Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
– Russian fuel depot attacked –
Ukrainian helicopters have carried out a strike on a fuel storage facility in Russia’s western town of Belgorod, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the border, according to the local governor.
“There was a fire at the petrol depot because of an air strike carried out by two Ukrainian army helicopters, which entered Russian territory at a low altitude,” Vyacheslav Gladkov says on Telegram.
– Mariupol evacuation doubts –
The Red Cross says it is “not yet clear” that the evacuation of civilians from the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol will go ahead as planned.
“We remain hopeful, we are in action moving towards Mariupol… but it’s not yet clear that this will happen today,” spokesman Ewan Watson says as an ICRC team of three cars and nine staff heads towards the city.
– China warned –
The EU’s top officials have warned China’s leaders at a summit not to help Russia wage war on Ukraine or sidestep Western sanctions, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen says.
“It would lead to a major reputational damage for China here in Europe,” Von der Leyen said after video talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
– Depardieu offered explanation –
The Kremlin is offering to “explain” Moscow’s actions in Ukraine to French actor Gerard Depardieu after he denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “crazy, unacceptable excesses” and slammed the war.
Depardieu, a friend of Putin, took Russian nationality in 2013 to protest against a proposed tax hike on the rich in his homeland.
– ‘Russia preparing powerful strikes’ –
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is preparing “powerful strikes” in the country’s east and south, including the besieged city of Mariupol.
NATO also says it is not seeing a pull-back of Russian forces in Ukraine and expects “additional offensive actions”.
– EU official visiting Kyiv –
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola says she is on her way to Ukraine, making her the first EU leader to visit the war-torn country.
The Maltese MEP, who was elected in January, tweets “On my way to Kyiv” alongside a Ukrainian flag, but gives no further details.
– Lavrov lauds India –
Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov praises India’s refusal to condemn the Ukraine invasion, stressing their “friendship” and saying Moscow and New Delhi will find ways to circumvent “illegal” Western sanctions and continue to trade.
– Russia leaving Chernobyl –
Russian forces have begun to pull out of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power site and move towards Belarus, but took an unspecified number of captive Ukrainian servicemen with them, officials in Kyiv say.
– Putin may be ‘isolated’-
US President Joe Biden says Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin may be “isolated” and could have placed some of his advisors under “house arrest”.
– New gas war front –
Putin says “unfriendly” countries, including all EU members, must set up ruble accounts to pay for gas deliveries from April, or “existing contracts would be stopped”.
– Football fundraisers –
Ukraine football champions Dynamo Kyiv say they are planning a series of friendlies, including against PSG and Barcelona, to raise money for their war-scarred nation.
Ukraine’s championship has not been resumed after the winter break due to the Russian invasion of the country which began on February 24.
