Here are the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine:
– Russia encircling Kyiv –
The capital Kyiv risks being surrounded, with Russian tanks moving in on areas north and west of the capital, the Ukrainian military says, with some suburbs heavily bombarded. Three other major cities are effectively besieged.
– Putin slammed for ‘hiring’ Syria fighters –
The Kremlin says Syrian fighters can fight for Russia in Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin backs plans to draft in 16,000 volunteers, mostly from the Middle East.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Moscow of hiring “murderers” from a country they have destroyed, “like they are doing here to us”.
– Care home, kindergarten hit –
An apartment block and shoe factory are hit in the first air strikes on the central city of Dnipro — until now seen as a safe haven — with a kindergarten also damaged.
A home for the disabled near Kharkiv in the east is also bombed, with 330 people there at the time, officials say.
– Aid convoy attacked –
Zelensky says trucks carrying food and medicine to the besieged port of Mariupol in the south — without water and power for 11 days — were attacked by Russia tanks.
The city’s mayor says it is being shelled “every 30 minutes”, with 1,200 civilians already dead and reports of people starving and of corpses in the streets.
– EU ‘needs to do more’ –
Zelensky says the European Union “should do more” for his embattled country, a day after the bloc’s leaders doused hopes of accession to the bloc.
His call comes after Europe says it aims to double military aid to Kyiv to one billion euros.
– Hospital bombing ‘staged’: Moscow
The Russian army claims the deadly bomb attack on Mariupol’s children hospital was “staged” by Ukraine.
– 71 children killed –
Ukraine says at least 71 children have been killed since the Russian invasion began.
– Fighting rages for cities –
The Ukrainian military says fighting is raging for control of the northern city of Chernihiv and Kharkiv and Severodonetsk in the east.
– Russia restricts Instagram –
Russia restricts access to Instagram, one of the most popular platforms there, claiming it is carrying content urging people to attack its armed forces.
– UN, Moscow accuse Facebook –
It comes after the UN voices alarm at Facebook’s decision to temporarily ease its violent speech policy after the invasion, warning it could spark hate speech.
Moscow prosecutors also open a case against its parent company — which owns Instagram — for “calling for the murder” of Russians.
The platform says it will allow statements like “death to Russian invaders” but not threats against civilians.
– UN meets on Russia bio-weapon claim –
The UN Security Council will meet Friday after Russia says biological weapons are being developed in Ukraine, claims both Washington and Kyiv deny.
The US says it is a sign Moscow could soon use the weapons itself.
– US warns more sanctions possible –
The US and its European allies could impose more sanctions on Moscow because “atrocities against civilians seem to be intensifying”, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says.
– Oligarch attacks plan –
Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia’s richest oligarchs and a Kremlin confidant, criticises plans to confiscate assets of foreign firms exiting the country, likening it to the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.
– 2.5 million flee –
More than two and a half million people have fled the “senseless war” in Ukraine, the UN says — more than half to Poland.
– UK eyes Lavrov ‘lover’ London flat –
Britain’s says it could seize an exclusive flat bought for cash by a woman it hints is the daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s mistress.
