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

10:41 AM

In response to US request to evacuate Kyiv, Ukraine's Zelensky said he needed 'ammunition, not a ride'

In response to US request to evacuate Kyiv, Ukraine's Zelensky said he needed 'ammunition, not a ride'

10:30 AM

Ukraine crisis LIVE: 'India retained option of reaching out to all sides by abstaining from UN vote'

By abstaining from a UN Security Council resolution on the Ukraine crisis, India retained the option of reaching out to all relevant sides to find a middle ground and foster dialogue and diplomacy, news agency PTI reported quoting official sources.

 

Russia vetoed the resolution that asked Moscow to immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops.

 

The sources said India has been deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine and maintained its consistent, steadfast and balanced position on the matter that dialogue is the only answer to settle differences and disputes.

 

They said India has been in touch with all sides urging parties concerned to return to the negotiating table.

 

The UNSC draft resolution deplored in the strongest terms Russia's aggression against Ukraine and demanded that Russia immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all its troops.

 

While abstaining from the voting, India issued an 'Explanation of Vote' after the vote in which it called for "return to the path of diplomacy".

10:28 AM

Russia-Ukraine conflict: US slaps individual sanctions on Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

In a rare move, the US has slapped sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, holding them "directly responsible" for Moscow's "unprovoked and unlawful" invasion of Ukraine.

 

The latest US sanctions build on other sweeping actions that America and partners took earlier this week targeting the core infrastructure of the Russian financial system, including sanctions against Moscow's largest financial institutions, the US Department of the Treasury said in a statement.

 

The US, in coordination with allies and partners, continued to forcefully respond to Russia's "unjustified, unprovoked and premeditated" invasion of Ukraine by imposing sanctions on Putin and Lavrov, as well as other members of Russia's Security Council, according to the statement issued on Friday.

9:48 AM

Don't move to border posts without coordination with us: Indian embassy in Ukraine to stranded nationals

India on Saturday advised its stranded nationals in Ukraine to exercise caution at all times and not move to any border posts to exit the country without prior coordination with its officials.

The Indian embassy in Ukraine issued a fresh advisory in view of increasing Russian attacks on several Ukrainian cities and reports of heavy fighting around the capital Kyiv.

The embassy particularly advised those staying in the eastern part of Ukraine to continue to remain in their current places of residence and stay indoors or in shelters as much as possible.

9:47 AM

Zelenskyy declines US offer to evacuate Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was asked to evacuate Kyiv at the behest of the US government but turned down the offer.

Zelenskyy said in response: The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride, according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation, who described Zelenskyy as upbeat.

Invading Russian forces closed in on Ukraine's capital on Saturday, in an apparent encircling movement after a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country.

9:43 AM

Russia, Ukraine ratings put on review for downgrade by Moody’s

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered a flurry of credit rating moves on Friday, with S&P lowering Russia’s rating to ‘junk’ status, Moody’s putting it on review for a downgrade to junk, and S&P and Fitch swiftly cutting Ukraine on default worries.

 

Both countries’ financial markets have unsurprisingly been thrown into turmoil by this week’s events, which rank as the biggest military attack in Europe since World War Two, bringing stiff Western sanctions on Moscow.

 

S&P lowered Russia’s long-term foreign currency credit rating to ‘BB+’ from ‘BBB-‘, and warned it could lower ratings further, after getting more clarity on the macroeconomic repercussions of the sanctions.

9:40 AM

Kyiv prepares for assault as Russian troops enter capital

Russian missiles pounded Kyiv on Friday, families cowered in shelters and authorities told residents to prepare Molotov cocktails to defend Ukraine's capital from an assault that the mayor said had already begun with saboteurs in the city.

Moscow claimed to have captured the Hostomel airfield northwest of the capital, a vital staging post for a planned assault on Kyiv, which has been fought over since the first hours of the war. This could not immediately be confirmed and the Ukrainian authorities reported heavy fighting there.

“The city has gone into a defensive phase. Shots and explosions are ringing out in some neighbourhoods. Saboteurs have already entered Kyiv,” said Kyiv's mayor, former world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitchko. “The enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us.” Air raid sirens wailed over the capital of three million people, where some residents sheltered in underground metro stations, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion that has shocked the world.

Ukrainian officials said a Russian aircraft had been shot down and crashed into a building in Kyiv overnight, setting it ablaze and injuring eight people.

9:31 AM

Trudeau says Canada imposing sanctions on Putin, Lavrov, Russian Chief of Staff

Canada will impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Russian Chief of Staff, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a press update on the situation between Russia and Ukraine.

"We will be imposing sanctions on President Putin and his fellow architects of this barbaric war, his Chief of Staff and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov," Trudeau said on Friday.

9:30 AM

UN chief appoints Amin Awad of Sudan UN crisis coordinator for Ukraine

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Amin Awad of Sudan as Assistant Secretary-General to serve as United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine.

Awad, who has served in a range of senior roles with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), including as Director for the Bureau for the Middle East and North Africa and Director of Division of Emergency, Security and Supply, brings with him over 30 years of experience in the field of humanitarian affairs, strategic action, planning and development.

Awad has also served in leadership roles in complex field operations, including as UNHCR Representative in Sri Lanka, Regional Coordinator for the Iraq Operations and Humanitarian Coordinator and Representative in North Macedonia.

9:04 AM

Dialogue 'only answer' to settle disputes, says India as it abstains on UNSC resolution

India abstained on a UN Security Council resolution by the US that deplores in the strongest terms Russia's aggression" against Ukraine, as New Delhi called for the immediate cessation of hostilities and asserted that dialogue is the only answer to settling disputes.

The 15-nation Security Council voted on the draft resolution Friday afternoon by the US and Albania and co-sponsored by a "cross-regional" group of 67 UN member states, including Australia, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania and the United Kingdom.

India, China and the UAE abstained on the resolution, which received 11 votes in favour by Albania, Brazil, France, Gabon, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, the UK and the US. The resolution was blocked since permanent member Russia, and President of the Security Council for the month of February, used its veto.

9:03 AM

IMF Ukraine loan payout jeopardized by invasion uncertainty

IMF loan payouts for Ukraine are in jeopardy after the uncertainty caused by Russia’s invasion led board members to question whether they have leeway under fund rules to approve more disbursements, according to people familiar with the matter.

 

International Monetary Fund executive directors at an informal meeting on Friday highlighted the political and economic risks from the war, according to the people, who asked not to be named discussing the closed-door meeting. While they expressed support for the Ukrainian people, they also voiced concern for the war’s implications for the country to repay its current loan approved in 2020 and meet its conditions, the people said.

 

8:47 AM

Russia, Ukraine Ratings Put on Review for Downgrade by Moody’s

Russia’s credit rating was cut to junk by S&P Global Ratings, which joined Fitch Ratings in downgrading Ukraine amid an escalation of conflict in the region.

 

S&P lowered Russia to BB+, below investment grade, from BBB- late Friday and warned of further cuts, citing the “strong” international sanctions slapped on the country following its invasion of Ukraine. S&P also lowered Ukraine to B- from B. 

 

Both countries were also put on review for downgrade at Moody’s Investors Service, which rates Russia Baa3, one notch above junk, and Ukraine at B3, six steps below investment grade. Fitch took Ukraine’s level down to CCC from B, putting it seven steps below investment grade and on par with El Salvador and Ethiopia.

 

8:45 AM

Canada imposing sanctions on Putin, Lavrov, Russian chief of staff: Trudeau

Canada will impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Russian Chief of Staff, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a press update on the situation between Russia and Ukraine.

 

"We will be imposing sanctions on President Putin and his fellow architects of this barbaric war, his Chief of Staff and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov," Trudeau said on Friday.

8:40 AM

EU still mulling SWIFT ban on Russia: Top EU Diplomat

The European Union may still disconnect Russia from the SWIFT international financial network over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced Friday.

"SWIFT is something that has not been included on the table because it was not mature enough the discussion, but nothing is off the table. Maybe it can be adopted in the following days, it will depend," Borrell said at a press conference after the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

8:39 AM

NATO deploying more troops to eastern Europe

North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) leaders said they are deploying more troops to eastern Europe after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, BBC reported.

"No one should be fooled by the Russian government's barrage of lies," the 30 leaders said in a joint statement, the report said.