7, March 2022
Russia announces opening of several humanitarian corridors in Ukraine 0
The Russian army announced Monday that it would open several humanitarian corridors in Ukraine. Russian forces pummelled Ukrainian cities from the air, land and sea, with warnings they were preparing for an assault on the capital Kyiv, as terrified civilians failed for a second day to escape besieged Mariupol.
A civilian disaster is growing in Ukraine as attempts to evacuate residents of besieged port city Mariupol failed for a second consecutive day.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Sunday that Russian forces are preparing to bombard Odessa, the historic port city on the Black Sea coast.
More than a million refugees have crossed the border from Ukraine into Poland since Russian troops invaded on February 24, Polish border guards said on Sunday. The UN said earlier on Sunday that more than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine into neighbouring countries since the Russian invasion.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement, his office said.
The United States is considering sending planes to Poland if Warsaw decided to send fighter jets to Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Zelensky said on Sunday he spoke by phone with his US counterpart Joe Biden to discuss financial support and sanctions against Russia.
Delegations from Kyiv and Moscow are set to hold a third round of negotiations on Monday.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Monday on the humanitarian crisis triggered in Ukraine by the Russian invasion and discuss a possible draft resolution.
Washington has seen “very credible reports” that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine, particularly in attacking civilians, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday.
Reported by France 24
8, March 2022
Russia’s war in Ukraine: Latest developments 0
Here are the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine:
Evacuations begin
Ukraine begins evacuating civilians from the northeastern city of Sumy under a deal with Moscow to set up humanitarian corridors out of cities besieged by Russian forces.
Dozens of buses ferry the evacuees to the city of Lokhvytsya, around 150 kilometres to the southwest in Ukrainian-held territory.
Kyiv had rejected a previous proposal to evacuate Ukrainians to Russia as a publicity stunt.
Ceasefire
Moscow announces a ceasefire in the five cities worst-hit by the fighting: Chernihiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Sumy.
Previous such cessations of fire collapsed at the weekend, with both sides trading blame.
21 killed in Sumy
At least 21 people, including two children, were killed in air strikes on Sumy on Monday night, hours before the evacuations began.
Thousands attempt to board packed trains out of Odessa, Ukraine’s main port which is also bracing for attack.
People to rush to board trains out of the Ukrainian port of Odessa, which is bracing for attack
People to rush to board trains out of the Ukrainian port of Odessa, which is bracing for attack BULENT KILIC AFP
Two million refugees
The UN says the number of people fleeing the war now tops two million.
Poland alone has received 1.2 million people.
Zelensky slams unkept ‘promises’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounces what he calls unkept “promises” by the West to help protect Ukraine.
“It’s been 13 days we’ve been hearing promises, 13 days we’ve been told we’ll be helped in the air, that there will be planes, that they will be delivered to us,” he complains.
China’s Xi urges restraint
Chinese President Xi Jinping urges “maximum restraint” over Ukraine but stops short of condemning the Russian invasion in a video summit with the leaders of France and Germany.
‘Call Russia’
A group of Lithuanians launch a bid to get Russians abroad to call 40 million of their compatriots and tell them what is happening in Ukraine.
Russia has severely restricted reporting of the war on its territory.
Shell quits Russia
Energy giant Shell says it will stop purchasing Russian crude oil and shut down its operations in the country.
Russian designer cancelled
Russian designer Valentin Yudashkin, who designed the Russian army’s uniforms, has his show at Paris Fashion Week cancelled for his failure to condemn the war.
World Bank cash for Ukraine
The World Bank approves an additional $489-million package for Ukraine, to be made available immediately.
Foreign footballers can leave Russia
Foreign footballers and coaches working in Russia and Ukraine will be allowed to temporarily suspend their contracts and move elsewhere, FIFA announces.
Source: AFP