Second round of Ukraine-Russia talks begins

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have started a new round of talks, Ukraine's presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said.

Podoliak said the talks would focus on pushing for a "humanitarian corridor" and an immediate cease-fire.

The location of the meeting was believed to be on the Poland-Belarus border. Belarusian state media said the talks were held in Belarus.

On Monday, the first round of talks yielded no breakthrough. Ukraine has said it would not accept any "ultimatums" by Russia, while Putin said Moscow could add further demands of Kyiv stalls the talks.

"Attempts to buy time by dragging out the negotiations only lead to additional demands on Kiyv in our negotiating position," Putin told French President Macron in a phone call on Thursday, according to a readout by the Kremlin.

Ukraine demands accountability for Russian 'war crimes'

Ukraine's first deputy foreign minister told the UN Human Rights Council that Russian troops were carrying out acts that amount to war crimes in Ukraine.

"Recent events clearly point to the fact that the Russian troops fighting in Ukraine carry out the most blatant violations and abuses of human rights, systematically engage in acts that clearly amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," Emine Dzhaparova told an urgent debate.

"We must stand together to ensure accountability for the war criminals spilling the blood of Ukrainian children."

Meanwhile, Russia's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, denounced the "criminal regime in Kyiv" and accused the US and the EU of supplying lethal weapons, adding, "We do not see any added value in today's debate."

Macron fears 'worst is yet to come' after call with Putin

French officials said the phone call between President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, left the French leader believing that "the worst is yet to come."

The Elysee palace said earlier that Putin and Macron spoke for 90 minutes about the situation in Ukraine as Paris continues to seek de-escalation.

According to French officials, the telephone call was initiated by Putin, who said his army's "operation" was going "according to the plan" that Moscow had.

"There was nothing in what President Putin said that could reassure us," a French presidential adviser told Reuters news agency, adding that Putin had reiterated his "narrative" that he was seeking the "denazification of Ukraine."

"'You are lying to yourself'," Macron told Putin, according to the official. "'It will cost your country dearly, your country will end up isolated, weakened and under sanctions for a very long time'."

Ukraine-Russia talks expected to begin shortly

Talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations are expected to get underway at around 1400 GMT in Belarus, a Ukrainian official said.

"On our way to negotiations with the Russian Federation. Already in helicopters," presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter, posting a photo of himself with lawmaker and negotiator Davyd Arakhamia in what appears to be a helicopter cabin.

Russia's space agency to prioritize military satellites

Russian space agency Roscosmos said it would prioritize making satellites for military purposes.

"Our space program, of course, will be adjusted. Firstly, priorities will be set," Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with Russian state TV.

"The priority here is the creation of spacecraft in the interests of both Roscosmos and Russia's Defense Ministry," Rogozin said, adding that all future spacecraft will be of "dual-purpose."

Roscosmos will also stop supplying the US with rocket engines, especially the RD-180 engines used on US Atlas launch vehicles and RD-181 used in the first stage of the Antares launch system, Rogozin said.

"Let them fly to space on their broomsticks," he said.

Separately, Roscosmos declared an end to its cooperation with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in response to the termination of cooperation by the German side.

Ukrainian governor: 9 killed in Russian strike on schools

At least nine people were killed and four injured when a Russian airstrike hit two schools and private houses in the Ukrainian northern city of Chernihiv, governor Viacheslav Chaus said.

"Rescue work is ongoing. According to the state emergency services, there are for now nine people killed and four wounded," he said.

Ukraine plans to auction NFTs to support military

Ukraine's vice prime minister and minister of digital transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, said that Kyiv will unveil plans for Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to raise funds for its military.

NFTs, a kind of crypt asset that represents a digital file, have surged in popularity last year, with some selling for billions of dollars.

"We will announce NFTs to support Ukrainian Armed Forces soon," Fedorov said in a tweet, without giving any further details of the project.

"Every day there are more and more people willing to help Ukraine to fight back the aggression."

Last week, Fedorov asked major crypto exchanges to block the digital wallet addresses of Russian users. But several platforms have declined to impose such a ban.

UN watchdog slams Russian takeover of Ukrainian nuclear plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has passed a resolution condemning the taking over of Ukrainian nuclear plants by the Russian military.

Only Russia and China voted against the resolution of the UN watchdog's board of governors, with 26 voting in favor and five abstentions, according to diplomats.

The resolution called on Russia to "cease all actions" at Ukraine's nuclear facilities. It also highlighted that the risk of a nuclear accident with international repercussions had increased substantially in the wake of the Russian invasion.

The IAEA also "deplores the Russian Federation's actions in Ukraine, including forcefully seizing control of nuclear facilities and other violent actions," according to the resolution.

Russian forces have said they seized control of at least two nuclear facilities in Ukraine including the site of the Chernobyl disaster.

Arakhamia said Kyiv planned to discuss setting up "humanitarian corridors" at the meeting.

Earlier, Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said Moscow was ready for talks to end fighting, but added that Russia would continue its military offensive until its goals, including the "demilitarization of Ukraine, were achieved.

UN rights chief warns of 'risk to all humanity'

The UN human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine and warned of a "massive impact" on the rights of millions.

Bachelet, opening an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council, also warned that heightened nuclear threat levels showed all of humanity was at risk.

"Elevated threat levels for nuclear weapons underline the gravity of the risks to all of humanity," Bachelet said.

On Sunday, Putin ordered that Russia's nuclear "deterrence" forces be put on alert. Russian forces have also seized control of nuclear facilities in Ukraine including the site of the Chernobyl disaster.

Bachelet further raised concern over tens of millions of people in Ukraine facing "potentially mortal danger."

"My staff in Ukraine have been contacted by several groups who fear persecution if Russian troops advance, including members of the Crimean Tatar community in mainland Ukraine, as well as prominent human rights defenders and journalists," she told the Geneva forum.

Macron speaks with Putin, Zelenskyy

French President Emmanuel Macron held a new 90-minute phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, according to the French Elysee palace.

It marked the third conversation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

An aide to Macron told reporters that the French president had spoken with Putin "then called President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy" in Kyiv.

Further details of the calls were not disclosed.

In a televised address on Wednesday, Macron harshly criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine and reiterated support for Kyiv.

F1 terminates contract with Russia

Formula One has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix following the country's invasion of Ukraine.

F1 had already announced canceling this year's race in Sochi, which was scheduled to be held on September 25. But F1 said it decided to go a step further and end the contract following further discussions.

"Russia will not have a race in the future," F1 said in a statement. Several drivers, including four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, had said they would not have raced in Russia even if F1 had decided to go there.

German journalists slam closure of Russian radio station

The German Journalists' Association (DJV) decried the closure of the Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy.

Ekho Moskvy's board of directors dissolved it after coming under state pressure over its reporting on the war in Ukraine.

Frank Überall, the DJV's chairman, said Russia's measure represented an "arbitrary act of a desperate regime, which no longer tolerates even the even rudimentary criticism."

Ekho Moskvy was the last critical radio station in radio station in Russia, Überall said.

ICC probe team leaves for Ukraine

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Karim Khan, announced that an advance team has left The Hague for Ukraine to start investigating possible war crimes.

Khan had announced that the ICC would start collecting evidence just hours earlier.

"Yesterday I formulated a team and today they are moving to the region," Khan told Reuters news agency.

Khan's office is looking into possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by all parties in the conflict, he said.

Lavrov says Russia is ready to talk, but 'operation' will continue

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says any peace accord Russia signs must include the "demilitarization" of Ukraine. He also said Moscow would continue its "operation" despite diplomatic talks.

Russian officials have been careful to avoid the word "war" when discussing the invasion of Ukraine in public.

"We are ready to talk but we will continue our operation because we cannot afford to allow infrastructure in Ukraine, which would threaten the security of the Russian Federation, Lavrov said, adding that "demilitarization" would involve "destroying the infrastructure and weapons systems threatening us."

Previously, Russia's top negotiator for Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky, said his delegation was waiting on Ukrainian representatives to start talks in southwestern Belarus.

Volkswagen suspends production in Russia

German car giant Volkswagen said it would stop its vehicle production in Russia due to the war in Ukraine.

Operations in VW plants in Kaluga, southwest of Moscow, and in Nizhny Novgorod, in western Russia, will be halted "until further notice," the company said.

Volkswagen, which is Europe's largest auto group, said exports to Russia would also be "stopped with immediate effect."

"The war in Ukraine is upsetting us all," VW officials wrote in a letter to the workforce. "After the Russian attack, Volkswagen hopes for a quick cessation of the hostilities and a return to diplomacy."

Zelenskyy says Russia would pay 'reparations'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to restore "every house, every street, every city" destroyed in the Russian invasion, and called on Russia to learn about "reparations and contributions."

"You will reimburse us for everything you did against our state, against every Ukrainian in full," Zelensky said in a video statement," he said.

France seizes yacht linked to Rosneft CEO Sechin

French authorities said they have seized a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat due to EU sanctions against Russia.

The vessel was allegedly owned by a company linked with the chief executive of Russia's Rosneft. The company's CEO, Igor Sechin, is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nuclear war conversations are happening in the West, not Russia — Lavrov

Russia's top diplomat Sergey Lavrov said there was a "conversation" about nuclear war happening right now, but that it was not happening in Russia.

"Everyone understands that WWIII could only be a nuclear war," he said. "But I want to point out that nuclear war keeps bouncing around in the heads of Western politicians, not Russians. I assure you that we will allow no provocations to take us out of balance, but if they start waging a real war against us, people who are hatching those plans should think about that. And, from my perspective, those plans are being hatched."

He also said that the West's "hysterics" would pass and that he had no doubt a solution for Ukraine would be found, describing the Western sanctions against Russia as a kind of an "independence tax."

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country's nuclear deterrence was ordered into a "special mode" of readiness, although the exact effects of that order remain unclear.

Moscow cautions against further escalation

Russia's second-most senior diplomat Sergey Ryabkov said Moscow was cautioning its "opponents" against escalating the crisis. Talking to the Russia's RBC broadcaster, Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov described the West's reaction to the fighting in Ukraine as an "unprecedented political, economic, information attack on Russia."

He also said that Russia's "special operation" — a term used by Russian officials — would be completed and "Ukraine's demilitarization and its denazification" needed to be achieved. Ryabkov also said there is a "perspective of some dialogue" between Russia and Ukraine in Belarus.

Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin also listed those goals for the attack, pointing to the alleged threat posed by anti-Russian far-right elements in Ukraine. The comments were condemned by Holocaust remembrance bodies, with observers pointing out that the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is both a native Russian speaker and Jewish.

Speaking to RBC, Ryabkov said Moscow was still insisting on "security guarantees" from the West, and that he believed that "one day" the West and Moscow would start improving ties again.

"But there will be no going back to the way it was before, the West itself destroyed the architecture of mutual safety that existed until recently," he told the TV channel.

Russia's RT cut from African satellite service

South Africa satellite broadcaster Multichoice cus Russia-owned RT from African service.

They said that the channel would not be carried on their DStv platform "until further notice."

The move was prompted by EU sanctions imposed on Russia, according to Multichoice.

UK intelligence says Russian convoy delayed by resistance and 'breakdown'

In their latest intelligence update, UK intelligence officials said that cities of Kharkiv, Mariupol and Chernihiv were still controlled by Ukrainians "depsite heavy Russian shelling."

"Some Russian forces have entered the city of Kherson but the military situation remains unclear," they said.

Commenting on the Russian military convoy advancing on Kyiv, UK said the Russian forces were delayed due to "staunch Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion. "
"The column has made little discernible progress in over three days," UK intelligence officials said.

Russian, Belarusian athletes banned from Beijing Paralympics

The International Paralympics Committee (IPC) has decided to ban competitors from Russia and Belarus from the competition in Beijing which is due to start tomorrow.

Initially, the sports body said the athletes from those countries would be allowed to compete as "neutrals" with no anthem or flag, but it has since came under strong pressure to reverse the decision. According to the committee, many athletes signaled they would not compete against Russians and Belarusians, jeopardizing the event.

"In the last 12 hours, an overwhelming number of members have been in touch with us," IPC president Andrew Parsons said in a statement. "They have told us that if we do not reconsider our decision, it is now likely to have grave consequences."

Parsons added: "What is clear is that the rapidly escalating situation has now put us in a unique and impossible position so close to the start of the Games."

Russian aviation, space industry companies to be blocked from London insurance market

The UK is preparing a ban for UK-based insurance providers from financial transactions with "a Russian entity or for use in Russia," the British Treasury said in a statement.

The London insurance market is the world's largest commercial and specialty insurance center.

France urges its citizens to leave Russia

The French government has strongly urged its citizens to leave Russian territory if their presence is "not essential" to themselves or their families. The call comes three days after the US issued a similar appeal to American nationals.

Separately, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France 2 TV that Paris would float a ceasefire resolution in the UN Security Council on Thursday.

"I think it is possible that the worst is ahead of us," he told the broadcaster, commenting on the Russian attack.

"The Russians entered Ukraine looking for a blitzkrieg, a fast advance that would allow Russia to control Ukraine," according to Le Drian. With that strategy failing, Moscow could focus on besieging large cities.

"As forces build up around those cities we can fear a siege mentality," he said.

Russia's liberal Ekho Moskvy radio closes

One of the few remaining liberal radio stations in Russia, Ekho Moskvy, was dissolved by its board of directors after coming under intense state pressure over its reporting on the war in Ukraine.

The staton's editor-in-chief Alexei Venediktov criticized the board's move.

"The decision to dissolve was made in 15 minutes, they didn't even invite me to the session," he told the Interfax news agency.

While the station is seen as independent in its reporting, it is also majority owned by Russian state energy giant Gazprom. Google has previously blocked the station on YouTube to their Gazprom links.

The station was taken off the air in Russia on Tuesday, with Russian prosecutors claiming they were broadcasting fake news about the conflict. On Thursday, Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor requested Google to ban the Ekho Moskvy app from its store, citing breaches of Russian information law.

New peace talks scheduled, location unclear

Ukraine and Russia are expected to start another round of peace talks on Thursday. On Wednesday, Russia's top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said the Russian delegation was waiting in southwestern Belarus, and that Ukrainian representatives were on their way. Medinsky also told Rossyia 24 broadcaster that Russian soldiers created a "safety corridor" for the Ukrainian delegations.

Belarus said the two sides would meet for talks in the ancient Bialowieza Forest on the border of Poland and Belarus, but a Ukrainian representative disputed this information, saying that "negotiations will indeed happen," but in a different location.

The talks are expected on the ceasefire. The two sides met for their first round of talks on Monday, but the meeting produced no tangible results.

Toyota halts production at St. Petersburg plant

Carmaking giant Toyota said it was stopping operations at its only Russian plant, located in St. Petersburg. The plant produced around 80,000 vehicles last year, most of which have been sold on the Russian market.

The Japanese-based company also said it has "stopped imports of vehicles, until further notice, due to supply chain disruptions" as Russia faces tough international sanctions.

Toyota has no factories in Ukraine but it had aready stoppped all sales operations in that country when Russia launched the invasion last Thursday.

"As a company with operations in Ukraine and Russia, our priority in dealing with this crisis is to ensure the safety of all our team members, retailer staff, and supply chain partners," they said in a statement.

UAE offers visa on arrival for Ukrainians

The United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday it will be offering visas on arrival for Ukrainian citizens, as thousands flee the country.

The UAE reversed its previous decision to suspend visa waivers to Ukrainians, a move that had drawn criticism from its Western allies. The country also abstained from a UN Security Council resolution last week deploring the invasion. However, at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, all six Gulf Arab states supported a vote to reprimand Russia.

US: Russia in 'full assault on media freedom and the truth'

The US State Department said Russia launched a "full assault on media freedom and the truth" by blocking independent news media and preventing Russians from hearing news of the invasion of Ukraine.

"Russia's government is also throttling Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram platforms that tens of millions of Russia's citizens rely on to access independent information and opinions," the State Department said in a statement, adding that Russians relied on social media to contact each other and the outside world.

"The people of Russia did not choose this war. Putin did," the State Department statement said. "They have a right to know about the death, suffering and destruction being inflicted by their government on the people of Ukraine. The people of Russia also have a right to know about the human costs of this senseless war to their own soldiers."

US Congress passes resolution in support of Ukraine

The US House of Representatives approved a resolution "steadfastly, staunchly, proudly and fervently" in support of Ukraine. Many in Congress urged that more be done to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine.

Only three members of the House voted against the resolution: Republicans Paul Gosar of Arizona, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Matt Rosendale of Montana.

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, is introducing a similar resolution in the Senate, the upper chamber.

On Tuesday night, members of both political parties in the US wore pins and waved the sky blue and sunflower yellow of the Ukrainian flag during US President Joe Biden's State of the Union address to both chambers.

Air raid sirens in Kyiv

Residents of the Ukrainian capital were told to go to the nearest shelter early Thursday morning. Videos shared on social media showed explosions hitting the city.

More than 1 million refugees flee Ukraine

The UN high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, said more than 1 million people have fled Ukraine.

Grandi tweeted, "In just seven days we have witnessed the exodus of one million refugees from Ukraine to neighboring countries."

The 1 million figure amounts to the displacement of more than 2% of Ukraine's population. As of 2020, World Bank figures showed Ukraine had a population of 44 million.

The UNHCR predicts up to 4 million people could make an exodus out of Ukraine, though with the caveat that this figure too could increase.

At this rate, UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said that "at this rate" Ukraine could experience "the biggest refugee crisis this century."

German TV to broadcast benefit 'Concert for Peace'

German television will broadcast a soldout "Concert for Peace" to raise funds for humanitarian aid for the people of Ukraine. The concert is being organized by the Berlin State Opera with Staatskapelle Berlin star conductor Daniel Barenboim.

The concert and television event will be in the form of a matinee scheduled for Sunday. Proceeds will go to the UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UNHF).

The presidents of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, and the Bundesbank, Joachim Nagel, will attend. Both central banks will make donations to the UNHF.

The Ukrainian national anthem, based on Pavlo Chubynsky's poem "Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished," set to music by Michailo Werbizki, will be included along with symphonies by Schubert and Beethoven.

The Berlin State Opera said its management and staff were "horrified, shocked and deeply concerned about the war that the Russian government has launched against Ukraine."

ICC proceeds with war crimes inquiry in Ukraine

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan QC announced he is opening an active investigation into war crimes occurring against the civilian population of Ukraine.

In a statement, Khan wrote, "I have notified the ICC Presidency a few moments ago of my decision to immediately proceed with active investigations in the situation. Our work in the collection of evidence has now commenced."

Thirty-nine signatories to the court's jurisdiction, including Germany, referred the situation in Ukraine to the ICC, speeding up the course by which it could act.

Russia is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, the treaty which established the ICC.

UN records 752 civilian deaths in Ukraine

The UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) monitoring mission in Ukraine said it had recorded 752 deaths among Ukrainian civilians since the conflict began at 4 a.m. (0300 GMT) on February 24. An additional 525 have reportedly been injured during the war.

In a statement, the monitoring mission noted, "This is more than the total number of civilian casualties recorded by OHCHR in the conflict zone of eastern Ukraine from 2018-2021," when 136 people were killed.

"Most of these casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and airstrikes," the UN body said.

The statement added that the UN "believes that real figures are considerably higher, especially in Government-controlled territory and especially in recent days, as the receipt of information from some locations where intensive hostilities have been going on was delayed and many reports were still pending corroboration."