Russian shelling is preventing civilians from leaving cities, says Ukraine's president
Sam Hall
·73-min read
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - David Rose /David Rose
Ukraine's president has accused the Russian army of scuppering the evacuation of civilians through humanitarian corridors agreed after talks with Moscow.
"There was an agreement on humanitarian corridors. Did that work? Russian tanks worked in its place, Russian Grads (multiple rocket launchers), Russian mines," Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video posted on Telegram.
Ukraine's foreign ministry said Russian shelling is preventing civilians from leaving cities, including Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy and Kharkiv.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Monday night that it will carry out another ceasefire on Tuesday morning at 10am Moscow time (7am UK time) and open humanitarian corridors to evacuate citizens.
It comes as the latest intelligence update published by the Ministry of Defence said: "Russia continues to directly target evacuation corridors, resulting in the death of several civilians whilst trying to evacuate Irpin.
"Due to heavy fighting in the town, it has reportedly been without heat, water or electricity for days."
Moldova could become the next target for Russia as Vladimir Putin aims to push his forces across the south of Ukraine all the way to the eastern European country
An Indian doctor trapped in Ukraine has said he would rather be killed by Russian forces than leave his pet panther and jaguar behind
MPs will hear from Volodymyr Zelensky about the Ukrainian plight as Boris Johnson continues his diplomatic offensive to encourage Western leaders to punish Russia for the invasion.
Mr Zelensky will address the House of Commons at 5pm on Tuesday by video link after Speaker Lindsay Hoyle approved a request for a "historic address" from the Ukrainian president who, according to reports, is at risk of assassination by pro-Russian groups in Kyiv.
He gave an address to the European Parliament last week and imparted a virtual message to the US Senate on Saturday, with the embattled leader expected on Tuesday to renew messages from those speeches to MPs, including pushing for the West to install a no-fly zone over Ukraine and for more arms to be delivered.
12:45 AM
Russia claims it will honour latest ceasefire
Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia says Russia will carry out a ceasefire on Tuesday morning at 10am Moscow time (7am UK time) and open humanitarian corridors to evacuate citizens from Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy and Mariupol.
Mr Nebenzia took the floor at the end of a UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine on Monday.
"This proposal doesn't have any demands about the citizens being sent necessarily to Russia, into Russian territory," he said.
"There's also evacuation offered towards Ukrainian cities to the west of Kyiv, and ultimately it will be the choice of the people themselves where they want to be evacuated to."
12:05 AM
Russia 'still targeting civilians'
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said Russia is continuing to target civilian evacuation corridors in Ukraine.
The latest intelligence update published by MoD said: "Russia continues to directly target evacuation corridors, resulting in the death of several civilians whilst trying to evacuate Irpin.
"Due to heavy fighting in the town, it has reportedly been without heat, water or electricity for days."
The update also said Ukrainian resistance to the Russian encroachment of Kyiv "endures around the nearby towns of Hostomel, Bucha, Vorzel and Irpin".
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 07 March 2022
When Vladimir Putin launched his war with Ukraine, he said he was doing so to “de-Nazify” the country - questioning its right to exist, Robert Mendick and Nataliya Vasilyeva write.
Only last week, the Russian president had accused the country’s leadership - including Volodymyr Zelensky, its Jewish prime minister - of being a “band of drug addicts and neo-Nazis”.
On Monday, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s chief spokesman, offered Moscow’s terms to halt the invasion. If the original plan had been to conquer the whole of Ukraine, the terms of the new deal represent a significant retreat.
Liz Truss said she met with the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko on Monday evening.
The Foreign Secretary tweeted: "The UK is providing military, economic and humanitarian support to Ukraine, crippling Putin's war machine and rallying the international community. The UK will do all we can to support the Ukrainian people. Putin must fail."
Meanwhile, Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, saying he has had a "Call with Liz Truss on practical steps to further strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities. I underscored the urgent need to impose new sanctions on Russia for its continued barbaric war crimes in Ukraine.
He added: "Grateful to the UK for standing by Ukraine at this critical time."
10:06 PM
Zelensky says Russian forces are scuppering civilian evacuations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Russian army of scuppering the evacuation of civilians through humanitarian corridors agreed after talks with Moscow.
"There was an agreement on humanitarian corridors. Did that work? Russian tanks worked in its place, Russian Grads (multiple rocket launchers), Russian mines," Mr Zelensky said in a video posted on Telegram.
10:00 PM
Ireland could 'abandon neutrality after 100 years' because of Putin's invasion of Ukraine
Ireland could drop its policy of military neutrality after almost a century because of anger over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it was claimed on Monday, James Crisp reports.
Neale Richmond, Fine Gael’s European Affairs spokesman, said public opinion was changing “in the face of Vladimir Putin’s war machine” and Ireland could join Nato in the long term.
“He has potentially forced Ireland to abandon a 100 year strategy of military neutrality,” the Dublin Rathdown MP told the Telegraph.
“Just because you say you are neutral, it doesn’t really matter [to Russia]. Ukraine was neutral,” Mr Richmond, whose party is one of two in Ireland’s coalition government, said.
The men said they had been motivated to join the battle after hearing of war crimes being committed by Vladimir Putin's troops.
They responded to a call to join the Ukrainian International Legion, whose ranks have swelled to around 20,000 people from 52 countries.
More than 60 Britons are thought to have crossed the border from Poland into Ukraine, with British Army and Special Forces veterans said to be among them.
Putin says he will not send conscripts or reservists to fight in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he will not send conscripts or reservists to fight in Ukraine and that "professionals" fulfilling "fixed objectives" were leading the war.
"Conscripted soldiers are not participating and will not participate in the fighting. There will not be an additional conscription of reservists either," Putin said in a televised address.
09:06 PM
Pentagon: Russia's move to longer-range strikes increasing civilian casualties
Russia's growing reliance on longer-range strikes on Ukrainian targets is increasing the number of civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, the Pentagon said today.
"More civilians are being killed and wounded ... and Mr Putin still has a choice," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
09:00 PM
Kuleba: US and Ukraine coordinating to increase pressure on Russia
Another call with @SecBlinken. We are coordinating intensively on crucial further steps to increase pressure on Russia. As long as Putin refuses to end his meaningless and barbaric war on Ukraine, the pressure will be getting higher. Grateful to the U.S. for standing by Ukraine.
US envoy to UN calls for Russian commitment on allowing humanitarian access in Ukraine
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda-Thomas Greenfield, said the US is "outraged" by reports of Moscow's attacks against Ukrainian civilians and called for a pause in hostilities to allow the safe passage of civilians who wish to leave areas of conflict.
Ms Thomas-Greenfield, speaking to the UN Security Council, called for Russia's "firm, clear, public and unequivocal commitment" to facilitate immediate, unhindered access for humanitarian partners in Ukraine.
08:42 PM
Pentagon: No major progress by Russian forces in north and northeast of Ukraine
The US does not believe Russian forces have made major progress in the north and northeast of Ukraine in the last few days, the Pentagon said.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that Russian troops had taken the city of Kherson and were attempting to encircle Mariupol, but were not in control of it.
08:36 PM
UN aid chief calls for safe passage of evacuation for civilians in Ukraine
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths called on all parties to allow safe passage for civilians to leave areas of active hostilities in Ukraine in the direction they choose, adding that safe passage for humanitarian supplies into those areas is also needed.
Mr Griffiths told the United Nations Security Council that his office has sent a team to Moscow to work on better humanitarian civil-military coordination.
Earlier today, Moscow made an offer of new ‘humanitarian corridors’ that all lead to either Russia itself or its ally Belarus - in a move that was immediately denounced by Kyiv as an immoral stunt.
08:23 PM
Macron: No impending breakthrough with Moscow
French President Emmanuel Macron said that he was not currently seeing any diplomatic breakthroughs in talks with Moscow that would allow the war in Ukraine to end.
Asked by listeners at a campaign event close to Paris about the war, Mr Macron said: "We will continue to talk to Russia, even though discussions with President Putin are difficult.
"I don't think that in the coming days and weeks, there will be a real negotiated solution", adding that France and the West should not interfere in bilateral talks about a potential ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow.
08:18 PM
Kuleba: Ukraine wants direct talks between Zelensky and Putin
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv wanted direct talks between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.
"We have long wanted a direct conversation between the President of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin, because we all understand that it is he who makes the final decisions, especially now," he said in a live television broadcast.
"Our president is not scared of anything, including a direct meeting with Putin," Mr Kuleba added.
"If Putin is also not scared, let him come to the meeting, let them sit down and talk."
08:13 PM
Analysis: Russian aircraft losses in Ukraine ‘unsustainable for more than a fortnight’
Debris from a military plane after it was shot down by Ukrainian forces in Chernihiv - State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Russia cannot sustain its air losses for more than a fortnight after at least nine aircraft were shot down in just 24 hours, analysts have said.
Defence analysts said Moscow had been unable to establish air superiority because of its inability – so far at least – to mount "complex" strikes capable of knocking out Ukraine's air force and ground-to-air missile systems.
Western officials have been surprised by Russia's inability to win the battle in the skies given its huge air advantage. Without air superiority, large, slow-moving convoys on the ground can be picked off by Ukrainian drone strikes and shoulder-held anti-tank missiles, supplied to Ukraine by the West.
Military strategists suggest that if Kyiv, the capital, and Kharkiv, in the east, continue to resist the invasion then Vladimir Putin's war effort will falter after "no more than three weeks" unless a major resupply effort is undertaken.
Russia threatens to cut gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1
Russia could cut gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, but it has not made such a decision yet, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said today.
"In connection with unfounded accusations against Russia regarding the energy crisis in Europe and the imposition of a ban on Nord Stream 2, we have every right to take a matching decision and impose an embargo on gas pumping through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline," Mr Novak said in a statement broadcast on state television.
"But so far we are not taking such a decision," he said.
07:45 PM
The Telegraph’s Russia correspondent: Impending doom of censorship and sanctions meant I had no choice but to flee
Nataliya Vasilyeva is arrested in Moscow for reporting on the war in Ukraine, before fleeing the country
Nataliya Vasilyeva is among thousands of escapees from Vladimir Putin’s autocratic regime in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.
As I queued at a cash machine with another dozen disorientated Russians in Tbilisi, Georgia, a local man stopped, whistled at us, and shouted: “Russian warship, go f— yourself! Russians, go f— yourselves!”
We immediately recognised the warship quote, first spoken by a group of Ukrainian border guards as they refused to surrender an island on the first day of the Russian invasion. It has since become a rallying cry against Moscow.
Since the invasion started almost two weeks ago, more than 1.5 million Ukrainians have fled to central Europe and further afield in a desperate escape from Russian bombs.
Armenia’s Yerevan, Uzbekistan’s Bukhara or Turkey’s Istanbul - the destination is not important. While some locals are less than welcoming to the new arrivals, many Russians - myself included - felt we had no choice but to come.
Italy to replace half its Russian gas imports with other sources by middle of the year
Italy will replace about half the gas it currently imports from Russia with other sources, Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani said today..
Imports account for more than 90 per cent of Italy's gas needs and last year Russian gas made up around 40 per cent of those imports.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Italy has stepped up its efforts to find alternative sources of gas, with Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio visiting Algeria and Qatar.
07:38 PM
Russia warns oil could cost over $300 per barrel if US and Europe ban imports
Oil prices could climb to over $300 per barrel if the US and European Union ban imports from Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said today.
"It is absolutely clear that a rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market," Mr Novak said in a video statement broadcast on Russian state television.
"The surge in prices would be unpredictable. It would be $300 per barrel if not more."
07:31 PM
Czech Republic takes in more than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees
More than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in the Czech Republic, the Czech Interior Ministry said today, as the country and others in central Europe step up efforts to take in the influx of people fleeing after Russia's invasion.
At least 1.7 million have fled Ukraine since the February 24 invasion, with most crossing into the European Union in eastern Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and northern Romania.
The Czech ministry said that of the people who have continued to the Czech Republic, around 57,000 have already received special visas, with more than half of those being children.
Around a quarter of refugees have gone to the capital Prague, it said. Authorities there needed to temporarily shut the city's refugee assistance centre today due to capacity strains.
07:19 PM
Welcome to the resistance: defenders work around the clock to protect Ukraine
Former anaesthetist Anna Ilyushenkova is now supporting the resistance in Odesa - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph
Joining the army of citizen soldiers taking up arms against the Russian invasion is a battalion of volunteers keeping them armed, fed and informed.
The phone does not stop ringing, and has not been silent for days. One minute a call comes from a commander asking for food for his fighters, then from another inquiring about medicine to treat fever among his volunteers.
The next call is about spare body armour or helmets. Each conversation lasts only 10 or 15 seconds as Anna Ilyushenkova takes directions, or gives orders. There is only a brief respite in the early hours of the morning.
The former anaesthetist works round the clock finding supplies and donations for Ukraine's defenders and straightening out logistical bottlenecks across the country.
.@POTUS held a secure video call today with President Macron, Chancellor Scholz, and Prime Minister Johnson. The leaders affirmed their determination to continue raising the costs on Russia for its unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/mgLIZAU2K8
Volodymyr Zelensky to give historic address to Parliament tomorrow
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the House of Commons tomorrow at 5pm via video link in his first address to Parliament, after Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, granted a request to allow him to read a statement.
"Every parliamentarian wants to hear directly from the president, who will be speaking to us live from Ukraine, so this is an important opportunity for the House," Sir Lindsay said in a statement.
06:53 PM
Fourth round of Ukraine-Russia talks to take place very soon, says Russian negotiator
Russia expects another round of talks with Ukraine to take place in the very near future, a negotiator for Moscow said after a round of inconclusive talks in Belarus.
"The next, fourth, round will take place in Belarus in the very, very near future," negotiator Leonid Slutsky told Russian state television. "I will not name the exact date yet. It will be determined, perhaps tomorrow."
06:38 PM
Eight Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russian air strike, says regional governor
Eight Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 19 were wounded today after a Russian rocket struck their barracks in the southern city of Mykolayiv while they were sleeping, said regional governor Vitaliy Kim.
06:36 PM
Congress to vote as soon as tomorrow on Russian energy import ban, reports suggest
The US House of Representatives is set to vote as soon as tomorrow on legislation seeking to ban the import of Russian energy products and suspend normal trade relations with Russia, a congressional aide told Reuters.
The text of the proposal is expected later today, the aide said.
A group of key tax and trade-writing lawmakers said in a joint statement that they had "agreed on a legislative path forward to ban the import of energy products from Russia."
It also would give President Joe Biden the authority to increase tariffs on goods from Russia and Belarus and would require US Trade Representative Katherine Tai to seek suspension of Russia's participation in the World Trade Organisation.
06:25 PM
Russian lead negotiator: Expectations from talks with Ukraine 'not fulfilled'
Russia's lead negotiator in talks between Moscow and Kyiv said that the third round of conflict talks with Ukraine - focused on opening humanitarian corridors - had not met expectations.
"Our expectations from negotiations were not fulfilled. We hope that next time we will be able to take a more significant step forward," Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said in televised remarks.
06:11 PM
Analysis: Ukraine’s resistance leaves Russia facing the prospect of a humiliating defeat
A Ukrainian serviceman stands near captured Russian tanks, one now painted in the colours of the Ukrainian national flag, in the north of the Kharkiv region - Press service of the Ukrainian Ground Forces/Handout via Reuters/Irina Rybakova
It was a widely held view that Ukrainian forces, bloodied by eight years of combat in Crimea and the Donbas, must have improved – but even the most optimistic observer did not expect them to stop the mighty Russian army literally in its tracks so comprehensively.
It has raised the prospect of Russian tactical defeat on the battlefield, with potential strategic implications at home.
After its failure to decapitate Ukraine's leadership in the opening days of the war, experts have warned that Russia is left with the prospect of a humiliating defeat or pressing on with ever greater violence.
A Ukrainian negotiator at talks with Russia today said some small progress had been made on agreeing logistics for the evacuation of civilians, but no agreement was reached that significantly improves the broader situation.
The two sides will continue talks on a ceasefire, said negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak in a video statement.
05:57 PM
France says its citizens still in Ukraine should leave the country immediately
French citizens still in Ukraine should leave the country without delay, the French Foreign Affairs ministry said today.
It added that the French embassy in Ukraine, now relocated to Lviv, would remain operational.
05:49 PM
WHO reports more attacks on health care workers in Ukraine
As of 7 March, WHO has verified 16 attacks on health care in #Ukraine. These attacks took place between 24 Feb and 3 March. More reported incidents are currently in the process of being verified. https://t.co/v9OPJdpuPd
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 7, 2022
05:42 PM
US believes Putin has deployed nearly all his pre-staged forces into Ukraine
Vladimir Putin has now deployed into Ukraine nearly 100 per cent of the more than 150,000 forces that he had pre-staged outside the country before the invasion, a senior US defence official said today.
"That's our best estimate right now," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Pentagon has also ordered over the weekend an additional 500 troops to Europe, which would bring the total number of American forces there to about 100,000, the official said.
05:36 PM
MoD says social media restrictions indicate Kremlin's concern over attitude of Russian public to conflict
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 07 March 2022
Ukraine helps evacuate 20,000 Indian students from besieged cities, but others remain trapped
Ukraine's government has helped evacuate about 20,000 Indian students from areas attacked by Russian forces but another 2,000 foreign students are still trapped in besieged towns and cities, Ukrainian officials said today.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 2,046 foreign students from 27 countries had been unable to leave cities or towns including Sumy, Chernihiv, Mariupol and Kherson.
05:25 PM
US says it may become harder to ship arms to Ukraine
Western nations have so far been successful in delivering arms to Ukraine, but this may become harder in the coming days, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said today.
"I think it has been extraordinary the amount of arms supplies that are getting into Ukraine even under the most difficult of circumstances," she told a media briefing in Madrid.
"The international community has been tremendously responsive and has found ways to get the material in. That may become harder in the coming days and we will have to find other ways to manage this," she said without elaborating.
05:21 PM
At least 13 killed in shelling on industrial bakery west of Kyiv, say Ukrainian rescue services
At least 13 people were killed today when shelling hit an industrial bakery in Makariv, around 50 kilometres west of Kyiv, Ukrainian rescue services have said.
Emergency services said they also rescued five people trapped in the rubble. The bakery was not functioning at the time of the incident.
05:19 PM
Ukrainian minister estimates that war damage to infrastructure has reached $10 billion
Ukraine has suffered about $10 billion in damage to infrastructure since Russia invaded the country, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksander Kubrakov said today.
Mr Kubrakov said: "The majority of [damaged] structures will be repaired in a year, and the most difficult ones – in two years."
Mr Kubrakov added that 40,000 people had been evacuated from the eastern city of Kharkiv yesterday.
04:58 PM
Captured soldier felt ‘shame’ after seeing boxers urge Ukrainians to fight Russian troops
Lt Col Astakhov Mikhailovich said his compatriots had been 'brainwashed' into believing that Ukraine had been taken over by 'Nazis'
A captured Russian soldier has said he realised he was on the wrong side in the Ukraine war when he saw his favourite boxers taking up arms against the invaders, reports Gordon Rayner.
The man, who gave his name as Lt Col Astakhov Mikhailovich, said he felt "shame" when he saw Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko urging their countrymen to fight the Russians.
The officer said his compatriots had been "brainwashed" into believing that Ukraine had been taken over by "Nazis" and asked for "mercy" for soldiers sent there by Vladimir Putin.
A succession of Russian prisoners of war have been filmed by Ukrainian forces claiming they were duped into taking part in the invasion, either because they were told they were only going to be patrolling the border or because they were led to expect a warm welcome.
‘Time to cut the red tape’ as UK grants visas to less than one per cent of Ukrainian refugees
Refugees wait for transportation after fleeing from Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland - Markus Schreiber/ AP Photo
Boris Johnson insists the UK has a ‘very, very generous’ scheme as critics suggest online forms and biometric requirements are holding up arrivals, reports Charles Hymas.
Refugee red tape is forcing fleeing Ukrainian refugee families to go through nine steps to enter the UK as Tory MPs urged ministers to slash bureaucracy.
Lawyers helping refugees revealed families were struggling to provide the necessary documents – all of which had to be translated into English – to support their visa applications.
They said refugees not only had to work out if they were eligible but then complete forms online, provide proof of their family links, evidence of their Ukraine residence and give biometrics, including fingerprints, in person at a UK Visa Application Centre (VAC).
Boeing said it has suspended the buying of titanium from Russia, in a move that could have ramifications for the planemaker's relationship with its largest supplier of the commodity, VSMPO-Avisma.
"Our inventory and diversity of titanium sources provide sufficient supply for airplane production," the planemaker said in an emailed statement.
VSMPO-Avisma in a statement said it "regrets" the suspension of contracts with long-term partner.
"We have been monitoring the situation in our country and worldwide, and we were prepared for this outcome."
04:20 PM
'I will turn you into fertiliser on our land,' Ukrainian colonel tells Russian invaders
Security personnel inspect the remains of a military weapon on a street in Mykolaiv - Vinnytsia Regional State Administration/UPI/Shutterstock /Shutterstock
A Ukrainian colonel vowed to reduce invading Russian forces to “fertiliser” as attacks on the southern port city of Mykolaiv resumed overnight, reports Victoria Ward.
Just days after Vladimir Putin’s troops had been pushed back from the city and the airport was recaptured, they retaliated with vigour.
But the steely resolve of the defending military was deftly illustrated by Col Sviatoslav Stetsenko, of the Ukrainian Army’s 59th Brigade, who made clear that despite their inferior might, they would fight to the death.
As a young soldier, Col Stetsenko, 56, served with the Russians in the Soviet military but today finds himself pitched against some of the very same soldiers he fought alongside.
Pictured: Ukrainian civilians receive weapons training near Lviv
Ukrainian civilians receive weapons training near Lviv
04:04 PM
Mark Rutte: 'Painful reality' of Russian oil and gas reliance endures
The Dutch prime minister said the "painful reality is that we are very much still dependent" on Russian oil and gas.
Mr Rutte noted there would be "enormous ramifications" if Russian oil and gas imports were blocked, and said the process would have to be gradual. This is a step-by-step approach."
Justin Trudeau, the Canadian PM, added there was an ongoing shift in Europe and elsewhere "to understand that Russia is no longer a reliable partner".
Canada imports "negligible" amounts of Russian oil, which it has banned, but its self-sustainability is a contrast to European countries.
03:50 PM
UK will set out energy supply strategy in coming days
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will set out an energy supply strategy in the coming days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed oil and gas prices to multi-year highs.
"I am going to be setting out an energy supply strategy for the country in the days ahead," he told a news conference.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press
03:35 PM
At least 13 civilians killed in air strike on bread factory
The bodies of 13 civilians were recovered from rubble after an air strike on a bread factory in the Ukrainian town of Makariv in the Kyiv region, local emergency services said in an online statement.
Five people were rescued, it said, adding that in total around 30 people were believed to have been at the factory before the attack.
03:26 PM
Lviv 'at capacity' to help displaced people
The mayor of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv has said his town is "at capacity" for helping displaced people.
Mayor Andriy Sadoviy said several hundred thousand people had already passed through Lviv as they headed west seeking safety. Some 200,000 internally displaced persons were now staying in Lviv, and 50,000 were going through Lviv railway station daily.
"We understand there will be another wave (of refugees) ... and call on international humanitarian organisations to come here and help," he said.
Lviv has been a relative safe haven for those fleeing the conflict, serving as a key stop for refugees attempting to reach safety in Poland and the wider EU.
The UN estimate 1.7 million have been displaced so far.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - MIGUEL A LOPES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock
03:17 PM
Young girl sings 'Let It Go' in Kyiv underground bunker
03:06 PM
'Unwavering assistance' will be British, Dutch and Canadian focus
Boris Johnson, leading a press conference with Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte, said: "In the 12 days since Russia launched this illegal and brutal assault, the world has come together in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine."
He noted that 141 members of the United Nations voted to condemn Mr Putin's war, and 39 countries - including the UK, Canada and the Netherlands - voted to refer his actions to the International Criminal Court (ICC), in the largest such action the court has ever seen.
"As Ukrainians resist Russia's onslaught with courage and tenacity, the international community must aid their struggle in every way that they can. We will only succeed if the whole international community moves together with the same spirit of unity we've seen in recent days."
Mr Johnson said he is joining Canada and the Netherlands in a new International Ukraine Support Group to provide "unwavering assistance now and in the future".
"This is the moment for Ukraine's friends to create a coalition of humanitarian, economic and defensive military support to ensure that Putin fails."
Mr Johnson also confirmed £175million of aid for Ukraine, bringing the total support announced during the crisis to around £400million.
02:59 PM
'Putin might just settle for a land grab and leave the puppet regime'
The deal, which would surely be unacceptable to the Ukrainians, would spell the end of the country’s ambitions to join the EU and Nato, says our Europe Editor James Crisp.
Russia may have given its clearest sense yet of Moscow's objectives in the invasion of Ukraine.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said the war would be over “in a moment” if their demands were met.
The deal, which would surely be unacceptable to the Ukrainians, would spell the end of the country’s ambitions to join the EU and Nato.
But it could give a glimmer of insight into what Vladmir Putin’s plan was when he ordered the invasion of a country he claims is run by “Nazis”.
You can read James' analysis in full here.
02:53 PM
UK ambassador to Ukraine has left the country
Liz Truss has confirmed Britain's ambassador to Ukraine had left the country because of the "serious security situation" after Russia invaded.
"Our ambassador has left Ukraine because of the serious security situation," Ms Truss told a parliamentary committee.
02:45 PM
Russia continues Black Sea assault
02:36 PM
Ukrainian evacuation continues
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - ROMAN PILIPEY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - ROBERT GHEMENT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock
02:26 PM
Latvia wants permanent US troops
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics has called for a permanent presence of American troops in Latvia following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Looking at the most recent developments we would be very happy about the permanent presence of US forces here in Latvia," Mr Rinkevics told a joint news conference in Riga with his US counterpart Antony Blinken.
"We have no illusions about Putin's Russia anymore, we don't really see any good reason to assume Russia might change its policy," Mr Rinkevics said.
02:13 PM
Talks begin at Belarusian border
The third round of talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine have begun at the Belarusian border, Ifax report.
02:11 PM
Russia arrests priest over sermon against war in Ukraine
A Russian priest has been arrested over a Sunday sermon that condemned the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, and now faces charges of “discrediting” the Russian army, reports our Moscow correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva.
The priest’s arrest comes amid an unprecedented crackdown on civil society, enabled by a new law that allows police to jail or fine people who question Vladimir Putin's invasion.
Father Ioann Burdin of the Resurrection Church in Russia’s western Kostroma region was detained shortly after his sermon this weekend, according to the Media Zona website.
The mayor of Irpin has said the evacuation of civilians from the town is proceeding today without shelling.
Evacuation attempts stalled over the weekend as Russian troops reportedly violated a ceasefire agreement.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry has said Kyiv and Mariupol continue to be attacked by Russian missile strikes.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - DIMITAR DILKOFF /AFP
01:54 PM
Sending weapons to Ukraine will lead to 'global collapse': Kremlin
Sending foreign weapons to Ukraine will lead to a "global collapse," Interfax news agency cited the Russian foreign ministry as saying on Monday.
Another Russian agency, TASS, quoted foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that the West sending mercenaries and military equipment to Ukraine would cause a catastrophic development of the situation there.
01:49 PM
Russian energy imports 'essential' to Europe: Olaf Scholz
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has cautioned against banning Russian oil and gas as part of Western sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, saying doing so could put Europe's energy security at risk.
"Europe has deliberately exempted energy supplies from Russia from sanctions," Mr Scholz said in a statement.
"Supplying Europe with energy for heat generation, mobility, electricity supply and industry cannot be secured in any other way at the moment. It is therefore of essential importance for the provision of public services and the daily lives of our citizens."
01:38 PM
Joe Biden to hold call with European leaders
US President Joe Biden will hold a video teleconference this afternoon with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain to discuss "the latest developments regarding Russia and Ukraine," the White House said.
The call with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will take place at 3.30pm GMT, as frantic diplomatic efforts to halt Russia's invasion of Ukraine continue.
Prior to that, the Prime Minister will hold a joint press conference with Canadian leader Justin Trudeau and Dutch premier Mark Rutte as the three leaders meet in London to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
That press conference will take place at 2.50pm GMT and we will bring you all the updates right here.
01:30 PM
Russian negotiator accuses Ukraine of a 'war crime'
Russia's chief negotiator in talks between Moscow and Kyiv accused Ukraine of blocking humanitarian corridors for civilians escaping advancing Russian forces, calling it a "war crime".
"The nationalists who have seized positions in cities continue to hold civilians there," Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told state television.
He accused Kyiv of using the civilians as "a human shield" and said that "this is undoubtedly a war crime."
He added the latest round of talks between the warring countries, taking place on the Poland-Belarus border, are focused around the corridors.
01:24 PM
Ukraine this afternoon
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - CARLOS BARRIA /REUTERS Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Alexey Furman /Getty Images Europe Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Visar Kryeziu /AP Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - ANATOLII STEPANOV /AFP
01:20 PM
EU to discuss Ukraine’s membership bid this week
European Union leaders will discuss Ukraine's application to join the 27-nation bloc in the coming days, the chairman of EU summits Charles Michel has tweeted.
"The EU's solidarity, friendship and unprecedented assistance for Ukraine are unwavering. We will discuss Ukraine's membership application in coming days," he said.
EU leaders are scheduled to discuss the war in Ukraine and the country's bid to join the EU at an informal summit in Paris on Thursday.
01:15 PM
Vladimir Putin urges EU to make Kyiv 'respect humanitarian law'
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel on Ukraine, during which Putin urged the European Union to pressure authorities in Kyiv to respect humanitarian law, the Kremlin has said.
The Kremlin added in a statement that humanitarian aspects of the situation in Ukraine had been discussed and that Putin had updated Michel on Russia's talks with Ukrainian representatives.
In response, Mr Michel urged Mr Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine and allow safe passage for civilians.
"Called on President (Putin) to immediately stop hostilities and ensure humanitarian safe passage and access to assistance," Mr Michel said on Twitter.
"Stressed need to ensure safety and security of nuclear facilities amidst hostilities in Ukraine. Agreed to maintain further contacts."
01:09 PM
Boris Johnson: UK processing 'thousands' of refugee applications
12:58 PM
Emmanuel Macron condemns Vladimir Putin's 'moral cynicism'
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy and cynicism after Moscow said it would open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities, but only to Russia or Belarus.
"All this is not serious, it is moral and political cynicism, which I find intolerable," he told LCI television in an interview, adding that promises to protect civilians so that they could merely flee towards Russia were "hypocritical".
Ukrainian forces have retaken the regional airport in the southern Ukrainian region of Mykolayiv from Russian forces, regional Governor Vitaliy Kim has said.
"The roads are open, we control the bridges, you can safely leave Mykolayiv (city) and other towns," he said in a televised statement.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - State Emergency Services Of Ukraine/UPI/Shutterstock /Shutterstock
12:20 PM
Russia accuses Ukraine of thwarting humanitarian corridors
Russia's defence ministry has accused Ukraine of not complying with agreements to create humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians, Interfax news agency reported.
Russia announced new "humanitarian corridors" earlier on Monday to transport Ukrainians trapped under its bombardment - to Russia itself and its ally Belarus, a move immediately denounced by Kyiv as an immoral stunt.
12:13 PM
UK processing 'thousands' of refugee applications: Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has defended the visa routes on offer for Ukrainians seeking to flee the war zone.
The Prime Minister told reporters that "we're processing thousands" of applications.
"Clearly this, this crisis, is evolving the whole time. I've said before that the UK will be as generous as we can possibly be and we intend to do that."
"We have two very, very generous routes already - so the family reunion route, which is uncapped, which could potentially see hundreds of thousands of people come to this country, plus the humanitarian route."
"Under that scheme, people can sponsor people coming from Ukraine."
Officials were "surging" to the countries bordering Ukraine but also to France, he said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he doesn't think the number is correct when asked about reports of only 50 Ukrainians being issued visas to the UK, and adds that "thousands" are being processed.
Russian military action will stop ‘in a moment’ if Ukraine meets conditions
Russia is demanding that Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent territories, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Mr Peskov told Reuters that Russia had told Ukraine it was ready to halt its military action "in a moment" if Kyiv met its conditions.
It was the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, now in its 12th day.
"We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot," he said.
"They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Luhansk are independent states. And that’s it. It will stop in a moment," Mr Peskov told Reuters.
11:56 AM
Vladimir Putin 'doubling down' on aggression: Boris Johnson
The Prime Minister has said that Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine prove he is "doubling down" on his aggression and said allies must "do more" on sanctions in response.
"We want to go as fast as we can" on sanctions, Mr Johnson said.
However, he reiterated the need to not get involved in an anti-Russian witch hunt warning that the world must not "play Putin's game"
11:49 AM
2,000 civilians evacuated from Irpin
About 2,000 civilians have so far been evacuated from the town of Irpin near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, police have said.
A police statement did not make clear over what period the evacuations had taken place. Ukrainians fleeing Irpin were caught in shelling by Russian forces on Sunday and forced to dive for cover, Reuters witnesses said.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - DIMITAR DILKOFF /AFP
11:40 AM
Russia demands protection of diplomatic missions in France
A spokeswoman for Russia's foreign ministry has demanded France protect Moscow's representative offices in the country, claiming an attack had occurred at a building used by a Russian government agency in Paris.
"We demand that the French authorities ensure the proper security of our official institutions," wrote Maria Zakharova, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, on Telegram.
Ms Zakharova wrote that "a bottle of flammable liquid" had been thrown at a building used by Russia's international cooperation agency Rossotrudnichestvo on the night of Sunday to Monday.
Nobody was harmed in the attack "because it hit the fence before reaching the target," Ms Zakharova said.
"Therefore there is no need to act as if such extremist acts are some sort of 'righteous anger' connected to the special operation (of the Russian military)," she wrote.
11:31 AM
Sergei Lavrov, Dmytro Kuleba to meet for talks on Thursday
The Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Russian counterpart Sergei L:avrov will meet for face-to-face negotiations on Thursday, Reuters report.
The talks will take place in the Turkish town of Antalya, mediated by Turkey's foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
This afternoon, delegations from both nations will meet in Belarus for a third round of talks.
11:27 AM
Russia brands US, EU, Ukraine, Japan, and UK 'unfriendly countries'
Russia has branded a slew of Western allies "unfriendly countries", making it difficult for Russians to do business with them.
All deals with companies and individuals from non-friendly countries will now have to be first approved by government commission, Ifax reports.
Companies and individuals will be temporarily allowed to repay debts to foreign creditors from a new list of "hostile" nations in roubles, the Kremlin added.
11:22 AM
Ukraine fights on
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - UKRAINE STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE /via REUTERS Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - DIMITAR DILKOFF /AFP Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - ANATOLII STEPANOV /AFP
11:15 AM
Russian gymnast displays pro-war 'Z' symbol while standing next to Ukrainian rival
The International Gymnastics Federation said it will open disciplinary proceedings against Russian artistic gymnast Ivan Kuliak for his "shocking behaviour" in displaying a symbol of support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine during an event.
The 20-year-old finished third in the parallel bars final at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha over the weekend and displayed the letter "Z" on the front of his outfit as he stood on the podium next to Ukrainian rival Illia Kovtun, who won the gold.
Russian forces have used the letter Z as an identifying symbol on their vehicles in Ukraine following Moscow's invasion of its neighbour. Some supporters of the invasion have also been displaying the symbol.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Megha Mohan/Twitter
The euro sank to its lowest level for nearly two years against the dollar this morning, pummelled by fears of sanctions on Russian energy that would hit the eurozone's economic recovery, traders said.
The euro slid 1.1 per cent to $1.0806. Elsewhere, the rouble hit a record-low 142.18 against the dollar.
10:57 AM
Russia’s shelling of Ukraine is ‘deliberate murder
10:48 AM
Narendra Modi urges Vladimir Putin to hold direct talks with Volodymyr Zelensky
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold direct talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone conversation, according to an Indian government source.
Mr Modi, who spoke to Mr Zelensky before a 50 minute-long call with Mr Putin, was briefed by the Russian leader on the status of the negotiations between the two warring countries, the source said.
"Prime Minister Modi urged President Putin to hold direct talks with President Zelensky of Ukraine, in addition to the ongoing negotiations between their teams," a source said.
10:37 AM
US has 'sacrosanct' commitment to Nato's Article 5
The United States has a "sacrosanct" commitment to Nato's Article 5 guarantee of mutual defense between member-states, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to Lithuania.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Olivier Douliery /AFP Pool
10:32 AM
Mayor of town near Kyiv killed by Russian fire
Russian forces have killed the mayor of Hostomel, a town near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv that is home to a strategic airport, city authorities said on Monday.
"The head of Hostomel, Yuri Illich Prylypko, died while distributing bread to the hungry and medicine to the sick," the city said on its Facebook page.
Mr Prylypko was shot dead along with two others, it said, without specifying when.
"No-one forced him to go under the occupiers' bullets," it said. "He died for his people, for Hostomel. He died a hero."
Hostomel, northwest of Kyiv, is home to the strategic Antonov military airport, which was the site of fierce battles between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the first days of the war.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - DANIEL LEAL /AFP
10:20 AM
Gas prices rocket to record highs
European and British natural gas prices have soared to record highs on fresh supply fears after the United States proposed an embargo on Russian crude oil.
Europe gas reference Dutch TTF rocketed more than 60 per cent to reach an all-time peak of 345 euros per megawatt hour and UK gas hit an all-time pinnacle of 800 pence per therm. Brent North Sea crude oil surged close to $140 per barrel and a near 14-year high.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the White House and allies were in talks about banning oil imports from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
"The price explosion has been sparked by the fact that the West is considering banning Russian oil imports in response to the war in Ukraine," noted Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch.
"There is speculation that Europe might decide of its own accord to stop Russian gas imports. So far, gas is still flowing normally."
10:11 AM
Volodymyr Zelensky asks for military aircraft and boycott of Russian oil
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeated requests to the international community to provide Ukraine with military aircraft and to boycott Russian oil, oil products and other exports.
"If the invasion (of Ukraine) continues and Russia has not abandoned its plans against Ukraine, then a new sanctions package is needed ... for the sake of peace," he said in a video address.
10:06 AM
Russia backs IAEA meeting
Russia backs U.N. atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi's idea of a trilateral meeting with Ukraine on ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities there during Russia's invasion but not at Chernobyl as Mr Grossi wants, Moscow's envoy to the watchdog said.
"Russia supported Mr Grossi's idea regarding a trilateral meeting and we expect that the Ukrainians will also be cooperative," Russia's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mikhail Ulyanov, told reporters on Monday.
"I believe Chernobyl is not the best place for such a meeting. There are numerous capitals in the world."
10:00 AM
Over 1.5 million refugees flee
09:52 AM
Russian police detained 5,000 people at Sunday's anti-war protests
Police detained 5,020 people at anti-war protests in Russia on Sunday, the OVD-Info monitoring group has said.
Russia's last protests with a similar number of arrests were in January 2021, when thousands demanded the release of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny after he was arrested on returning from Germany where he had been recovering from a nerve agent poisoning.
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Konstantin Zavrazhin /Getty Images Europe
09:44 AM
British politicians 'hurry to snatch their own dividends'
British politicians are using the “Russia situation” to snatch their own dividends as it “overshadows the local political collapse”, Russian journalist Alexander Khabarov has written in a column today for RIA News.
Writing on Dominic Raab’s comments about the possibility of sanctioning Russian oligarchs and limiting their access to expensive UK law firms to defend themselves, Mr Khabarov said: “The course of events is such that today each ambitious British minister hurries to snatch their own dividends while the Russian theme overshadows the local political collapse”.
“Mr Raab made mistakes over the flight of allies from Afghanistan — while holding the post of foreign minister at that time, he was resting on a chaise longue in Crete while his department in a panic failed the evacuation of Afghans cooperating with the occupying forces.”
He also heavily criticised Priti Patel’s handling of the migrant crisis in the Channel, and Liz Truss, who he said “has even more anti-Russian zeal” than Mr Raab.
Mr Khabarov responded to proposals by cabinet ministers to seize oligarch’s assets in London and the surrounding areas and to use them to house Ukrainian refugees by saying: “It is worth reminding ourselves that until now the United Kingdom fiercely resisted migrants of any kind, even those who fled from wars arranged with the lively participation of Great Britain.”
He compared the sanctioning of oligarchs with assets in the UK to piracy, writing that “today London is in pirate spirits once more”.
09:37 AM
Russia shuns Ukraine war hearing at UN court
Russia has declined to attend a hearing at the UN's top court today at which Ukraine is asking for an immediate order to halt the conflict, the head judge said.
"The court regrets the non-appearance of the Russian federation in these oral proceedings," International Court of Justice President Joan Donoghue said.
09:30 AM
Airstrike at Ukraine's Vinnytsia airport kills nine
Nine people were killed when Russia forces bombed the airport in Vinnytsia on Sunday, 124 miles southwest of the capital Kyiv, Ukrainian rescue services said.
"At 5.00am GMT on Monday, 15 people were pulled from the rubble. Nine of them were dead - five civilians and four soldiers," they said on Telegram, adding that they were continuing to look for survivors.
Russia's state media outlet RIA has announced the humanitarian corridor routes they have agreed to open for Ukrainian civilians, with most leading to Russian or Belarusian territory.
The announcement cited a statement from a recently established body called the Interdepartmental Coordinating HQ for the Humanitarian Response in Ukraine:
Mariupol
Route 1 - Novoazovsk, Taganrog, Rostov-on Don (Russia), then by air, road or rail to a chosen destination or temporary holding place
Hostomel, Rakivka, Sosnovka, Ivankiv, Orane, Chernobyl, Gden', Gomel (Belarus), then by air to Russia
The statement adds that Russian military will carry out "uninterrupted objective control of the evacuation, including with the use of drones".
09:16 AM
Russian delegation departs for fresh talks
A Russian delegation has departed for Belarus where it will meet Ukrainian negotiators for the third round of talks about ending hostilities, the Sputnik Belarus news outlet reported.
Last week, the sides agreed to open humanitarian corridors to allow civilians out of some combat zones, but none of them has worked so far, with the sides accusing each other of violating local ceasefire.
09:12 AM
5 million people could flee Ukraine: Josep Borrell
As many as five million Ukrainians are expected to flee the country if Russia's bombing of Ukraine continues, the EU's top diplomat has said.
"We must prepare to receive around five million people ... We must mobilise all the resources of the EU to help those countries receiving people," Josep Borrell told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of EU development ministers in Montpellier, France.
"We will need more schools, more reception centres, more of everything," he said.
Mr Borrell also pledged more scrutiny of EU aid spending in countries that have supported Russia diplomatically or abstained from criticising Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
09:06 AM
Poland not yet sent jets to Ukraine
Poland has not sent any combat aircraft to Ukraine, a deputy Polish interior minister has said, adding that any decision to send jets to Ukraine should be taken at a Nato level, reports Matthew Day from Warsaw.
Pawel Jablonski’s comments, made in a radio interview on Monday morning, were made following reports that Ukraine’s beleaguered air force had received as many 28 MiG 29s from Poland.
"The decision on this type of aid should be taken at the Nato level and it should be uniform for all Nato countries,” said Mr Wasik.
"It should not be the case that one or the other country is helping on its own,” he added. “The Polish position has not changed. We have not sent any fighter planes to Ukraine."
Later in the morning, Piotr Mueller, the Polish government’s spokesman, said that “no decision” had been taken to supply aircraft to Ukraine.
He also stressed that any decision should be made at the Nato level and that some countries “objected” to supplying aircraft to the Ukrainian air force.
Europe Minister James Cleverly said Russia's latest offer of a ceasefire and an escape route for civilians was "cynical beyond belief".
Two previous attempts to create humanitarian corridors have ended with civilians being shelled as they tried to flee to safety.
Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency showed that civilians will only be able to leave to Russia and Belarus.
Mr Cleverly told BBC Breakfast: "It appears cynical beyond belief. There is a view that Vladimir Putin believed there was a widespread desire of Ukrainians to be closer to Russia, to be more Russian. I think that has been proven to be a complete nonsense by the circumstances we are seeing.
"Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense."
He added that "ultimately the most humanitarian thing the Russians could do is end this completely illegal, completely unjustified invasion of Ukraine".
08:50 AM
Furious Russian mothers accuse Vladimir Putin of deploying their sons as 'cannon fodder'
08:34 AM
Humanitarian corridors are 'unlikely' while Russia keeps attacking
Ukraine has said negotiations were taking place with Russia on establishing humanitarian corridors but that they were unlikely to be set up while Russian forces keep trying to advance.
Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, said each Ukrainian should be allowed to decide where they want to go but advised against evacuating to Russia.
The Russian Defence Ministry has claimed it will open six humanitarian corridors this morning, vowing to honour the ceasefire required to allow civilians to leave.
"Detailed information about the humanitarian corridors was given to the Ukrainian side in advance," Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
08:29 AM
Emmanuel Macron denies requesting humanitarian corridors to Russia
French President Emmanuel Macron has denied requesting humanitarian corridors to lead into Russia, French news outlet BFMTV reports.
Reports have emerged that the corridors Russia has agreed to this morning will lead into Russian and Belarusian territory, rather than into EU and Nato member states. The corridor from Kyiv will lead to Belarus, and civilians from Kharkiv will only have a corridor leading to Russia.
Corridors from the cities of Mariupol and Sumy will lead both to other Ukrainian cities and to Russia, AFP reports.
"The president of the Republic has neither requested nor obtained corridors to Russia after his conversation with Vladimir Putin," the Elysee presidential palace told BFMTV.
"The president of the Republic insistently asks to let the civilian populations leave and to allow the transport of aid."
"It's another way for Putin to push his narrative and say that it is the Ukrainians who are the aggressors and they are the ones who offer asylum to everyone."
08:17 AM
Russia's stance on humanitarian corridors 'completely immoral'
Ukraine has branded a Russian proposal on humanitarian corridors "completely immoral" after Moscow suggested it would allow people to flee Ukrainian cities provided they exited to Belarus or Russia.
A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian citizens should be allowed to leave their homes through Ukrainian territory, and accused Russia of deliberately hampering previous evacuation attempts.
"This is a completely immoral story. People's suffering is used to create the desired television picture," the spokesman said in a written message.
"These are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine."
08:11 AM
Ukraine this morning
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - MIGUEL A LOPES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Chris McGrath /Getty Images Europe Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - Markus Schreiber /AP Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - ANATOLII STEPANOV /AFP
07:58 AM
Still room for further sanctions against Russia: France
France and Europe still have margin for manoeuvre to implement further sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has said.
"Yes there are margins for manoeuvre. All options are on the table," Mr Le Maire told BFM television and RMC Radio.
07:50 AM
Europe minister defends support for refugees
Europe minister James Cleverly has defended Britain's record on welcoming Ukrainian refugees, saying a new scheme had only just launched following criticism that it was far too restrictive.
"We have processes in place whereby people with family here in the UK and indeed those without family in the UK can come to the UK," he said.
"I would remind you that the process has only just started and the vast majority of people are physically still in the countries neighbouring Ukraine."
On Sunday, it was revealed the government had only issued "around 50" visas to refugees to date, far short of those in Europe. Poland has welcomed over 1 million Ukrainian refugees in the first 10 days of the conflict.
07:38 AM
China says friendship with Russia is 'rock solid'
China's friendship with Russia is "rock solid" and the prospects for cooperation are very broad, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said.
Cooperation between the two countries brings benefits and well-being to the two peoples, he told his annual news conference on the sidelines of China's annual meeting of parliament.
Mr Wang called for a focus on a long-term stability for the region and that outside actors must stop interfering in Sino-Russian relations.
Mr Wang also announced China's Red Cross will provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine as he reiterated a call for talks to continue.
China is "willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation".
07:32 AM
The current state of the Russian invasion
07:22 AM
Ukrainians rally to defend Irpin
Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - dia images /Getty Images Europe Ukraine Russia war invasion fighter jets nuclear weapons talks oil price rouble economy - dia images /Getty Images Europe
07:10 AM
Latest MoD update
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 07 March 2022
Russians using Smerch rocket system to attack Mykolaiv
Vadym Denysenko, advisor to interior minister of Ukraine, says Russian forces used powerful Smerch rocket launchers to shell the city, according to local media.
The city saw fires at residential buildings, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
Vadym Denysenko, advisor to interior minister of Ukraine, said Russian forces used Smerch heavy multiple rocket launchers to shell the city.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 7, 2022
06:34 AM
Iran says Russian demand at nuclear talks 'not constructive'
Iranian officials said Russia's demands at talks on Iran's nuclear deal in Vienna are "not constructive", Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.
Russia's "interference" was aimed at securing its own interests, the agency cited unidentified Iranian officials as saying.
Russia has demanded a US guarantee that the sanctions it faces over the Ukraine conflict would not hurt its trade with Iran. The demand could be a stumbling block in the talks.
By postponing the revival of the agreement between Iran and the Western powers, and delaying Iran's return to the oil market, Russia was seeking to raise crude prices and increase its own energy revenue, the news agency said, without citing a source for that assessment.
06:07 AM
South Korea to cut transactions with Russia's central bank
South Korea on Monday toughened its financial sanctions against Russia by banning transactions with Russia’s central bank.
South Korea’s foreign ministry said it has decided to immobilise any assets held by the Russian central bank in the won and to sever transactions with Russia’s central bank, following similar moves by the United States and the European Union.
The new penalties on Russia follows Seoul’s March 1 decision to ban transactions with seven major Russian banks and their affiliates, including Sberbank.
South Korea’s finance ministry will release details including the scope of further sanctions later on Monday, which “will be in line with US financial sanctions,” a finance ministry official said.
Details of any Russian central bank assets held in won cannot be disclosed without the holder’s consent, the official said.
05:54 AM
Zelensky says attack is 'murder, deliberate murder'
A civilian disaster is growing in Ukraine as attempts to evacuate residents of besieged port city Mariupol failed for a second day, with President Volodymyr Zelensky denouncing "murder" as he warned of more shelling to come on Monday.
New shelling and attacks have sent soaring numbers of refugees fleeing, sometimes under fire, as the death toll mounts.
Russian forces stepped up their shelling of Ukrainian cities in the centre, north and south of the country late on Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said.
"The latest wave of missile strikes came as darkness fell," he said on Ukrainian television.
He said the areas that came under heavy shelling include the outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.
05:33 AM
Russia has announced ceasefire in Kyiv and other cities, Russian media reports
Russia's Defense Ministry has announced a ceasefire in Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Sumy from 10am local time with a view to open humanitarian corridors, according to Lenta.ru
05:08 AM
Invasion could scupper Southeast Asia's tourism comeback
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may have far-reaching consequences in Southeast Asia, scuppering the long-awaited reopening of the tourism industry that millions of families depend on, writes Nicola Smith
The region was hoping for a much-needed economic boost over the next few months as it slowly reopens its borders after two year of pandemic curbs decimated the tourism sector.
But a large inflow of Russian tourists would be necessary for a strong recovery, especially as the travel of Chinese citizens is severely curtailed, and sanctions against Russia and airspace restrictions are likely to have a huge impact.
Industry analysts have predicted popular resorts like Bali, Indonesia, and Phuket, Thailand, could be the worst affected.
Phuket was one of the first places to reopen under special travel bubble rules and 51,000 of 278,000 tourists who visited between November and February were Russian.
In Bali, Russians in the early stages of the pandemic had already overtaken Australians as the largest group of visitors.
A photo taken on October 24, 2021, shows people taking photos while playing on a beach on the Thai island of Phuket. (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP) (Photo by MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP via Getty Images) - AFP
04:53 AM
Apparent scenes from the city of Mikolayiv on Monday morning
Oil prices soar and shares drop amid fears of further bans on Russia
Oil prices soared and shares sank in hectic trading on Monday as the risk of a US and European ban on Russian products and delays in Iranian talks triggered what was shaping up as a major stagflationary shock for world markets.
The euro extended its slide, hitting parity against the safe haven Swiss franc, and commodities of all kinds were on the rise as the Russian-Ukraine conflict showed no sign of cooling.
Having surged more than 10pc in wild early action, Brent was last quoted $7.90 higher at $126.01, while US crude rose $6.67 to $122.35.
That jump will act as a tax on consumers and the potential blow to global economic growth saw S&P 500 stock futures drop 1.5pc, while Nasdaq futures shed 1.9pc.
US 10-year bond yields also dropped to their lowest since early January. EUROSTOXX 50 futures dived 3pc and FTSE futures 2.5pc. Japan's Nikkei sank 3.2pc, while MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan lost 1.6pc. Chinese blue chips shed 0.8pc amid a sea of red across Asian markets.
Having climbed 21pc last week, Brent crude was further energised by the risk of a ban of Russian oil by the United States and Europe.
04:40 AM
Pictured: People fleeing war-torn Ukraine arrive in Berlin on a train from Poland
BERLIN, GERMANY - MARCH 06: People fleeing war-torn Ukraine look for clothing after arriving on a train from Poland at the Hauptbahnhof main railway station on March 6, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Over one million people, mainly Ukrainian women and children as well as foreigners living or working in Ukraine, have fled Ukraine as the current Russian military invasion continues to inflict growing casualties on the civilian population. (Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images) - Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images BERLIN, GERMANY - MARCH 06: People fleeing war-torn Ukraine arrive on a train from Poland at the Hauptbahnhof main railway station on March 6, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Over one million people, mainly Ukrainian women and children as well as foreigners living or working in Ukraine, have fled Ukraine as the current Russian military invasion continues to inflict growing casualties on the civilian population. (Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images) - Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images
04:32 AM
Invasion a 'moment of choice for China', says Australian PM
Australia's prime minister called Russia's invasion of Ukraine "a moment of choice for China" Monday, urging Beijing to end its tacit political and economic support for the war.
Scott Morrison pressed China to shape the actions of its Russian ally and prove that Beijing is committed to global peace and the principle of sovereignty.
"No country would have a greater impact right now on Russia's violent aggression towards Ukraine than China," Mr Morrison told the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based foreign policy think tank.
"The crisis that now grips Europe heralds a moment of choice for China," he said.
Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met in Beijing days before the war in Ukraine began, pledging friendship with "no limits".
Since then, China has avoided direct criticism of the war, expressed sympathy for Russia's justifications and refused to join Western sanctions.
Mr Morrison accused Beijing of throwing Russia "an economic lifeline" by relaxing trade restrictions on the import of Russian wheat.
04:09 AM
New Zealand ramps up sanctions on Russia
Russians will be prevented from moving their assets to New Zealand and from sailing their super yachts into its waters once the country passes a new raft of sanctions this week.
"A Bill of this nature has never been brought before our Parliament, but with Russia vetoing UN sanctions we must act ourselves to support Ukraine and our partners in opposition to this invasion," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
"When we first responded to Russia’s invasion by issuing targeted travel bans, prohibiting exports to the military and suspending bilateral foreign ministry consultations we said no options were off the table.
"Today we take the next step in our response to increase sanctions, in line with the actions of our partners.
"This Bill is specific to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and will allow new sanctions to be applied as approved by the Foreign Minister."
03:38 AM
Russian troops fire missile strike near village in Odesa Oblast, reports the Kyiv Independent
Russian troops have launched a missile strike near the village of Tuzla in Odesa Oblast, the Kyiv Independent reports.
The attack targeted key infrastructure but no one is thought to have been killed or injured, said Serhii Bratchuk, spokesperson of the Operational Headquarters of the Odesa Regional Military Administration.
03:23 AM
Flight carrying alleged spies leaves New York for Moscow
A flight carrying Russian government personnel expelled by the United States on suspicion of spying has left New York for Moscow. Their plane departed around 7.30pm local time and is due to arrive in Moscow at 2.32pm local time.
In late February the US expelled 12 Russian diplomats at the United Nations over national security concerns.
A spokesperson for the US Mission to the United Nations alleged they were "engaging in espionage activities" that threaten national security,
Ukraine and Russia to face off at World Court over genocide claim
Ukraine will ask the United Nations' top court on Monday to issue an emergency ruling requiring Russia to stop its invasion, arguing that Moscow's justification for the attack is based on a faulty interpretation of genocide law.
Although the court's rulings are binding and countries generally follow them, it has no direct means of enforcing them.
President Vladimir Putin has said Russia's "special military action" is needed "to protect people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide" - meaning those whose first or only language is Russian - in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's suit argues that the claim of genocide is untrue, and in any case does not provide legal justification for invasion.
The case it has lodged at the World Court, officially known as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), centres on the interpretation of a 1948 treaty on the prevention of genocide, signed by both countries. The treaty names the ICJ as the forum for resolving disputes between signatories.
02:55 AM
Staff at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant under Russian command
Russian forces that seized Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant have now placed staff running the facility under their command and restricted communications with the outside world, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Sunday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was "extremely concerned" about developments at Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, citing information from Ukraine's nuclear regulator.
"Ukraine reports that any action of plant management – including measures related to the technical operation of the six reactor units – requires prior approval by the Russian commander," the IAEA said in a statement.
"In a second serious development, Ukraine has reported that the Russian forces at the site have switched off some mobile networks and the internet so that reliable information from the site cannot be obtained through the normal channels of communication," it added.
Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces had seized control of Zaporizhzhia on Friday after setting an adjacent training facility on fire. Russia's defence ministry blamed the attack on Ukrainian saboteurs, calling it a "monstrous provocation".
02:35 AM
Fighting stopped 200,000 people from evacuating Mariupol
Fighting stopped about 200,000 people from evacuating the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol for a second day in a row, as Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to press ahead with his invasion unless Kyiv surrendered.
Most people trapped in the port city are sleeping underground to escape more than six days of near-constant shelling by encircling Russian forces that has cut off food, water, power and heating supplies, according to the Ukrainian authorities.
In a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Mr Putin told Mr Erdogan he was ready for dialogue to end the fighting but that any attempt to draw out talks would fail, according to the Kremlin.
02:18 AM
KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers to pull out of Russia
Two of the Big Four accounting firms KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on Sunday said they will no longer have a member firm in Russia due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The auditing and consultancy giant KPMG said its Russia and Belarus firm will leave the KPMG network, a move that will affect over 4,500 partners and staff in Russia and Belarus.
Separately, PwC agreed PwC Russia will leave its network. The firm has operated in Russia for more than 30 years, and has 3,700 partners and staff there, it said.
“As a result of the Russian government’s invasion of Ukraine we have decided that, under the circumstances, PwC should not have a member firm in Russia and consequently PwC Russia will leave the Network,” PwC said.
Sanctions imposed by the UK, EU and the US on Russia are forcing firms globally to consider whether they should continue working with Russian clients who are state-owned.
02:04 AM
Russia drafts Syrians into fighting, WSJ reports
Russia is recruiting Syrians skilled in urban combat to fight in Ukraine as Moscow prepares to push deeper into cities, US officials told the Wall Street Journal.
Russia has been operating inside Syria since 2015, targeting what it says are Islamic State and other terrorists.
An American assessment indicates in recent days it has been recruiting fighters from there, the newspaper reported, but said it was unclear how many fighters have been identified, but some are already in Russia preparing to enter the conflict, according to one official.
According to a report by Deir Ezzor24, Russia has offered the fighters between $200 and $300 “to go to Ukraine and operate as guards” for six months at a time.
01:46 AM
A map of the territory temporarily occupied by the Russians, according Ukraine's communications agency
This map, created by Nathan Roser from ASPI Cyber Policy, displays the most up-to-date and accurate information about the territory temporarily occupied by the Russians. The occupiers do not control the territory, they temporarily control the roads and some settlements #Ukrainepic.twitter.com/fm0hFJJkqE
Anonymous has reportedly hacked into Russian channels
The hacking group Anonymous has reportedly hacked into the Russian streaming services and TV channels to broadcast footage of the war in Ukraine.
Social media users and local media said streaming services Wink and Ivi and live TV channels Russia 24, Channel One, Moscow 24 were hijacked with scenes from the conflict.
Russian forces stepped up their shelling of Ukrainian cities in the centre, north and south of the country late on Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said.
"The latest wave of missile strikes came as darkness fell," he said on Ukrainian television.
He said the areas that came under heavy shelling include the outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.
Kharkiv officials said the shelling damaged the television tower and heavy artillery was hitting residential areas.
In Chernihiv officials said all regions of the city were coming under missile attack.
Mr Arestovich described a "catastrophic" situation in the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, where efforts to evacuate residents on Sunday failed. He said the Government was doing all it could to resume evacuations.
Evacuations also failed in Mariupol in the south and Volnovakha in the east because of the shelling.
01:10 AM
Russia accused of war crimes by deliberately attacking civilians
A boy and his cat hide from the Russian artillery shelling in a school basement in the village of Horenka close to Kyiv - AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky
Now in its 12th day, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has seen more than 1.5 million people flee the country in what the UN has called Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War.
Washington cited "very credible reports" that Russia had committed war crimes by deliberately attacking civilians.
01:06 AM
Russia loses two of the Big Four accounting firms
Two of the so-called Big Four accounting firms are pulling out of Russia over its war in Ukraine.
KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers both said on Sunday that they would end their relationships with their Russia-based member firms. KPMG said it was also pulling out of Belarus.
KPMG International said it would be "incredibly difficult" to have its Russia and Belarus firms leave the network. KPMG has more than 4,500 employees in the two countries.
PricewaterhouseCoopers said it has 3,700 employees at its PwC Russia firm and is working on an "orderly transition" for the business.
The two other Big Four companies - Deloitte and Ernst & Young - didn't immediately return requests for comment on Sunday.
01:05 AM
20,000 people from 52 countries volunteer to fight Russians
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said more than 20,000 people from 52 countries had already volunteered to fight in Ukraine, where they will serve in a newly created international legion. He did not say how many of the foreign volunteers have arrived in Ukraine.
"The whole world today is on Ukraine's side not only in words but in deeds," Mr Kuleba said on Ukrainian television on Sunday night.
A column of Russian military vehicles is abandoned in the snow, in a forest not far from Kharkiv, in the east of Ukraine - SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty Images
He did not name the home countries of the volunteers, saying that some of them forbid their citizens from fighting for other countries.
Mr Kuleba also urged Ukrainians living in other countries to begin a campaign to push for Ukraine's membership in the European Union.
01:01 AM
Today's top stories
Boris Johnson has condemned Vladimir Putin as “barbaric” after civilians attempting to flee the invasion of Ukraine were killed by Russian shells
America should put the Chinese flag on US military aircraft and then "bomb the s---' out of Russia", Donald Trump has told Republican donors
Poland could provide Ukraine with fighter jets in a deal being negotiated with the United States, as Kyiv begs the West for enough support to prevent Russia from gaining air superiority in its invasion
Britain has so far granted only “around 50” visas to fleeing Ukrainians under a scheme to help refugees who already have family based in the UK, the Home Office has said
Russian commanders are now in control of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, an "extremely concerned" UN watchdog has warned
Angry Russian mothers have accused Vladimir Putin of deploying their sons as "cannon fodder" in his invasion of Ukraine, according to video footage of a confrontation with a regional governor that emerged on a day when police in Russia detained 4,500 anti-war protesters
The Money Saving Expert has issued a warning to UK homeowners who have curtains hanging up in their homes - saying you could save hundreds by following his advice.
Motorists can save up to 25 percent on petrol and diesel by removing one item from their car, according to motoring experts. The item in question is a common sight on many vehicles
Gemma Atkinson has spoken about her relationship with her fiance Gorka Marquez, including having discussed them being away from each other due to work commitments.
Prince Harry and his brother Prince William were said to be inseparable - but one moment six years ago at Harry's wedding their 'happiness together' reportedly changed
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Israel’s presumed counterstrike against Iran has proved Joe Biden and David Cameron wrong in their insistence that Israel should just “take the win”. Instead, it fought back – and yesterday Iran was trying to pretend that nothing had happened.
Israel’s strike on Iran on Friday morning will not come as a surprise to Western observers – but it will cause great concern in Washington and London as the region tips closer towards an all-out war.
If this Israeli attack on Iran is no more than it presently appears to be, then it is rather well modulated. If the airbase at Isfahan has been attacked - home to the 8th Tactical Air Wing of the Iranian Air Force, and not a Revolutionary Guard installation - then the Israelis are making their point against a conventional military target. It is not an enrichment plant or a reactor, but the wide-ranging nuclear research conducted there involves some 3,000 Iranian nuclear scientists.
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