Russia agreed to a prospective meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin says Russia will "radically reduce" military activity outside Kyiv and Chernihiv, according to the news agency Tass.
The Ukrainian government says it is operating three humanitarian corridors Tuesday to move civilians out of the besieged port of Mariupol and two Russian-occupied cities in the south
The conflict began escalating on February 21, 2022, after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and deployed troops in a peacekeeping role.
Here are the latest updates
At least 200 killed in Irpin since start of Ukraine war: Mayor
At least 200 people have been killed in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin since Russia invaded Ukraine, its mayor said Wednesday, adding that more than half of the city had been destroyed and it was not safe for residents to return.
"I think about 200 to 300 people have died unfortunately," mayor Oleksandr Markushyn told reporters.
"Fifty percent of the city is destroyed, including critical infrastructure," he said, adding that while Irpin was "100 percent" under Ukrainian control, it was "still dangerous" and still being shelled by Russia.—AFP
12 dead, 33 injured in airstrike in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv
At least 12 people were killed and 33 wounded on Tuesday when a Russian missile hit a regional government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, emergency officials said.
The strike hit the nine-storey building shortly before 9 am local time, destroying the entire central part of the structure. -AFP
UN food chief: Ukraine war’s food crisis is worst since WWII
The UN food chief warned Tuesday the war in Ukraine has created “a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe” and will have a global impact “beyond anything we’ve seen since World War II” because many of the Ukrainian farmers who produce a significant amount of the world’s wheat are now fighting Russians. -AP
‘Deep regret’ over continuing conflict in Ukraine, Pakistan PM Khan tells Zelenskyy in a telephone call
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and underlined the need for a permanent end to the “military conflict” between Russia and Ukraine and finding a diplomatic solution to the issue that has adversely impacted the global economy.
Prime Minister Khan received a phone call from Zelenskyy, where the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in the war-torn Eastern European country, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday. -AP
Russia’s Ukraine de-escalation claim draws wary response
Russia pledged to scale down fighting around two Ukrainian cities including Kyiv following peace talks on Tuesday, but the United States led a chorus of sharp scepticism over Moscow’s intentions.
The talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul raised hopes after more than a month of war that has left thousands dead and prompted negotiators to suggest a meeting between the two presidents. -AFP
Russia-backed Donetsk Republic will consider joining Russia- leader
The Russian-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine may consider joining Russia once it controls all of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, its news outlet cited separatist leader Denis Pushilin as saying on Tuesday.
“The main task is to reach the constitutional borders of the republic. Then we will determine that,” Pushilin was quoted by the Donetsk News Agency as saying. -Reuters
Poland moves to block coal imports from Russia
Poland’s government decided Tuesday to block imports of coal from Russia, part of a strategy to reduce energy dependence on Russia that gained new urgency after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Poland will impose financial penalties on any private entities importing Russian coal into Poland, with Polish customs officials carrying out checks, government spokesman Piotr Mueller said as he announced the new policy. He added that Poland could no longer wait for the whole 27-nation European Union to embrace the policy. -AP
