Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: Latest developments

Russia

Kyiv – Here are the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine:

Kyiv braces

Satellite images show a vast column of military vehicles amassing just north of the capital Kyiv, where residents are braced for a Russian assault.

The Russian army tells them they can “freely leave” on one highway as it hints of attacks on civilian areas.

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Eastern assault

Russian forces shell Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, killing at least 11 civilians. Governor Oleg Sinegubov accused Moscow of targeting residential areas.

An AFP journalist in the city sees a destroyed school, several burned out Russian infantry vehicles and corpses in Russian army fatigues.

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‘352 civilians killed’

Kyiv says 352 civilians have been killed, including 14 children, since the invasion began last Thursday.

Half a million refugees

More than half a million people have fled Ukraine in the last five days, the UN’s refugee agency says, with tens of thousands more displaced inside the country.

War crimes

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan announces an investigation into the “situation in Ukraine”, saying there is a “reasonable basis” to believe “war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed” since 2014.

Turkey blocks warships

Turkey blocks warships from the Bosphorus and Dardanelles strait, limiting the movement of Russian and other naval assets by invoking a 1936 treaty.

Talks to continue

Negotiators from Ukraine and Russia end a first round of talks with no clear breakthrough. Both sides agree to conduct a second round of negotiations “soon”.

In a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Russia’s Vladimir Putin reiterates demands that there is a “demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukraine. He also demands the West recognise Russia’s claim to annexed Crimea.

Nuclear concern

The UN atomic energy watchdog’s chief expresses “grave concern” that invading Russian troops were operating close to Zaporizhzhia, the largest nuclear power station in Ukraine.

Online restrictions

Social media giants Twitter and Facebook move to curb the presence of Russian state-linked news outlets.

Russia kicked out of World Cup

Russia is expelled from the 2022 World Cup and its teams suspended from all international football competitions “until further notice”, FIFA and UEFA say. Both Russia and Belarus are suspended from all international rugby “until further notice”.

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Russians expelled

The United States moves to expel 12 members of Russia’s UN mission from America for being “intelligence operatives”.

Sanctions tighten

The United States and Canada ban all transactions with Russia’s central bank in an unprecedented sanction.

The European Union adds more Putin allies to its sanctions blacklist, including Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov and oligarchs Igor Sechin, Alisher Usmanov, Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman.

Ruble crashes

Putin announces emergency capital controls and forces exporters to buy rubles to prop up the currency, which plunges 20%, reaching its lowest level on record.

Brent crude again tops $100 per barrel, highs not seen since 2014. Aluminium, nickel, corn and wheat prices all rise sharply.

Finland and NATO

Lawmakers in traditionally non-aligned Finland will debate NATO membership, after a petition calling for a referendum reached 50 000 signatories. It comes after Helsinki took a “historic” decision to supply weapons to Ukraine.

Pentagon studying nuclear order

Pentagon officials call Putin’s order to mobilize his nuclear forces “dangerous” but say they have not seen any indication of any change in the country’s strategic threat.

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Source: AFP 

Picture:  Twitter / @dontrmrartpop

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