The third round of talks at the Belarus border failed to produce concrete results, but while the Kremlin negotiators claim dissatisfaction, the Ukrainian side said there were 'some positives.'
This was Monday's live blog. For the latest updates on Tuesday click here.
The third round of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials on the Belarus border did not result in any major agreements, the two sides stated on Monday evening.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine has rejected a purported Russian plan for humanitarian corridors and local ceasefires, as it involves transporting civilians to Belarus and Russia.
Moscow claims its proposal is to allow civilians to be moved out of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy. France's President Macron denounced Putin's "moral and political cynicism".
Follow the latest developments in our live blog below:
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Monday's key points:
- Ukraine has called a Russian offer for local ceasefires and humanitarian corridors "unacceptable" and "immoral", as it involved transporting civilians to Belarus and Russia.
- Attacks by Russian forces have left over 900 communities in Ukraine without electricity, water or heating -- a Ukrainian presidential adviser says.
- Oil prices soared to a 13-year high as Washington weighs up a potential ban on Russian oil imports.
- Polish officials say more than a million people have crossed the border from Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. UN figures on Monday said more than 1.7 million overall have fled abroad.
- President Zelenskyy said Ukraine will not forgive Russia for the victims and suffering inflicted, accusing Putin's forces of "deliberate murder".
- Click here for a review of Sunday's developments.
IAEA: News of nuclear research facility in Kharkiv damaged by shelling adds to 'worrying developments'
The UN nuclear watchdog says Ukraine has informed it that a new research facility producing radioisotopes for medical and industrial uses has been damaged by shelling in Kharkiv.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said the Ukrainian regulator told it that Sunday’s incident didn’t cause any increase in radiation levels at the site. It said the nuclear material at the facility is “always subcritical”, and there is a very low stock of it, so the IAEA assesses that the reported damage would have no “radiological consequence”.
However, it adds to a string of concerns the Vienna-based IAEA has over nuclear facilities and materials in Ukraine.
It reported “another worrying development” Monday at the Zaporizhzhia power plant, Ukraine’s biggest, which was seized last week by Russian forces. The IAEA said the Ukrainian regulator informed it that it is not currently possible to deliver spare parts or medicine to the plant.
The IAEA reiterated that “having operating staff subject to the authority of the Russian military commander contravenes an indispensable pillar of nuclear safety.”
The Ukrainian regulator said eight of the country’s 15 reactors were operating, including two at Zaporizhzhia.
No conscripts or reservists to be sent to Ukraine, Putin announces amid contradicting reports
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that he would not send conscripts or reservists to fight in Ukraine, saying the offensive was being carried out by "professionals" fulfilling "set objectives".
"I want to emphasise that conscripted soldiers are not and will not participate in the fighting. Nor will there be any additional conscription of reservists," Putin said in a televised address on the occasion of the 8 March International Women's Day.
Statements from captured Russian troops and their families that have become public and Western intelligence alike claim that conscripts have been deployed in Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion.
Russia announces local ceasefires to allow for evacuation of civilians
"The Russian Federation announces a ceasefire from 10 am Moscow time (8 am CET) on March 8" for the evacuation of civilians via humanitarian corridors from Kyiv, as well as the cities of Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol, the Russian defence ministry's office in charge of humanitarian operations in Ukraine said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies.
UN calls for safe delivery of humanitarian aid to fighting zones, civilians to be protected
Italy to use seized Mafia properties to host Ukrainian refugees
The Italian authorities are identifying properties taken from the Mafia to house arriving Ukrainian refugees, the interior minister said on Monday.
Luciana Lamorgese said in a statement that the agency that manages property seized from the Mafia had begun to study properties "that can be used in the short term, even temporarily, to house refugees from Ukraine".
According to the Interior Ministry, some 17,286 Ukrainians, primarily women and children, have arrived in Italy since the Russian army began its invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
Although most of these refugees have found shelter with relatives and friends, private and public initiatives have been reported in the country to organise accommodation for many others.
"This is the beginning. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are going to arrive and we have to be up to the task," the leader of the Democratic Party, Enrico Letta, said on Monday.
"We must also prepare to welcome Russians fleeing Russia, a country that is increasingly becoming a prison," he added.
FIFA allows foreign players in Russia to leave until end of season
FIFA intervened to allow foreign players and coaches based in Russia to leave their clubs on Monday, although only for the rest of the season.
Clubs in other countries will be allowed to sign up to two players who had been at clubs in Russia or Ukraine outside of the transfer window.
Ukraine’s league has been suspended since war engulfed the country, and its players are also allowed to temporarily leave until June 30.
Russia warns of 'catastrophic' crude oil price hike due in case of Western sanctions
Moscow has warned on Monday of "catastrophic consequences" for the world market if a Western embargo on Russian oil -- discussed by the US and the EU as a response to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine -- is put in place.
"It is quite obvious that the refusal to buy Russian oil will lead to catastrophic consequences for the world market," said Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Alexander Novak.
"The price surge is likely to be unpredictable and reach more than $300 per barrel or more," he added, as quoted by Russian news agencies.
Kremlin negotiators dissatisfied with talks, Ukrainian counterparts cite 'some positives'
The third round of Russian-Ukrainian talks ended Monday evening in Belarus, with the Ukrainians saying that there were "some positive results" regarding humanitarian corridors. At the same time, the Russians said the session "did not live up to expectations".
The Ukrainian side has achieved some positive results "in improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors," Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidency and member of the delegation at the talks, said on Twitter.
"Changes will be made, and more effective help will be provided to people suffering from the Russian Federation's aggression," he added.
He stated that on key issues such as a ceasefire, "intensive dialogues will continue". However, there are "not yet any results that could improve the situation", according to him.
At the same time, the session did not "live up to Moscow's expectations", Russian representative Vladimir Medinsky said.
Medinsky expressed his views in a press briefing broadcast by Russia's public television channel Rossia 24, adding: "We hope that next time we will be able to make a more significant breakthrough."
Albanian capital renames street with Russian embassy to 'Free Ukraine'
Albania’s capital Tirana on Monday named a street “Free Ukraine” to express solidarity with Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion.
Tirana’s city council voted unanimously to rename a downtown street in the capital where the Ukrainian, Russian, Serbian and Kosovar embassies are located.
“The two conflicts: Serbia against Kosovo and Russia against Ukraine are two marking points for the generations and memories of a modern Europe,” said Mayor Erion Veliaj.
1,500 families have offered their homes to the Ukrainian refugees if they come to the country, Veliaj said.
Last year, Albania was the first country to offer shelter to the Afghans fleeing their country after the Taliban regime came to power.
UN concerned about 100,000 Ukrainian children in boarding schools
Grandi and Russell say that if evacuating the children would save their lives, then it's "essential" that permission is obtained from parents or guardians first, and that no adoptions should be allowed during or immediately after emergencies.
13 people dead in Ukraine bakery bombing
President Zelenskyy kept up hectic telephone diplomacy schedule
EU Commission to evaluate Ukraine's accession bid
Member states have tasked the European Commission with evaluating the EU membership bids launched by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
The executive is expected to examine the three requests and then publish an opinion for each one, either supporting or rejecting the application.
The Council of the EU can then approve each country's application by unanimity. This green light will turn the applicant into an official EU candidate.
After that, the Commission will come up with a framework for negotiations, which also has to be unanimously endorsed by the 27. Given their democratic shortcomings, the three countries will likely be asked to begin reforms before formal discussions.
Despite the new momentum around enlargement, the process remains lengthy, arduous and complex. A fast-tracked accession, as Kyiv demands, has never been attempted in the bloc's history.
All Big Four accounting companies to pull out of Russia
All four of the so-called Big Four accounting firms are now cutting ties with Russia over its war in Ukraine.
Deloitte was the last of the four to say it will no longer operate in Russia on Monday, joining Ernst & Young, Pricewaterhousecoopers and KPMG in making similar announcements.
Deloitte said it is also cutting its ties to Russia-allied Belarus. The company said it is separating its global network of member firms from the firms based in Russia and Belarus.
Deloitte Global CEO Punit Renjen said in a statement “we know this is the right decision” but it will have an impact on Deloitte’s 3,000 employees in Russia and Belarus who “have no voice in the actions of their government”.
Pricewaterhousecoopers and KPMG announced they were pulling out of Russia on Sunday, and Ernst & Young earlier on Monday.
New round of Moscow-Kyiv talks begins in Belarus
The third round of Russian-Ukrainian talks aimed at finding a settlement to the conflict in Ukraine began Monday evening in Belarus, Russian and Belarusian news agencies reported.
The third round of talks began in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, a national park on the Belarusian-Polish border, the Belarusian news agency Belta said on its Telegram account, posting a photo of Russian and Ukrainian delegations sitting at the negotiating table.
Earlier on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia would cease its aggression "in a moment" if the Ukrainian government agreed to its terms, including enshrining neutrality in the country's constitution, recognising Crimea as Russian territory and the two Donbas self-proclaimed republics as independent states.
Kyiv is believed to have rejected those conditions outright.
Full of fear and foreboding, meet the refugees who have fled Ukraine for Poland
Poland to allow Ukrainian refugees to stay for 18 months
Poland, the country receiving the largest numbers of refugees from Russia’s war against Ukraine, on Monday approved legislation offering financial help to refugees and allowing them to stay legally in the country for 18 months.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described helping the Ukrainians as the most important challenge Poland has faced in decades, and he argued that the efforts “cannot be only spontaneous.”
Poland has accepted more than 1 million refugees since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, more than half of the 1.7 million to flee.
Poles have sought to help fleeing Ukrainians in multiple ways, with volunteers showing up at the borders to feed and help people, and often to take them into their own homes. Many have taken time off work to help, a form of assistance that will not be sustainable.
Under the new regulation, Ukrainian citizens will have the right to stay legally in Poland for 18 months and will be allowed to work legally. They will receive medical help and get a one-time allowance of 300 zlotys ($66) per person.
Polish citizens will receive 40 zlotys a day to house Ukrainians for up to two months.
Russian official blames Ukraine for disrupting evacuations
Moscow's representative has accused Ukraine of preventing the evacuation of civilians from besieged cities, saying the question of humanitarian corridors will be discussed.
Vladimir Medinsky told Russian public television that Ukrainian "nationalists" were using civilians as human shields, which he said was a "war crime".
Macron denounces Putin's 'moral and political cynicism'
He said what is needed "are not just corridors, which are immediately threatened, it's not this hypocritical talk which consists of saying 'we will protect people in order to take them to Russia'," the president said in an interview with the French channel LCI.
EU 'to discuss Ukraine's membership application in coming days'
Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers to meet this week
Russia demands protection for Paris diplomats
Mayor of Hostomel 'killed by Russian army'
"The mayor of the city of Hostomel, Yuri Illich Prylipko died while distributing bread and medicine to the sick, and comforting the wounded," the statement said.
"He died for the community, died for Hostomel, died as a hero. Eternal memory and our gratitude."
The Hostomel district hosts the Antonov military airport, which had been attacked by Russian forces on February 25, the day after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.
Blinken vows to 'defend every inch of NATO territory' at start of Baltics tour
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday assured Lithuania of NATO protection and American support as he began a lightning visit to the three Baltic states that are increasingly on edge as Russia presses ahead with its invasion of Ukraine.
The former Soviet republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are all NATO members and Blinken is aiming to reassure them of their security in the event Russia chooses to expand its military operations.
"We are bolstering our shared defense so that we and our allies are prepared," Blinken said, stressing that the U.S. commitment to NATO's mutual defense pact is "sacrosanct".
“We will defend every inch of NATO territory if it comes under attack,” he said. “No one should doubt our readiness, no one should doubt our resolve.”
Memories of Soviet rule are still fresh in the Baltics and since the invasion of Ukraine last month, NATO has moved quickly to boost its troop presence in its eastern flank allies while the U.S. has pledged additional support.
Blinken opened his Baltic tour in Vilnius, where Lithuanian support for Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion is palpable as signs of solidarity with Ukrainians are evident in many businesses and on public buildings and buses.
Blinken arrived in the Baltics late Sunday from non-aligned Moldova, which is also warily watching the war on its doorstep, and Poland, where he visited the Polish-Ukrainian border and met with refugees from Ukraine. (AP)
READ MORE: Blinken pledges US support for Moldova amid Ukraine war
UN says refugee numbers surge to 1.7 million
The United Nations’ refugee agency says the number of people who have fled the war in Ukraine has increased to more than 1.7 million.
In its latest updated figures, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Monday put the number of people who have arrived in other countries since the Russian invasion started on February 24 at some 1,735,000. That’s up from more than 1.53 million on Sunday.
Nearly three-fifths of the total - nearly 1.03 million -- arrived in Poland, according to the agency. Over 180,000 went to Hungary and 128,000 to Slovakia.
Why is Russia's offer of humanitarian corridors being rejected by Ukraine?
UK government has only issued 'around 50' visas to Ukrainians
France denies asking Putin to open humanitarian corridors to Belarus and Russia
Russia snubs UN court hearings in case brought by Ukraine
'Completely immoral': Ukraine slams Moscow plan to evacuate civilians to Russia
Ukraine has rejected Moscow's proposal for humanitarian corridors, as it envisages allowing people to flee cities under Russian attack provided they travel to Belarus or Russia.
"This is not an acceptable option," said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk. Civilians called by the Russians to be evacuated from the cities of Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Sumy "will not go to Belarus to then take the plane and go to Russia", she said.
A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr quoted by Reuters slammed it as "completely immoral", accusing Russia of deliberately hampering previous evacuation attempts.
"People's suffering is used to create the desired television picture," a statement said. "These are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine."
"Don't trust Putin," former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told Sky News, saying the Russian leader had never kept his promises.
China's friendship with Russia 'solid as a rock', says Beijing
China has refrained from condemning the Russian intervention in Ukraine, even refusing to speak of an "invasion".
"The friendship between the two peoples is solid as a rock and the prospects for future cooperation are immense," Wang told reporters during his annual press conference on the sidelines of the parliamentary session.
China and Russia have increasingly aligned their foreign policies against the liberal Western order and their militaries have carried out exercises together and flown joint air patrols, as their relationship has taken on the trappings of an informal alliance. (AFP and AP)
European stock markets fall on opening
By 09.20 CET the Frankfurt Stock Exchange had dropped 4.10%, Paris 4.04%, Milan 4.58%.
Policemen 'crying, overwhelmed' by refugees in Polish border town
Ukrainians 'begging international community to close airspace to Russia'
“The whole world today is on Ukraine’s side, not only in words but in deeds,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Ukrainian television Sunday night.
The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapon shipments and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But no NATO troops have been sent to Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy has also heaped criticism on Western leaders for not responding with more force to Russia. He reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would lead to a far wider war.
US looking at banning Russian oil imports, as prices soar
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House is exploring legislation to further isolate Russia from the global economy, including banning the import of its oil and energy products into the U.S.
Amid rising gasoline prices in the U.S., the Biden administration has yet to call for an oil import ban on Russia.
In a letter to Democrats released Sunday night, Pelosi says the legislation under consideration would also repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus and begin the process of denying Russia access to the World Trade Organization.
Pelosi says the House would also empower the Biden administration to raise tariffs on Russian imports.
Congress intends to approve the Biden administration’s request for $10 billion (€9.20 billion) in humanitarian, military and economic support for Ukraine, Pelosi said, as part of omnibus government funding legislation this week.
The price of oil jumped more than $12 (€11) a barrel and shares were sharply lower Monday as the conflict in Ukraine deepened amid mounting calls for harsher sanctions against Russia.
Brent crude oil surged more than 10%, while benchmark US crude was up $10 (€9.20) at more than $125 (€115) a barrel.
Stock futures in the U.S. and Europe also dropped. The price of gold, which is viewed as an investor safe haven in times of crisis, jumped $26 (€23.90) an ounce to $1,992.90 (€1,833).
The latest market turmoil followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukrainian statehood was imperiled as Russian forces battered strategic locations. A temporary cease-fire in two Ukrainian cities failed over the weekend — and both sides blamed each other.
(AP)
Moscow's ceasefire offer involves evacuating civilians to Russia
'Heavy shelling continues' in some areas despite ceasefires
Even as Russia announced a ceasefire starting Monday morning and the opening of humanitarian corridors in several areas, its armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings.
Russian forces continued their offensive, opening fire on the city of Mykolaiv, 480 kilometres south of the capital of Kyiv, Ukraine’s General Staff said Monday morning. Rescuers said they were putting out fires in residential areas caused by rocket attacks.
Shelling also continued in the suburbs of Kyiv, including Irpin, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heating for three days.
“Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine,” the General Staff said. “The invaders continue to use the airfield network of Belarus to carry out air strikes on Ukraine.”
The Russians have also been targeting humanitarian corridors, taking women and children hostage and placing weapons in residential areas of cities, according to the General Staff. (AP)
Thousands detained in anti-war protests in Russia
Thousands arrested during anti-war protests in Russia, authorities say
euronewsThousands of people have been detained during a series of anti-war protests across Russia on Sunday.Russian army announces 'humanitarian corridors and local ceasefires'
Russia's military will hold fire and open humanitarian corridors in several Ukrainian cities on Monday, the defence ministry has said. There has been no confirmation from Ukraine.
A statement said Russian forces will declare a 'silent regime' and allow corridors to be opened at 10 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT, 0800 CET) from the capital Kyiv as well as the cities of Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy and are being set up at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron, the ministry said.
The cities have been plagued by intense Russian bombardment of civilian areas.
The ministry added that those who leave Kyiv will then be airlifted to Russia and that drones will be used to monitor the evacuation.
"Attempts by the Ukrainian side to deceive Russia and the whole civilised world ... are useless this time," the ministry said.
The Russian move comes after fighting halted weekend evacuation efforts and civilian casualties from Russia's invasion mounted. (with Reuters and AFP)
Latest reports from around Ukraine
Sunday evening, heavy shelling also came to Mykolaiv in the south and Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city. Heavy artillery hit residential areas in Kharkiv and shelling damaged a television tower, according to local officials.
Efforts to evacuate residents from the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin on Sunday were mostly unsuccessful.
Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko blamed Russian artillery fire for halting a second attempt in as many days to evacuate an estimated 200,000 civilians from Mariupol, where food, water and medicine are scarce.
A senior American defence official said Sunday the U.S. believes that about 95% of the Russian forces that had been arrayed around Ukraine are now inside the country. Ukrainian air and missile defenses remain effective and in use, and the Ukrainian military continues to fly aircraft and to employ air defense assets, the official said.
Ukrainian forces were also defending Odessa, Ukraine’s largest port city, from Russian ships, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said.
The Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday announced plans to strike Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. (AP)
Thousands trapped under siege in Mariupol after evacuation attempts fail
New attempt to evacuate Ukrainian city halted 'due to Russian attack'
A second attempt to evacuate civilians from a southern Ukrainian port city where supplies are running short was stopped due to a Russian assault, a Ukrainian official said.Zelenskyy slams 'deliberate murder' by Putin's forces
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Ukraine will not forgive Russia for all the victims and suffering the war it started had caused.
The address came on a special religious day known as "Forgiveness Sunday" on which according to the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition people ask each other for forgiveness, usually answering "God forgives and I forgive."
"We will not forgive the shelled houses. We will not forgive the missile that our air defence shot down today over Okhmatdyt. And even the more than five hundred other such missiles that hit our land in Ukraine, our people, our children," Zelekskyy in his speech.
About eight civilians were killed by Russian shelling in the town of Irpin on Sunday, on the northwest outskirts of Kyiv, according to Mayor Oleksander Markyshin. The dead included a family.
"Today a family was killed in Irpin. Man, woman and two children. Right on the road. As in a shooting gallery. When they tried to just get out of the city, to be saved. Whole family," the Ukrainian president said, adding "And how many such families in Ukraine died?"
He also said that Russia officially announced it will shell Ukraine's defence enterprises on Monday, that were built back in the Soviet time. "Thousands of people work there. Hundreds of thousands live nearby. This is murder. Delibarate murder," Zelenskyy said. (AP)