Russia-Ukraine Crisis Live Updates: Talks Continue, More US Sanctions On Russia

The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued on Thursday as relevant parties are working to broker a peaceful solution.

On Wednesday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia and Ukraine are continuing negotiations but there remains a long way to go, stressing that Moscow would like Kiev to be more active during the negotiations.

The withdrawal of Russian troops from the Kiev region was to facilitate the peace talks, he told France's LCI broadcaster earlier in the day, Xinhua news agency reported.

During an interview with Turkey's Haberturk television channel, Zelensky said: "In any case, we must find even small opportunities for the negotiation process. Without this, I think it is difficult to end the war."

Zelensky emphasised the importance of mediation by other countries, including Turkey, in the talks.

He instructed the government to formalise the cessation of Ukraine's trade with Russia, the presidential press service said in a statement Wednesday.

In fact, import and export operations between Ukraine and Russia have been completely terminated since the start of the conflict, the statement said.

The US on Wednesday imposed additional sanctions on Russia for its military operation in Ukraine, targeting the country's major financial institutions and the two daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to a factsheet from the White House detailing the measures, US President Joe Biden will sign an executive order banning new investment in Russia by Americans no matter where they live.

Apr 07, 2022 15:16 IST
Greece Declares 12 Russian Diplomats Unwelcome
The Greek Foreign Ministry announced that 12 members of the Russian diplomatic and consular missions in Greece have been declared as personae non gratae.
The decision was made on Wednesday in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the ministry said in a statement, adding that the Russian ambassador had been earlier notified of the decision, Xinhua news agency reported.
The statement, however, did not reveal any specific time schedule about the diplomats' departure. 
(IANS)



Apr 07, 2022 15:13 IST
Hungary's PM Proposes Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Talks In Budapest
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to a summit meeting in Budapest to make progress toward an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
"I suggested to President Putin that he should announce a ceasefire immediately," Orban told an international press conference on Wednesday following his landslide victory in the April 3 general elections, which secured him a fourth consecutive term as the country's leader.
Orban said that he spoke on the phone with Putin, who called him Wednesday morning to congratulate him on his election victory, Xinhua news agency reported.
"I know (the ceasefire) is not going to happen by itself, so I invited Putin, the presidents of Ukraine and France, and the German chancellor to Budapest, the sooner the better," Orban said.
The aim of the summit would be an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. "They should hold talks here in Budapest with one goal: not yet peace negotiations, which would take a longer time, but an agreement on an immediate ceasefire."



Apr 07, 2022 15:12 IST
Russia Accuses US Of Increasing Military Biological Capability Globally
The US is consistently building up its military biological potential in various regions of the world, taking advantage of gaps in international law, the Russian military has said.
Washington is creating biological laboratories in different countries and connecting them to a unified system, said Igor Kirillov, chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defence Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, Xinhua news agency reported.
In territories bordering Russia and China alone, there have been about 60 facilities modernised since 2005 with funding from the US military, he said at a meeting.
Kirillov noted that the US has spent more than $5 billion on military biological programmes since 2005.
According to him, these biological facilities are carrying out work in three areas: monitoring the biological situation in proposed areas for the deployment of military contingents of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; collecting and delivering strains of dangerous microorganisms to the US; and studying potential agents of biological weapons.
Agents specific to a given region, having natural foci and capable of being transmitted to humans are also being studied, he added.
(IANS)



Apr 07, 2022 14:27 IST
US Warns India Against Aligning With Russia
 US President Joe Biden's top economic adviser has said that the US warned India against partnering too closely with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, BBC reported.
"Our message to the Indian government is that the costs and consequences for them of moving into a more explicit strategic alignment with Russia will be significant and long-term," White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese told reporters.
"There are certainly areas where we have been disappointed by both China and India's decisions, in the context of the invasion," he added.
India has declined to level sanctions against Russia, as other countries have done.
The country, which the US sees as a counter to China's power in Asia, is the largest importer of Russian weapons, according to Bloomberg.
It comes after the US Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh made an official visit to India last week.
(IANS)



Apr 07, 2022 08:12 IST
Zelensky Says Talks With Russia To Continue Despite 'Atrocities' Of Russian Military
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks between Ukraine and Russia will continue despite the evidence of "atrocities carried out by the Russian military", the Ukrinform news agency reported.
"In any case, we must find even small opportunities for the negotiation process. Without this, I think it is difficult to end the war," Zelensky was quoted as saying in an interview with Turkey's Haberturk television channel on Wednesday.
He emphasised the importance of the mediation mission of other countries, including Turkey, in the talks, Xinhua news agency reported.
At least 280 people, including children, were found dead in Bucha, some 28 km northwest of Kiev after the Ukrainian army retook control of the town from the Russian military.
(IANS)



Apr 07, 2022 08:11 IST
Ukrainian Prez Orders Formal Halt Of Trade With Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the government to formalise the cessation of Ukraine's trade with Russia, the presidential press service said in a statement.
The import and export operations between Ukraine and Russia have been completely terminated since the start of the conflict, the statement said on Wednesday.
According to Ukraine's Fiscal Service, Ukraine saw a 38.7 per cent year-on-year growth in trade with Russia in 2021 with a value of $10.09 billion. Exports grew by 26.5 per cent to $3.44 billion, while imports increased by 45.9 per cent to $6.65 billion, Xinhua news agency reported.
(IANS)



Apr 06, 2022 15:42 IST
Cyprus Rules Out Transfer Of Russian-Made Weapons To Ukraine
Cyprus cannot accept the US' suggestion to send its Russian-made weapons to Ukraine as this would create gaps in its deterrence capabilities, Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides said here on Tuesday.
Petrides was responding to press reports that unnamed US officials had sounded out the Cypriot government whether it would be willing to transfer to Ukraine all or part of the Russian-made armaments it possesses, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said that legal problems could also arise because of a stipulation that military systems purchased from Russia may not be sold to third parties.
 (IANS)



Apr 06, 2022 15:13 IST
Italy, Romania Expel 40 Russian Diplomats
 Italy's foreign ministry has announced the expulsion of 30 Russian diplomats for what it called "reasons related to national security".
"This measure, taken in agreement with other European and Atlantic partners, was necessary for reasons related to national security," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Also on Tuesday, Romania decided to expel ten Russian diplomats.
"The Romanian authorities have decided to declare as personae non grata on the territory of Romania ten people working in the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, given that their activities and actions are contrary to the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961," the country's foreign ministry said in a press release.
(I



Apr 06, 2022 14:40 IST
Spain To Expel 27 Russian Diplomats
Spain will expel 27 Russian diplomats and embassy staff in the next few days, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares has said.
Albares told journalists on Tuesday that Yuri Korchagin, the Russian Federation's ambassador in Madrid, was not included in the list of those being expelled as Spain aims to keep the channels of negotiation open with Russia, Xinhua news agency reported.
Spain is thus following in the footsteps of a number of European countries that have announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats.
(IANS)



Apr 06, 2022 14:34 IST
EU Proposing New Sanctions, Russia More Prudent In Food Export
The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued on Wednesday as the European Union (EU) is proposing its fifth sanction package against Russia.
On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the package, which will be discussed and given the final approval by EU ambassadors on Wednesday, includes bans on coal imports worth 4 billion euros a year and on four Russian banks.
She added that the European Commission is also pushing for bans on Russian ships entering EU ports, on Russian and Belarusian road transport operators, and on imports of oil, wood and cement, seafood and alcohol from Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that Russia will be more prudent this year in exporting food, especially to countries that are pursuing a hostile policy towards Russia.
(IANS)



Apr 06, 2022 14:33 IST
EU Expels 'A Number Of' Russian Diplomats
The European Union (EU) has declared a number of Russian diplomats working in Brussels "persona non grata" and ordered them to leave host nation Belgium, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
"Today, I decided to designate persona non grata a number of officials of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the EU for engaging in activities contrary to their diplomatic status," Borrell said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Russian Ambassador to the EU was summoned to communicate this decision, according to Borrell, EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Xinhua news agency reported.
Several EU member states also announced on Tuesday their decision to expel Russian diplomats.
(IANS)



Apr 06, 2022 09:14 IST
Over $20bn Of Int'l Aid Allocated For Ukraine: Central Bank Chief
More than $20 billion of international aid has been allocated for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported, citing Kyrylo Shevchenko, Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine.
"The financial aid allocated for Ukraine by now exceeds $20 billion. A part of it has already been disbursed," Shevchenko was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
In March, he said the international donors have pledged $15 billion in financial, technical and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.
(IANS)



Apr 06, 2022 09:13 IST
Putin-Zelensky Meeting Possible Only After Treaty Ready: Kremlin
 A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is possible only after a peace treaty is ready, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"Nothing has changed for us. We do not reject the possibility of such a meeting for our President," Peskov told a daily briefing on Tuesday.
"But we repeat once again that such a meeting is possible only after the text of the document is agreed upon," he added.
Moscow and Kiev have conducted several rounds of negotiations aimed at finalising a treaty to end the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported. 
(IANS)



Apr 06, 2022 09:12 IST
Russia 'More Prudent' In Food Supply To 'Hostile' Countries: Putin
Russia will be more prudent this year in exporting food, especially to countries that are pursuing a hostile policy towards Russia, President Vladimir Putin said.
"This year, against the backdrop of a global food shortage, we will have to be more prudent in our food supplies abroad, namely, to carefully monitor the parameters of such exports to countries that are clearly hostile towards us," Putin added on Tuesday at a meeting to support the country's agricultural sector.
At the same time, he said the "increased production volumes make it possible to ensure food prices in Russia are lower than on the world market," Xinhua news agency reported.
Food self-sufficiency is Russia's competitive advantage and the country must protect its people from price fluctuations in the global food market, the Russian President added.
(IANS)



Apr 04, 2022 21:00 IST
Huge Scale Of Sexual Violence Endured In Ukraine Emerges
Women across Ukraine are grappling with the threat of rape as a weapon of war with growing evidence of sexual violence emerging from areas retaken from retreating Russian forces, The Guardian reported.
The world was horrified on Sunday by a picture taken by Mikhail Palinchak on a highway 20 km outside Kiev, in which the bodies of one man and three women were piled under a blanket. The women were naked and their bodies had been partially burnt, the photographer said.
The harrowing image adds to a mounting body of evidence that summary executions, rape and torture have been used against civilians in areas under Russian control since the Kremlin launched the invasion of its neighbour on February 24, The Guardian reported.
(IANS)



Apr 04, 2022 14:57 IST
Russian Troops May Have Committed Worse Atrocities: Ukraine Adviser
Russian troops accused of massacring, torturing and brutalising hundreds of Ukrainian civilians in the outskirts of Kiev may have committed even worse atrocities in villages and towns further from the capital, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned.
At least 410 innocent civilians were slaughtered in the cities of Bucha and Irpin to the west of Kiev, Ukraine has said, with bodies discovered littering roads and basements, and piled into hastily-dug mass graves as Russian troops fled the region at the weekend, leaving evidence of their crimes behind, Daily Mail reported.
Journalists based in Kiev who have visited the region since Russian forces withdrew say "clear evidence" of war crimes has been uncovered, including civilians shot with their hands bound behind their backs and other bodies that bear the marks of torture and rape.
But Tymofiy Mylovanov, the adviser to President Zelensky and Ukraine's former Finance Minister, says even worse atrocities may have been perpetrated to the east of Kiev in the suburb of Brovary and in villages along the highway to Chernihiv, a city near the Russian border, and has called on journalists and lawyers to go to the region to help document what has happened.
(IANS)



Apr 04, 2022 14:56 IST
Russia Blames Ukraine For Firing On Civilians In Bucha
Russia has blamed Ukrainian forces for firing on civilians in Bucha city near Kiev and alleged that its provoking the Russians for posting videos and pictures as it claimed that it had withdrew on March 30.
"We would like to emphasise that all Russian units withdrew completely from Bucha as early as March 30, the day after the Russia-Ukraine face-to-face round of talks in Turkey," a statement from Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday.
"The Ukrainian forces shot at people in Bucha, Kiev regionm regardless of whether they were carrying weapons or not. The main thing was that they were wearing white armbands. All the photos and videos published by the Kiev regime allegedly testifying to some 'crimes' committed by Russian servicemen in Bucha, Kiev region are just another provocation."
It said during the time that the town has been under the control of the Russian armed forces, not a single local resident has suffered from any violent action.
Russian servicemen have delivered and distributed 452 tonnes of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Kiev region, the Ministry added.
(IANS)



Apr 04, 2022 09:23 IST
Grammys 2022: 'Our Musicians Are In Body Armour, Not Tuxedos', Says Zelensky In Pre-Recorded Video
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared at the 64th annual Grammy Awards to give a pre-taped speech amid Russia's continued invasion of his country.
"The war. What is more opposite of music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people," Zelensky said.
Read More...



Apr 04, 2022 09:20 IST
410 Bodies Found In Ukraine's Bucha To Be Examined
Iryna Venediktova, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, said that the bodies of 410 civilians killed in Bucha, about 60 km from Kiev, have been taken to be examined by forensic experts, adding that any evidence gathered will be recorded for the ongoing case of Russian war crimes.
In a social media post, Venediktova said that experts from the forensic bureau will conduct DNA examinations, autopsies, and sampling of the bodies, reports Ukrayinska Pravda.
She said of the 410 bodies which were found between April 1-3, 140 of them have already been examined by prosecutors and other specialists.
According to the Prosecutor General, there is "crucial evidence of brutal war crimes perpetrated by the Russian Federation in the liberated territories of the Kiev region"
"This hell must be documented in order to punish its inhuman perpetrators."
The city of Bucha, along with Monastyrskyi, Irpin, Hostomel, Borodyanka, Makariv, Kopyliv, Motyzhyn, all in the Kiev region, were liberated from Russian forces on April 2.
(IANS)



Apr 04, 2022 09:19 IST
Russia Accuses Ukraine Of Thwarting Humanitarian Corridors
Russia has been continuing to open humanitarian corridors in AKiev, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol directions, one to Russia and one through the territories controlled by the Kiev authorities towards the western borders of Ukraine since March 4, but the Ukrainian sides are "thwarting" the efforts, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
"The Russian Armed Forces have opened an additional humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians and foreign citizens from Mariupol to Zaporozhye (with an intermediate point in Berdyansk). At the same time, we are forced to state that the declared humanitarian operation was thwarted by the Kiev authorities, who were actually unable to control neo-Nazi-minded militants and ensure the safety of the specified corridor," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
It said that the Ukrainian side has announced four more corridors in the Zaporozhye direction on March 31 but none of them in the direction of Russia. The Russian armed forces, as well as the formations of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, strictly observe the ceasefire on all routes, including those declared by the Ukrainian side, it added.
The Russian Defence Ministry also said that the section of the route adjacent to the city of Mariupol was repeatedly shelled with mortars and heavy machine guns by AFU units and nationalist battalions. As a result, the humanitarian convoy could not pass from Berdyansk to Mariupol.



Apr 03, 2022 08:29 IST
Ukraine Spends $10 billion A Month On Conflict With Russia
Ukraine spends about $10 billion per month on the conflict with Russia, the presidential press service said.
"The Ukrainian state spends about $10 billion a month on hostilities," said a statement on the Ukrainian presidential website on Saturday, citing data from the Ministry of Finance.
Among Ukraine's sources of expenditure financing, the statement named the country's own tax revenues and assistance from Ukraine's international partners, Xinhua news agency reported. 



Mar 31, 2022 09:19 IST
Zelensky, Biden Discuss Support For Ukraine Over Phone
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he has discussed support for Ukraine with US President Joe Biden.
The situation on the battlefield in Ukraine and the diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis were other topics of the hour-long conversation, Zelensky was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the White House said Biden and Zelensky discussed delivering "military, economic, and humanitarian assistance" to Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia.



Mar 31, 2022 09:18 IST
Ukraine Confirms Partial Withdrawal Of Russian Troops From Kiev, Chernihiv Directions
Ukrainian Defense Ministry's spokesman Olexandr Motuzyanyk on Wednesday confirmed that Russia has been withdrawing some troops from Kiev and Chernihiv directions, in central and northern Ukraine respectively, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.
"The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine notes a certain partial relocation of individual units from the Kiev direction, as well as from the Chernihiv direction," Motuzyanyk told a media briefing.
However, there was no mass withdrawal of Russian troops from those areas, he was quoted as saying Xinhua news agency.
Motuzyanyk suggested that Russian forces may renew their offensive against Kiev and Chernihiv after replenishing the units that suffered the biggest losses in the battles.



Mar 30, 2022 22:21 IST
Ukraine Considered Use Of Biological Weapons Against Russia And Donbass
The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said that Kiev was seriously considering the possibility of using biological weapons against the population of Donbass and the Russian Federation.
"The revealed facts prove that the Kiev regime seriously considered the possibility of using biological weapons against the population of Donbass and the Russian Federation," he said, RT reported.
The Russian armed forces are carrying out a planned regrouping of troops in the Kiev and Chernigov directions, Konashenkov said.
At the first stage of a special military operation, it was planned to force the enemy to concentrate his forces, means, resources and military equipment to hold large settlements in these directions, including Kiev, he explained.



Mar 30, 2022 16:51 IST
Peace Dividend: Russia-Ukraine Talks Calm Commodity Price Rise
Advanced talks between Russia and Ukraine to reach a peaceful settlement have relatively calmed down global commodities' prices.
Nonetheless, prices still remain at elevated levels but the latest trend shows a slower rate of appreciation.
Lately, the conflict which started over a month ago, seems to reach a partial resolution, after the two sides entered another round of talks.



Mar 30, 2022 16:49 IST
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov To Visit India From Mar 31 To Apr 1: MEA
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be on a two-day official visit to India from Thursday, his first trip to the country since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a one-line statement to announce the visit.
Read more



Mar 30, 2022 16:42 IST
Ukraine Sets Up 3 Humanitarian Corridors
Ukraine established three humanitarian corridors on Wednesday, the country's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Telegram.
Two corridors were set up to allow Ukrainian civilians to flee the cities of Melitopol and Energodar in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, which were captured by Russia's forces, Xinhua news agency reported citing Vereshchuk.
Another humanitarian route was established in the eastern Donetsk region to evacuate people from the city of Mariupol, where active hostilities are underway, she added.
Last Thursday, Ukraine established seven humanitarian corridors, following nine corridors the previous day, according to Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency. 



Mar 30, 2022 14:09 IST
Ukraine Hints At Deal With US On Anti-Missile Defence Systems
Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has hinted at an agreement on "concrete steps" to reduce the number of Russian missiles hitting facilities in Ukraine. This was announced by Dmytro Kuleba after his talks with the US delegation led by President Joe Biden in Warsaw.
Kuleba did not specify the details, but hinted quite clearly at the prospect of obtaining additional weapons capable of shooting down missiles, European Pravda reported.
The Ukrainian Defence and Foreign Ministers, Oleksiy Reznikov and Dmytro Kuleba, visited Warsaw on Saturday for talks with their US counterparts. Biden personally joined the meeting, European Pravda reported.
During the meeting, Biden promised to achieve Ukraine's victory in the war with Russia.



Mar 29, 2022 22:18 IST
Intensive Consultations Between Russia, Ukraine In Istanbul
During the talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul, the parties discussed an agreement on international security guarantees for Ukraine, a ceasefire and the resolution of humanitarian issues in Ukraine.
Read Full Story



Mar 29, 2022 22:17 IST
Russia Describes Istanbul Talks As 'Constructive'
Russia has agreed to meet Kiev half-way and will allow a meeting of its leaders to be held on the same day that the final version of a peace treaty is pre-approved by the two nation's foreign ministers, Moscow's top negotiator said on Tuesday, after a new round of talks in Istanbul.
Read More



Mar 29, 2022 15:09 IST
Russia Would Not Supply Gas To Europe For Free
Russia does not intend to engage in charity and export gas to Europe for free, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said while commenting on statements by representatives of Western countries that they will not pay for deliveries in rubles.
Peskov also stressed that Moscow was not the initiator of such a development of the situation, since it was the Western states that unleashed an economic war against Russia, RT News reported.
Russia does not intend to supply Europe with gas for free, Peskov said on the air of the American television company PBS.
"No payment - no gas," TASS quoted Peskov as saying.
(IANS)



Mar 29, 2022 15:08 IST
Russia Would Not Supply Gas To Europe For Free
Russia does not intend to engage in charity and export gas to Europe for free, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said while commenting on statements by representatives of Western countries that they will not pay for deliveries in rubles.
Peskov also stressed that Moscow was not the initiator of such a development of the situation, since it was the Western states that unleashed an economic war against Russia, RT News reported.
Russia does not intend to supply Europe with gas for free, Peskov said on the air of the American television company PBS.
"No payment - no gas," TASS quoted Peskov as saying.
(IANS)



Mar 29, 2022 14:46 IST
Zelensky, Ukrainian Oligarchs Doing Business In Russia During Conflict: Report
Against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, calls for foreign businesses to leave the Russian market do not subside. Ukrainian oligarchs and big businessmen publicly declare that they have no assets left in Russia. But in fact, part of the establishment continues to control business in the Russian Federation through proxies and offshore companies, a media report said.
Among them are not only names of the Ukrainian Forbes, but also President Vladimir Zelensky, the RT News report said.
Ukrainian business media estimate the number of major Ukrainian businessmen doing business in Russia at hundreds of names. One of them sounds especially loud in the current situation - Zelensky.
So, in Russia, LLC Green Films and Platinumfilm continue to operate and receive income. These companies, founded by the current President of Ukraine and his comrades in 2012, are responsible for distribution, rental income and royalties from Kvartal 95's comedy shows and films, RT reported.
(IANS)



Mar 29, 2022 14:44 IST
Ukraine Neutralises Massive Cyber Attack That Paused Internet
 Ukraine has neutralised a massive cyber-attack on core IT infrastructure that impacted the entire nation.
According to global Internet access tracker NetBlocks, the nation's online connectivity collapsed to 13 per cent, leading to the most severe Internet disruption registered in Ukraine since the invasion by Russia.
The Ukrainian Internet Service Provider Ukrtelecom was the target of a "massive cyberattack," the government said late on Monday.
According to the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection (SSSCIP) of Ukraine, the cyber-attack had been neutralised.
"The first cyberwar in human history is under way," said SSSCIP Chairman Yurii Shchyhol.
(IANS)



Mar 29, 2022 14:43 IST
Erdogan To Meet Ukrainian, Russian Delegations Before Talks Begin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saidhe will meet with the negotiation teams from Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday before the new round of peace talks between the two warring sides begin in Istanbul.
"We will have a short meeting with the delegations," Erdogan said at a press conference after a cabinet meeting.
Turkey is "almost the only country that makes sincere efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia through dialogue", Xinhua news agency quoted the President as saying.
The two-day in-person talks scheduled are slated to begin at 10.30 a.m. (local time, about 1 p.m. IST) at the Dolmabahce Presidential Working Office in Istabul's Besiktas district.
(IANS)



Mar 29, 2022 12:34 IST
Announcing Initiative For Ukraine Ceasefire, Guterres Says He's In Touch With India
While announcing that a UN official will spearhead a diplomatic effort for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he has been in "very close contact" with India on mediation efforts.
The UN chief said on Monday that he has asked Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths "immediately to explore with the parties involved the possible agreements and arrangements for a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine".
Read More...



Mar 29, 2022 10:41 IST
New Round Of Ukraine-Russia Talks To Begin In Turkey
Delegations from Ukraine and Russia have arrived in the Turkish city of Istanbul to begin a new round of peace talks from Tuesday aimed at ending the ongoing war.
The in-person talks slated to begin at 10.30 a.m. (local time, about 1 p.m. IST), will be hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Dolmabahce Presidential Working Office in Istabul's Besiktas district, reports Xinhua news agency. 
Read More...



Mar 29, 2022 09:26 IST
Ukrainian Journalist Abducted By Russian Forces: Media Watchdog
Dmytro Khilyuk, a journalist working for the Ukrainian Independent News Agency (UNIAN), was abducted by Russian forces on March 4 from a village in the Kiev region, a media watchdog announced.
In a statement posted on its website on Monday, the Media Initiative for Human Rights said on the eve of his disappearance, Dmytro wrote on Facebook that his village of Kozarovychi in Vyshhorod district, was "under occupation" and that there was no water, the shops were empty and the internet connection was very weak.
He claimed in his post that Russian troops were "going from house to house", and people remained inside their homes as there were periodic shooting in the village.
According to the watchdog, Khilyuk's disappearance was first reported by his friends in the media, who were unable to contact him.
His friends "learned from neighbours that Khilyuk was detained by people in Russian military uniform", the statement said.
(IANS)



Mar 29, 2022 09:25 IST
5,000 People Killed In Mariupol, 170K Remain Under Siege
Since the Russian blockade in Mariupol began on March 1, some 5,000 people have been killed, 170,000 others still remain under siege, while 150,000 were evacuated from the strategic Ukrainian port city, according to preliminary estimates.
Of the 5,000 victims, 210 were children, Ukrayinska Pravda reported citing the government estimates.
Before the ongoing siege began, 140,000 residents left the coastal city.
The estimates further revealed that 30,000 people have been deported by the Russian troops, forcefully taken to the captured territories in the east of Ukraine or to Russia.
(IANS)



Mar 28, 2022 20:36 IST
Ukraine 'Exposes' 620 Russian Spies Operating In Europe
The Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence in Ukraine has obtained a list of Russian FSB officers involved in what it called criminal activities on behalf of Russia in Europe.
Read Full Story



Mar 28, 2022 14:52 IST
We Can't Let Putin Take Over Ukraine: Elon Musk
As Moscow's invasion of Kiev has entered its second month, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the world cannot let Russian President Vladimir Putin win in Ukraine because if he can get away with it, this will be a message to other countries that perhaps they could get away with it too.
In an interview with Mathias Dopfner, the CEO of German publishing company Axel Springer, he said that the American government has done more for Ukraine than people may realise.
(IANS)
"But it has just not been very public. But it is important to do something serious. We cannot let Putin take over Ukraine. This is crazy," he told Dopfner at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California.



Mar 28, 2022 14:50 IST
Ukraine Willing To Discuss Adoption Of Neutral Status: Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his country is willing to discuss the adoption of a neutral stance as part of a peace deal with Russia aimed at ending the war.
While speaking to a group of independent Russian journalists on Sunday for the very first time since the war began on February 24, the President said: "Security guarantees and the neutral, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to accept this. This is the most important point," CNN reported.
Zelensky told the journalists that, "this was the first point of principle for the Russian Federation, as I recall. And as far as I remember, they started the war because of this".
Any agreement would have to be put to the Ukrainian people in a referendum, he said, while stressing his desire to reach a concrete peace agreement.
"So this clause is a security guarantee clause for Ukraine. And since they say it's for them (security guarantees) as well, it's understandable to me, and it's being discussed. It's in-depth, but I'm interested in making sure it's not just another piece of paper.
"So we're interested in having that paper turned into a serious treaty to be signed," the President said.
(IANS)



Mar 28, 2022 14:49 IST
Erdogan, Putin Agree To Hold Next Round Of Russia-Ukraine Negotiations In Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin agreed to hold the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Turkey's Istanbul city, the Turkish presidency said.
The two leaders had a phone conversation on Sunday and discussed the latest situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the negotiation process, the Turkish presidency added in a statement.
The two leaders "agreed that the next meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul," the statement said.
During the conversation, Erdogan told Putin that a ceasefire and peace between Russia and Ukraine must be achieved as soon as possible and the humanitarian situation in the region should be improved, adding that Turkey would continue to "contribute in every possible way during this process."
(IANS)



Mar 27, 2022 21:34 IST
Ukraine Crisis To Keep Crude Prices Elevated
Global crude oil prices are expected to further rise as Russian-Ukrainian war drags on.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis, as well as robust demand, has led to a global hike in crude oil prices.
The Brent-indexed crude oil prices stood at over $120 per barrel on last Friday and are expected to range between $115 to $130 per barrel in the coming days.
The trend is significant for India since international prices determine domestic petrol and diesel cost.
At present, India imports 85 per cent of its crude oil needs.
Till now, the high crude oil cost has led state-owned oil marketing companies to slightly increase the retail selling prices of petrol and diesel.
These prices were revised for the very first time on March 22 after a gap of more than 4 months. 



Mar 27, 2022 19:06 IST
Biden Slammed For His 'Unscripted' Declaration That Putin 'Cannot Remain In Power'
US President Joe Biden's call for Vladimir Putin to be "removed" from power is setting off alarm bells among US foreign policy experts, who fear that it could escalate tensions even after the Kremlin scales back its war aims in Ukraine, Daily Mail reported.
"For God's sake this man cannot remain in power," Biden had said in a shocking apparent call for regime change in Moscow at the end of a impassioned speech from Poland.
The "unscripted" remark, which the White House scrambled to walk back as the Kremlin expressed fury, came at the end of an otherwise resolute and fiery speech rallying the free world to unite in opposition to "autocracy" and support of Ukraine.
Richard Haass, the Council on Foreign Relations president, tweeted his concerns that Biden had "just expanded US war aims, calling for regime change."
"However desirable it may be, it is not within our power to accomplish-plus runs risk it will increase Putin's inclination to see this as a fight to the finish, raising odds he will reject compromise, escalate, or both," wrote Haass, Daily Mail reported.
"Our interests are to end the war on terms Ukraine can accept & to discourage Russian escalation. Today's call for regime change is inconsistent with these ends," he added.
"The fact that it was so off-script in some ways makes it worse," because it could be read as Biden's genuine belief as opposed to his scripted words, Haas said.
Biden's remark could also diminish Putin's interest in compromise and increase his temptation to escalate in Ukraine, "because if he believes he has everything to lose then he'll believe he has nothing to lose," Haass said.



Mar 27, 2022 17:10 IST
J.K. Rowling hits back at Putin's remark about 'cancel culture'
'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling has clapped back at Russian President Vladimir Putin's remark about 'cancel-culture' of the West, which tries to curb freedom of expression, reports 'Deadline'.
In the past few days, several big western corporations stationed in Russia, have canceled their action plans and big ticket releases in Russia owing to the Putin administration's invasion of Ukraine. In a televised meeting, Putin compared the cancellation of Russian cultural events with the actions of Nazi Germany.
He said, "Today they (the western nations) are trying to cancel a whole thousand-year-old country, our people. I am talking about the progressive discrimination of everything connected to Russia, a trend that is unfolding in a number of Western states and with the full connivance and sometimes the encouragement of the ruling elites. The notorious cancel culture has become a cancellation of culture."



Mar 27, 2022 15:11 IST
Ukraine War Could Lead To Food Riots In Poor Countries: WTO
Rocketing global food prices as a result of the war in Ukraine could trigger riots from those going hungry in poor countries, the head of the World Trade Organization has said.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned food-producing countries against hoarding supplies and said it was vital to avoid a repeat of the Covid-19 pandemic, when rich countries were able to secure for themselves the bulk of vaccines, reports the Guardian.
In an interview with the Guardian, the WTO director general expressed concern about the knock-on effects of Russia's invasion – stressing the dependence of many African countries on food supplies from the Black Sea region.
"I think we should be very worried. The impact on food prices and hunger this year and next could be substantial. Food and energy are the two biggest items in the consumption baskets of poor people all over the world," Okonjo-Iweala said.
(IANS)



Mar 27, 2022 15:10 IST
US Bans Russian Cyber Company Kaspersky, Firm Calls Move Political
The US has put Russian cyber-security firm Kaspersky Labs to the list of entities that pose an "unacceptable risk to US national security".
This is the first time a Russian company has been added to the list, which consists of Chinese tech giants like Huawei and ZTE.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has added Kaspersky to its Covered List, which identifies entities that pose an unacceptable risk to the country's national security.
Specifically, the Commission added three new entities to the list: China Mobile International USA, China Telecom (Americas) and Kaspersky Labs.
Kaspersky said it was disappointed with the FCC decision to prohibit certain telecommunications-related federal subsidies from being used to purchase Kaspersky products and services.
"This decision is not based on any technical assessment of Kaspersky products - that the company continuously advocates for a" but instead is being made on political grounds," the Russian firm said in a statement late on Saturday.
(IANS)
Entities that are on the FCC list are prohibited from receiving support through the agency's Universal Service Fund.



Mar 27, 2022 15:08 IST
No Staff Rotation At Chernobyl For A Week: IAEA
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Ukrainian authorities have informed that there has been no staff rotation at the now-defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to the takeover of the nearby city of Slavutych by Russian forces.
In a statement, the UN nuclear watchdog said it was informed on Saturday that the city, where a large number of the plant's staffers live, was seized by the Russian troops, making it difficult for the workers to regularly rotate and return to their homes.
Slavutych is located outside the Exclusion Zone that was set up around the plant after the 1986 nuclear disaster.
Russian forces took control of site on February 24, the day Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Kiev.
Last week, Ukraine's regulatory authority said that Russian shelling of checkpoints in Slavutych prevented the staffers from travelling to and from the site.
(IANS)



Mar 27, 2022 15:07 IST
12 Journalists Killed In Ukraine Since Beginning Of War
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said that 12 journalists have been killed in the country since Russia began its war on February 24.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Venediktova said besides the 12 victims, there were 10 other journalists who "have received injuries of varying severity", Ukayinska Pravda reported.
According to the Prosecutor General, the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations indicates that the Russians have committed crimes against at least 56 members of the media, 15 of them citizens of other countries.
Of the 15, four are from the UK; two each from the Czech Republic, Denmark, the US, United Arab Emirates; and one from Switzerland.
(IANS)