Live blog: Ukraine forces 'repel' fresh Russian attack on Kharkiv city

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Ukraine says its troops repel Kharkiv attack

Ukrainian forces have evening repelled an attack on Kharkiv by Russian troops, who tried to storm the city from their positions in Piatykhatky, a suburb 15 kilometres to the north, the head of the Kharkiv region said.

The Ukrainian army was able "to push the enemy back beyond its previous position," Oleh Synehubov said on the messaging app Telegram. He called it a "shameful defeat."

There was no information about casualties on either side. After dark, Russian forces increased their shelling of the eastern city, Ukraine's second-largest, Synehubov said.

Warsaw seeks NATO 'peace mission' to help Ukraine

Poland has called for a NATO peace mission "protected by armed forces" to help Ukraine.

"I think that it is necessary to have a peace mission - NATO, possibly some wider international structure - but a mission that will be able to defend itself, which will operate on Ukrainian territory," Vice Premier Jars Kaczynski said during the conference, which was broadcast on Polish television.

"It must seek to provide humanitarian and peaceful aid."

Kiev: 'Fundamental contradictions' in talks with Russia

There are "fundamental contradictions" in talks aimed at ending Russia's military attack on Ukraine but compromise is possible, a member of the Ukrainian delegation and presidential aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, has said.

"We'll continue tomorrow [Wednesday]. A very difficult and viscous negotiation process. There are fundamental contradictions. But there is certainly room for compromise," Podolyak tweeted.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference that "talks are now continuing on giving Ukraine neutral military status, in the context of security guarantees for all participants in this process", as well as on "demilitarising Ukraine", Interfax news agency reported.

Erdogan: Turkish FM to visit Russia, Ukraine this week

Türkiye's top diplomat Mevlut Cavusoglu will fly to Russia and Ukraine this week as Ankara facilitates ceasefire talks between the two countries, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

"We are sending our foreign minister to Russia today (on Tuesday). He will hold talks in Moscow tomorrow. He will travel to Ukraine on Thursday," Erdogan told journalists after a cabinet meeting.

Erdogan will also meet Polish President Duda on Wednesday in Turkish capital Ankara.

Biden to attend NATO, EU summits in Brussels next week

US President Joe Biden is to travel to Brussels for NATO and EU summits next Thursday, as Western allies align their response to Russia's attack against Ukraine. 

The gatherings on March 24 of the US leader with his European counterparts come after Washington and Brussels unveiled successive waves of coordinated sanctions against Moscow.

Russia launches 'exit procedure' from Council of Europe

Russia has said it was launching the procedure to exit the Council of Europe, as pressure grew for Moscow's expulsion from the pan-European rights group.

It had given notification of its departure to the Secretary-General Marija Pejcinovic Buric.

Russia was suspended from all its rights of representation a day after tens of thousands of troops entered Ukraine on February 24.

EU adds Russian billionaire Abramovich to sanctions list 

The European Union has blacklisted Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and more oligarchs in a fresh round of sanctions following Russia's assault of Ukraine.

The sanctions also ban transactions with Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft, excluding those involving fossil fuels and other raw materials, the EU's Official Journal said.

READ MORE: Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sanctioned over Putin links

Nearly 100 children died since Russia's incursion: Zelenskyy 

Nearly a hundred children have died in the conflict that followed Russia's incursion into Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Canadian lawmakers.

The southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol was left without means of communication and was nearly running out of food, Zelenskyy said in a virtual address to Canadian lawmakers.

He added that 97 children had been reported dead in total since the conflict began.

Fox News cameraman killed in Ukraine: network 

A cameraman for Fox News, Pierre Zakrzewski, has been killed in Ukraine outside Kiev, the US network has said.

Zakrzewski was killed and his colleague Benjamin Hall was wounded when their vehicle was struck on Monday by incoming fire in Horenka, outside the capital, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement.

Hall, a Briton who works as the network's State Department correspondent, remains hospitalised in Ukraine, Scott said.

Russia to spend $9B to support economy

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has said that his country aims to spend around 1 trillion rubles ($9 billion) on measures to support an economy hit by international sanctions.

Mishustin said the government would work with other ex-Soviet countries to reshape their trade relationships with a focus on helping Russia to get the imports it needs.

Mishustin said the measures aim to “ensure the maximum flexibility for the economy, remove internal restrictions on business and give more freedom to entrepreneurs.”

Russia bars entry to Biden, Blinken and other top US officials

Russia has put US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top officials on a "stop list" that bars them from entering the country.

Their names, together with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA chief William Burns, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and others, were included on a list of 13 individuals banned from Russia in response to sanctions imposed by Washington on Russian officials. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also named.

But the foreign ministry said it was maintaining official relations with Washington and if necessary would make sure that high-level contacts with the people on the list could take place. 

Moscow could stage "false flag" operation in Ukraine: NATO

NATO is concerned Russia might use chemical weapons in a "false flag" attack as part of its incursion into Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said.

"We are concerned Moscow could stage a false flag operation in Ukraine, possibly with chemical weapons," Stoltenberg told a press conference.

Russia calls for UNSC vote on 'humanitarian' crisis resolution 

Moscow's envoy to the United Nations has called for a Security Council vote on a resolution it has drafted about the "deteriorating humanitarian situation" in Ukraine.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said that after France and Mexico opted not to present a draft resolution on humanitarian aid to the Council, Moscow would put forth its "own draft" for a vote on Wednesday.

Over 100,000 Britons willing to host Ukraine refugees

Over 100,000 Britons have expressed interest in hosting Ukrainian refugees, as part of a government programme for households to take in those fleeing Russia's offensive, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

"It's fantastic that over 100,000 people and organisations have recorded their interest in supporting Ukrainians fleeing the war," he tweeted.

"Thank you to everyone across the country who has stepped up to offer their help so far," he said, less than 24 hours after the launch of the "Homes for Ukraine" programme.

Ukraine, Russia resume talks to end conflict 

Talks between Russia and Ukraine, discussing a ceasefire and a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, are ongoing, one of Ukraine's negotiators have said.

"Negotiations are ongoing. Consultations on the main negotiation platform renewed. General regulation matters, ceasefire, withdrawal of troops from the territory of the country," Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter. 

Ukraine wants security guarantees from NATO

Ukraine understands it does not have an open door to NATO membership and therefore proposes a way to protect itself independently provided it has security guarantees, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"If we cannot enter through open doors, then we must cooperate with the associations with which we can, which will help us, protect us ... and have separate guarantees," he said in a video address.

Around 2,000 cars leave Ukraine's Mariupol  

Some 2,000 civilian cars have been able to drive out of the besieged southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol along a humanitarian evacuation route, the city authorities have said.

"As of 14:00 (1200 GMT) it is known that 2,000 cars left Mariupol," the city council said on Telegram, adding that a further 2,000 vehicles were waiting to leave the city.

The statement did not specify how many people left in the vehicles. Another 160 cars had left the city on Monday, the council has said. 

Belarus resisting attempts to drag it into conflict: Lukashenko

President Alexander Lukashenko has said that Belarus had intercepted a missile fired at it two days ago from Ukraine, but that it would resist what he called attempts to draw it into the conflict across the border.

The Kiev government accused Russia on Friday of staging "false flag" air attacks on Belarus from Ukraine to provide an excuse for Moscow's close ally, which has served as a staging post for Russian forces entering Ukraine, to join the conflict itself.

"I warned you that they would push us into this operation, into this war," Lukashenko told Belarusian soldiers, according to the state news agency BelTA.

UN: One child becoming a refugee every second in Ukraine

Some 1.4 million children have now fled Ukraine since the Russian incursion began on February 24, meaning nearly one child a second has become a refugee, the UN said.

"On average, every day over the last 20 days in Ukraine, more than 70,000 children have become refugees," James Elder, spokesman for the UN children's agency UNICEF, told reporters in Geneva.

That amounts to around 55 every minute, "so almost one per second," he said.

Help yourself by helping us, Zelenskyy tells European leaders

Europe must protect its own security by helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said in a meeting of Joint Expeditionary Force leaders in London via video link, urging them to send more weapons.

"We all are the targets of Russia and everything will go against Europe if Ukraine won't stand so I would like to ask you to help yourself by helping us ," Zelenskyy told the leaders.

"You know the kind of weapon we need ... without your support it would be very difficult I'm very grateful but I want to say that we need more ... I do hope that you will be able to enhance that scope and you will see how this will protect your security, your safety."

Russian forces slightly pushed back from Mykolayiv city

The governor of Ukraine's southern region of Mykolayiv has said the security situation was calmer in the area because Russian forces had been pushed back slightly from the regional capital, which they have been trying to seize.

In an interview on national television, Governor Vitaliy Kim said Russian troops continued to fire at the city of Mykolayiv and that 80 people were wounded on Monday, including two children.

"You can be 99% sure that Mykolayiv region will continue to hold back the advance of the Russian troops. There is the Bug River, which they need to force their way across in order to advance," he said. "We will not give up the bridges to the invaders."

'Massive destruction' at Dnipro airport after shelling

Overnight shelling caused massive damage at the main civilian airport in Ukraine's eastern Dnipro region overnight, destroying its runway and damaging the terminal building.

"During the night the enemy attacked the Dnipro airport. Two strikes. The runway was destroyed. The terminal is damaged. Massive destruction," Dnipro region governor Valentin Reznichenko said on Telegram.

"It will take a lot of time to recover. We will win!," he added in an online post.

Kiev to impose 36-hour curfew

Ukraine's capital Kiev will impose a 36-hour curfew from tonight amid a "difficult and dangerous moment" after several Russian strikes, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

"Today is a difficult and dangerous moment," former boxing champion Klitschko said in a statement, adding that the curfew will last from 1800 GMT (8PM local) today until 1700 GMT (7PM) tomorrow.

The announcement came as Russia launched fresh attacks in Ukraine's capital, which has nearly been encircled by Moscow's troops in the third week of the offensive and that has lost an estimated half of its 3.5-million pre-conflict population.

Kremlin: Too early for conclusions on Ukraine talks

The Kremlin has said it was too soon to draw any conclusions from talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine as fighting intensified around the capital Kiev.

"The work is complex, but the very fact that the work is continuing is in itself positive," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We don't want to give any forecasts. Let's wait for tangible results," he said.

Both sides earlier raised hopes that a document might be signed at meetings held by video-conference yesterday, before the sides announced a break for a "technical pause".

More than three million refugees flee Ukraine: UN

More than three million people have now fled Ukraine since Russia began its offensive on February 24, the United Nations said.

"We have now reached the three-million mark in terms of movement of people out of Ukraine," Paul Dillon, spokesman for the UN's International Organization for Migration, told reporters in Geneva.

Türkiye expects evacuation of its nationals from Ukrainian port city 'today or tomorrow'

Türkiye is expecting the evacuation of over 100 Turkish nationals remaining in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol "today or tomorrow," the country's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said.

The foreign minister added that a bus will leave from Odessa today for evacuation, and Türkiye will "continue and intensify efforts to evacuate not only our citizens but also other civilians from the region."

Türkiye has evacuated more than 14,800 of its citizens from Ukraine since the assault began on February 24, said Cavusoglu, adding that some 300-350 Turkish citizens remain in the region.

UK to ban exports of luxury goods to Russia, impose new import tariffs

Britain is set to ban the export of luxury goods to Russia and impose a new 35 percent tariff on $1.2 billion (900 million pounds) worth of Russian imports, including vodka, metals, fertilisers and other commodities.

The step is the latest in a series of economic sanctions announced by the government to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for his incursion into Ukraine. Further sanctions against wealthy Russians are expected to be announced later.

"Our new tariffs will further isolate the Russian economy from global trade, ensuring it does not benefit from the rules-based international system it does not respect," finance minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.

EU leaders traveling to Kiev to support Ukraine

The leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia are traveling to Kiev, Ukraine's capital which is currently under fire, on a European Union mission to show support for Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Czech counterpart Petr Fiala and Slovenia's Janez Jansa will be visiting as "representatives of the European Council", the Polish government said in a statement.

"The purpose of the visit is to confirm the unequivocal support of the entire European Union for the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and to present a broad package of support for the Ukrainian state and society," the statement added.

Russia claims capture of Ukraine's Kherson region

Russia's defence ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov has said that Moscow's forces had taken full control of all territory in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, Russian news agencies reported.

Residential areas hit in Kiev, at least two dead

Strikes on residential areas in Kiev have killed at least two people, emergency services said, as Russian troops intensified their attacks on the Ukrainian capital.

Two bodies were pulled from the rubble after a strike on a 16-storey building in the Sviatoshynsky district, the emergency service said in a Facebook post, adding that 27 people had been rescued from the site.

Another residential building in the Podilsk area also came under attack. “A fire started on the first five floors of a ten-storey residential building on Mostytska street as a result of ammunition fire,” the emergency service said.

Ukraine aims to open more humanitarian corridors

Ukraine is planning to open nine "humanitarian corridors" to evacuate civilians from areas besieged by Russian forces and will try to deliver humanitarian supplies to encircled Mariupol, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk has said.

Vitaliy Koval, the governor of the northern region of Rivne, said separately that the death toll from a Russian air strike on a television tower in his region on Monday had risen to at least 19.

Ukraine conflict 'at a crossroads'

An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy has said that the conflict in Ukraine is at a crossroads that could lead to an agreement at talks with Russia or a new Russian offensive.

"We are at a crossroads. Either we will agree at the current talks or the Russians will make a second attempt (at an offensive) and then there will be talks again," adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said.

China does not want to be 'affected' by Russia sanctions

China's foreign minister has warned that his nation does not want to be impacted by Western economic sanctions on Russia, state media said, as pressure grows on Beijing to withdraw support from an isolated Moscow.

"China is not a party to the crisis, still less wants to be affected by the sanctions," Wang Yi said, according to a readout of a phone call with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares.

Russia says there will be no domestic food shortages

Russia has said there was no risk of a food shortage on the domestic market and cautioned consumers against rushing out to stock up on staples after the West slapped sanctions on Russia over its operation in Ukraine.

"There are no conditions for risks of a shortage or for a reduction in product range," Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko said in a statement.

"We will reorient the market and establish mutually profitable trade, expand our partnership network with friendly countries," he added. Russia has already taken steps to safeguard its food market in light of Western sanctions.

Russia continues attacks in Ukrainian cities as talks to resume

Russia's forces have continued to pound away at cities across Ukraine, including the capital, in a bombardment that deepened the humanitarian crisis.

Shortly before dawn, large explosions thundered across Kiev while Russia pressed its advance on multiple fronts.

Meanwhile, a narrow diplomatic path has stayed open as Kiev and Moscow planned another round of talks.

Ukraine-Russia talks to continue on Tuesday – Zelenskyy

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that negotiations with Russia are to continue on Tuesday while urging  Russian soldiers to stop fighting, saying: "I'm offering you a chance to survive."

Zelenskyy also said he spoke with Israeli PM Naftali Bennett as part of a negotiation effort to end the conflict with Russia "with a fair peace."

"Our delegation also worked on this in negotiations with the Russian party," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. "Pretty good, as I was told. But let's see. They will continue."

Power supply restored to Ukraine's Chernobyl plant

Power supply has been renewed to Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Ukraine 24 television station reported, adding that authorities had notified the International Atomic Energy Agency.

On Monday, state-owned grid operator Ukrenergo said the Chernobyl plant was relying on electricity from diesel generators after its external power supply had again been damaged.

Abramovich jet lands in Moscow

A jet linked to sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich has landed in Moscow after taking off from Istanbul following a brief stop there, FLIGHTRADAR24 data shows.

The jet linked to Abramovich, the owner of Britain's Chelsea soccer club, arrived in Istanbul from Israel on Monday, shortly after he was seen in Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport.

Abramovich was among seven Russian billionaires added to a British sanctions list last week to try to isolate President Vladimir Putin over Russia's operation in Ukraine. European Union diplomats have embraced a similar move.

Ukraine launches website for cryptocurrency donations

The Ukrainian government has launched the "Aid for Ukraine" website in partnership with crypto-firms FTX and Everstake that will funnel donations to Ukraine's central bank as it combats the Russian offensive.

"Cryptocurrencies play a significant role in Ukraine's defence," Oleksandre Borniakov, Ukraine's deputy minister of Digital Transformation, said in a statement.

"Cryptocurrency assets have proven to be extremely valuable in facilitating the flow of funding to Ukrainian citizens and soldiers and in raising awareness and interest among the global public," he added. Website users can currently offer donations in 10 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, ether, tether and dogecoin.

UN chief warns Russia's operation is hurting poor countries

The United Nations chief has warned that Russia’s offensive in Ukraine is holding “a sword of Damocles” over the global economy, especially poor developing countries that face skyrocketing food, fuel and fertilizer prices and are now seeing their breadbasket “being bombed.”

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters that 45 African and least developed countries import at least one-third of their wheat from Ukraine and Russia, and 18 of them import at least 50 percent. These countries include Egypt, Congo, Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, he said.

“All of this is hitting the poorest the hardest and planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe,” Guterres warned.

Conflict could be over by May – Ukrainian presidential adviser

Russian offensive in Ukraine is likely to be over by early May when Moscow runs out of resources to attack its neighbour, Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, has said.

Arestovich said the exact timing would depend on how much resources the Kremlin was willing to commit to the campaign, adding: "I think that no later than in May, early May, we should have a peace agreement, maybe much earlier, we will see, I am talking about the latest possible dates."

"We are at a fork in the road now: there will either be a peace deal struck very quickly, within a week or two, with troop withdrawal and everything, or there will be an attempt to scrape together some, say, Syrians for a round two and, when we grind them too, an agreement by mid-April or late April."

New Zealand to allow Ukrainian-New Zealanders to sponsor family

New Zealand's government has said it will introduce a new policy that will enable about 4,000 family members of Ukrainian-New Zealanders to move to the country in the short term following Russia's offensive.

Ukrainian-born New Zealand citizens and residents will be able to sponsor a Ukrainian family member and their immediate family, Immigration Minster Kris Faafoi said in a statement. Those accepted will be granted a two-year work visa and their children will be able to attend school.

"The 2022 Special Ukraine Policy will be open for a year and allow the estimated 1,600 Ukrainian-born citizens and residents in New Zealand to sponsor parents, grand-parents and adult siblings or adult children and their immediate family," Faafoi said. "This is the largest special visa category we have established in decades."

Ukraine says Russia forces retreat at Mariupol

The Ukrainian military has repelled a Russian attempt to take control of the strategic port of Mariupol, its General Staff said in a statement, adding Russian forces retreated after suffering losses.

The Russian military has besieged the Azov Sea port city of 430,000 for a week and a half, leaving its residents desperate for power, water and food. 

More than 2,500 residents of Mariupol have been killed by the Russian shelling, Kiev says.

READ MORE: Pregnant woman, baby die after 'Russia bombing' in Ukraine's Mariupol

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