LIVE: India brings back 219 citizens from Ukraine; 250 more on their way

First Air India flight carrying 219 Indian evacuees from Ukraine lands at Mumbai airport from Bucharest at 7.50 pm

7:22 PM

PM Modi reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence: PMO

7:08 PM

UK's Prince William and wife say they stand with Ukraine

Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate said on Saturday they stood with the people of Ukraine as they "bravely fight" the invasion by Russia, in a rare public comment for British royals on political issues.

 

"In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President (Volodymyr) Zelenskiy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine's future," Queen Elizabeth's grandson William and Kate said on Twitter.
 

"Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine's people as they bravely fight for that future." The British royal family do not usually comment on major political matters, sticking to a constitutional norm that they should remain neutral.

 

However, William's younger brother Harry and his wife Meghan, who have stepped down from royal duties to move to Los Angeles, said on their website on Thursday that they also stood with the Ukrainian people "against this breach of international and humanitarian law".

6:51 PM

Piyush Goyal to receive the Indian nationals safely evacuated from Ukraine

6:37 PM

'Urged India to give us support in UNSC,' tweets Ukraine President

Spoke with

6:35 PM

Delhi government lifts all Covid restrictions

6:30 PM

Kremlin says Ukraine offensive resumed on Saturday after Friday pause

Russian troops started advancing into Ukraine again on Saturday after President Vladimir Putin paused the offensive a day earlier in anticipation of talks with Kyiv that never happened, the Kremlin said.

 

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitriy Peskov also told a briefing Russia had expected the sanctions imposed by the West in response to the invasion and was taking measures to minimise their impact on the economy.

6:29 PM

Kremlin says Ukraine refused talks

Russia has resumed military operations in Ukraine after Kyiv refused to conduct negotiations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on a conference call. 

 

Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had ordered Russian troops to stop their advance Friday as the two sides discussed the possibility of negotiations, but had failed to reach agreement on a format or location. 

6:24 PM

Italy to support EU line on Russia sanctions, including on SWIFT: PM's office

Italy will support any European Union line on sanctions against Russia in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, including measures on the SWIFT global payment system, Prime Minister Mario Draghi's office said on Saturday.

 

Draghi held a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday, "reiterating Italy ... will fully support the European Union line on sanctions against Russia, including on SWIFT", the office said in a statement.

 

A decision to cut Russia off from SWIFT will be taken in a matter of days, the governor of a central bank within the euro zone told Reuters on Saturday.

6:22 PM

Russia bans Polish, Bulgarian, Czech airlines from its airspace

Russia has banned airlines from Bulgaria, Poland and Czech Republic from flying to and over its territory in response to similar moves by those countries, the Russian civil aviation authority said on Saturday.

 

Earlier this week, Russia banned all British airlines from its airspace in retaliation for London's ban on flights to Britain by Russian flag carrier Aeroflot.

5:35 PM

Kyiv mayor extends curfew as Russians press on

The mayor of the Ukrainian capital is imposing an intensified curfew as Russian troops press on the city.
 

Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said on Telegram that the curfew will extend from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. and “all civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups.” The previous curfew imposed two days ago was from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.

5:24 PM

Estonia will close its airspace to Russian airlines, minister tells broadcaster

Estonia will ban Russian airlines from using the Baltic nation's airspace, Estonia's Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Taavi Aas told public broadcaster ERR on Saturday.

5:19 PM

Batches of Indian students enter Hungary from the Ukrainian side at Zahony crossing

5:05 PM

UNHCR predicts 4 mn will flee to neighbouring countries

The UN refugee agency said on Saturday that nearly 120,000 people have so far fled Ukraine into neighbouring countries in the wake of Russian invasion.

 

The number was going up fast as Ukrainians grabbed their belongings and rushed to escape from a deadly Russian onslaught on their nation, including an attempt to take the capital.

 

Almost 116,000 have crossed international borders as of right now. This may go up, it's changing every minute, said Shabia Mantoo, the spokeswoman of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

 

The agency expects up to 4 million Ukrainians could flee if the situation deteriorates further.

4:59 PM

Ukraine security service denies Russian attack in Lviv region

Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) denied a report earlier on Saturday that Russian helicopters had landed in the Lviv region, a development that would have signalled a widening of the theatre of Moscow's invasion.

 

The mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, said Russia had landed three helicopters near the city of Brody in the western Lviv region and that Ukrainian forces had repelled the attack.

 

The SBU said the information was false and that no such landing had taken place. It said a Ukrainian helicopter had done a reconnaissance flight in the area.

 

"We ask residents to remain calm!" the SBU said in a statement posted on Facebook.

4:30 PM

UK says bulk of Russian forces 30 km from the centre of Kyiv

Britain's defence ministry said on Saturday that the bulk of Russian forces involved in the advance on Ukraine's capital Kyiv were now 30 km from the city centre.

 

Britain, which earlier disputed Russian reports that Russian forces had captured the southeastern city of Melitopol, said the Ukrainian military was continuing to put up staunch resistance across the country.
 

"Russian forces have continued their advance on Kyiv with the bulk of their forces now 30 km from the centre of the city," the defence ministry said in an intelligence update posted on Twitter.

 

"Russia has yet to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine greatly reducing the effectiveness of the Russian Air Force.

 

Russian casualties are likely to be heavy and greater than anticipated or acknowledged by the Kremlin," it said.