LIVE: Ukraine no longer insisting on NATO membership, says report

Russia Ukraine live news: Zelensky accused the International Red Cross of forbidding the use of its emblem on our cars, but did not give details.

12:02 PM

After inading Ukraine, Russia becomes world's most sanctioned country

Due to its war on Ukraine, Russia has become the most sanctioned in the world, according to a New York-based sanctions watchlist site.

 

Castellum.AI said that sanctions were first imposed by the US and its allies on Russia on February 22 a day after President Vladimir Putin declared the two Ukrainian rebel regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as "independent states".

 

After Russia announced its military operations against Russia on February 24, hundreds more sanctions followed. Read on...

11:35 AM

Russia-Ukraine war: Board tells 3 Arizona universities to sell Russian holdings due to war

The board that oversees Arizona's three public universities on Monday ordered their presidents to sell any Russian investments they hold as quickly as possible because of ongoing war it is waging against Ukraine.

 

The Arizona Board of Regents also voted to exclude Russian investments from the board's retirement plan.

 

The board condemned "in the strongest possible terms Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine and apparent targeting of civilian populations, Chair Lyndel Manson said in a statement.

 

With today's action, the board repudiates Putin's aggression and ensures Arizona's public university enterprise divests of any Russian assets.

11:20 AM

Opec meets with US shale executives as oil prices skyrocket

Officials from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) met US shale oil company executives on the sidelines of the CERAWeek conference in Houston on Monday as energy prices soared over supply concerns.

 

It was at least the fourth time since 2017 that US shale oil producers and OPEC officials have held such meetings to discuss energy concerns.

 

EQT Corp Chief Executive Officer Toby Rice, Hess Corp CEO John Hess and Chesapeake Energy CEO Domenic Dell'Osso, among others, attended a dinner with OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo at a restaurant adjacent to the CERAWeek conference site.

 

Oil rose to a 14-year high of $139 a barrel on Monday amid concerns about supplies as the United States and European governments weighed banning imports from Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter. Earlier, Barkindo said at CERAWeek that Opec production could not offset a ban on Russian oil.

 

Barkindo said after the dinner that attendees discussed how shale producers were focused on delivering profits to shareholders instead of pouring more cash into new drilling.

11:10 AM

India has compulsions with Russia, issues in neighbourhood: Ex-US diplomat

India has compulsions with Russia, and in their neighbourhood, issues with China over territory, a former top American diplomat has told US lawmakers.

 

The diplomat made the remarks replying to lawmakers' questions on New Delhi abstaining from several UN vote on Russian aggression against Ukraine.

 

India has compulsions with Russia, they have compulsions in their neighbourhood, with territorial issues with China. I think, as Americans, we have an affinity toward Indians for their democracy, and the pluralism of their system, Atul Keshap said. Read on...

10:53 AM

Russia-Ukraine war LIVE: Ukraine says aircraft bombed cities overnight

Russian aircraft bombed cities in eastern and central Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian officials said. Shelling pounded suburbs of the capital, Kyiv.

 

In Sumy and Okhtyrka, to the east of Kyiv near the Russian border, bombs fell on residential buildings and destroyed a power plant, regional leader Dmytro Zhivitsky said. He said there were dead and wounded but gave no figures.

 

Bombs also hit oil depots in Zhytomyr and the neighbouring town of Cherniakhiv, located west of Kyiv.

 

In Bucha, a Kyiv suburb, the mayor reported heavy artillery fire.

 

We can't even gather up the bodies because the shelling from heavy weapons doesn't stop day or night, Mayor Anatol Fedoruk said. Dogs are pulling apart the bodies on the city streets. It's a nightmare.

10:43 AM

Australia announces fresh sanctions against 'propagandists' Russia

Australia has imposed another round of sanctions against Russia for its "unjustified invasion" of Ukraine and is targeting Moscow's senior military officers, as well as state propagandists spreading "pro-Kremlin disinformation".

 

As per an official statement by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, the Australian government is placing sanctions on Moscow's "propagandists and purveyors of disinformation" trying to legitimise Russia's invasion with false narratives such as the "de-Nazification" of Ukraine.

 

"The new round of sanctions will impose targeted financial sanctions on the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against an additional six senior Russian military commanders responsible for implementing naval, ground and air attacks on Ukraine," said the statement.

10:33 AM

Russia-Ukraine war: US says will send more than 500 troops to Poland, Romania, Germany, Greece

The United States announced on Monday that over 500 US troops would be deployed in Europe to reinforce Nato's flank including Poland, Romania, Germany and Greece.

 

Speaking at a press conference, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby assured that the US army will not be sent to conflict-ridden Ukraine.

 

Kirby also announced that the new deployments are being positioned to support US forces already in Europe in response to Russia's military operation in Ukraine.

 

The new deployments include KC-135 refuelling aircraft from Fairfield Air Force Base in Washington, to Greece, along with 150 personnel for refuelling support. Read on...

10:31 AM

Australian refiners cease purchase of Russian crude oil to support Ukraine

Australian refiner Viva Energy said on Tuesday it would stop buying Russian crude oil, joining a growing number of companies to sever trade ties with the country over its invasion of Ukraine.

 

Viva joins a spate of companies limiting, putting on hold, or exiting business activities in Russia following a wave of sanctions imposed on Moscow after the invasion - the biggest on a European state since World War Two.

A spokesperson for Ampol, Australia's only other refiner, said the company has not bought Russian crude oil or products since the conflict started.

 

Viva, which operates in Australia under the Shell brand, said it was "appalled" by the events in Ukraine, while Ampol said it condemned Russia's actions and supported international sanctions against the country. Read on...

9:43 AM

Fitch Ratings stops commercial operations in Russia with immediate effect

Fitch became the second major credit rating firm to suspend its commercial operations in Russia with immediate effect on Monday, saying its analysts outside the country would provide its coverage instead.

 

Ratings firms are facing the twin pressures of Western sanctions that ban transactions with targeted Russian firms and a new law passed in Russia last week that threatens jail terms of up to 15 years for spreading what the Russian government describes as "fake" information. The law makes it illegal to report any event that could discredit the Russian military. Read on...

9:12 AM

Japan unveils new sanctions on Russia

Japan has frozen the assets of an additional 32 Russian and Belarusian officials and oligarchs following the invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Finance announced on Tuesday. The newly added sanctions target 20 Russians including deputy chiefs of staff for President Vladamir Putin's administration, deputy chairmen of the state parliament, the head of the Chechen Republic and executives of companies with close ties to the government such as Volga Group, Transneft and Wagner.

8:39 AM

Russian general killed near besieged city of Kharkiv: Ukraine

Ukraine's military intelligence said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces have killed a Russian general near the besieged city of Kharkiv, the second Russian senior commander to die in the invasion. Another Russian general, Andrei Sukhovetsky, also a deputy commander of the 41st army, was reported killed at the end of February.

8:14 AM

Safe corridor for Indian students didn't materialise: India

India has said it is “deeply concerned” that despite its repeated urgings to both Russia and Ukraine, the safe corridor for Indian students stranded in Sumy did not materialize. “India has been consistent in calling for an immediate end to all hostilities,” India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti told the UN Security Council meeting Monday on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

7:36 AM

Negotiators make little progress

Russian negotiators said they did not have positive developments to report following talks with Ukraine and warned not to expect the next round to bring a final result. The talks "are not easy," Vladimir Medinsky said.

7:34 AM

World Bank approves $723 mn package

The World Bank approved a supplementary budget package worth $723 million for the Ukraine government to provide critical services for its people. The package, which the bank called fast-disbursing, would “help the government provide critical services to Ukrainian people, including wages for hospital workers, pensions for the elderly, and social programs for the vulnerable” according to a statement from the bank.