Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
– Russia slams Polish ‘escalation’ –
Russia accuses NATO member Poland, which neighbours Ukraine, of embarking on a “dangerous escalation” in tensions between Moscow and the West after Warsaw expelled 45 Russian diplomats for alleged espionage.
Russia’s foreign ministry says Poland’s actions are guided by “Russophobia” which it claims NATO has “elevated to the rank of official policy”.
– Zelensky plea for planes, tanks –
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urges NATO members meeting in Brussels to provide Kyiv with offensive weapons, including tanks and fighter jets, one month into Russia’s invasion.
Addressing a NATO summit by video-link, he says the alliance can prevent Ukrainian deaths “by giving us all the weapons we need”.
Currently NATO members are only supplying Kyiv with defensive equipment.
– NATO boosts defences –
NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg says alliance members meeting in Brussels will agree to “major increases of forces” on the alliance’s eastern borders, including four new battle groups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
– Phosphorus bombs –
Zelensky accuses Russia of using phosphorus bombs as does the governor of the eastern Lugansk region, who says the explosives were used in one village hit in overnight strikes that killed at least four people, including two children.
Britain’s ITV network broadcasts footage of phosphorus bombs dropping overnight on the flashpoint town of Irpin near Kyiv.
– Anti-ship missiles –
A senior US official attending the NATO summit in Brussels says alliance members are discussing sending anti-ship missiles to Ukraine to counter attacks from Russian vessels on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
– Kharkiv hit –
Russian strikes on the eastern city of Kharkiv kill at least six civilians and wound more than a dozen others near a post office.
– Ukraine taking back ground: Britain –
British military intelligence says Ukraine is driving back Russian forces from the northwestern approach to Kyiv — echoing reports from the Pentagon that Ukrainian forces have taken back some lost ground after weeks of being on the defensive.
British intelligence says Ukrainian forces had “probably retaken” the towns of Makariv (70 kilometres west of Kyiv) and Moschun (35 kilometres northwest of Kyiv).
– Moscow stock exchange reopens –
The Moscow stock exchange partially reopens after a nearly month-long suspension imposed to try to limit the damage caused by massive Western sanctions.
Trading resumes for 33 of the largest companies that make up the ruble-denominated MOEX Russia Index, which closes up 4.4 percent.
– US to take 100,000 refugees –
The White House says the US will take in up to 100,000 refugees and provide an extra $1 billion in humanitarian aid to those impacted by the war.
– Half of Ukraine’s children displaced –
The UN children’s agency Unicef says the month of fighting in Ukraine has displaced 4.3 million children -– more than half of Ukraine’s estimated 7.5 million children.
“This is a grim milestone that could have lasting consequences for generations to come,” Unicef chief Catherine Russell says.
