Explosions rock Kyiv
Several explosions were heard in quick succession in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, while an air raid siren blasted out, Reuters reported.
Up to a dozen explosions were heard, but their origin could not be immediately verified. There were no reports of casualties. The Russians have not launched a major assault on Kyiv, but they have engaged in shelling of the capital.
UN Security Council to discuss nuclear plant shelling
An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council has been called for later today, in the wake of the attack on Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine by Russian forces.
The US, UK, France, Ireland, Norway and Albania called for the meeting, which will be briefed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has offered to travel to Chernobyl for potential talks with Ukraine and Russia over Ukraine's nuclear sites.
Grossi said the trip's aim to discuss a "framework" to safeguard the security and functioning of Ukraine's nuclear sites with both sides in the conflict.
RT shuts down US office
State broadcaster Russia Today (RT) will shut down its US operations, deputy chief editor Ann Belkina said. The media agency was impacted by the latest flood of sanctions leveled on Moscow.
"We are sad and disappointed that our groundbreaking channel RT America had to go off the air after more than 10 years, and that the company that supplied much of its content, T&R Productions, had to cease most of its operations, due to challenging external circumstances," Belkina said.
Ukraine urges freezing Russian bank assets
Ukraine's central bank governor, Kyrylo Shevchenko, called on the US and the EU to freeze the assets of all Russian banks within their jurisdiction. He also urged for a suspension of their access to their markets and banks in Europe and the US
"We urge you to take decisions that will help in the international fight against terrorist financing," Shevchenko said in a statement.
Microsoft suspends Russia sales
Technology giant Microsoft Corporation said it was suspending new sales of its products and services in Russia, becoming the latest US company to distance itself from Moscow.
It joins Apple Inc., sports apparel giant Nike and Dell Technologies, among others, who have severed ties with Russian consumers in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
Microsoft also said it was halting many aspects of its business in Russia to comply with government sanctions, president Brad Smith said.
UN: More than 1.2 million people have fled Ukraine
The number of refugees who have fled Ukraine now totals more than 1.2 million, according to the UN Organization for Migration (IOM).
Around 672,000 have fled to Poland, roughly 194,000 to Moldova and about 133,000 to Hungary, an IOM spokesperson said in Geneva.
Thousands have also arrived in other countries, including Romania and Germany.
Georgia 'very worried' it could become Russia's 'next target'
Nikoloz Samkharadze, chair of the foreign relations committee of the Georgian parliament, told DW that his country was "very worried" it "could become the next target for Russian aggression."
Georgia formally applied to join the European Union on Thursday. Like Ukraine, Georgia is a direct neighbor of Russia. A majority of Georgians support joining the EU, but the process normally takes up to a decade.
Samkharadze said the timing of the move was due to the situation in the region changing "drastically" with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"We also see that there is a certain change in the mindset of some of the European leaders.... all of them have realized that the security of the European Union is pretty much dependent on the security in the Black Sea region," he said.
"Of course, we understand that Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova will not become members of the EU tomorrow or even in two years," Samkharadze said. "However, we at least need a clear signal from the European Union that one day, these three countries will become members. Therefore we need status of candidates now."
Moscow had recognized the independence of two separatist regions in Georgia after a brief Russian invasion of its neighbor in 2008. Georgia has since declared those territories, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as occupied by Russia.
Zelenskyy urges Russians to protest if they 'want to live without radioactive contamination'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to Russians on Friday to "take to the streets and say that you want to live on earth without radioactive contamination" after the attack at the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, adding "radiation does not know where the borders of your country are."
"Russian people, I want to appeal to you: how is this possible? After all we fought together in 1986 against the Chernobyl catastrophe," he said, evoking memories of the nuclear disaster.
Russia blames nuclear plant fire on Ukrainian saboteurs
Russia's defense ministry has blamed the attack at the site of the power plant on Ukrainian saboteurs, calling it a monstrous provocation.
Germany: Workers groups appeal for refugee integration
Germany's trade unions and employers on Friday issued a joint appeal for new procedures in order to assimilate Ukrainian refugees into the German workforce.
"Companies, works councils and staff councils stand ready to play their part in taking in these people, training and educating them and integrating them into the labor market," read the joint statement issued by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) on Friday.
Cost of conflict hits stock markets
Shares began to drop on Friday while oil prices moderated as investors assessed the damage caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Stocks fell in Europe and Asia and US futures edged lower.
Germany's DAX declined by 1.4% to 13,493.83 and the CAC 40 in Paris lost 1.6% to 6,278.15. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1.5% to 7,128.24.
On Wall Street, the future for the benchmark S&P 500 was 0.5% down and the future for the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.4%.
Death toll from Russian air strikes in Chernihiv rises to 47
Thursday's death toll in the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv now stands at 47 after Russian air strikes on a residential district, regional authorities said on Friday.
Rescue work had to be suspended on Thursday due to heavy shelling, emergency services said.
Russia to introduce jail terms for 'fake' news on army
Russian lawmakers on Friday approved legislation meaning a jail term of up to 15 years for anyone who provides what they perceive to be misinformation regarding the country's military.
Adopted after a third reading, the bill sets out sentences of varying lengths and fines against people who publish "knowingly false information" about the armed forces, with harsher penalties to hit when dissemination is deemed to have serious consequences.
Germany's Baerbock: Putin 'bringing ruin upon his own country'
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russian President Vladimir Putin's "war against Ukraine is also bringing ruin upon his own country" as part of an incalculable amount of suffering on all sides.
"We will continue to show him, economically and politically, that he must expect closed trade and global isolation for Russia if he continues down this route.
Baerbock said Putin wants to claim the whole of Ukraine. "For him, it's a perfidious game. For the people in Ukraine it's a fight just to stay alive."
Germany's top diplomat said people would be provided for and supplied with urgent humanitarian assistance as well as other material support.
"We will never abandon the Ukrainian people to their fate," Baerbock said.
Russian forces seize control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, says Ukraine
Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces have taken control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the countries southeast.
A fire broke out at one of the reactors at the site after Russian shelling overnight.
"Operational personnel are monitoring the condition of power units," the regional authority said on social media.
It added that it sought to ensure the operations were in line with safety requirements.
Russia to introduce jail terms for 'fake' news on army
Russian lawmakers on Friday approved legislation meaning a jail term of up to 15 years for anyone who provides what they perceive to be misinformation regarding the country's military.
Adopted after a third reading, the bill sets out sentences of varying lengths and fines against people who publish "knowingly false information" about the armed forces, with harsher penalties to hit when dissemination is deemed to have serious consequences.
Germany's Baerbock: Putin 'bringing ruin upon his own country'
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russian President Vladimir Putin's "war against Ukraine is also bringing ruin upon his own country" as part of an incalculable amount of suffering on all sides.
"We will continue to show him, economically and politically, that he must expect closed trade and global isolation for Russia if he continues down this route.
Baerbock said Putin wants to claim the whole of Ukraine. "For him, it's a perfidious game. For the people in Ukraine it's a fight just to stay alive."
New Development Bank puts Russia transactions on hold
The New Development Bank (NDB) established by the BRICS group of emerging nations says it is suspending new transactions in Russia.
"In light of unfolding uncertainties and restrictions, NDB has put new transactions in Russia on hold. NDB will continue to conduct business in full conformity with the highest compliance standards as an international institution," it said in a statement.
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — known together as BRICS — are members of the NDB.
Google suspends ad sales in Russia
Tech giant Google says it will halt all online advertising in Russia, in a ban that covers search, YouTube and outside publishing partners. Earlier, Google had stopped Russian state media from buying or selling ads on its platforms.
"In light of the extraordinary circumstances, we're pausing Google ads in Russia. The situation is evolving quickly, and we will continue to share updates when appropriate," the company said in a statement.
On Thursday, Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor asked Google to stop showing political ads with "false information" which it alleged aimed to "misinform" the Russian audience.
Emergency services access Zaporizhzhia fire
Ukraine said emergency services were able to access the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant where a training facility on the exterior of the facility caught fire following Russian shelling.
Both the IAEA and the White House said they were actively monitoring the attack on Europe's largest nuclear plant and that there has not been an increase in radiation levels.
Airbnb suspending operations in Russia, Belarus
Brian Chesky, the CEO of Airbnb said in a tweet the international short-term rental bookings site is suspending "all operations in Russia and Belarus."
Earlier in the week Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said the company was working with hosts to provide lodging for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of their country for free.
Ukrainian Embassy in Berlin requests tanks and warships
The Ukrainian Embassy in Berlin has requested the German government provide Kyiv with tanks and warships to face down a Russian invasion.
Additional items on Ukraine's list of requests include infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems, such as self-propelled howitzers, air defense systems, combat and support helicopters, reconnaissance and combat drones and transport aircraft.
Ukraine's formal request to the Chancellery, the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry read in part, "In view of the extremely tense security situation because of the ongoing Russian aggression, the Ukrainian government is seeking that this request be processed and favorably reviewed as quickly as possible."
The note adds Putin started a "war of annihilation" against Ukraine.
Berlin reversed its defense and Russia policy of many decades seemingly overnight following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Germany has already provided 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles after initially promising just 5,000 helmets.
Zelenskyy: 'Europe needs to wake up'
"Europe needs to wake up," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video posted to Telegram after Russian troops shelled the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
"I am addressing all Ukrainians, all Europeans and everyone who knows the word Chernobyl," he said. "Tens of thousands had to be evacuated and Russia wants to repeat that, and is already repeating it, but 6 times bigger."
He added that Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors and "if there is an explosion it is the end for everyone."
"Do not let Europe dies in the nuclear catastrophe," he concluded.
UK calls UN Security Council meeting
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over the war in Ukraine.
Johnson said Putin could "threaten the safety of all of Europe."
China-backed bank suspends business with Russia, Belarus
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) said it will be suspending business with Russia and Belarus, which have been hit by severe international sanctions since Russia invaded Ukraine. Belarus has provided Moscow with assistance and logistical support, including the use of its territory to mount the assault.
"In the best interests of the bank, management has decided that all activities relating to Russia and Belarus are on hold and under review," the bank said in a statement, adding that management would do its "utmost to safeguard the financial integrity of AIIB."
"AIIB stands ready to extend financing flexibly and quickly and support members who have been adversely impacted by the war," the statement added without much detail.
The AIIB is a multilateral institution launched in 2016 at the initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping to balance Western dominance of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Russia is one of the founding members of the AIIB, holding a 6% vote in operations and has a seat on the board of the bank. The Bank of China holds a 27% stake, though Russia is the third-largest stakeholder after India.
IAEA: No change reported in Zaporizhzhia radiation levels
Shortly after Russian shelling led to a fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said there had been no change in reported radiation levels.
Fighting has been reported at Zaporizhzhia, with Ukrainian authorities reporting a training site outside the main plant is on fire. Firefighters have been unable to tend to the blaze as Russia keeps firing, an official from the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said.
The plant director said on Ukraine 24 television that radiation at the facility was secure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had resulted to "nuclear terror" by shelling Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
