Here are the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine:
– ‘Dangerous moment’ for Kyiv –
As Russian forces step up strikes on residential buildings, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko warns of a “difficult and dangerous moment” and announces a 35-hour curfew from Tuesday night.
At least two people die in strikes on a 16-storey building in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynsky district. More than half the population has fled.
– Refugees top 3 million –
More than three million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion, the UN migration agency IOM says.
Around half of them are minors, says the UN children’s agency.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, says 1.8 million people have fled to Poland.
– 97 children killed –
Ninety-seven Ukrainian children have died since the invasion began, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tells Canadian lawmakers.
In a video address, he accuses Russia’s military of “destroying everything: memorial complexes, schools, hospitals, housing complexes”.
– No NATO for Ukraine –
Zelensky says his country should accept that it will not become a member of the US-led NATO military alliance, a key Russian concern it used to justify its invasion.
“Ukraine is not a member of NATO. We understand that. We have heard for years that the doors were open, but we also heard that we could not join. It’s a truth and it must be recognised,” Zelensky tells military officials.
– TV protester fined, released –
Marina Ovsyannikova, the journalist who protested against the conflict during a prime-time news broadcast on Russian state television, is fined and released.
A Moscow court ordered her to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles ($280, 247 euros) after she barged onto the set of Russia’s most-watched evening news broadcast holding a poster reading “No War”.
– ‘Positive’ talks –
A senior Ukrainian negotiator says a fresh round of talks between Moscow and Kyiv on ending the fighting has started, with both sides signalling progress.
Zelensky earlier referred to discussions as “pretty good” while the Kremlin said the fact they were ongoing “is in itself positive”.
– Russia to exit Council of Europe –
Russia’s foreign ministry says it is launching a procedure to exit the Council of Europe, amid growing pressure for its expulsion from the pan-European rights group.
– European PMs en route to Ukraine –
The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, head to Kyiv by train to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The trip is to “confirm the unequivocal support of the entire European Union” with Ukraine, says Poland.
– Russia ‘enlists 40,000 Syrian fighters’ –
Russia has drawn up lists of 40,000 fighters from the Syrian army and allied militias to be put on standby for deployment in Ukraine, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor says.
– Four journalists killed –
Four journalists — two foreigners and two Ukrainians — have been killed and more than 30 others wounded in Ukraine since the invasion began three weeks ago, the Ukrainian parliament’s human rights chief Lyudmyla Denisova says.
– ‘Massive’ damage to airport –
Russian bombardment causes “massive” damage to the airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, destroying the runway and damaging the terminal, regional authorities say.
– China wary of sanctions –
China’s foreign minister says Beijing “is not a party to the crisis” in Ukraine and does not want to be affected by Western sanctions following US reports that Moscow asked Beijing for military and economic aid.
Washington has expressed concern about the “alignment” between Russia and China, which refuses to condemn the invasion of Ukraine.
– German warns against Russian software –
Germany’s cyber security agency BSI urges consumers not to use the anti-virus software made by Russia’s Kaspersky, warning the firm could be implicated in cyber warfare.
The United States already banned government agencies from using the software in 2017. Kaspersky denies being in league with the Kremlin.
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