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LIVE Russia-Ukraine crisis: No breakthrough in talks as Russian forces advance on Kyiv
U.S. calls on Russia to allow civilians to safely depart Ukrainian cities
This video grab from a handout footage taken and released by the the National Police of Ukraine on March 9, 2022, shows damaged buildings of a children's hospital, destroyed cars and debris on ground following a Russian air strike in the southeastern city of Mariupol. Photo: AFP
An air strike hit a Mariupol children's hospital on Wednesday, Ukraine said, blaming Russia for breaking a ceasefire at the southern port as Ukrainians elsewhere fled the fighting through safe corridors. Local authorities say the hospital was hit several times, causing "colossal" destruction, and that 17 people were wounded.
A Kremlin spokesman said: "Russian forces do not fire on civilian targets" and blamed Ukraine for the failure of a planned evacuation from Mariupol.
Around 35,000 people were evacuated through humanitarian corridors from three cities on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Another six escape routes are planned for Thursday, according to Zelenskiy.
Over 2 million people have fled Ukraine since the incursion began two weeks ago, the UN said.
Here's the latest of all top developments on March 10
11:58pm: U.S. calls on Russia to allow civilians to safely depart Ukrainian cities
The U.S. State Department on Thursday called on the Russian government to allow civilians to safely depart Ukrainian cities and towns besieged by Russian forces, adding the forces now encircle multiple cities after having destroyed much of the critical infrastructure.
“Putin’s military plan to quickly capture Ukraine, it is clear now has failed. So he’s now turning to a strategy of laying waste to population centers to try to break the will of the people of Ukraine, something he will not be able to do,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.
11:55pm: Residents in Ukraine’s Mariupol fighting for food
In this video grab from a handout footage taken and released by the the National Police of Ukraine on March 9, 2022, people are helped out of a damaged building of a children's hospital following a Russian air strike in the southeastern city of Mariupol. Photo: AFP
Mariupol residents have become so desperate that some have fought each other for food during Russia’s siege of the Ukrainian city, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday.
“People started to attack each other for food. People started to ruin someone’s car to take the gasoline out,” said Mariupol-based ICRC representative Sasha Volkov in an audio recording.
“Many have no water at all for drinking. All the shops and pharmacies were looted four to five days ago.
“Some people still have food but I’m not sure for how long it will last. Many people report having no food for children.”
11:25pm: Moscow says to open daily humanitarian corridors
Moscow said Thursday that it will open daily humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians fleeing fighting in Ukraine to Russian territory, despite Kyiv insisting that no evacuation routes should lead to Russia.
“Humanitarian corridors towards the Russian Federation will now be opened, without any agreements, every day from 10:00 am,” defence ministry official Mikhail Mizintsev was quoted as saying by Russian agencies. He said evacuation routes in other directions would proceed “in agreement with the Ukrainian side”.
“We ask the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations to work closely with Ukrainian authorities on the ground to inform the population about this Russian imitative,” he said.
10:12pm: No breakthrough in Ukraine talks as Russian forces advance on Kyiv
Residents evacuate the city of Irpin, north of Kyiv, on March 10, 2022. Photo: AFP
Russia and Ukraine failed to make a breakthrough Thursday in their first top-level talks since Moscow’s invasion two weeks ago, as Russian advances sparked fears the Ukrainian capital Kyiv could soon be encircled.
After talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Turkey, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said there had been “no progress”, even on a 24-hour ceasefire, although Lavrov said Moscow would keep talking.
Russian forces were encircling at least four major cities in Ukraine on Thursday, with armoured vehicles rolling up to the northeastern edge of the capital Kyiv.
8:20pm: Putin has chosen to ‘specifically target civilians,’ says Canada’s Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a choice to “specifically target civilians” and any further targeting of civilians in Ukraine is going to be met with the “severest of responses.”
Putin’s callous disregard for human life is absolutely unacceptable. It is very clear that he has made the choice to specifically target civilians now
7:20pm: Putin warns sanctions could send global food prices soaring
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday Western sanctions on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine could send global food prices soaring, as Russia was one of the world’s main producers of fertiliser, which is essential to global supply chains.
Russia and Belarus are some of the biggest suppliers of mineral fertilisers. If they continue to create problems for the financing and logistics of the delivery of our goods, then prices will rise and this will affect the final product, food products
7:09pm: War has destroyed $100 bn in Ukraine assets so far
The Russian invasion has so far destroyed about $100 billion in roads, bridges and businesses in Ukraine, dealing a huge hit to its economy, a Kyiv government official said Thursday.
“Currently around 50 percent of our businesses are not operating, and those which are still operating are not operating at 100 percent,” said Oleg Ustenko, chief economic advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The situation in terms of economic growth, is going to be really very depressing, even if the war immediately stops.”
4.53pm: Half of Kyiv population has left, says mayor
AFP
The mayor of Ukraine’s capital says about 2 million people have left the city.
That’s about half the residents of the metro area. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko says the city has now turned into a fortress.
4.42pm: Harris calls for international war crimes investigation
US Vice-President Kamala Harris has called for international war crimes investigation of Russia over Ukraine attacks, bombing of civilians.
4.07pm: Turkey says Lavrov-Kuleba meeting was civil despite all difficulties
The meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers in Turkey on Thursday was civil despite all the difficulties and the most important outcome of the talks was establishing contact, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.
Speaking at a news conference after the meeting between Dmytro Kuleba and Sergei Lavrov, which Cavusoglu also attended, he said there was a need for both a humanitarian corridor from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol and for a sustainable ceasefire.
3.37pm: Putin discusses Ukraine with Macron and Scholz
Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the situation in Ukraine in a phone call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying on Thursday.
3.19pm: Lukashenko to meet Putin on Friday
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko is to visit Moscow on March 11 to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the state-run Belarusian news agency Belta reported on Thursday.
Lukashenko and Putin will discuss bilateral relations, economic cooperation under sanctions, and the situation in the region and Ukraine, Belta reported.
2.59pm: Putin would not refuse meeting with Zelensky, says Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that President Vladimir Putin would not refuse a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy to discuss “specific” issues.
Lavrov gave the comments at a news conference after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Turkey.
2.14pm: Ukraine, Russia make ‘no progress’ on ceasefire at Turkey talks
Ukraine and Russia made no progress towards agreeing a ceasefire after the Russian military operation at tense talks in Turkey, the Ukrainian foreign minister said on Thursday.
“We also talked on the ceasefire but no progress was accomplished on that."
After his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Antalya, Kuleba described the meeting as “difficult” and accused his counterpart of bringing “traditional narratives” to the table.
1.26pm: UK sanctions Russians, including Abramovich
Reuters file
Britain has imposed a travel ban and asset freezes on seven more wealthy Russians, including Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Premier League soccer club Chelsea.
The government said Thursday that Abramovich’s assets are frozen, he is banned from visiting the UK and he is barred from transactions with UK individuals and businesses.
Abramovich said last week he was trying to sell Chelsea as the threat of sanctions loomed.
1.22pm: Kremlin to ask military for information on Ukraine hospital strike
The Kremlin said Thursday it would approach the Russian military for details of a strike on a hospital in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky called a “war crime”.
“We will certainly ask our military about this, since we don’t have clear information about what happened there. Without fail, the military will provide some kind of information."
1.03pm: Top Russia, Ukraine diplomats begin talks in Turkey
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday began talks in Turkey in the first such high-level contact since Moscow attacked its neighbour, officials from both sides and their hosts said.
The ministers began talks on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in the southern Turkish resort of Antalya, joined by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, a Turkish official told AFP in comments confirmed by the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministries. Turkey has for weeks pushed to play a mediation role in the conflict.
12.58pm: 700 evacuate Russia-occupied towns near Kyiv
AFP
Hundreds of Ukrainians living in towns occupied by Russian troops on the outskirts of Kyiv fled Wednesday.
Streams of cars — some fixed with white flags — filed down the road, joined by lines of yellow buses marked with red crosses.
The Interior Ministry said about 700 people were evacuated from Vorzel and Irpin. People from three other Kyiv suburbs were unable to leave. Some who managed to get out said they hadn’t eaten in days.
12.26pm: Ukrainian no-fly zone would end war quicker, says Polish ambassador
Imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine would help bring the conflict there to a faster conclusion and save lives, the Polish ambassador to Kyiv said on Thursday, as Russia continued a bombardment of several cities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pleading for Nato to impose a no-fly zone, but the alliance is wary of any step that might draw it into direct conflict with Russia.
“Every day of delay costs hundreds of human lives. This is an extension of the conflict that could be ended much faster precisely thanks to the closure of the airspace.”
12.10pm: Sony, Nintendo halt gaming shipments to Russia
Sony Group Corp's game division and Nintendo Co Ltd said they have suspended shipments of software and hardware to Russia following the attacks on Ukraine.
Sony Interactive Entertainment, which makes the PlayStation 5 console, said it has suspended the launch of racing game "Gran Turismo 7" and operations of the PlayStation Store in Russia.
12pm: Zelensky talks corridors with von der Leyen
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed humanitarian corridors and other issues with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday.
Zelensky tweeted that they agreed on “the need to ensure effective humanitarian corridors for civilians” during the call.
11.50am: Ukraine says opening seven ‘humanitarian corridors’
A woman carries her child as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on March 7, 2022. —AFP
Ukraine is opening seven “humanitarian corridors” on Thursday for civilians to leave cities besieged by Russian forces, including the southern port of Mariupol, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
Evacuees have already started leaving the northeastern city of Sumy under a local ceasefire, the regional governor said.
11.43am: Civilians start leaving Ukrainian city of Sumy for third day
Civilians started leaving the Ukrainian city of Sumy through a “humanitarian corridor” on Thursday following an agreement on a local ceasefire, the regional governor said.
Several thousand people have left the besieged city this week under agreements with Russia, which attacked Ukraine on February 24. People were also leaving the nearby settlements of Krasnopillya and Trostyanets, Governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyy said.
“The (evacuation) columns are leaving. The ceasefire has been agreed!” he said.
11.35am: Putin ally Chemezov says Russia will be the victor
Sergei Chemezov, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said that the military operation in Ukraine had prevented an attack on Russia, which would emerge victorious from the sanctions imposed by the West.
“It won’t be a simple life. The sanctions are rather serious. But if you glance at Russia’s history, Russia has all its history battled with different sanctions, enemies which encircled it, and it always came out as the victor. This will happen now.”
11.20am: WHO cites attacks on health workers in Ukraine
Parents accompany children and teenagers as they board a train after leaving Kyiv's Central Children's Hospital following its evacuation in Kyiv, on March 7, 2022. —AFP
The World Health Organisation says it has documented 18 attacks on health facilities, workers and ambulances since the Russian attacks on Ukraine began.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN health agency has delivered 81 metric tons of supplies to Ukraine and is now establishing a pipeline to send further equipment. To date, Tedros said WHO had sent enough surgical supplies to treat 150 trauma patients and other supplies for a range of health conditions to treat 45,000 people.
10.29am: Russia says claim that it bombed a children's hospital are 'fake news'
Russia said on Thursday a Ukrainian claim that it bombed a children's hospital in Mariupol was "fake news" because the building was a former maternity hospital that had long been taken over by troops.
"That’s how fake news is born," Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's first deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Twitter.
Polyanskiy said Russia had warned on March 7 that the hospital had been turned into a military object from which Ukrainians were firing.
9am: Top Russian, Ukrainian diplomats meet for first time since crisis
Foreign ministers from Russia and Ukraine will meet in Turkey on Thursday in the first high-level talks between the two countries since Moscow attacked its neighbour, with Ankara hoping they could mark a turning point in the raging conflict.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has tempered expectations for a ceasefire agreement or other results from the meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum in Turkey's southern province of Antalya.
7.00am: US House passes Ukraine aid, govt funding measure
A majority of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to approve a $1.5 trillion bill that would provide $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine and fund the federal government through September 30.
The vote was still under way. If approved by the House, the sweeping legislation would move on to the Senate.
6.40am: IMF approves $1.4 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine
The International Monetary Fund's executive board on Wednesday approved $1.4 billion in emergency financing for Ukraine to help meet urgent spending needs and mitigate the economic impact of Russia's military operation, the IMF said.
"The Russian military attack on Ukraine has been responsible for a massive humanitarian and economic crisis," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement after the meeting, predicting a deep recession in Ukraine this year.
6.30am: 'Around 35,000 Ukrainians evacuated on Wednesday, more corridors planned'
Around 35,000 Ukrainians were evacuated through humanitarian corridors from three cities on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, adding authorities planned to open another six escape routes on Thursday.
Zelenskiy said in a televised address that rescue efforts would focus on Mariupol and Izyum, which have both been heavily bombarded.
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