LIVE: 'Enough is enough,' says United Nations chief on Ukraine crisis

Mere idea of nuclear conflict is simply inconceivable, says Antonio Guterres at emergency special session of UN General Assembly

Russia-Ukraine war LIVE updates: In a dramatic escalation of East-West tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces put on high alert in response to what he called "aggressive statements" by leading NATO powers. Sunday's directive to put Russia's nuclear weapons in an increased state of readiness for launch raised fears that the crisis could boil over into nuclear warfare, whether by design or mistake.

The European Union plans to close its airspace to Russian airlines, fund weapons purchase to Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets in its latest response to Russia's invasion, European Commission officials said Sunday. The measures, which Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she expected to be endorsed, would mark the first time the 27-nation bloc finances the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to a country under attack.

Amid the mounting tensions, Ukraine announced that a delegation from the country had agreed to meet with Russian officials for talks. But the Kremlin's ultimate aims in Ukraine and what steps might be enough to satisfy Moscow remained unclear.

Check all the Russia-Ukraine War News Live Updates

10:38 PM

Delhi reports 258 new Covid cases

Delhi reported 258 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of active cases in the city to 1,845. Delhi government said in its health bulletin that the positivity rate is 0.71 per cent.

 

No COVID-19 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. With 499 more recoveries in the last 24 hours, the total COVID-19 recoveries in the national capital have gone up to 18,31,925.

 

The bulletin said 167 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals.

 

A total of 7,563 beneficiaries were vaccinated against the disease in the last 24 hours. Of these, 918 took their first dose and 6,341 their second dose. The bulletin said 1,935 beneficiaries in the 15 to 17 age group were vaccinated in the last 24 hours while 304 precaution doses were also given to the eligible beneficiaries.

10:20 PM

Negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine have ended: Sputnik

Negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine have ended: Sputnik

9:56 PM

Three Assam students from Ukraine arrive in Delhi

Three more students from Assam stranded in war-torn Ukraine arrived in New Delhi on Monday while four others have left for Budapest airport and will board an India-bound flight, an official release said.

 

A total of 13 of at least 124 estimated students from the state in Ukraine have so far arrived in India.

 

The three students arrived in New Delhi at 5:20 pm and they were received by Assam government officials at the airport. The three students -Deepshikha Das, Prayash Sharma, and Avnish Phukan- were pursuing an education in medicine in the war-ravaged country. They will be staying in Assam House in Delhi and their air travel to Guwahati will be arranged accordingly.

9:41 PM

Stocks fall, ruble dives as Russia sanctions hit world markets

The Russian ruble fell to fresh record lows on Monday while world stocks slid and oil prices jumped, as the West ramped up sanctions against Russia over its Ukraine invasion, with steps including blocking banks from the SWIFT global payments system.

 

Russia's central bank hiked its key interest rate to 20% from 9.5% to bolster the ruble and fight inflation. Authorities told export-focused companies to be ready to sell foreign currency as the ruble slid 32% before recouping about half its losses.

 

As an economic crisis loomed in Russia, the fallout of tougher sanctions from the West imposed over the weekend rippled across financial markets, especially in Europe, where the pan-regional STOXX 600 index slid 1.10%.

 

9:34 PM

Action plans were being made by Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO: Russia at UNGA

9:33 PM

Moscow has no plans to occupy Ukraine, Russia's UN envoy says: Sputnik

Moscow has no plans to occupy Ukraine, Russia's UN envoy says: Sputnik

9:33 PM

Air India Express flight to bring back about 182 Indian nationals on Tuesday

Air India Express, the low-cost international budget arm of Air India, has said it is operating a flight to Bucharest in Romania to fly back the Indian evacuees from war-torn Ukraine.

 

Air India Express flight, IX-1201, which departed from the city's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 1.50 pm on Monday, is expected to arrive here with 182 Indian nationals the next day, the airline said in a statement.

 

The flight is expected to reach Romanian capital Bucharest at 6:15 pm (local time), and depart from there for India at 7.15 pm (local time). The flight will have a stopover at Kuwait for refuelling, before arriving at Mumbai airport on Tuesday.

 

Meanwhile, an official advisory stated that Air India Express' evacuation flight from Bucharest is expected to arrive in Mumbai at 6.20 am on Tuesday. It also said that Union Minister for MSME, Narayan Rane will receive the second batch of home-bound Indians on its arrival at the airport here.

9:28 PM

We demand Russia to unconditionally withdraw its forces: Ukraine at UNGA emergency meeting

9:17 PM

PM chairs high level meetings on Ukraine; MEA says 8,000 Indians returned so far

Stepping up its efforts to evacuate thousands of Indians stuck in Ukraine, the government on Monday decided to send four Union ministers to the neighbouring countries of the war-torn country to coordinate the evacuation process even as the external affairs ministry said nearly 8,000 nationals have returned in the last fortnight.

 

The decision to send Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and V K Singh as "special envoys" of India to coordinate the evacuation process was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also held another high-level meeting in the evening on Ukraine, government sources said.

 

Official sources said Modi spoke to all four ministers personally to convey the decision that they will be coordinating evacuation efforts on the ground from the countries in Ukraine's neighbourhood.

9:11 PM

Ukraine solution possible only if Russia's security interests are considered: Putin tells Macron

9:10 PM

Over 177.67 crore vaccine doses administered in India till now

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India has crossed 177.67 crore on Monday, the Union Health Ministry said. More than 15 lakh vaccine doses have been administered till on Monday 7 pm. Over 2 crore precaution doses have been given to healthcare and frontline workers and comorbid people aged 60 and above.

 

The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night. The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Inoculation of frontline workers started from February 2.

9:09 PM

Ukraine crisis: UNGA President Shahid calls for immediate ceasefire, full return to diplomacy, dialogue

Russia's military offensive is a violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid said on Monday as he called for an immediate ceasefire and full return to diplomacy and dialogue.

 

Shahid, presiding over a rare emergency special session of the 193-member UN body on Ukraine, voiced grave concern about the fast-deteriorating situation and ongoing military action in Ukraine.

 

"The military offensive by the Russian Federation is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and is inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations. Today, I renew my call for an immediate ceasefire; for all parties to exercise maximum restraint; and for a full return to diplomacy and dialogue, Shahid, President of the 76th session of the UNGA, said.

 

As Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko hosted the first face-to-face talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegation since Russia's special military operation in eastern Ukraine, Shahid said this rare window of opportunity has opened up for dialogue. Let's use this opportunity to meaningfully and rapidly de-escalate the situation.

9:02 PM

UN chief speaks at special UNGA session

"Enough is enough. Soldiers need to move back to their barracks," says Antonio Guterres.

 

Russian nuclear forces being put on high alert is a chilling development, says Guterres.

 

We are facing a major regional crisis with potentially disastrous implications for us all, says UN chief.

 

8:42 PM

At least 44 injured in city of Kharkiv

Ukrainian authorities say at least 44 people have been wounded in fighting in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, and that seven of them died in hospitals.

 

It wasn't clear if the casualties, which covered the past 24 hours, were all civilians. The state emergencies agency said the casualties could be higher because the damage from Monday's shelling of residential areas is still being assessed.

 

Ukrainian social networks featured videos showing residential quarters hit by a series of powerful explosions amid fighting with Russian forces.

 

The Russian military has consistently denied targeting residential areas despite abundant evidence of shelling of residential buildings, schools and hospitals.

8:35 PM

Covid-19: Delhi reports 258 new cases, 499 recoveries