Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
– Chernigiv ‘shelled all night’ –
Authorities in the war-scarred northern Ukrainian city of Chernigiv say the area was ‘shelled all night’ despite Russia’s pledge to scale back attacks on the area as well as near the capital Kyiv following what it called “meaningful” progress at peace talks.
“The enemy has demonstrated its ‘decrease in activity’ in the Chernigiv region with strikes on Nizhyn (a town 90 km southeast of Chernigiv), including air strikes. Chernigiv was shelled all night,” regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus wrote on social media.
Air-raid sirens were also heard through the night in Kyiv.
– Russia trying to ‘mislead’ –
Ukraine’s military says that Russian forces are withdrawing from areas near the capital Kyiv and northern city of Chernigiv but says it suspects a bid to “mislead” rather than genuine de-escalation.
The Pentagon says a “small number” of Russian forces have begun to move away from Kyiv but warns “it does not mean that the threat to Kyiv is over.”
– ‘We’ll see’ –
President Volodymyr Zelensky calls the signs from Moscow “positive” after talks, but says Ukraine “will not decrease” its defensive efforts.
“We’ll see if they follow through on what they’re suggesting,” US President Joe Biden said after a phone call with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Putin will be judged on “actions”, not “words”.
– Sanctions stay –
Zelensky says there can be no talk of lifting sanctions on Russia until the war ends.
The leaders of the US, Britain, France, Germany and Italy agree.
– Neutrality –
Russia’s deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin says Istanbul peace talks brought progress on the question of Ukraine’s “neutrality and non-nuclear status” — two of Russia’s central demands.
Ukraine says it will forego “any military-political alliance” in return for international guarantees on its security. Kyiv negotiator David Arakhamia says enough progress had been made to justify a meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
– Mykolaiv strike –
Twelve people are killed and 34 injured when a Russian missile strike hits a regional government building in Mykolaiv.
– Americans warned –
The US State Department warns Moscow “may single out and detain US citizens in Russia”, urging Americans not to travel to the country.
– ‘Taken by force’ to Russia –
The besieged southern city of Mariupol denounces what it called the forced evacuation of people to Russia from one of its maternity hospitals.
The mayor’s office says more than 70 people “were taken by force by the occupiers” from the hospital and that in total 20,000 Mariupol residents have been taken “against their will” to Russia.
There is no way of independently verifying the information.
– Markets buoyant –
Most stocks rise on Russia’s pledge to wind down its offensive in Ukraine’s north.
Strong gains on Wall Street are matched in Asia but analysts war that traders may be being overly optimistic.
– Food warning –
World Food Program boss David Beasley says the conflict has caused food shortages and price spikes “beyond anything we’ve seen since World War II”.
– Lavrov to China –
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrives in China on his first visit to the key ally since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month.
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