LIVE: Ukraine officials come under shelling attack on front

Live updates: India's Covid-19 tally climbed to 42,802,505 on Saturday as 22,270 more people tested positive for the viral disease, while the active cases came down to 253,739, according to Union health ministry data. The death toll reached 511,230 with 325 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.59 per cent of the total infections. The national Covid-19 recovery rate has further improved to 98.21 per cent, the ministry said.

 While there is consensus on the Omicron’s mild nature and lesser hospitalisations, public health experts said going, forward vaccination is our best defence and booster doses for the vulnerable need to be speeded up.
 

VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog on Friday advised all the citizens not to lower the guard against the Covid-19 pandemic as the current surge has settled and added that the government has invited other vaccine manufacturers to collaborate with scientists and develop vaccines in the country. 

8:51 PM

Ukraine officials come under shelling attack on front

Top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

 

The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area. A journalist from The Associated Press was on the tour.

 

Earlier Saturday, separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization Saturday amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.

8:43 PM

Germany urges nationals to leave Ukraine

Germany's foreign ministry on Saturday told German nationals to leave Ukraine now, as tensions between Russia and Ukraine increased further.

 

"German nationals are urged to leave the country now," the ministry said in a statement. "A military confrontation is possible at any time."

 

Other countries including Britain and the United States have also asked their nationals to depart immediately.

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5:12 PM

Russia launches hypersonic missiles as part of nuclear drills

Russia hit sea and land-based targets with ballistic and cruise missiles on Saturday as part of strategic nuclear exercises overseen by President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, the Kremlin said.

 

The annual exercises featured launches of Kinzhal and Tsirkon hypersonic missiles and a number of other weapons, the Kremlin said in a statement.

4:55 PM

US VP Harris warns Russia of huge financial costs if it invades Ukraine

The United States, together with its allies, will impose significant and unprecedented economic costs on Russia if it further invades Ukraine, Vice President Kamala Harris said on Saturday.

 

National borders should not be changed by force, she said.

 

"We have prepared economic measures that will be swift, severe, and united," Harris said. "We will target Russia's financial institutions and key industries." The United States will not stop with economic measures, but will further reinforce the eastern flank of NATO, Harris said at the Munich Security Conference, which she attended in person.

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3:50 PM

Scholz says Russian attack on Ukraine would be 'serious mistake'

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that a Russian attack on Ukraine would be a "serious mistake" with high "political, economic and geostrategic costs".

 

There was no justification for some 100,000 soldiers massing on Ukraine's borders, he told the Munich Security Conference in a livestreamed speech.

 

"Russia has made the issue of Ukraine's possible NATO membership a casus belli, which is a paradox because here is no decision on this on the agenda," he said.

 

The West was nonetheless ready to negotiate over Russia's security demands "without being naive". "We will differentiate clearly between untenable demands and legitimate security interests," he added.