Here are the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine:
– Russia moves on Kyiv –
Fears are mounting that Kyiv will soon be encircled, with Russian forces moving on areas north and west of the capital, the Ukrainian military’s general staff says.
“A movement of Russian troops” towards Brovary, east of Kyiv, is “not excluded”, it says.
– Another corridor attacked –
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russian forces again targeted a humanitarian corridor in the besieged city of Mariupol.
He says he sent trucks carrying food and medicine into the port city but Russia launched a tank attack.
Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko says Russia is targeting residential areas “every 30 minutes”.
– 100,000 evacuated in two days –
Zelensky says about 100,000 people have evacuated the country’s cities in two days.
The Ukrainian government says tens of thousands were evacuated from areas surrounding Kyiv, Sumy and Izyum.
– Fighting rages for other cities –
The Ukrainian military says fighting is ongoing for control of the cities of Chernihiv and Kharkiv in the northeast, and in the southeast for the besieged city of Mariupol and Severodonetsk.
Britain’s defence ministry says Russian forces are committing numbers to the cities, which will “reduce the numbers of forces available” and “further slow Russian progress”.
– Moscow pledges daily corridors –
Moscow promises to open humanitarian corridors every day to allow Ukrainians to flee onto its soil, but Kyiv has previously rejected evacuation routes leading into Russia or its ally Belarus.
– ‘No progress’ in talks –
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba make “no progress” in their talks in Turkey, their first face-to-face meeting since Moscow launched its invasion.
Kuleba says he met Polish President Andrzej Duda for talks on his way back from Antalya.
– Fury at children’s hospital attack –
Ukraine accuses Russia of a “war crime” over an attack on a children’s hospital in the besieged port of Mariupol that killed three including a child.
The Russian army claims the attack was a “staged provocation” by Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron calls the attack “disgraceful”.
– 71 children killed –
At least 71 children have been killed and more than 100 wounded since the Russian invasion began, Ukraine says.
– UN meets on Russia bio-weapon claim –
The UN Security Council will hold an urgent meeting Friday at the request of Russia over the alleged development of biological weapons in Ukraine.
Both Washington and Kyiv deny the existence of biological weapons labs in Ukraine, with the United States saying the allegations are a sign Moscow could soon use the weapons itself.
– US warns more sanctions possible –
The United States and its European allies could impose additional penalties on Moscow because “the atrocities that they’re committing against civilians seem to be intensifying”, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says.
– US says Russia seizing assets will backfire –
White House press secretary Jen Psaki says any decision by Moscow to seize assets of US or international companies “will ultimately result in more economic pain for Moscow”.
– EU douses Ukraine’s hopes –
European Union leaders tell Ukraine there is no fast way to join the bloc, with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte saying membership is “something for the long term, if at all”.
– Putin: Sanctions will hike food prices –
The Russian president says oil and gas exports will not stop but warns food prices will soar because of sanctions since Moscow is one of the world’s top fertiliser producers.
– 2.3 million flee –
The UN says more than 2.3 million people have fled Ukraine — more than half to Poland.
– Goldman first bank of exodus –
US investment bank Goldman Sachs announces it will pull out of Russia, becoming the first Wall Street institution to distance itself from Moscow after its invasion.
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