1.5 million refugees flee Ukraine in 10 days
Published: 05:03 AM,Mar 06,2022 | EDITED : 03:03 PM,Mar 06,2022
Local residents escape from the town of Irpin, after heavy shelling
The number of refugees fleeing Ukraine was expected to reach 1.5 million on Sunday as Russia's attack continued for the 11th day and Ukraine pushed for further Western help, including more sanctions and weapons.
The city council of Ukraine's Mariupol said an evacuation of some of 400,000 residents trapped by Russian forces would start at noon (1000 GMT) under a temporary ceasefire that will last till 9 p.m. A similar plan had to be abandoned on Saturday after the ceasefire was not fully observed, with both sides trading blame.
A city mayor trying to get people out The mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boichenko, used to dream of revitalizing the city. Now he says his main priority is to help many of the 400,000 people stuck in the besieged southeastern city to escape.
Strong resistance continues Blasts were heard overnight in Kharkiv, the second-largest city, Ukrainian media said, while the armed forces said they were conducting defensive operations in the eastern Donetsk, Chernihiv, and elsewhere. British military intelligence said Russian forces were targeting populated areas in Ukraine but that the strength of resistance was slowing the Russian advance.
Talk of fighter jets for Ukraine After Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskiy asked U.S. lawmakers for help securing aircraft from European allies, Washington said it was working with Poland as it considers providing fighter jets.
Russian credit maxes out Visa and Mastercard, also following a request from Zelenskiy, said they were suspending operations in Russia and would work with clients and partners to cease all transactions there.
Shuttle diplomacy Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett became the first world leader on Saturday to meet face to face with Putin since he launched the invasion. He then spoke with Zelenskiy in an attempt to mediate an end to the war in coordination with the United States, France and Germany.
*QUOTES
'My heart is being torn apart,' said Olha Kucher, director of the Zaporizhzhia Central Christian Orphanage after evacuating more than 200 children from the southwestern city. 'I simply lack words. And I feel so sorry for these children. They're so young.'
Putin is to meet on Sunday with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, whose country, a NATO member, shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine said a third round of ceasefire talks with Russia would go ahead on Monday; Moscow was less definitive.
Zelensky asks for more support - Hours after addressing US lawmakers in a video call, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky phones US President Joe Biden to discuss financial support and sanctions against Russia. He had pressed legislators for additional funding and an embargo on Russian oil imports - though the White House has so far ruled out such a ban for fear of driving up consumer prices. Zelensky also says he is pleading for Russian-made planes that his citizens are trained to fly.
Russia resumes its offensive against the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol after a ceasefire agreed to allow the evacuation of civilians breaks down. Each side blames the other. Officials in Mariupol had announced plans for a large-scale evacuation during the ceasefire but later said they had to postpone the operation in the face of continued Russian shelling.
Russia accused Ukrainian forces in Mariupol of blocking residents from leaving.
MSF warns that the humanitarian situation in the city is 'catastrophic' and that it is 'imperative' to set up a humanitarian corridor. Russian forces inch closer to the capital Kyiv from the north and west. AFP witnesses scenes of widespread destruction in the northern town of Chernihiv, where dozens of civilians have been killed in shelling, missile attacks, and air raids.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Ukraine it might lose its statehood if its leaders 'continue to do what they are doing'.
He also directs threats at NATO, saying any countries imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine will be considered enemy combatants while equating the global sanctions on his country to a declaration of war. Zelensky has pleaded for a no-fly zone, but NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg rejects the call, saying it could lead to a wider war in Europe.
In his first face-to-face with a foreign leader since the invasion, Putin holds three-hour talks with Israeli Premier Naftali Bennett.
Bennett, who has not joined the chorus of world leaders forcefully condemning Russia's attack, later speaks with Zelensky.
A host of international broadcasters, including the BBC, CNN, Italy's RAI and Germany's ARD and ZDF, say they will stop reporting from Russia after it passed a law punishing the publication of what it calls 'fake news' about its invasion with jail terms of up to 15 years.
Award-winning independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta says it will also stop reporting on the war in Ukraine in light of the new law.
Russian flagship airline Aeroflot says it is suspending all its international flights beginning March 8, except to neighboring Belarus. The move compounds the international isolation of Russia, which is already being shunned by foreign airlines and travel operators.
One of Ukraine's negotiators says the third round of talks with Russia on ending the fighting will take place on Monday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Moscow is ready for dialogue over Ukraine if all its demands are met.
Russia is more isolated than ever after a historic vote at the UN Human Rights Council for a probe into violations committed during the war on Ukraine, with only Eritrea siding with Moscow.
The already 'serious' global economic impacts of the war in Ukraine would be 'all the more devastating' should the conflict escalate, the IMF warns.
Price shocks will have an impact worldwide, especially on poor households for whom food and fuel are a higher proportion of expenses,' the international lender says.
It adds that emergency financial assistance requested by Ukraine amounts to $1.4 billion.
The number of Ukrainian refugees was expected to reach 1.5 million on Sunday as Russia continued its attack for an 11th day, and President Putin said Western sanctions were akin to a declaration of war.
Talk of fighter jets for Ukraine After Ukrainian President Zelenskiy asked U.S. lawmakers for help securing aircraft from European allies, the White House said Washington was working with Poland as it considers providing fighter jets. The United States could replenish Poland's supply, although challenges remain given the contested airspace.
Basketball star caught up Seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medallist Brittney Griner was detained in Moscow last month for possession of vape cartridges containing hash oil, TASS news agency said. Russia said it had detained a U.S. player.
The centre's team, Phoenix Mercury did not mention the circumstances but said: 'We love and support Brittney and at this time our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home.'
Escaping the war zone in trains Thousands of women and children, many weeping and numb with exhaustion, arrived in Lviv in western Ukraine as the state railway put on more trains to rescue people from fierce Russian attacks on eastern cities.
*QUOTES
'Help us if you can, we all want to live, we have kids, husbands, we are mothers and fathers, we are also people,' said Volnovakha resident Larisa as she tried to flee the fighting. 'Where shall I go? What's on me and a bag of things is all I got. That's all I have.'
Putin is to meet on Sunday with Turkish President Erdogan, whose country, a NATO member, shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine said the third round of ceasefire talks with Russia would go ahead on Monday; Moscow was less definitive.
The city council of Ukraine's Mariupol said an evacuation of some of 400,000 residents trapped by Russian forces would start at noon (1000 GMT) under a temporary ceasefire that will last till 9 p.m. A similar plan had to be abandoned on Saturday after the ceasefire was not fully observed, with both sides trading blame.
A city mayor trying to get people out The mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boichenko, used to dream of revitalizing the city. Now he says his main priority is to help many of the 400,000 people stuck in the besieged southeastern city to escape.
Strong resistance continues Blasts were heard overnight in Kharkiv, the second-largest city, Ukrainian media said, while the armed forces said they were conducting defensive operations in the eastern Donetsk, Chernihiv, and elsewhere. British military intelligence said Russian forces were targeting populated areas in Ukraine but that the strength of resistance was slowing the Russian advance.
Talk of fighter jets for Ukraine After Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskiy asked U.S. lawmakers for help securing aircraft from European allies, Washington said it was working with Poland as it considers providing fighter jets.
Russian credit maxes out Visa and Mastercard, also following a request from Zelenskiy, said they were suspending operations in Russia and would work with clients and partners to cease all transactions there.
Shuttle diplomacy Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett became the first world leader on Saturday to meet face to face with Putin since he launched the invasion. He then spoke with Zelenskiy in an attempt to mediate an end to the war in coordination with the United States, France and Germany.
*QUOTES
'My heart is being torn apart,' said Olha Kucher, director of the Zaporizhzhia Central Christian Orphanage after evacuating more than 200 children from the southwestern city. 'I simply lack words. And I feel so sorry for these children. They're so young.'
Putin is to meet on Sunday with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, whose country, a NATO member, shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine said a third round of ceasefire talks with Russia would go ahead on Monday; Moscow was less definitive.
Zelensky asks for more support - Hours after addressing US lawmakers in a video call, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky phones US President Joe Biden to discuss financial support and sanctions against Russia. He had pressed legislators for additional funding and an embargo on Russian oil imports - though the White House has so far ruled out such a ban for fear of driving up consumer prices. Zelensky also says he is pleading for Russian-made planes that his citizens are trained to fly.
Russia resumes its offensive against the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol after a ceasefire agreed to allow the evacuation of civilians breaks down. Each side blames the other. Officials in Mariupol had announced plans for a large-scale evacuation during the ceasefire but later said they had to postpone the operation in the face of continued Russian shelling.
Russia accused Ukrainian forces in Mariupol of blocking residents from leaving.
MSF warns that the humanitarian situation in the city is 'catastrophic' and that it is 'imperative' to set up a humanitarian corridor. Russian forces inch closer to the capital Kyiv from the north and west. AFP witnesses scenes of widespread destruction in the northern town of Chernihiv, where dozens of civilians have been killed in shelling, missile attacks, and air raids.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Ukraine it might lose its statehood if its leaders 'continue to do what they are doing'.
He also directs threats at NATO, saying any countries imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine will be considered enemy combatants while equating the global sanctions on his country to a declaration of war. Zelensky has pleaded for a no-fly zone, but NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg rejects the call, saying it could lead to a wider war in Europe.
In his first face-to-face with a foreign leader since the invasion, Putin holds three-hour talks with Israeli Premier Naftali Bennett.
Bennett, who has not joined the chorus of world leaders forcefully condemning Russia's attack, later speaks with Zelensky.
A host of international broadcasters, including the BBC, CNN, Italy's RAI and Germany's ARD and ZDF, say they will stop reporting from Russia after it passed a law punishing the publication of what it calls 'fake news' about its invasion with jail terms of up to 15 years.
Award-winning independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta says it will also stop reporting on the war in Ukraine in light of the new law.
Russian flagship airline Aeroflot says it is suspending all its international flights beginning March 8, except to neighboring Belarus. The move compounds the international isolation of Russia, which is already being shunned by foreign airlines and travel operators.
One of Ukraine's negotiators says the third round of talks with Russia on ending the fighting will take place on Monday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Moscow is ready for dialogue over Ukraine if all its demands are met.
Russia is more isolated than ever after a historic vote at the UN Human Rights Council for a probe into violations committed during the war on Ukraine, with only Eritrea siding with Moscow.
The already 'serious' global economic impacts of the war in Ukraine would be 'all the more devastating' should the conflict escalate, the IMF warns.
Price shocks will have an impact worldwide, especially on poor households for whom food and fuel are a higher proportion of expenses,' the international lender says.
It adds that emergency financial assistance requested by Ukraine amounts to $1.4 billion.
The number of Ukrainian refugees was expected to reach 1.5 million on Sunday as Russia continued its attack for an 11th day, and President Putin said Western sanctions were akin to a declaration of war.
Talk of fighter jets for Ukraine After Ukrainian President Zelenskiy asked U.S. lawmakers for help securing aircraft from European allies, the White House said Washington was working with Poland as it considers providing fighter jets. The United States could replenish Poland's supply, although challenges remain given the contested airspace.
Basketball star caught up Seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medallist Brittney Griner was detained in Moscow last month for possession of vape cartridges containing hash oil, TASS news agency said. Russia said it had detained a U.S. player.
The centre's team, Phoenix Mercury did not mention the circumstances but said: 'We love and support Brittney and at this time our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home.'
Escaping the war zone in trains Thousands of women and children, many weeping and numb with exhaustion, arrived in Lviv in western Ukraine as the state railway put on more trains to rescue people from fierce Russian attacks on eastern cities.
*QUOTES
'Help us if you can, we all want to live, we have kids, husbands, we are mothers and fathers, we are also people,' said Volnovakha resident Larisa as she tried to flee the fighting. 'Where shall I go? What's on me and a bag of things is all I got. That's all I have.'
Putin is to meet on Sunday with Turkish President Erdogan, whose country, a NATO member, shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine said the third round of ceasefire talks with Russia would go ahead on Monday; Moscow was less definitive.