International News Updates

The claims were made by Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director General of the Pakistan military's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on social media, who also stated that the incident took place on March 1.

Igor Kolykhaiev, the city's Mayor, said in an update that "armed visitors" had stormed a council meeting and imposed new rules including a strict curfew and urged citizens to follow them. But it was far from clear whether Ukrainian forces had totally withdrawn, with the UK MoD saying Thursday the situation is "unclear".

In the video posted on Facebook, the President said the change in Russia's tactic, which is to target civilian areas, shows that Ukraine has been successful in resisting Moscow's plan for a quick victory via land assault, the BBC reported.

In a statement to the local Ukrainska Pravda newspaper, the Kiev-based Centre for Defence Strategies said: "The enemy is trying to encircle the capital with a massive gathering of troops (close to 30 tactical battalions). The biggest threat comes from the north and north west of Kiev (Ivankiv, Vorzel, Bucha, Irpin Hostomil)."

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainian troops have continued to defend Chernihiv and Nizhyn, but the situation in the Vyshhorod area just outside of Kiev is tense.

"Among the received documents are a work card, combat mission, call sign table, control signal tables, hidden control tables, personnel list, etc.

The Russian demands come amidst the nation's invasion of Ukraine, an action that has been vehemently condemned by many countries around the world, including the US and UK.

Putin has made it plain that Ukraine must adopt a position of political "neutrality", implying that Kiev should legally commit that it would not become a part of any military alliance. Besides, the Russians want that the Ukrainian establishment must undergo de-Nazification.

The President thanked the citizens in the cities of Konotop, Bashtanka, Energodar and Melitopol, who he claimed had blocked roads to prevent the Russian troops from entering.

This was the fourth abstention by India on a vote on the Ukraine issue at the UN -- the other three at the Security Council where India is an elected member.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine has warned the country's students in Kharkiv to immediately leave the city. However, this seems to be difficult as after trudging for miles these students are finding that the doors of the trains passing through the Kharkiv railway station remain closed.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine issued a second advisory within an hour asking Indian nationals in Ukraine to leave Kharkhiv any how by 6 p.m. on Wednesday. "If you are not able to get train, bus or any other means of transport, leave Kharkiv on foot by 6 p.m. (Ukrainian time), Indian Embassy in Ukraine told stranded Indian citizens in an "urgent advisory" on Wednesday.

In a distress call, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine has directed all stranded citizens to leave the second most populous city, Kharkiv under all circumstances by 6 p.m. (Ukrainian time, IST 9.30 p.m.) on Wednesday.

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, another Indian MBBS student stranded in the war-torn country lost his life on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Russian troops have seized Kherson, a provincial capital in the southern coastal part of Ukraine, the Defense Ministry announced in a briefing on Wednesday, RT reported.