Ukraine, Russia agree to hold 3rd round of talks
Russia on Day 7 seized three Ukrainian cities including the strategic port city of Kherson in the south on Wednesday. The Russian attack was also overwhelmingly condemned in a session of the UN General Assembly with many countries including China and India abstaining.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has entered the 8th day on Thursday. Here is the latest news:
Ukraine, Russia agree to hold third round of talks in nearest future
Russia and Ukraine agreed to hold the third round of negotiations "in the nearest future," says Mikhail Podolyak, advisor in Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s office and a member of the Ukrainian delegation.
"We agreed to continue our work in the third round in the nearest future," he said after the talks Thursday.
He disclosed that Russia and Ukraine achieved an understanding on the issue of joint establishment of humanitarian corridors for evacuation of civilians. A temporary ceasefire in these areas is possible during the evacuation, Podolyak said.
"The sides achieved an understanding on joint establishment of humanitarian corridors for evacuation of civilians, and for delivery of medicine and food to locations of the most fierce hostilities with potential temporary ceasefire in the areas of evacuation," Podolyak said.
Georgia applies for membership in the European Union
Following on Ukraine’s heels, Georgia will submit an application to become a member of the European Union, the country’s ruling party has announced.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili signed the formal application on March 3. “We call on the EU bodies to review our application in an emergency manner and to make the decision to grant Georgia the status of an EU membership candidate,” said Irakli Kobakhdize, the chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, according to"eurasianet.org" website.
Key city of Mariupol under siege
The mayor of the Ukrainian port of Mariupol said a Russian siege and hours of shelling that battered rail links and bridges have cut off water.
Borrell called for an "immediate ceasefire"
The European Union is calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Thursday. "This war needs to stop now. I call for an immediate ceasefire. I call for immediate establishment of humanitarian corridors," Borrell wrote on Twitter.
London: Putin must be defeated in Ukraine
At a news conference, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss revealed London and the West's intention towards Russia their prime goals to defeat Putin in Ukraine,.
She also said the second goal of her country is to help Ukraine with defensive weapons to stop Russian tanks.
Ukrainian Army claims to have shot own two Russian fighter jets
The Ukrainian military said Thursday that it had shot down a Sukhoi 30 fighter jet near the town of Irpin in Kyiv Oblast and a Sukhoi 34 fighter jet near the town of Volnovakha in Donetsk Oblast on Thursday.
Macron holds telephone calls with Russian and Ukrainian leaders
According to the Elysee Palace, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the report, Macron's telephone conversation with Putin lasted more than an hour and a half, after which the French president spoke with Zelensky.
Ukraine calls for a no-fly zone over the nuclear facilities
Ukraine has asked the International Atomic Energy Agency for help in securing NATO support for to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine's nuclear facilities, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine said.
Zelensky's claim about the presence of foreign forces in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a video speech on Thursday that 16,000 foreign nationals were to go to Ukraine to fight alongside him.
ASEAN calls for an immediate end to the Ukraine war
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called on Thursday for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine.
According to the CNN website, the foreign ministers of the ASEAN member states called for an immediate end to what they described as "war" and "military conflict" in Ukraine.
The ASEAN members states also expressed their strong dissatisfaction with the deteriorating situation in Ukraine.
Its 10 ASEAN members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Price of gas and oil continue to soar amid Ukraine crisis
The price of Brent crude oil increased to $117 BPD on Thursday.
Lavrov says has no doubt solution to situation in Ukraine will be found
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed confidence that a solution to the Ukrainian crisis will be found and noted that Moscow's demands are "minimal". He added that Russia can't allow Ukraine to pose a threat to the country's security.
The top diplomat further said that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will occur and are scheduled to take place on 3 March. The minister added that Russia is ready to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and the whole of Europe as well during these talks.
Zelensky's office says Ukraine's delegation on way for talks with Russia
Russian media have reported the President of Ukraine as saying that his delegation will attend the second round of talks in Belarus later today.
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has meanwhile said that his country's demands in the talks are minimal.
International Paralympic Committee suspends Russia in Beijing Games
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has suspended the participation of Russian athletes in the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing.
China denies Western media claims about Ukraine
China's foreign ministry called Western media reports of Beijing's request on Russia to postpone the invasion of Ukraine until after the Beijing Winter Olympics as completely wrong.
Zelensky's new video message on the Ukraine crisis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lambasted Russia in a new video message on Thursday saying "The enemy had been planning to attack our country for years."
He further said that Ukraine has defeated Russia despite being 10 times the size of the Ukrainian army.
We have achieved all our goals in Ukraine: Russia deputy FM
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that the country has already achieved all its goals in the special military operation in Ukraine.
"In recent days, we have witnessed an unprecedented economic, political and intelligence attack on Russia," Ryabkov warned of tensions in US-Western relations with Russia over developments in Ukraine.
The Russian deputy FM also condemned the US and allied actions in providing arms to Ukraine and stressed Moscow's readiness to hold talks with the United States.
Ukraine reported about the fire of fuel tanks in Chernihiv
In Chernihiv, a shell hit an oil depot, rescuers are putting out the fire, the State Emergency Service reports on Thursday, March 3.
According to the report, the shelling took place at about 8:10 am on the street. Chudinov on the territory of SE Combine Astra.
As noted, as a result of the hit, a tank group with a total capacity of 3,000 cubic meters of diesel fuel ignited.
Moscow says military convoy continues way towards Kiyv
While some Western media reported that the Russian military convoy stalled, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the advance towards Kyiv was continuing and that Russian troops reached within 30 kilometers of the city.
Ukraine, Russian to hold 2nd round of peace talks Thursday
It is expected that Russian and Ukrainian delegations will hold a second round of peace negotiations in Belarus on Thursday. According to Sputnik, the Russian delegation arrived at the talks on Wednesday, while the Ukrainian delegation is set to arrive on Thursday morning.
The first round of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations were held in the Gomel region of Belarus on Monday. The Russian delegation was headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Ukrainian President Zelensky's office had said that "the key issue of the negotiations is an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops from the territory of Ukraine".
Sputnik has updated its news sayiong that second round of Russia-Ukraine talks to begin in Brest region at 15:00 Local Time.
War crimes court prosecutor opens Ukraine investigation
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor on Wednesday said he would immediately open an investigation into possible war crimes committed in Ukraine, following requests to do so by an unprecedented number of the court's member states.
A large explosion was heard in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on Wednesday evening, shortly after warning sirens rang out, Turkish Anadolu Agnecy said.
A major heating pipeline in the capital was damaged in a missile strike near Kyiv’s central railway station, according to Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister.
He said the Russian cruise missile was “intended for a major control center” but was intercepted by Ukraine’s air defense.
Pentagon postpones missile test launch to deescalate Russia tensions
the Press Secretary for the United States Department of Defense said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the Pentagon to postpone a planned test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile to quell tensions with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Hill reported.
Romania loses two aircraft near Ukraine’s border
A Romanian MiG-21 LanceR fighter jet disappeared from the radar in the southeastern region of Dobrogea late on Wednesday, the country’s Defense Ministry has said. The incident was followed by the crash of an IAR 330 Puma helicopter, dispatched to locate the jet.
The fighter aircraft, which is an Israeli-upgraded version of the iconic 1960s Soviet jet, disappeared some 15 minutes after taking off and heading to patrol the coastal region bordering Ukraine. A search and rescue mission was scrambled, with the helicopter dispatched to find the jet.
The helicopter, however, disappeared some 20 minutes into its mission as well, the military has said. Before the comms were lost, its pilot reported extremely bad weather conditions in the area.
1 million people have fled Ukraine
The UN refugee agency said Thursday that 1 million people have now fled Ukraine since Russia began its operation in Ukraine less than a week ago, an exodus without precedent in this century for its speed.
Pentagon chief weighs in on Ukraine no-fly zone
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has rejected any plan to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine following pleas from officials in Kiev, saying it would inevitably kick off a hot conflict between nuclear powers, according to RT.
Speaking to NBC’s Lester Holt for an interview aired on Wednesday, the Pentagon head agreed that a no-fly zone (NFZ) is a “non-starter” – a statement in line with the president’s pledge that American troops would not directly intervene in the conflict.
