Russian forces continued the offensive on Ukraine as Ukranian officials reported that an art school where about 400 people had taken refuge in the port city of Mariupol was bombed.
Earlier this morning, Ukraine rejected Russian calls for Ukrainian forces in Mariupol to lay down their arms in exchange for safe passage out of the city.
World leaders continued to rally around the war-torn country as New Zealand announced that it will be providing non-lethal military assisatance. Meanwhile, the White House announced that President Joe Biden will be travelling to Poland to discuss “the humanitarian and human rights crisis that Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war on Ukraine has created,” with with President Andrzej Duda.
The mortal remains of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagaudar, a medical student from Karnataka, who was killed in Russian shelling in war-torn Ukraine, arrived at the airport in Bengaluru today.
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.
Read | Mounting pressure: On India’s options on Ukraine
Here are the latest updates:
Israel to maintain relations with Kyiv, Moscow
Israel’s prime minister says the country is managing its involvement with Ukraine and Russia “in a sensitive, generous and responsible way while balancing various and complex considerations” after Ukraine’s president called on Israel to take sides.
Naftali Bennett spoke on the tarmac at Israel’s main international airport as an aid delegation was set to depart for Ukraine to set up a field hospital for refugees near the Polish border.-AP
Russia says it hit military facility in Ukraine’s Rivne region with cruise missiles
Russian air forces hit a Ukrainian army military facility in Rivne Region with cruise missiles, Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Monday.
“High-precision air-launched cruise missiles have struck a training centre for foreign mercenaries and Ukrainian nationalist formations,” Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.-Reuters
Ukraine says no agreement reached to evacuate Mariupol civilians on Monday
Agreement has been reached on creating eight humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from besieged towns and cities on Monday but the city of Mariupol is not among them, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
She said efforts to reach Mariupol with humanitarian supplies continued to fail.-Reuters
At least 4 killed overnight in Kyiv shelling
Shelling in a Kyiv neighborhood has devastated a shopping center, leaving a flattened ruin still smoldering Monday morning in the midst of high-rise towers.
Emergency services reported at least four people were killed by the overnight shelling near the city center late Sunday. The force of the explosion shattered every window in the high-rise next door and twisted their metal frames.
In the distance, the sound of artillery rang out as firefighters picked their way through the destruction in the densely populated Podil district.-AP
Rescuers work at the site of a shopping mall damaged by an airstrike, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine, in this handout picture released on March 21, 2022. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS
U.K. says bulk of Russian forces more than 25 kms from centre of Kyiv
Russian forces advancing on Kyiv from the north-east have stalled and the bulk of its forces remain more than 25 kilometres from the centre of the city, British military intelligence said on Monday.
“Heavy fighting continues north of Kyiv,” the Ministry of Defence said. “Forces advancing from the direction of Hostomel to the north-west have been repulsed by fierce Ukrainian resistance.”-Reuters
Ukrainians told to shelter after ‘leak’ at ammonia plant
Residents of the northern Ukrainian town of Novoselytsya should seek shelter after an ammonia leak at a nearby chemical factory, an official said Monday, as intense fighting with Russian forces in the area continues.
Sumy regional governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky said there had been an “ammonia leakage” at the Sumykhimprom facility, affecting an area within 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) of the plant, which produces fertilisers.
The extent and cause of the incident was not immediately clear, but residents were told to seek refuge in basements or on lower levels of buildings to avoid exposure.
“Ammonia is lighter than air, therefore shelters, basements and lower floors should be used for protection,” Zhyvytsky said in a Telegram message.-AFP
Ukraine refuses to surrender Mariupol as Russia warns of humanitarian ‘catastrophe’
Ukraine on Monday rejected Russian calls to surrender the port city of Mariupol, where residents are besieged with little food, water and power in a humanitarian crisis that is increasing pressure on European leaders to toughen sanctions on Moscow.
Ukraine’s government defiantly rejected Russian calls for Ukrainian forces in Mariupol to lay down their arms in exchange for safe passage out of the city and humanitarian corridors to be opened from 1000 Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Monday.
“There can be no question of any surrender, laying down of arms,” the Ukrainska Pravda news portal cited Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk as saying.
“We have already informed the Russian side about this.”-Reuters
New Zealand to provide Ukraine with non-lethal military assistance
New Zealand said on Monday it will provide Ukraine with a further NZ$5 million ($3.46 million) in funds and non-lethal military assistance including some surplus equipment.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the money would be primarily directed to a NATO Trust Fund that provides fuel, rations, communication equipment and first aid kits to support Ukraine as its battles Russian forces that invaded on Feb. 24.
The New Zealand Defence Force will provide tactical equipment such as body armour, helmets and vests that are surplus to requirements, she said.
This brings New Zealand’s total assistance to Ukraine to NZ$11 million.-AP
White House: Biden to visit Poland on Europe trip this week
President Joe Biden has added a stop in Poland to his trip this week to Europe for urgent talks with NATO and European allies, as Russian forces concentrate their fire upon cities and trapped civilians in a nearly month-old invasion of Ukraine.
Biden will first travel to Brussels and then to Poland to meet with leaders there, press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Sunday night.
Poland is a crucial ally in the Ukraine crisis. It is hosting thousands of American troops and is taking in more people fleeing the war in Ukraine — more than 2 million — than any other nation in the midst of the largest European refugee crisis in decades.-AP
Body of Indian medical student killed in Ukraine arrives in Bengaluru
The mortal remains of a medical student from the state, who was killed in Russian shelling in war-torn Ukraine, arrived at the airport here on Monday.
Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagaudar, a Final Year Medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University, died on March 1, in the conflict zone.
Gyanagaudar’s family members, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai were among the others present at the airport to receive the body.
The body was then taken to Gyanagaudar’s native place, Chalageri village of Ranebennur taluk in Haveri district.-PTI
Ukraine’s Zelensky says Israel good place for holding talks with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Israel was undertaking many efforts to arrange top-level peace talks between his country and Russia and suggested they might take place in Jerusalem.
Mr. Zelensky, speaking in his daily video appeal to Ukrainians after addressing Israel’s parliament by video link, said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had been trying to act as an intermediary between Kyiv and Moscow.
“The prime minister of Israel, Mr. Bennett is trying to find a way of holding talks. And we are grateful for this. We are grateful for his efforts, so that sooner or later we will begin to have talks with Russia, possibly in Jerusalem.
“That’s the right place to find peace. If possible.”-Reuters
Quad has accepted Indian stand on Ukraine, says Australian envoy
There is no reason to be unhappy with the Indian position regarding the Ukraine crisis, the Australian envoy to India said here on Sunday.
Addressing the media here, High Commissioner Barry O’Farrel appreciated India’s efforts in this regard and said Canberra is hopeful of concluding the early harvest trade deal by the end of the March.
Karnataka CM to pay last respects to Naveen
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will visit Chalageri village in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district on Monday to pay last respects to MBBS student Naveen, who died in Ukraine.
The body of Naveen, who died in Kharkiv city, will be arriving at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru at 3 a.m. on Monday. From there, it would be taken to his native village Chalageri.
Ten million have fled their homes in Ukraine: UN
Ten million people — more than a quarter of the population — have now fled their homes in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, the United Nations refugees chief said on Sunday.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said nearly 3.4 million of the total had fled to neighbouring countries, mostly to the Polish border.
Ukraine-returned students set to resume academics
Several MBBS students, who were brought home from war-hit Ukraine, have resumed their studies, and a few more will get back to the academic routine from Monday. The universities in Ukraine have begun conducting online classes.
