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The newest developments on Ukraine-Russia tensions after Russia launches army operation towards Ukraine
The newest developments on Ukraine-Russia tensions after Russia launches army operation towards Ukraine
Read | Putin’s moves are hardly ‘chess thumping’
India has carried out a round of evacuation of its nationals stranded in Ukraine. The first batch of Indian students left Chernivtsi in a bus for the Ukraine-Romania border. The Embassy of India in Kyiv announced that the evacuation was being organised with the joint effort of the Indian embassies in Romania, Hungary, and Poland. Air India will start evacuation flights to countries bordering Ukraine from Saturday even as the government has requested other airlines to join the “operation” to bring back Indians trying to flee the war-torn country.
Air India will operate a flight each to Bucharest and Budapest as special government charter flights, the airline tweeted late on Friday evening.
Read | Inflection point for the West-led global order
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World leaders have imposed sanctions against Russia, after Mr. Putin declared war on Ukraine. The conflict began escalating on February 21, 2022, after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and deployed troops in a peacekeeping role.
Here are the latest updates:
India
219 Indians returning to India from Romania
The first flight to Mumbai with 219 Indians has taken off from Romania, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday, referring to India’s evacuation of its nationals from Ukraine. He also said India is making progress in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine.
“Regarding evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, we are making progress. Our teams are working on the ground round the clock. I am personally monitoring,” he said on Twitter. “The first flight to Mumbai with 219 Indian nationals has taken off from Romania,” he added.
The Indians had exited Ukraine and reached Romania through land border crossings between the two countries.
Poland
UN says over 120,000 people have fled Ukraine
The UN refugee agency says that over 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have left the country since Russia began its attack on its neighboring country this week.
Speaking as Russian troops were engaging in battle with Ukrainian forces in the capital Kyiv on Saturday, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Kelly Clements, said in an interview on CNN the situation was expected to get worse.
“We now see over 120,000 people that have gone to all of the neighboring countries,” she said. “The reception that they are receiving from local communities, from local authorities, is tremendous. But it’s a dynamic situation. We are really quite devastated, obviously, with what’s to come.”
Russia
Russia halts space launches from French Guiana over sanctions
Russia is suspending space launches from French Guiana and withdrawing its technical personnel in response to EU sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the space agency said Saturday.
“In response to EU sanctions against our enterprises, Roskosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners over organising space launches from the Kourou cosmodrome and withdrawing its technical personnel… from French Guiana,” Dmitry Rogozin, chief of the Russian space agency, said on messaging app Telegram.
There are currently 87 Russian nationals in French Guiana, the agency said.
The next Soyuz launch from Kourou was scheduled for 6 April. – AFP
Latvia
Ukraine embassy staff evacuating from Moscow, Latvia says
The staff of Ukraine’s embassy in Moscow is evacuating to Latvia, the Latvian foreign ministry told Reuters on Saturday.
“It was their plea, we readily agreed. We are assisting them in the process and help with settling down,” Latvian foreign ministry spokesperson Janis Bekeris said.
He declined to say whether the embassy staff had already arrived in Latvia, citing security concerns. – Reuters
Russia
Russia strikes Ukraine with cruise missiles
The Russian military says it has launched a barrage of cruise missiles at Ukrainian military facilities.
Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said Saturday that the military struck a range of Ukrainian military installations with long-range Kalibr cruise missiles.
He said that since the start of Russia’s attack Thursday, the military has hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, including 14 air bases and 19 command facilities, and destroyed 24 air defence missile systems, 48 radars, seven warplanes, seven helicopters, nine drones, 87 tanks and eight military vessels.
Konashenkov didn’t say how many Ukrainian troops were killed and didn’t mention any casualties on the Russian side. His claims and Ukraine’s allegations that its forces have killed thousands of Russian troops couldn’t be independently verified.- AP
Mumbai
Air India evacuation flight expected to land in Mumbai at 8.00 p.m.
An Air India Boeing aircraft, which departed from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here for Romanian capital Bucharest early morning on Saturday to bring back Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive, is expected to arrive here at 8 pm, the airport operator said.
CSMIA, in a statement, also said it has blocked a special corridor for the arriving passengers.
The private airport operator said it has fenced in a special area at the facility for the arriving passengers to sit and will also provide them with free Wi-Fi codes, distribute food and water bottles.
They will also be provided with any guidance or medical assistance if required at the time of arrival, it said.
The airport has blocked a special corridor for the arriving passengers, CSMIA said, adding as per the guidelines laid down by the government, the Airport Health Organization (APHO) team at the facility will be conducting mandatory temperature checks.
Passengers would be required to produce either a COVID-19 vaccination certificate or a negative RT-PCR test report at the time of arrival. In case any passenger is not able to show any of the documents at the time of arrival, they will have to undergo RT-PCR testing at the airport, where the cost would be borne by the airport, it said.- PTI
Kyiv, Ukraine
Missile hits apartment in Kyiv, mayor says
The mayor of the Ukrainian capital says a missile hit an apartment building but no casualties were immediately reported.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the missile slammed into a high-rise building on the southwestern outskirts of Kyiv near Zhuliany airport on Saturday. He said rescue workers were heading there.
He posted an image on a messaging app, showing a gaping hole on one side of the building that ravaged apartment units and several stores.- AP
A view shows an apartment building damaged by recent shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 26, 2022.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Ukraine
Ukrainian leader says it is ‘crucial moment’ to decide on EU membership
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday it was “a crucial moment” to decide on Ukraine’s membership of the European Union, as Russia continued to invade its neighbour.
Mr. Zelensky said in a tweet he had discussed with European Council President Charles Michel “further effective assistance and the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their free future.- Reuters
Russia
ISS may fall on India, China: Russian space agency chief warns on US sanctions after Ukraine military offensive
Russia’s space agency chief has warned the US that the slew of sanctions imposed on Moscow can “destroy our cooperation” on the International Space Station (ISS) and asked Washington if it wants to threaten India and China with the “possibility of a 500-tonne structure falling” on them.
Following US President Joe Biden’s announcement of new sanctions on Thursday that “will degrade” Russia’s “aerospace industry, including their space programme”, Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin on Friday tweeted that ISS orbit and location in space are controlled by Russian engines, the CNN reported.
“If you block cooperation with us, who will save the International Space Station (ISS) from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States or…Europe?” Rogozin tweeted in Russian.
He said there is also the “possibility of a 500-tonne structure falling on India and China”.
“Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? The ISS does not fly over Russia, therefore all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?,” the Russian space agency chief asked.- PTI
Kyiv, Ukraine
Shelling reported in Kyiv
Smoke rises after recent shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine February 26, 2022.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Melitopol, Ukraine
Russia captures Ukraine’s Melitopol
Russian troops have captured the city of Melitopol in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhya region, Russia’s defence ministry said on Saturday, the first significant population centre to be taken over since Moscow launched an invasion.
The ministry also said Russia had used air- and ship-based cruise missiles to carry out overnight strikes on military targets in Ukraine.
It said Russian troops had hit hundreds of military infrastructure targets and destroyed several aircraft and dozens of tanks and armoured and artillery vehicles.
Ukrainian officials could not be immediately reached for comment on the matter.- Reuters
Kyiv, Ukraine
Street fighting begins in Kyiv; people urged to seek shelter
Russian troops stormed towards Ukraine’s capital early Saturday and street-fighting broke out as city officials urged residents to take shelter. The country’s President refused an American offer to evacuate, insisting that he would stay. “The fight is here,” he said.
The clashes followed two days of fighting that resulted in hundreds of casualties and pummelled bridges, schools and apartment buildings. U.S. officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it with a regime of his own.
French Guiana
Russia suspends space launches from French Guiana over sanctions
Russia is suspending space launches from French Guiana and withdrawing its technical personnel in response to EU sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the space agency said Saturday.
“In response to EU sanctions against our enterprises, Roskosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners over organizing space launches from the Kourou cosmodrome and withdrawing its technical personnel… from French Guiana,” Dmitry Rogozin, chief of the Russian space agency, said on messaging app Telegram.- AFP
International
People around the world take out demonstrations supporting Ukraine, monuments lit up in Ukranian flag colours
People gather for a candlelight procession in Bologna, Italy, following the Russian attack of Ukraine.
| Photo Credit: AP
The London Eye is lit up in the colours of the Ukraine flag, in London on February 25, 2022.
| Photo Credit: AP
St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, Scotland, is lit up with the colours of the Ukraine flag on February 25, 2022.
| Photo Credit: AP
The Palazzo Marino in Milan, Italy, is lit up in the colors of the flag of Ukraine following the Russian attack of Ukraine.
| Photo Credit: AP
The Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Germany, is lit up in the colors of the flag of Ukraine following the Russian attack of Ukraine.
| Photo Credit: AP
People gather to demonstrate in Duomo Square, Milan, Italy on February. 25, 2022.
| Photo Credit: AP
Ukraine
Ukraine reports fresh air, cruise missile strikes
Ukraine’s military command said areas near the cities of Sumy, Poltava and Mariupol were hit by air strikes on Friday, with Russian Kalibr cruise missiles launched at the country from the Black Sea.
Bucharest
Air India plane lands in Bucharest to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine
An Air India plane from Mumbai landed in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Saturday morning to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive.
The aircraft, AI1943, took off from the Mumbai airport around 3.40 AM (Indian Standard Time) and landed at the Bucharest airport around 10.45 AM (Indian Standard Time), senior government officials said.
Indian nationals, who reached the Ukraine-Romania border by road, have been taken to Bucharest by the Indian government officials so that they can be evacuated in the Air India flight, they noted.
AI1943, which is being operated on Boeing 787 aircraft, can carry 256 passengers at a time, they said.
Air India will operate more flights on Saturday to Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine.- PTI
Russia
Facebook bans Russia state media from running ads, monetizing
Facebook on Friday restricted Russian state media’s ability to earn money on the social media platform as Moscow’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine reached the streets of Kyiv.
“We are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on our platform anywhere in the world,” Nathaniel Gleicher, the social media giant’s security policy head, said on Twitter.
He added that Facebook would “continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media.”
Ukraine
President refuses to flee, urges Ukraine to ‘stand firm’
Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine’s capital early Saturday as explosions reverberated through the city and the president urged the country to “stand firm” against the siege that could determine its future. He refused American help to evacuate, saying: “The fight is here.”
Hundreds of casualties were reported in the fighting, which included shelling that sliced through a Kyiv apartment building and pummeled bridges and schools. There also were growing signs that Russia may be seeking to overthrow Ukraine’s government, which U.S. officials have described as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ultimate objective. -AP
India
Don’t move to border posts without coordination with us: Indian embassy in Ukraine
India on Saturday advised its stranded nationals in Ukraine to exercise caution at all times and not move to any border posts to exit the country without prior coordination with its officials.
The Indian embassy in Ukraine issued a fresh advisory in view of increasing Russian attacks on several Ukrainian cities and reports of heavy fighting around the capital Kyiv.
The embassy particularly advised those staying in the eastern part of Ukraine to continue to remain in their current places of residence and stay indoors or in shelters as much as possible. -PTI
Ukraine
Zelenskyy declines U.S. offer to evacuate Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was asked to evacuate Kyiv at the behest of the U.S. government but turned down the offer.
Mr. Zelenskyy said in response: “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,” according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation, who described Zelenskyy as upbeat. -AP
Ukraine
Ukraine’s capital under threat as Russia presses invasion
Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine’s capital early Saturday as explosions reverberated through the city and the president urged the country to “stand firm” against the siege that could determine its future.
Hundreds of casualties were reported in the fighting, which included shelling that sliced through a Kyiv apartment building and pummeled bridges and schools. There also were growing signs that Russia may be seeking to overthrow Ukraine’s government, which US officials have described as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ultimate objective. -Reuters
Russia
The #Anonymous collective has leaked the database of the Russian Ministry of Defense website
India
Air India aircraft departs from Mumbai for Bucharest to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine
An Air India aircraft departed from the Mumbai airport on Saturday morning for Romanian capital Bucharest to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine as a result of Russian army offensive.
The flight, AI1943, took off from the Mumbai airport round 3.40 am and is anticipated to land on the Bucharest airport round 10 am (Indian Customary Time), senior authorities officers mentioned.
Indian nationals who’ve reached the Ukraine-Romania border by highway are being taken to Bucharest by Indian authorities officers in order that they are often evacuated within the Air India flight, they famous. -PTI
Australia
Australia seeks to hitch world transfer to hit Putin with sanctions
Australia seeks to hitch others in imposing direct sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and has prolonged its punitive monetary measures to members of Russia’s parliament and extra oligarchs, International Minister Marise Payne mentioned on Saturday.
The US, Canada, European Union and Britain mentioned they’d impose sanctions on Putin and International Minister Sergei Lavrov, as Washington appears to be like to ramp up strain on Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“It’s an distinctive step to sanction leaders, however that is an distinctive scenario,” Mr. Payne mentioned at a press convention, including that the federal government is searching for recommendation on learn how to observe different nations within the transfer. -AP
Ukraine
Ukraine Vice PM urges Apple to chop merchandise, providers provide in Russia
Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister on Friday urged Apple Inc prime boss Tim Cook dinner to chop provide of its merchandise and block entry to App Retailer in Russia.
Mykhailo Fedorov, who can be Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, tweeted a replica of the letter despatched to Mr. Cook dinner asking the iPhone maker to “cease supplying Apple providers and merchandise to the Russian Federation, together with blocking entry to App Retailer.”
Apple didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark. -AP
USA
India-Russia relations distinct from Washington’s equation with Moscow, that’s okay: U.S.
India’s relationship with Russia is distinct from that the US shares with the latter and that’s okay, the Biden administration mentioned, underlining that Washington has requested each nation that has leverage with Moscow to make use of it to guard rules-based worldwide order.
State Division spokesperson Ned Worth famous that the US shares necessary pursuits and values with India.
“We share necessary pursuits with India. We share necessary values with India. And we all know India has a relationship with Russia that’s distinct from the connection that we’ve with Russia. In fact, that’s okay,” Worth informed reporters at his every day information convention on Friday.
“India has a relationship with Russia that we definitely don’t have. India and Russia have a relationship, together with within the defence and safety sector, that we don’t have. … we’ve requested each nation that has a relationship and definitely these nations which have the leverage to make use of that leverage in a constructive method,” he mentioned in response to a query. -PTI
Ukraine
Ukraine says it has shot down army aircraft
Ukraine’s army mentioned it has shot down a Russian army transport aircraft with paratroopers on board.
In keeping with a press release from the army’s Normal Employees, the Il-76 heavy transport aircraft was shot down close to Vasylkiv, a metropolis 40 kilometres south of Kyiv. The Russian army has not commented on the incident to date, and the report couldn’t be instantly verified. -AP
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