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Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Latest developments by AFP Staff Writers Paris (AFP) Feb 28, 2022 Here are the latest developments in Russia's attack on Ukraine: - 11 killed in Kharkiv - At least 11 civilians are killed in ongoing shelling of Ukraine's second city Kharkiv in the east of the country. - More talks planned - Negotiators from Ukraine and Russia will return to their capital cities for consultations and have plans for fresh talks, both sides announce after a first meeting since war broke out. - Russia defends war - Russia defends its decision to invade Ukraine before the UN General Assembly as the 193 members debate a resolution condemning Moscow's "unprovoked armed aggression". - Putin lays down terms - Russian President Vladimir Putin tells his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that the "demilitarisation and denazification" of Ukraine and Western recognition of Russian sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula are prerequisites to ending fighting. - Russia tells civilians to leave Kyiv - The Russian army tells residents of the Ukrainian capital they can "freely leave" on one highway as it hints of attacks on civilian areas. - 'More ruthless' - The Russian military campaign is becoming more and more ruthless and Ukrainian armed forces are fighting back with courage," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says. - Russian diplomats expelled - Twelve members of Russia's diplomatic mission to the UN have been ordered to leave the United States by the end of March, Russia's UN ambassador says. - US, Canada hit Moscow central bank - The United States and Canada ban all transactions with Russia's central bank, effective immediately, in an unprecedented sanction. - UK, EU tighten sanctions - The UK promises a "full assets freeze" on all of Russia's banks and orders all UK seaports to turn away Russian vessels. The European Union announces asset freezes and visa bans on a further 26 people including Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov and Kremlin-linked oligarchs including Rosneft head Igor Sechin, magnate Alisher Usmanov and bankers Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman. - EU dampens membership hopes - The EU pours cold water on a plea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for "immediate" membership to the bloc for his country, saying the adherence process takes years. - Ruble crashes - Putin announces emergency measures intended to prop up the plunging ruble, including banning residents from transferring money abroad and forcing exporters to buy the currency. - '352 civilians killed' - Kyiv says 352 civilians have been killed, including 14 children, since the invasion began last Thursday. Russia has acknowledged for the first time that it has suffered losses. - Half a million refugees - More than half a million people have fled Ukraine in the last five days, says the UN's refugee arm, UNHCR, with tens of thousands more displaced inside the country. - EU sending arms and fighter jets - EU countries will give fighter jets to Ukraine, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says as the bloc agrees to transport weapons worth 450 million euros to Kyiv. - Toughest ever sanctions - Brussels' latest wave of swingeing sanctions against Russia and Belarus are its toughest ever, closing EU airspace to Russian aircraft and banning two Russian broadcasters. It then adds Russian oligarchs and the Kremlin spokesman to its blacklist. - Russia retaliates - Russia responds by banning flights by airlines from 36 countries including Britain and Germany. - Pentagon studying nuclear order - Pentagon officials call Putin's order to mobilize his nuclear forces "dangerous" but say they have not seen any indication of any change in the country's strategic threat. - Turkey blocks warships - Turkey says it is blocking warships from the key Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits in line with a convention that gives it control over the passage of military vessels in the strategic area. - Finland to supply arms - Finland takes the "historic" decision to supply weapons to Ukraine following Russia's invasion of its neighbour, its prime minister announces. - Sporting ban urged - The International Olympic Committee urges sports federations and organisers to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from international events. - Russia kicked out of World Cup - Russia has been expelled from the 2022 World Cup and its teams suspended from all international football competitions "until further notice", FIFA and UEFA say.
Russia's attack slowing down? Not so fast, experts say Paris (AFP) Feb 28, 2022 The Russian army may have advanced less fast than planned in five days of war in Ukraine, but experts on Monday warned against jumping to conclusions from the apparent slowdown. The army is preparing strikes on Ukraine's capital Kyiv and other cities and, at the same time, trying to link together its attack forces in the south of the country. Both strategies are certain to put many more civilians in harm's way. - Not bogged down - The US defence department has said that Russia was "frus ... read more
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