Ukrainian Negotiators May Have Been Poisoned, Russia Takes Control of Irpin
Catch all the updates on Russia's invasion of Ukraine here.
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Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators are suspected to have been hit by poisoning, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, 28 March.
Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn claimed on Monday, that Ukrainian forces had seized back control of the town, one of the main hotspots of fighting with Russian troops near Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced in a post on Facebook that the country had no plans to open any humanitarian corridors on Monday, due to concerns about safety.
Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that Russian forces had turned the city of Mariupol "into dust" and described the current humanitarian situation in the city as "catastrophic."
Ukrainian military claims Russia has withdrawn troops that were surrounding Kyiv after suffering significant losses
Russia has confirmed that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators will begin peace talks in Turkey this week
Ukraine's ministry of foreign affairs says Russian forces have turned the besieged city of Mariupol "into dust"
The nuclear research sector in Kharkiv was attacked by Russian forces
Lviv, 40 miles from the Polish border, was targeted with missiles as Biden was speaking in Warsaw
Thousands of people gathered in central London to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine
The Kremlin reissued the threat of nuclear weapons
Russian Forces Reduced Mariupol 'Into Dust'
Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs says Russian forces have turned the besieged city of Mariupol “into dust” while describing the current humanitarian situation in the city as “catastrophic”.
“While Mariupol besieged and bombed, people fight to survive. The humanitarian situation in the city is catastrophic. Russian Armed Forces is turning the city into dust,” the ministry said on Monday.
Russia Withdraws Troops Surrounding Kyiv: Ukraine Military
The Ukrainian military has claimed in its latest operational report that Russia has withdrawn troops that were surrounding Kyiv after suffering significant losses.
The withdrawal has “significantly decreased” the intensity of Russia’s advance and forced some units to regroup in Belarus, the general staff of the armed forces said.
Support for Ukraine at 94th Academy Awards
Ukraine-born actor Mila Kunis made a heartfelt tribute to those affected by Russia's ongoing attack on Ukraine while presenting at the 2022 Academy Awards.
"Recent global events have left many of us feeling gutted," Kunis said before presenting Reba McEntire's performance of Somehow You Do."
"Yet when you witness the strength and dignity of those facing such devastation, it's impossible to not be moved by their resilience. One cannot help but be in awe of those who find strength to keep fighting through unimaginable darkness," she added.
The Oscars had a message of its own following Kunis' remarks, calling for a moment of silence "to show our support for the people of Ukraine currently facing invasion, conflict and prejudice within their own borders."
More stars, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Samuel L Jackson and co-host Amy Schumer showed solidarity with Ukrainian refugees during Sunday's red carpet.
Rail Links Between Russia & EU Close as Allegro Express Reaches Helsinki
After 7 pm on Sunday, the last train headed for the European Union out of Russia – the Allegro express train arriving from St Petersburg – reached Helsinki, marking the closure of rail links between Russia and the EU.
Ukrainian, Russian Negotiators to Begin Peace Talks Today
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators will begin peace talks in Istanbul later on Monday, a senior Turkish official said, without elaborating.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a telephone call on Sunday for Istanbul to host the talks, which Ankara hopes will lead to a ceasefire.
'No Humanitarian Corridor Today': Ukraine Deputy PM
Ukraine deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced in a post on Facebook that the country has no plans to open any humanitarian corridors on Monday due to concerns over safety.
The decision comes amid intelligence reports warning of possible Russian “provocations” along the routes.
'1,60,000 Civilians Trapped in Mariupol': Mayor Vadym Boychenko
Mariupol mayor Vadym Boychenko has informed that Mariupol is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe and must be completely evacuated.
He added that nearly 1,60,000 civilians were trapped in the city without power and though there were 26 buses waiting to evacuate civilians, Russian forces had not agreed to give them safe passage.
‘Carefully Considering Ukraine's Neutrality': Ukraine President Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, 27 March, that his government is "carefully" considering Russia’s demand of Ukrainian neutrality, a key point of contention between the two countries, as negotiators prepare for a fresh round of peace talks.
In an interview with several independent Russian news organisations, he added, "This point of the negotiations is understandable to me and it is being discussed, it is being carefully studied," news agency AFP reported.
Zelenskyy added, "Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go for it. This is the most important point."
A key demand from Putin, even before the country launched its military invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, has been for Ukraine to renounce its intention of eventually joining North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Ukraine Calls for Measures to ‘Demilitarise’ Chernobyl Nuclear Plant
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk has accused Russia of “irresponsible” acts around the occupied Chernobyl power station that could send radiation across much of Europe, and urged the United Nations to dispatch a mission to assess the risks.
Vereshchuk said that Russian forces were “militarising” the exclusion zone around the station.
Russian forces, she said, were transporting large amounts of old and poorly maintained weapons, creating a risk of damaging the containment vessel constructed around the station’s wrecked fourth reactor, Al Jazeera reported.
3.8 Mn Refugees Have Fled Ukraine: UNHCR
The UN's refugee agency UNHCR has said that more than 3.8 million people had fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion of the country.
About 90 percent of the 3,866,224 individuals who had left the country were women and children, the agency added.
Over 2.2 million people have crossed into Poland, while more than half a million have entered Romania, and 3,00,000 refugees have crossed into Moldova and Hungary each.
British Foreign Secretary To Visit India in the Backdrop of War in Ukraine
British Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss will visit India on Thursday, 31 March, against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, to discuss bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar.
'No Proposal Under Consideration of Oil Undertakings With Russia': India
At present, there is no contract or proposal under consideration of oil undertakings in the public sector with Russia or any other country to buy crude oil in Indian Rupees, the Ministry of Petroleum said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Russia's Independent Newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, Pauses Operations
Russia's top independent newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, said that it was suspending its online and print activities until the end of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Novaya Gazeta, which had already removed material from its website on Russia's military action in order to comply with new media law, stated that it had received a second warning from state communications regulator Roskomnadzor on Monday.
The newspaper's editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov was a co-winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize. Muratov announced last week that he was planning to donate his Nobel award to be auctioned to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees.
Displaying 'Z' Symbol in Russia's Support Could Be Criminal Act in Germany
Individuals who display the letter "Z" in Germany to symbolise support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine could be liable for prosecution, news agency Reuters quoted a spokesperson for the country's interior ministry as saying.
The spokesperson said, "The letter Z as such is of course not forbidden, but its use may in individual cases constitute an endorsement of the Russian war of aggression."
After Heineken, Carlsberg Joins in Quitting Russia
Carlsberg will exit the Russian market and take a "substantial" non-cash impairment charge, the Danish brewer said on Monday.
Carlsberg said, "We have taken the difficult and immediate decision to seek full disposal of our business in Russia, which we believe is the right thing to do in the current environment...Upon completion, we will have no presence in Russia."
This comes hours after Dutch brewer Heineken announced that it had decided to pull out of Russia.
Russia Preparing Restrictions on Entry From 'Unfriendly' States: Foreign Min
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the country was preparing restrictions on entry from 'unfriendly' states, AFP reported.
'Ukrainian Forces Have Taken Back Control of Irpin': Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn
Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn claimed that Ukrainian forces had seized back control of the town, one of the main hotspots of fighting with Russian troops near Kyiv.
Markushyn said in a video post on Telegram, "We have good news today – Irpin has been liberated...We understand that there will be more attacks on our town and we will defend it courageously."
'Not a Second of Silence Since Russian Invasion Began': Kharkiv Mayor
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said during a televised briefing that after weeks of Russian shelling, nearly 1,200 apartment buildings in Ukraine’s besieged, northeastern city of Kharkiv, had been destroyed.
He said around 1,177 multi-storey buildings, 53 kindergartens, 69 schools, and 15 hospitals had been levelled by Russian forces.
"Since the war began, there hasn’t been a minute, a second of silence in Kharkiv," he added, before accusing the Russian army of "deliberately targeting residential districts."
US Proposes $6.9 Billion to Aid Ukraine
United States President Joe Biden has proposed $6.9 billion to aid Ukraine against Russia and bolster NATO.
'5,000 People Dead in Mariupol Since Invasion Began'
At least 5,000 people have died in Mariupol since start of the Russian invasion, a Ukraine official told AFP.
Roman Abramovich, Ukrainian Peace Negotiators Poisoned: Report
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators have reportedly been hit by suspected poisoning, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The Chelsea FC owner was reportedly poisoned just weeks ago after a meeting in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv whilst he acted as a a 'peacemaker' in the Russian war in Ukraine.
The billionaire and at least two senior members of the Ukrainian team developed symptoms that included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands, the WSJ reported.
UN Chief Guterres Appeals for Humanitarian Ceasefire
Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said on Monday that he has directed the world body’s aid chief, Martin Griffiths, “to explore with the parties involved” the possibility of a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine.
Speaking at the UN's headquarters in New York, “Since the beginning of the Russian invasion one month ago, the war has led to the senseless loss of thousands of lives, the displacement of 10 million people, mainly women and children, the systematic destruction of essential infrastructure and skyrocketing food and energy prices worldwide – this must stop."
“But let’s be clear, the solution to this humanitarian tragedy is not humanitarian, it is political,” he added.
“I am therefore appealing for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to allow for progress in serious political negotiations aimed at reaching a peace agreement based on the principles of the United Nations charter,” Guterres was quoted as saying.
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