regularly strikes hostile targets.
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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s president says his nation is prepared for peace talks with Russia however not in Belarus, which was a staging floor for Moscow’s 3-day-old invasion.
Talking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as various venues. He mentioned different places are additionally potential however made clear that Ukraine doesn’t settle for Russia’s collection of Belarus.
The Kremlin mentioned Sunday {that a} Russian delegation had arrived within the Belarusian metropolis of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned the delegation contains army officers and diplomats.
“The Russian delegation is prepared for talks, and we at the moment are ready for the Ukrainians,” Peskov mentioned.
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MOSCOW — The Kremlin says a Russian delegation has arrived within the Belarusian metropolis of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officers.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned the delegation contains army officers and diplomats. “The Russian delegation is prepared for talks, and we at the moment are ready for the Ukrainians,” Peskov mentioned.
There was no rapid remark from Ukrainian officers, who beforehand expressed their very own readiness for peace talks with Russia however haven’t talked about any particular particulars on their location and timing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, and its troops are closing in on the capital, Kyiv, and making vital good points alongside the nation’s coast.
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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian authorities say Russian troops have entered Ukraine’s second-largest metropolis of Kharkiv and combating is underway within the streets.
Oleh Sinehubov, the top of the Kharkiv regional administration, mentioned Sunday that Ukrainian forces had been combating Russian troops within the metropolis and requested civilians to not depart their properties.
Russian troops approached Kharkiv, which is positioned about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. However till Sunday, they remained on its outskirts with out making an attempt to enter town whereas different forces rolled previous, urgent their offensive deeper into Ukraine.
Movies on Ukrainian media and social networks confirmed Russian autos shifting throughout Kharkiv and a light-weight automobile burning on the road.
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KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian president’s workplace mentioned Russian forces blew up a gasoline pipeline in Kharkiv, the nation’s second-largest metropolis.
The State Service of Particular Communication and Data Safety warned that the explosion, which it mentioned regarded like a mushroom cloud, might trigger an “environmental disaster” and suggested residents to cowl their home windows with damp fabric or gauze and to drink loads of fluids.
Ukraine’s prime prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, mentioned the Russian forces have been unable to take Kharkiv, the place a fierce battle is underway.
The town of 1.5 million is positioned 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border.
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GENEVA — The United Nations says it has confirmed no less than 240 civilian casualties, together with no less than 64 folks killed, within the combating in Ukraine that erupted since Russia’s invasion on Thursday — although it believed the “actual figures are significantly greater” as a result of many experiences of casualties stay to be confirmed.
The U.N. Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs relayed the rely late Saturday from the U.N. human rights workplace, which has strict methodologies and verification procedures concerning the toll from battle.
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Observe AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine