Three weeks into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russia's defence ministry on Saturday, 19 March, reported the use of hypersonic Kinzhal missiles in Ukraine. Further, 9 people were reported dead after Russian shells hit Zaporizhzhia city's suburbs.
This comes even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for comprehensive peace talks with Moscow.
Meanwhile, in an almost-two-hour-long telephonic conversation with United States President Joe Biden, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said that a war is in no one's interest and that China and US should shoulder international responsibilities.
About 130 people so far have been rescued from the debris of the Mariupol theatre-turned-shelter that was bombed by Russian forces
Speaking at an event marking the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea, Russian President Putin said sanctions will make Russia stronger
Ukrainian army regained control of 30 settlements near Kyiv on Friday
There have been 816 confirmed civilian deaths in the war, according to the UN
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has arrived in Delhi, is likely to discuss the situation in Ukraine with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Used Hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) Missiles in Ivano-Frankivsk: Russia
Russia has said that it had used hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles to destroy a large weapons depot in Ukraine's western Ivano-Frankivsk, Reuters reported.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)
Seven Killed in Makarviv Near Kyiv After Mortar Attack by Russia
Local police in the town of Makarviv near Kyiv have said that at least seven people were killed and five others were injured after a mortar attack by Russian forces.
“As a result of enemy shelling of Makariv, seven civilians were killed,” local police said in a statement, Al Jazeera reported.
Dozens Dead After Shelling of Military Barracks in South Ukraine
Dozens of soldiers were killed after Russian troops struck a Ukrainian military barracks in the southern city of Mykolaiv, witnesses told AFP on Saturday while a rescue operation was underway.
UK Warns of ‘More Extreme’ Russian Actions in Ukraine
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned that the ongoing peace talks to end the Ukraine conflict could be a “smokescreen” for more extreme Russian military manoeuvres.
Stating that she is “very sceptical,” Truss told The Times newspaper in an interview, “What we’ve seen is an attempt to create space for the Russians to regroup. Their invasion isn’t going according to plan. I fear the negotiation is yet another attempt to create a diversion and create a smokescreen. I don’t think we’re yet at a point for negotiation.”
As per British intelligence, Truss shared, Russian President Vladimir Putin could turn to “more and more extreme actions”, adding “we’ve seen appalling atrocities already”, Al Jazeera reported.