On day 11 of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, long-term partners Lesia Ivashchenko and Valerii Filimonov married at a checkpoint in Kyiv on 6 March. The couple, both members of Ukraine's territorial defence unit, decided to forgo formal wear and don their uniforms instead
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Ukraine war: what we know on day 12 of the Russian invasion
A family has been killed while trying to flee the town of Irpin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy has vowed to punish Russian forces for the attack
Continue reading...Ukraine’s Zelenskiy vows revenge on Russian forces after fleeing family killed in shelling of Irpin
Attack on civilians in town on the outskirts of Kyiv comes as vast numbers of Ukrainian civilians attempt to flee cities under bombardment
Volodymr Zelenskiy has vowed to punish “every bastard’” who committed atrocities during the invasion of Ukraine amid outrage at Russia’s shelling of civilians as they tried to flee a town on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing a young family.
The president of Ukraine said in a video address on Sunday night: “They were just trying to get out of town. To escape. The whole family. How many such families have died in Ukraine. We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war.”
Continue reading...‘We will find every bastard’: Zelenskiy condemns Russian killings of Ukraine civilians – video
In his latest address Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on the west to do more as he spoke of the destruction across Ukraine and the suffering faced by his people. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he said. 'We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war on our land.'
In Irpin, a town about 25km (16 miles) north-west of the capital of Kyiv, men, women and children trying to escape heavy fighting in the area were forced to take cover when missiles struck nearby, according to witnesses
Russian gymnast with ‘Z’ symbol on podium next to Ukrainian faces long ban
- Gymnastics’ governing body condemns Ivan Kuliak’s conduct
- Letter seen to symbolise support for the invasion of Ukraine
Gymnastics’ governing body has condemned the “shocking behaviour” of the Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, who now faces a lengthy ban for wearing a symbol in support of the invasion of Ukraine on the medal podium of a World Cup event.
After winning bronze in the parallel bars final at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha, Kuliak taped the letter “Z” to the front of his outfit before standing next to the gold medallist, Illia Kovtun of Ukraine, for the national anthems.
Continue reading...‘Impossible’: Bolshoi music director quits over calls to denounce Ukraine invasion
Tugan Sokhiev resigns without stating his position, saying he could not choose between ‘my beloved Russian and beloved French musicians’
The Bolshoi Theatre’s music director and principal conductor Tugan Sokhiev announced his resignation Sunday, saying he felt under pressure due to calls to take a position on the Ukraine conflict.
The Russian said in a statement he was resigning “with immediate effect” from his post at the Moscow theatre, as well as his equivalent position at France’s Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse.
Continue reading...Denmark to hold referendum on scrapping EU defence opt-out
PM urges voters to overturn existing policy in June and pledges boost to defence spending following Russian invasion of Ukraine
Denmark’s prime minister has called for the country’s citizens to overturn the country’s opt-out from EU defence policy in a referendum to be held on 1 June, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Historic times call for historic decisions,” Mette Frederiksen told a news conference on Sunday, adding that the government “very clearly calls on Danes to lift the opt-out on defence”.
Continue reading...Blinken vows to escalate sanctions on Russia but warns war could last ‘some time’
Speaking from Moldova, US secretary of state warns Russia holds military advantage that western allies are finding hard to counter
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a pledge on Sunday to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions and provide more aid to Ukraine, but warned that Russia held a military advantage that western allies are finding hard to counter and the war was set to last “some time”.
“Vladimir Putin has, unfortunately, the capacity with the sheer manpower he has in Ukraine and overmatch he has, the ability to keep grinding things down against incredibly resilient and courageous Ukrainians. I think we have to be prepared for this to last for some time,” Blinken told CNN.
Continue reading...Ukraine: footage appears to show Vinnytsia airport on fire – video
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said Russian rockets had completely destroyed the civilian airport in central Ukraine on Sunday. Footage appears to show columns of smoke and fire billowing from the airport
Continue reading...Iran nuclear talks rocked by Russian demand for sanctions exemption
Moscow seeks guarantees regarding trade with Iran that would undermine west’s response to Ukraine invasion
Russia has been accused of trying to take the Iran nuclear deal hostage as part of its wider battle with the west over Ukraine, after it threw a last-minute spanner into plans for an agreement to lift a swathe of US economic sanctions on Tehran.
After months of negotiations in Vienna, a revised deal was expected to be reached within days under which US sanctions would be lifted in return for Tehran returning to full compliance with the 2015 nuclear nonproliferation deal.
Continue reading...US officials fly to Venezuela for talks in apparent bid to further isolate Russia
Experts believe rare meeting with Moscow ally could signal significant shift in US policy towards Caracas
Senior US officials have flown to Venezuela for rare talks with Nicolás Maduro’s government in an apparent bid to prise the South American country away from its Russian backers after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
White House and state department negotiators met Maduro representatives in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Saturday in what was the first such encounter in years.
Continue reading...Pope says invasion of Ukraine is ‘not just a military operation but a war’ – video
In his weekly address to crowds gathered in St Peter’s Square, Rome, the pontiff rejected Russia’s assertion that it is carrying out a 'a special military operation'. 'In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not only a military operation but a war which is leading to death, destruction and misery,' Pope Francis said
Continue reading...‘Do not be silent’: Zelenskiy urges Russians to protest against Ukraine invasion – video
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has appealed for Russians to challenge their government and voice opposition to the invasion of Ukraine. 'If you keep silent now, only your poverty will speak for you later. And only repression will answer,' he warned.
Russians face an uncertain and isolated future after international sanctions plunged the economy into crisis and authorities cracked down on independent media and restricted access to Facebook and other social media sites.
Continue reading...Journalists and residents run from shelling in Irpin, Ukraine – video
Explosions can be heard as journalists and Ukrainians are filmed amid heavy shelling in town of Irpin, near Kyiv. The Ukrianian military helped residents escape as Russian troops advanced towards the capital
Continue reading...Clear picture of war in Ukraine clouded by large areas of unknowns
Analysis: lack of reliable information has made it hard to assess the Russian military’s successes and failures
In conflict, where information is everything, what is striking about the war in Ukraine is not what is known but the very large areas of unknowns.
And even as commentators have picked over and analysed everything that is known about the Russian military’s operations and performance in Ukraine in an effort to predict the trajectory of the conflict, it’s what is poorly understood that may yet be more significant still.
Continue reading...Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine and Russia blame each other as Mariupol evacuation fails again – live
Hopes of establishing a humanitarian corridor out of besieged city of Mariupol dashed for second day running
- Russia-Ukraine war: what we know on day 11 of the Russian invasion
- Defiant Putin warns the west: your sanctions are akin to an act of war
- Evacuation of Mariupol postponed as Russia fails to respect ceasefire
- Visa and Mastercard will both suspend operations in Russia
- Ukraine claims footage shows them shooting down Russian helicopter
The Ukrainian military is reporting that Russia has suffered losses of more than 11,000 military personnel since the invasion began.
A total of 285 Russian tanks and 985 armoured combat vehicles were also reported to have been destroyed as well as 109 artillery systems, 44 aircraft and 48 helicopters, according to a report by the general staff of the armed forces of Ukraine and published to the website of the Ukrainian ministry of defence.
The scale and strength of Ukrainian resistance continue to surprise Russia.
[Russia] has responded by targeting populated areas in multiple locations, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol.
Continue reading...Defeating Putin in Ukraine may take years, says Dominic Raab
Deputy PM says Nato will need ‘strategic stamina’ as Starmer accuses ministers of moving too slowly on sanctions
It may take years for Vladimir Putin to be defeated in his conquest of Ukraine, Britain’s deputy prime minister has admitted, as Labour accused the government of moving too slowly over sanctions.
Dominic Raab said people who thought the crisis could be resolved in days were “deluding themselves” and that Nato would need to “show some strategic stamina” in its bid to force the Russian army to retreat.
Continue reading...Nervous residents of Mariupol prepare to leave during second ceasefire
Hundreds of thousands hope to flee city in south-east Ukraine despite Russia allegedly breaking last ceasefire
More than 430,000 people trapped in the port city of Mariupol by encircling Russian forces are nervously preparing to evacuate after a ceasefire was announced, a day after a similar plan fell apart amid accusations that Moscow had failed to respect the agreement.
Local authorities in the south-eastern Ukrainian city said an evacuation supervised by the Red Cross would begin at noon local time (10am GMT) during a nine-hour cessation in Russian attacks.
Continue reading...Social media turn on Putin, the past master
Disinformation and fake accounts were used against the west for years – now the Kremlin is under attack
One of the wildest aspects of the first Great Information War is not just that you can follow Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in real time, minute by minute and step by step, but you can also join in.
Because in 2022, information is power. And one of the many huge unexpected geopolitical shifts of the last week is that this power has been returned to the people.
Continue reading...MPs seeking ‘fast-track’ freeze on oligarchs’ assets before formal sanctions
Amendment to the economic crime bill comes after criticism that UK has been slower to act than US or EU
Russian oligarchs suspected of having links to Vladimir Putin could have their UK assets seized even before the British authorities have completed formal steps to impose sanctions, under far-reaching plans tabled for debate in parliament on Monday.
The move – put forward in an amendment to the economic crime bill by former Tory cabinet minister David Davis and backed by a cross-party group of MPs – would, if passed, amount to the toughest action yet to clamp down on illicit Russian cash in the UK.
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