Live news: 35 die in Russia air strike on Ukraine military base near Poland

Live news updates: Troops launch missile attack on a large Ukrainian military facility near the Polish border.

9:08 AM

Vladimir Putin discusses Ukraine crisis over phone with Macron, Scholz

8:40 AM

Russia trying to create new 'pseudo-republics' in Ukraine: Zelenskyy

Russia is trying to create new “pseudo-republics” in Ukraine to break his country apart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address to the nation Saturday. Zelenskyy called on Ukraine's regions, including Kherson, which was captured by Russian forces, not to repeat the experience of Donetsk and Luhansk. Pro-Russian separatists began fighting Ukrainian forces in those eastern regions in 2014, said Reuters.

 

8:09 AM

Ukraine President seeks Israel’s help to secure mayor’s release

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held a call with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, discussing “Russian aggression and the prospects for peace talks,” Zelenskiy said in a tweet Saturday night. “We must stop repressions against civilians: asked to assist in the release of captive mayor of Melitopol and local public figures,” Zelenskiy said.

7:37 AM

Ukraine restricts imports of essential foods

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that while his country has all basic food products for coming months, the government has banned or restricted the export of essential foods -- such as wheat, buckwheat, meat, eggs, oil and sugar. The nation received 40,000 tons of humanitarian cargo over the March 2-12 period, Shmyhal said in a briefing posted on Facebook.

7:09 AM

Arms shipments legitimate military target, Russia warns West

Russia has said it will treat arms shipments to Ukraine from NATO countries as “legitimate targets” for military action in a dangerous new escalation of tensions. The warning from the deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, came as supporters of Ukraine, including the UK, Germany and the United States, have been urgently shipping thousands of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles to Kyiv in response to Moscow’s aggression, the Guardian website reported.

6:31 AM

US rushing $200 mln worth of weapons for Ukraine

The United States on Saturday said it would rush up to $200 million in additional small arms, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine, as Ukrainian officials pleaded for more equipment to defend against heavy shelling by Russian forces. President Joe Biden on Saturday authorised the additional security assistance, the White House said.

5:28 AM

Ukraine city mayor kidnapped by Russian forces: Zelenskiy

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said the mayor of the south-eastern Ukraine city Melitopol had been kidnapped by Russian forces, who put a plastic bag over his head. More than 2,000 residents of the city, which is now under Russian control, protested outside the city administration on Saturday.

 

5:27 AM

Cost increase to soon hit everyone due to Ukraine crisis: Tata Steel

The Russia-Ukraine crisis may lead to margin expansion in the immediate term for Tata Steel before the high cost of raw material sets in, said a senior company executive. Russia and Ukraine are major steel- and raw material–exporting countries and the war is fueling price increases on the input side.