LIVE: Russian invasion shut down 30% of Ukraine's economy, says FM

The Russian invasion has forced 30% of Ukraine's economy to stop working, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said in a televised interview on Saturday

7:43 AM

Macron asks Putin to lift siege of Mariupol

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift the siege of Mariupol, allow humanitarian access and order an immediate cease-fire, Macron's office said.

Macron spoke with the Russian leader on the phone for 70 minutes. Earlier in the day, Putin had a conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who also pressed for an immediate cease-fire.

7:42 AM

At 8th anniversary of Crimea's annexation, Putin terms Ukraine war as 'heroic' mission

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday termed the war waded on Ukraine as a "heroic" mission by his country's army during a patriotic rally at a Moscow stadium.

Putin made the remarks at a rally held at Luzhniki Stadium here to celebrate the 8th anniversary of Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014.

As Putin prepared to take the stage, speakers praised him as fighting "Nazism" in Ukraine -- the pretext used by Moscow for staging its invasion, reported DW. According to the agency, People waved the Russian national flag and flags bearing the letter Z, a "pro-war symbol".

7:41 AM

Putin, Macron discuss situation in Ukraine over phone

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine during a telephone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

The Russian president on Friday explained that the country's armed forces were doing everything possible to save civilian lives and open humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of the population, in response to concerns raised by the French leader.

7:41 AM

Amit Shah to attend CRPF's 83rd Raising Day parade in Jammu today

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)'s 83rd Raising Day parade in Jammu on Saturday.

This is the first time that the CRPF is celebrating its Raising Day outside the national capital.

7:40 AM

Zelenskyy speaks to European Council President, discusses Ukraine's EU membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday (local time) spoke to European Council President Charles Michel and discussed further strengthening of support to the war-torn country and also the membership of the European Union (EU) to Ukraine.

"Discussed with President of the Council Charles Michel @eucopresident further support to in countering aggression, strengthening the anti-war coalition, prospects for restoring peace in. Special attention was paid to our movement towards membership in the #EU," Zelenskyy said in a tweet.

The European Council President Michel in a series of tweets talked about the discussion and the proposal of setting up a solidarity fund with Ukraine.

7:39 AM

Russian cosmonauts arrive at space station in yellow and blue

Three Russian cosmonauts arrived at the International Space Station on Friday wearing yellow flight suits with blue accents, colors that appeared to match the Ukrainian flag. The men were the first new arrivals on the space station since the start of the Russian war in Ukraine last month.

Russian space corporation Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveyev and Sergey Korsakov blasted off successfully from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan in their Soyuz MS-21 spacecraft at 8:55 p.m. Friday (11:55 a.m. EDT).

They smoothly docked at the station just over three hours later, joining two Russians, four Americans and a German on the orbiting outpost.

Video of Artemyev taken as the spacecraft prepared to dock with the space station showed him wearing a blue flight suit. It was unclear what, if any, message the yellow uniforms they changed into were intended to send.

7:38 AM

Ukraine says it'll take years to defuse mines

Ukraine's interior minister said Friday that it will take years to defuse unexploded ordnances after the Russian invasion.

Speaking to The Associated Press in the besieged Ukrainian capital, Denys Monastyrsky said that the country will need Western assistance to cope with the massive task once the war is over.

A huge number of shells and mines have been fired at Ukraine and a large part haven't exploded, they remain under the rubble and pose a real threat, Monastyrsky said. It will take years, not months, to defuse them.