Russia-Ukraine: In a First, Moscow and Kyiv Exchange Prisoners of War
Catch all the live updates on the Russian war on Ukraine here.
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Tatyana Moskalkova, the human rights commissioner in Russia, said on Tuesday, 22 March, that Moscow and Kyiv had exchanged the first prisoners of war amid the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, the Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Russia-Ukraine conflict will resume on 23 March, said Abdulla Shahid, the president of the 193-member body on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian military on Tuesday said that the invading Russian forces are holding the land corridor with Crimea and are blocking Ukrainian access to the Sea of Azov, while the city of Sumy is also partially blocked.
US President Joe Biden on Monday called India "somewhat shaky" on the Western sanctions punishing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Biden has said that there are clear signs that Russia is considering using biological weapons against Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday called for direct talks "in any format" with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy said that NATO should announce whether it will assimilate Ukraine as a member or if it was afraid of Russia
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'Clear Sign Putin Is Considering Using Biological Weapons': US Prez Biden
US President Joe Biden on Monday said that there are clear signs that Russia is considering using biological and chemical weapons against Ukraine.
"They are also suggesting that Ukraine has biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine. That’s a clear sign he (Putin) is considering using both of those,” Biden was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Russian Forces Blocking Sea of Azov, Sumy: Ukraine
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces are holding the land corridor with Crimea and are blocking Ukrainian access to the Sea of Azov. The city of Sumy is also partially blocked while artillery shelling continues on the city of Kharkiv.
"Hostile aviation continues to destroy infrastructure objects in Ukraine in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts with rocket-bomb strikes," it said in a statement on Tuesday.
Zelenskyy Calls for Direct Talks With Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday again called for direct talks "in any format" with his Russian counterpart.
"Ukraine cannot fulfil Russian ultimatums. We should be destroyed first,” he stated.
India 'Somewhat Shaky' on Western Sanctions on Russia: US Prez Biden
United States President Joe Biden on Monday called India "somewhat shaky" on the Western sanctions punishing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The Quad is, with the possible exception of India being somewhat shaky on some of this, but Japan has been extremely strong so has Australia in terms of dealing with Putin's aggression," he was quoted as saying.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, colloquially the Quad or QUAD, is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and United States.
'NATO Should Openly Say It's Afraid of Russia': Ukrainian Prez Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should announce whether it will assimilate war-torn Ukraine as a member or if it was afraid of Russia.
"NATO should either say now that they are accepting us, or openly say they are not accepting us because they are afraid of Russia – which is true," Zelenskyy said in an interview to Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster.
UNGA Emergency Session on Ukraine to Resume on 23 March
The Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Russia-Ukraine conflict will resume on 23 March.
This comes after 22 member nations, including the United States, Britain and France, urged Abdulla Shahid, the president of the 193-member body, to convene the meeting.
'Too Early to Discuss Talks Between Putin and Zelenskyy'
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it was too early to discuss a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as there was no breakthrough yet in the peace talks over the ongoing conflict.
Russia Conducted 300 Sorties Over Ukraine in a Single Day
Russia completed 300 combat mission sorties over Ukraine in the last 24 hours, The Kyiv Independent reported.
A senior US official said, however, that while the frequency of military aircraft sorties by Russia had increased, the country had still not achieved aerial supremacy, the report stated.
US Prez Biden Warns Companies of Cyberattacks From Russia
US President Joe Biden warned US companies that Russia could launch cyberattacks against them amid sanctions on Moscow.
The government had issued "new warnings that, based on evolving intelligence, Russia may be planning a cyberattack against us... The magnitude of Russia's cyber capacity is fairly consequential, and it's coming," AP reported Biden as saying.
Zelenskyy to Address Japanese Parliament
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be addressing the Japanese Parliament virtually on Wednesday, 23 March, to rally international support in favour of his country against Russia, AP reported.
WWII Holocaust Survivor Killed in Kharkiv
Last week, Boris Romanchenko, a 96-year-old Holocaust survivor, was killed after being caught in the middle of shelling in his flat in the war-ravaged Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Reuters reported.
"It is with horror that we report the violent death of Boris Romanchenko in the war in Ukraine," the memorial for the Buchenwald survivors said in a statement on Monday.
In a First, Russia and Ukraine Exchange POWs
Tatyana Moskalkova, the human rights commissioner in Russia, said that Moscow and Kyiv had exchanged the first prisoners of war amid the ongoing conflict.
"The first exchange happened. We returned nine of our boys," she said in an interview with RT, and confirmed that Russian servicemen were exchanged for the mayor of Melitopol.
Russian Forces Forced Out of Kyiv Suburb
The Ukrainian Army said that it had forced Russian forces out of a suburb in the capital city Kyiv after a tense battle.
The country's Defence Ministry stated that this would prevent the Russians from surrounding the capital from the northwest.
Drugmaker Novartis Suspends Investment in Russia
Swiss drugmaker Novartis said on Tuesday that it was suspending capital investments, media advertising and other promotional activities in Russia, but remained committed to providing access to its medicine there, Reuters reported.
No New Agreement Announced on Corridors to Evacuate Civilians
Ukraine said on Tuesday that its efforts to evacuate civilians from besieged towns and cities were focused on the city of Mariupol, but did not announce any new agreement with Russia to allow safe passage for trapped civilians, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian Forces Recapture Kyiv Suburb
Ukrainian forces said they retook a strategically important suburb of the capital city Kyiv on Tuesday, while Russia's attacks on the southern port city of Mariupol raged unabated, reported AP.
PM Modi, Australian PM Morrison Call For 'Cessation of Hostilities' in Joint Statement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison expressed concern over the Russia-Ukraine conflict during their virtual summit on Monday, and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between the two countries, a joint statement put out by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated on Tuesday.
At the summit, Australian PM Morrison said that Russia must be held accountable for the loss of lives in Ukraine and care must be taken to ensure that such "terrible events" never occur in the Indo-Pacific region, PTI reported.
3.5 Million People Have Fled Ukraine Since Invasion
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that more than 3.5 million people had fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, passing another grim milestone in an exodus that has led to Europe’s worst refugee crisis since the Second World War.
The UN refugee agency reported that 3.53 million people had left Ukraine, with Poland taking in the lion’s share of 2.1 million, followed by Romania with more than 540,000, and Moldova with more than 367,000.
8 People Killed in Russian Shelling on Kyiv Shopping Mall
At least eight people were killed in Russian shelling on the Retroville shopping mall on Monday in Ukraine's capital Kyiv.
Russia claims it hit the building because it was being used to store rockets. The before and after pictures of the mall show the destruction caused by Russian shelling in the capital, that have been on for four weeks.
'500,000 Ukrainian Refugees Suffering From Mental Health Problems'
About half a million refugees from Ukraine who have fled to Poland need support for mental health disorders, and 30,000 have severe mental health problems, a representative of the World Health Organisation in Poland said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Want More 'Active & Substantial' Talks on Ukraine: Kremlin
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday said it would like more 'active and substantial' talks with Ukraine aimed at ending Russia's military action in the country.
"There is some kind of process happening. We would like more active and substantial (talks)," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
PM Modi, UK PM Boris Johnson Discuss Ukraine Situation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK PM Boris Johnson discussed the situation in Ukraine over a phone call on Tuesday, the Prime Minister's Office informed.
"PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent appeal for cessation of hostilities & a return to dialogue & diplomacy," the PMO said. He also "emphasized India's belief in respect for international law & territorial integrity of all states," the PMO added.
PM Modi also conveyed his desire to welcome PM Johnson in India at an early date.
The two leaders also discussed issues of bilateral interests in various areas.
"PM Modi appreciated the progress in implementing 'India-UK Roadmap 2030' adopted during Virtual Summit last year," the PMO said.
Two 'Super Powerful Bombs' Hit the Port City of Mariupol
Two "super powerful bombs" hit the port city of Mariupol on Tuesday even as rescue efforts were ongoing, the Mariupol local authorities informed, reported AFP.
However, they did give an immediate count of fatalities.
"It is clear that the occupiers are not interested in the city of Mariupol, they want to raze it to the ground, to reduce it to ashes," the authorities said.
More than 200,000 people are said to be trapped in the city.
Russian Journalist Blasts Propaganda Broadcast by Pro-Kremlin Media
A Russian journalist, who was a senior foreign correspondent for state-run television but quit after the country's invasion of Ukraine, on Tuesday criticised the propaganda broadcast by the pro-Kremlin media.
Zhanna Agalakova, who worked as a correspondent from New York and Paris, spoke during a news conference in Paris organised by press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and said "she could no longer be involved in the lies and manipulation of Russian state TV", AFP reported.
"I want the people of Russia to hear me and learn what propaganda is and stop being zombified," she said.