Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (March 31) that foreign buyers must pay for Russian gas in Russian currency roubles from April 1. He said that contracts would be halted if these payments were not made.

"In order to purchase Russian natural gas, they must open rouble accounts in Russian banks. It is from these accounts that payments will be made for gas delivered starting from tomorrow," Putin said in televised remarks.

"If such payments are not made, we will consider this a default on the part of buyers, with all the ensuing consequences. Nobody sells us anything for free, and we are not going to do charity either - that is, existing contracts will be stopped."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-trying-to-reinforce-offensive-in-donbas-maintains-pressure-on-kyiv-nato-467184">Russia trying to reinforce offensive in Donbas; maintains pressure on Kyiv: NATO</a>

Europe is dependent on Russia for third of its natural gas supply. This gives Russia leverage to hit back against the Western sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of Ukraine invasion.

His decision to enforce rouble payments has boosted the Russian currency, which fell to historic lows after Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on the Feb. 24 but has since recovered.

Western companies and governments have rejected the move as a breach of existing contracts, which are set in euros or dollars. France's economy minister said France and Germany were preparing for a possible scenario that Russian gas flows could be halted - something that would plunge Europe into a full-blown energy crisis.

An order signed by Putin set out a mechanism for buyers to transfer foreign currency to a special account at a Russian bank, which would then send roubles back to the foreign buyer to make payment for the gas.

He said the switch was meant to strengthen Russia's sovereignty, and it would stick to its obligations on all contracts.

Putin also said Western nations will try to find new grounds to sanction Russia, adding that his country must aim to retain jobs and to create new ones. The Russian president also said that the United States was profiting from the global turbulence, adding that of U.S. military complex companies were on the rise.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (March 31) that foreign buyers must pay for Russian gas in Russian currency roubles from April 1. He said that contracts would be halted if these payments were not made.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (March 31) that foreign buyers must pay for Russian gas in Russian currency roubles from April 1. He said that contracts would be halted if these payments were not made. "In order to purchase Russian natural gas, they must open rouble accounts in Russian banks. It is from these accounts that payments will be made for gas delivered starting from tomorrow," Putin said in televised remarks. "If such payments are not made, we will consider this a default on the part of buyers, with all the ensuing consequences. Nobody sells us anything for free, and we are not going to do charity either - that is, existing contracts will be stopped." Also Read | Russia trying to reinforce offensive in Donbas; maintains pressure on Kyiv: NATO Europe is dependent on Russia for third of its natural gas supply. This gives Russia leverage to hit back against the Western sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of Ukraine invasion. His decision to enforce rouble payments has boosted the Russian currency, which fell to historic lows after Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on the Feb. 24 but has since recovered. Western companies and governments have rejected the move as a breach of existing contracts, which are set in euros or dollars. France's economy minister said France and Germany were preparing for a possible scenario that Russian gas flows could be halted - something that would plunge Europe into a full-blown energy crisis. An order signed by Putin set out a mechanism for buyers to transfer foreign currency to a special account at a Russian bank, which would then send roubles back to the foreign buyer to make payment for the gas. He said the switch was meant to strengthen Russia's sovereignty, and it would stick to its obligations on all contracts. Putin also said Western nations will try to find new grounds to sanction Russia, adding that his country must aim to retain jobs and to create new ones. The Russian president also said that the United States was profiting from the global turbulence, adding that of U.S. military complex companies were on the rise. (With inputs from agencies)

Pay in roubles for Russian gas April 1 onwards, Putin tells foreign buyers

A study revealed that Facebook failed to label 80 per cent of the posts spreading disinformation about biological weapons theory. A conspiracy theory taking root online and being discussed even in America says that the US is funding use of bioweapons in Ukraine. US government has denied the speculations.

However, a study carried out by a nonprofit disinformation research group revealed that Facebook failed to declare 80 per cent of posts with labels like “missing context”, containing “partly false information” or “false information”.

The study carried out by the group Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) sampled Facebook posts made between February 24 and March 14. These posts reportedly led to external articles that contained disinformation about bioweapons.

Imran Ahmed, Chief Executive of CCDH was quoted in media reports as saying that if researchers from the group were able to easily spot the posts, it was within Meta's capabilities to spot and label them.

The US government has strongly refuted the allegations raised because of the conspiracy theory. The US has said that the conspiracy theory may be part of Russian efforts to spread disinformation so that a potential use of chemical weapons against Ukraine can be justified in the future.&nbsp;

“Russia’s propaganda campaigns have benefited for years from Meta turning a blind eye to disinformation,” Ahmed said as quoted by The Guardian “Despite taking action against state channels under enormous pressure, Meta is failing badly to contain major disinformation narratives that benefit Putin’s regime.”

A study revealed that Facebook failed to label 80 per cent of the posts spreading disinformation about biological weapons theory. A conspiracy theory taking root online and being discussed even in America says that the US is funding use of bioweapons in Ukraine.

A study revealed that Facebook failed to label 80 per cent of the posts spreading disinformation about biological weapons theory. A conspiracy theory taking root online and being discussed even in America says that the US is funding use of bioweapons in Ukraine. US government has denied the speculations. However, a study carried out by a nonprofit disinformation research group revealed that Facebook failed to declare 80 per cent of posts with labels like “missing context”, containing “partly false information” or “false information”. The study carried out by the group Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) sampled Facebook posts made between February 24 and March 14. These posts reportedly led to external articles that contained disinformation about bioweapons. Imran Ahmed, Chief Executive of CCDH was quoted in media reports as saying that if researchers from the group were able to easily spot the posts, it was within Meta's capabilities to spot and label them. The US government has strongly refuted the allegations raised because of the conspiracy theory. The US has said that the conspiracy theory may be part of Russian efforts to spread disinformation so that a potential use of chemical weapons against Ukraine can be justified in the future. “Russia’s propaganda campaigns have benefited for years from Meta turning a blind eye to disinformation,” Ahmed said as quoted by The Guardian “Despite taking action against state channels under enormous pressure, Meta is failing badly to contain major disinformation narratives that benefit Putin’s regime.”

Facebook failed to label most posts spreading Ukraine bioweapons disinformation, says study

Ukrainian forces are preparing for new Russian attacks in the east of the country as Moscow builds up its troops there after suffering setbacks near the capital Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday. 
 
FIGHTING 
 
* The mayor of Chernihiv said Russian bombardment had intensified over the past 24 hours, with more than 100,000 people trapped with supplies to last about a week. 
 
* Russian forces have taken half of the strategic port of Mariupol, said an adviser to Zelenskiy. 
 
* Russia`s defence ministry said it was prepared to observe a ceasefire in Mariupol on Thursday, Russian news agencies reported. 
 
* Nearly 5,000 people have been killed, the Mariupol mayor`s office estimates, and about 170,000 people remain trapped amid ruins without food, heat, power or running water. Many more have fled. Reuters has been unable to verify the figures. 
 
DIPLOMACY 
 
* Russia and Ukraine to resume peace talks online on April 1, said a senior Ukrainian official, after the latest round of face-to-face negotiations ended in Turkey. 
 
* Russian President Putin was misled by advisers who were too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been, a U.S. official said, citing declassified intelligence.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russias-tactical-nuclear-weapons-arsenal-will-putin-use-it-466893">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Russia's tactical nuclear weapons arsenal: Will Putin use it?</a> 
 
ECONOMY 
 
* Russia demanded oil and gas payments be made in roubles by Friday, raising fears of energy shortages and boosting recessionary risks in Europe. Germany has warned of a possible emergency if Russia cuts supplies. 
 
* The United States is considering a plan to release roughly a million barrels of oil a day from U.S. reserves for several months, to combat rising fuel prices caused by the Ukraine war, Bloomberg News reported. 
 
HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS 
 
* Russia may have committed war crimes by killing civilians and destroying hospitals in its pounding of Ukrainian cities, the top United Nations human rights official said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-war-what-panzerfaust-3-weapons-can-do-against-russian-tanks-466330">Also Read:&nbsp;Ukraine war: What Panzerfaust 3 weapons can do against Russian tanks</a> 
 
QUOTES 
 
* "We cook what we find among neighbours. A bit of cabbage, a bit more of potatoes, we`ve found tomato paste, some beetroot," said former steel worker Viktor from Mariupol.

Ukrainian forces are preparing for new Russian attacks in the east of the country as Moscow builds up its troops there after suffering setbacks near the capital Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.

Ukrainian forces are preparing for new Russian attacks in the east of the country as Moscow builds up its troops there after suffering setbacks near the capital Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday. FIGHTING * The mayor of Chernihiv said Russian bombardment had intensified over the past 24 hours, with more than 100,000 people trapped with supplies to last about a week. * Russian forces have taken half of the strategic port of Mariupol, said an adviser to Zelenskiy. * Russia`s defence ministry said it was prepared to observe a ceasefire in Mariupol on Thursday, Russian news agencies reported. * Nearly 5,000 people have been killed, the Mariupol mayor`s office estimates, and about 170,000 people remain trapped amid ruins without food, heat, power or running water. Many more have fled. Reuters has been unable to verify the figures. DIPLOMACY * Russia and Ukraine to resume peace talks online on April 1, said a senior Ukrainian official, after the latest round of face-to-face negotiations ended in Turkey. * Russian President Putin was misled by advisers who were too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been, a U.S. official said, citing declassified intelligence. Also Read in Pics: Russia's tactical nuclear weapons arsenal: Will Putin use it? ECONOMY * Russia demanded oil and gas payments be made in roubles by Friday, raising fears of energy shortages and boosting recessionary risks in Europe. Germany has warned of a possible emergency if Russia cuts supplies. * The United States is considering a plan to release roughly a million barrels of oil a day from U.S. reserves for several months, to combat rising fuel prices caused by the Ukraine war, Bloomberg News reported. HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS * Russia may have committed war crimes by killing civilians and destroying hospitals in its pounding of Ukrainian cities, the top United Nations human rights official said. Also Read: Ukraine war: What Panzerfaust 3 weapons can do against Russian tanks QUOTES * "We cook what we find among neighbours. A bit of cabbage, a bit more of potatoes, we`ve found tomato paste, some beetroot," said former steel worker Viktor from Mariupol.

Ukraine and Russia: What are the latest updates?

Russia&nbsp;has accredited a diplomat from the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;to engage with the new Afghan government but remains&nbsp;concerned&nbsp;about&nbsp;the threat of&nbsp;Islamist&nbsp;groups&nbsp;spilling over into&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;via Central Asia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

Russia&nbsp;hosted an international conference on Afghanistan last year to try to reach a peace deal and curb violence between the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;and the then Afghan government.&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;has labelled the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;a "terrorist organisation" but has welcomed their members on numerous occasions for talks.

Since&nbsp;Russia's mediation efforts, the United States and its allies withdrew their troops from Afghanistan after 20 years there and the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;seized power in August as the US-backed government collapsed.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-objects-to-nepal-issuing-climbing-permits-to-nine-russians-wants-them-to-be-banned-466966">Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv objects to Nepal issuing climbing permits to Russians, wants them to be banned</a>

Speaking at an Afghanistan-focused conference in China, Lavrov said that growing trade and economic ties between Afghanistan and countries in the region was contributing to the potential international recognition of their administration.

He said a&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;envoy&nbsp;was already active in Moscow.

"I would like to note that the first Afghan diplomat who arrived in Moscow last month and was sent by the new authorities has received accreditation at the&nbsp;Russian Foreign Ministry," he said.

Russia&nbsp;is worried&nbsp;about&nbsp;the potential for fallout in the wider region and the possibility of&nbsp;Islamist&nbsp;militants infiltrating the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, which&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;views as its southern defensive buffer.

"The plans of the Islamic State and its supporters to destabilize Central Asian states and export instability to&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;are of particular&nbsp;concern," Lavrov said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-president-putin-being-misled-by-fearful-military-advisers-us-says-467111">Russia President Putin being misled by fearful military advisers, US says</a>

"The build-up of detachments of Jamaat Ansarullah and the Islamic Movement Uzbekistan around the Afghan-Tajik and Afghan-Uzbek borders are an alarming sign."

Since the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;takeover last year, Moscow has held military exercises in Tajikistan and bolstered hardware at its military base there.

Watch |&nbsp;Ukraine War update: Turkey &amp; Israel offers to host Presidents of Ukraine and Russia

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-war-update-turkey-israel-offers-to-host-presidents-of-ukraine-and-russia-463710/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russia has accredited a diplomat from the Taliban to engage with the new Afghan government but remains concerned about the threat of Islamist groups spilling over into Russia via Central Asia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

Russia has accredited a diplomat from the Taliban to engage with the new Afghan government but remains concerned about the threat of Islamist groups spilling over into Russia via Central Asia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday. Russia hosted an international conference on Afghanistan last year to try to reach a peace deal and curb violence between the Taliban and the then Afghan government. Russia has labelled the Taliban a "terrorist organisation" but has welcomed their members on numerous occasions for talks. Since Russia's mediation efforts, the United States and its allies withdrew their troops from Afghanistan after 20 years there and the Taliban seized power in August as the US-backed government collapsed. Also read | Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv objects to Nepal issuing climbing permits to Russians, wants them to be banned Speaking at an Afghanistan-focused conference in China, Lavrov said that growing trade and economic ties between Afghanistan and countries in the region was contributing to the potential international recognition of their administration. He said a Taliban envoy was already active in Moscow. "I would like to note that the first Afghan diplomat who arrived in Moscow last month and was sent by the new authorities has received accreditation at the Russian Foreign Ministry," he said. Russia is worried about the potential for fallout in the wider region and the possibility of Islamist militants infiltrating the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, which Russia views as its southern defensive buffer. "The plans of the Islamic State and its supporters to destabilize Central Asian states and export instability to Russia are of particular concern," Lavrov said. Also read | Russia President Putin being misled by fearful military advisers, US says "The build-up of detachments of Jamaat Ansarullah and the Islamic Movement Uzbekistan around the Afghan-Tajik and Afghan-Uzbek borders are an alarming sign." Since the Taliban takeover last year, Moscow has held military exercises in Tajikistan and bolstered hardware at its military base there. Watch | Ukraine War update: Turkey & Israel offers to host Presidents of Ukraine and Russia

Russia accredits Taliban envoy, voices concern about Islamist groups

Russia was accused before the UN Security Council on Tuesday (March 29) of triggering a "global food crisis" and putting people at risk of "famine" after it started a war in Ukraine on February 24.&nbsp;

But how does the crisis impact India's wheat exports strategy? As per reports, economists have stated that India is planning to step up the country's wheat exports.&nbsp;

Both the countries, Russia and Ukraine, account for more than a fourth of the global wheat trade and Ukraine serves as a breadbasket for Europe.&nbsp;

Indian government sources as quoted by Reuters on Wednesday (March 30) said that a delegation from Egypt will visit India in the first week of April to facilitate wheat imports.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-spy-chief-claims-russian-soldiers-refusing-to-carry-out-orders-accidentally-shooting-down-own-aircraft-467076">UK spy chief claims Russian soldiers refusing to carry out orders, shot down own aircraft</a>

The report added that the visit is a part of efforts to secure supplies and tide over shortages at one of the world's biggest importers of the staple.&nbsp;

Egypt, often the world's biggest wheat importer, is reeling from a surge in bread and flour prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine closed off access to lower-priced Black Sea wheat.&nbsp;

The report has mentioned that Egypt has been a traditional buyer of Russian and Ukrainian wheat, however, the sources have said that India is willing to help Cairo by supplying the grain. Egypt could buy up to 12 million tonnes of Indian wheat, the sources further said, without revealing their identity.&nbsp;

"India is in a position to supply top quality wheat to Egypt and meet Egypt's quality and other requirements," said one of the sources as quoted by the news agency.&nbsp;

Piyush Goyal, who is India's Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution said on Tuesday (March 29) that he met Hala Elsaid, Egypt's Minister for Planning and Economic Development in Dubai. Goyal discussed New Delhi's "readiness to supply high-quality wheat" to Cairo.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-says-ukraine-preparing-for-new-russian-offensive-in-the-east-dismisses-russian-claims-of-scaleback-467037">Zelensky says Ukraine preparing for new Russian offensive in the east, dismisses Russian claims of scaleback</a>

Meanwhile, India's Union Minister of State for Commerce Anupriya Singh Patel said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday (March 30) that India's export of agricultural products has touched $40.87 billion in the first 10 months of the current fiscal and it is 25.14 per cent more than the last financial year.&nbsp;

Patel said exports of some other major agricultural products like wheat, sugar and cotton have registered a substantial increase during the current year.&nbsp;

"During the period between April 2021 to January 2022 of the current financial year, exports of agricultural products have amounted to $40.87 billion compared to USD 32.66 billion over the corresponding period of previous year, registering an increase of 25.14," she said during Question Hour.&nbsp;

<hr />
Russia accused of triggering a "global food crisis" 

Russian President Vladimir Putin "started this war. Vladimir Putin created this global food crisis. And he is the one who can stop it," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said during a Security Council meeting devoted to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.&nbsp;

"The responsibility for waging war on Ukraine - and for the war's effects on global food security -- falls solely on Russia and on President Putin," she said.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Donbas rebel republics to join Russia?

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-donbas-rebel-republics-to-join-russia-467013/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Russia was accused before the UN Security Council on Tuesday (March 29) of triggering a "global food crisis" and putting people at risk of "famine" after it started a war in Ukraine on February 24.

Russia was accused before the UN Security Council on Tuesday (March 29) of triggering a "global food crisis" and putting people at risk of "famine" after it started a war in Ukraine on February 24. But how does the crisis impact India's wheat exports strategy? As per reports, economists have stated that India is planning to step up the country's wheat exports. Both the countries, Russia and Ukraine, account for more than a fourth of the global wheat trade and Ukraine serves as a breadbasket for Europe. Indian government sources as quoted by Reuters on Wednesday (March 30) said that a delegation from Egypt will visit India in the first week of April to facilitate wheat imports. ALSO READ | UK spy chief claims Russian soldiers refusing to carry out orders, shot down own aircraft The report added that the visit is a part of efforts to secure supplies and tide over shortages at one of the world's biggest importers of the staple. Egypt, often the world's biggest wheat importer, is reeling from a surge in bread and flour prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine closed off access to lower-priced Black Sea wheat. The report has mentioned that Egypt has been a traditional buyer of Russian and Ukrainian wheat, however, the sources have said that India is willing to help Cairo by supplying the grain. Egypt could buy up to 12 million tonnes of Indian wheat, the sources further said, without revealing their identity. "India is in a position to supply top quality wheat to Egypt and meet Egypt's quality and other requirements," said one of the sources as quoted by the news agency. Piyush Goyal, who is India's Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution said on Tuesday (March 29) that he met Hala Elsaid, Egypt's Minister for Planning and Economic Development in Dubai. Goyal discussed New Delhi's "readiness to supply high-quality wheat" to Cairo. ALSO READ | Zelensky says Ukraine preparing for new Russian offensive in the east, dismisses Russian claims of scaleback Meanwhile, India's Union Minister of State for Commerce Anupriya Singh Patel said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday (March 30) that India's export of agricultural products has touched $40.87 billion in the first 10 months of the current fiscal and it is 25.14 per cent more than the last financial year. Patel said exports of some other major agricultural products like wheat, sugar and cotton have registered a substantial increase during the current year. "During the period between April 2021 to January 2022 of the current financial year, exports of agricultural products have amounted to $40.87 billion compared to USD 32.66 billion over the corresponding period of previous year, registering an increase of 25.14," she said during Question Hour. Russia accused of triggering a "global food crisis" Russian President Vladimir Putin "started this war. Vladimir Putin created this global food crisis. And he is the one who can stop it," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said during a Security Council meeting devoted to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. "The responsibility for waging war on Ukraine - and for the war's effects on global food security -- falls solely on Russia and on President Putin," she said. WATCH | Gravitas: Donbas rebel republics to join Russia? × (With inputs from agencies)

How does the Russia-Ukraine war impact India's wheat export strategy?

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The chief of Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) on Wednesday (March 30) claimed that some demoralised Russian soldiers in Ukraine have been disobeying orders and accidentally shot down one of their own aircraft. The spy agency GCHQ chief Jeremy Fleming said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had "massively misjudged" the capabilities of Russia's once-mighty armed forces. Fleming cited new intelligence and stated that there was evidence that Russian soldiers had low morale and were poorly equipped. ALSO READ | Zelensky says Ukraine preparing for new Russian offensive in the east, dismisses Russian claims of scaleback "We've seen Russian soldiers – short of weapons and morale – refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft," Fleming said in a speech in Canberra at the Australian National University, according to a transcript of his remarks. Fleming also claimed that Putin might have underestimated some major aspects before announcing his decision to invade Ukraine. He said, "Putin has massively misjudged the situation. We believe Putin’s advisers are afraid to tell him the truth." The Russian leader might have misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people and the resolve of the West, which has punished Moscow with multiple economic sanctions. ALSO READ | Ukraine conflict: UN appoints human rights experts to investigate alleged war crimes On February 24, Russia ordered the so-called "military operation" in Ukraine. Since then, the invasion has killed thousands of people, displaced millions. On one hand, such reports have claimed that the Russian forces are facing setbacks against Ukrainian resistance, but Russia's defence ministry says its armed forces are professional and carrying out their duty in Ukraine with considerable success. The Russian military also says that the West has spread lies about the operation in an attempt to bring down Russia. The United States assesses that Russia is suffering failure rates as high as 60 per cent for some of its precision-guided missiles, three US officials with knowledge of the intelligence told Reuters. There are no comments yet by Kremlin on Jeremy Fleming's remarks. WATCH | United States: Putin misled on how war progressed × (With inputs from agencies)

UK spy chief claims Russian soldiers refusing to carry out orders, shot down own aircraft

United Nations on Wednesday named three human rights experts who will probe possible war crimes in Ukraine. Russia faces accusations of indiscriminate bombardment of civillians in Ukraine.

The independent panel will be led by Erik Mose of Norway and it will investigate alleged human rights abuses and also violations of international humanitarian law "in the context of the aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation," a statement said.

Ukraine and the West have been alleging that Russian armed forces killed civillians by shelling and besieging cities, most notably Mariupol, the southern port. These allegations have been denied by Russia.

On the other side, video has been circulating on social media purporting to show Ukrainian forces mistreating captured Russian soldiers. Kyiv has said the images look fake but that it will punish perpetrators if found to be true.

The UN Human Rights Council has created the commission of inquiry for one year at the request of Ukraine and allies including the European Union, Britain and the United States.

Russia, which continues to call the invasion a 'special operation' to 'denazify' Ukraine, has opposed the probe

The United Nations also has fact-finding inquiries for war crimes in Syria, Myanmar and other conflicts. Their reports have been used to build cases for potential prosecutions.

Under the resolution on Ukraine adopted by the 47-member Geneva forum, the panel will interview witnesses and collect forensic material for any future legal proceedings.

It is to report initial findings in September.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

United Nations on Wednesday named three human rights experts who will probe possible war crimes in Ukraine. Russia faces accusations of indiscriminate bombardment of civillians in Ukraine.

United Nations on Wednesday named three human rights experts who will probe possible war crimes in Ukraine. Russia faces accusations of indiscriminate bombardment of civillians in Ukraine. The independent panel will be led by Erik Mose of Norway and it will investigate alleged human rights abuses and also violations of international humanitarian law "in the context of the aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation," a statement said. Ukraine and the West have been alleging that Russian armed forces killed civillians by shelling and besieging cities, most notably Mariupol, the southern port. These allegations have been denied by Russia. On the other side, video has been circulating on social media purporting to show Ukrainian forces mistreating captured Russian soldiers. Kyiv has said the images look fake but that it will punish perpetrators if found to be true. The UN Human Rights Council has created the commission of inquiry for one year at the request of Ukraine and allies including the European Union, Britain and the United States. Russia, which continues to call the invasion a 'special operation' to 'denazify' Ukraine, has opposed the probe The United Nations also has fact-finding inquiries for war crimes in Syria, Myanmar and other conflicts. Their reports have been used to build cases for potential prosecutions. Under the resolution on Ukraine adopted by the 47-member Geneva forum, the panel will interview witnesses and collect forensic material for any future legal proceedings. It is to report initial findings in September. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine conflict: UN appoints human rights experts to investigate alleged war crimes

US President Joe Biden reiterated his conviction that Vladimir Putin should not be President of Russia, telling reporters that he made "no apologies" for his off-the-cuff remarks.&nbsp;

He stood by his words "expressing moral outrage" but also clarified that he wasn't "articulating a policy change."

"I’m not walking anything back.I was expressing moral outrage, and I make no apologies," he added.

Speaking in Poland at the end of his four-day trip to Europe on Sunday, Biden said of Putin, "For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power."

The line was improvised at the end of a 27-minute speech by a president known for doing so.

Biden's prepared remarks in the State Dining Room, his first public appearance since his Warsaw speech on Saturday, were about the budget proposal he is sending to lawmakers for the fiscal year that begins in October, but the majority of the questions from the two dozen reporters gathered in front of him were about his impromptu remark.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/history-of-urban-warfare-why-russia-will-find-it-difficult-to-conquer-kyiv-465932">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;&nbsp;History of urban warfare &amp; why Russia will find it difficult to conquer Kyiv</a>

Almost soon afterward, White House officials clarified that the remark did not reflect a shift in US policy, and that Biden was not seeking "regime change" in Russia.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-could-russian-president-vladimir-putin-be-prosecuted-for-war-crimes-in-ukraine-465719">Also Read in Pics: How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine?</a>

"The president's point was that Putin could not wield authority over his neighbours or the region."

He wasn't talking about Putin's power or regime change in Russia." 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Zelensky opens the door for neutrality in peace talks

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-zelensky-opens-the-door-for-neutrality-in-peace-talks-466500/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, Biden stressed on Monday that these and other reasons were not a "walk back," and that he was reacting as anyone would after meeting with victims of Putin's assault on civilians in Ukraine, especially children.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden reiterated his conviction that Vladimir Putin should not be President of Russia, telling reporters that he made "no apologies" for his off-the-cuff remarks.

US President Joe Biden reiterated his conviction that Vladimir Putin should not be President of Russia, telling reporters that he made "no apologies" for his off-the-cuff remarks. He stood by his words "expressing moral outrage" but also clarified that he wasn't "articulating a policy change." "I’m not walking anything back.I was expressing moral outrage, and I make no apologies," he added. Speaking in Poland at the end of his four-day trip to Europe on Sunday, Biden said of Putin, "For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power." The line was improvised at the end of a 27-minute speech by a president known for doing so. Biden's prepared remarks in the State Dining Room, his first public appearance since his Warsaw speech on Saturday, were about the budget proposal he is sending to lawmakers for the fiscal year that begins in October, but the majority of the questions from the two dozen reporters gathered in front of him were about his impromptu remark. Also Read in Pics: History of urban warfare & why Russia will find it difficult to conquer Kyiv Almost soon afterward, White House officials clarified that the remark did not reflect a shift in US policy, and that Biden was not seeking "regime change" in Russia. Also Read in Pics: How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine? "The president's point was that Putin could not wield authority over his neighbours or the region." He wasn't talking about Putin's power or regime change in Russia." Watch | Gravitas: Zelensky opens the door for neutrality in peace talks However, Biden stressed on Monday that these and other reasons were not a "walk back," and that he was reacting as anyone would after meeting with victims of Putin's assault on civilians in Ukraine, especially children. (With inputs from agencies)

'No apologies' for saying Putin 'cannot remain in power': US President Biden

Russia&nbsp;is "frightened" by journalists "who can tell the truth", said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. &nbsp;

This remark came as the Kremlin seems to have attempted to prevent Russians from reading or watching an interview he gave over the invasion in Ukraine. &nbsp;

In a statement on Sunday, Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor issued a warning to news outlets against rebroadcasting or distributing the interview of Zelensky by some independent journalists. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-trying-to-split-ukraine-in-two-like-koreas-says-intelligence-chief-466187" hreflang="en">Russia trying to split Ukraine in two, like Koreas, says intelligence chief</a>

"Roskomnadzor warns the Russian media not to publish this interview. The media outlets conducting the interviews will be subject to scrutiny to determine the extent of responsibility and the appropriate response to be taken," the agency said. &nbsp;

The journalists, who interviewed the Ukrainian president, were Vladimir Solovyov of Moscow newspaper Kommersant, Tikhon Dzyadko from recently shuttered channel TV Rain, Ivan Kolpakov from Latvia-based website Meduza and prominent writer Mikhail Zygar. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Ahead of the interview, Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muratov, who won Nobel Peace Prize last year, submitted questions for Zelensky.

Watch | Gravitas: Zelensky opens the door for neutrality in peace talks&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-zelensky-opens-the-door-for-neutrality-in-peace-talks-466500/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On social media app Telegram, Roskomnadzor in a statement said some outlets, which participated, have been formally labeled as "foreign agents" by the Russian government.&nbsp; &nbsp;

On Sunday, Zelensky said Moscow was "frightened" by the truth. &nbsp;

During a video address, Zelensky said, "[They] destroyed freedom of speech in their state — [and are] trying to destroy the neighbouring state. They portray themselves as global players. And they themselves are afraid of a relatively short conversation with several journalists." &nbsp;

"Well, if there's such reaction — then we are doing everything right. [It] means they are nervous," added Zelensky. &nbsp;

On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN that Russia was not afraid. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"We have laws in place, and it is very important not to publish information that would amount to a violation of these laws," Peskov added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Russia is "frightened" by journalists "who can tell the truth", said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This remark came as the Kremlin seems to have attempted to prevent Russians from reading or watching an interview he gave over the invasion in Ukraine.

Russia is "frightened" by journalists "who can tell the truth", said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This remark came as the Kremlin seems to have attempted to prevent Russians from reading or watching an interview he gave over the invasion in Ukraine. In a statement on Sunday, Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor issued a warning to news outlets against rebroadcasting or distributing the interview of Zelensky by some independent journalists. Also Read: Russia trying to split Ukraine in two, like Koreas, says intelligence chief "Roskomnadzor warns the Russian media not to publish this interview. The media outlets conducting the interviews will be subject to scrutiny to determine the extent of responsibility and the appropriate response to be taken," the agency said. The journalists, who interviewed the Ukrainian president, were Vladimir Solovyov of Moscow newspaper Kommersant, Tikhon Dzyadko from recently shuttered channel TV Rain, Ivan Kolpakov from Latvia-based website Meduza and prominent writer Mikhail Zygar. Ahead of the interview, Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muratov, who won Nobel Peace Prize last year, submitted questions for Zelensky. Watch | Gravitas: Zelensky opens the door for neutrality in peace talks × On social media app Telegram, Roskomnadzor in a statement said some outlets, which participated, have been formally labeled as "foreign agents" by the Russian government. On Sunday, Zelensky said Moscow was "frightened" by the truth. During a video address, Zelensky said, "[They] destroyed freedom of speech in their state — [and are] trying to destroy the neighbouring state. They portray themselves as global players. And they themselves are afraid of a relatively short conversation with several journalists." "Well, if there's such reaction — then we are doing everything right. [It] means they are nervous," added Zelensky. On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN that Russia was not afraid. "We have laws in place, and it is very important not to publish information that would amount to a violation of these laws," Peskov added. (With inputs from agencies)

After Kremlin bans interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is 'frightened'

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday added Russia's AO&nbsp;Kaspersky&nbsp;Lab,&nbsp;China&nbsp;Telecom&nbsp;(Americas) Corp and&nbsp;China&nbsp;Mobile International&nbsp;USA to its&nbsp;list&nbsp;of communications equipment and service providers deemed&nbsp;threats to&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;national&nbsp;security.

The regulator last year designated five Chinese companies including Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp as the first&nbsp;firms&nbsp;on the&nbsp;list, which was mandated under a 2019 law.&nbsp;Kaspersky&nbsp;is the first Russian company&nbsp;listed.

FCC&nbsp;Commissioner Brendan Carr said the new designations "will help secure our networks from&nbsp;threats posed by Chinese and Russian state-backed entities seeking to engage in espionage and otherwise harm America’s interests."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-cancels-license-of-china-owned-telecom-company-462991">US cancels license of China-owned telecom company</a>

U.S. officials have long said that running&nbsp;Kaspersky&nbsp;software could open American networks to malign activity from Moscow and banned&nbsp;Kaspersky's flagship antivirus product from federal networks in 2017. Moscow-based&nbsp;Kaspersky&nbsp;has consistently denied being a tool of the Russian government,

In naming&nbsp;Kaspersky, the&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;announcement did not cite Russia's invasion of Ukraine or recent warnings by President Joe Biden of potential cyberattacks by Russia in response to&nbsp;U.S. sanctions and support of Ukraine.

Kaspersky&nbsp;said in a statement that it was disappointed in the&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;decision, arguing it was "made on political grounds." The move was “unsubstantiated and is a response to the geopolitical climate rather than a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of&nbsp;Kaspersky’s products and services," the company said.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington said Friday that the&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;"abused state power and maliciously attacked Chinese&nbsp;telecom&nbsp;operators again without factual basis. The&nbsp;U.S. should immediately stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies.

"China&nbsp;will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," it added.

The Chinese companies did not immediately comment.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-telecom-giant-huawei-reportedly-helping-russia-to-stabilise-internet-network-459936">Chinese telecom giant Huawei reportedly helping Russia to stabilise internet network</a>

In October, the&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;revoked the&nbsp;U.S. authorization for&nbsp;China&nbsp;Telecom&nbsp;(Americas), saying it "is subject to exploitation, influence and control by the Chinese government."&nbsp;

The&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;cited its prior decisions to deny or revoke the Chinese&nbsp;telecom&nbsp;companies' ability to operate in United States in its decision to add them to the&nbsp;threat&nbsp;list.

The&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;also revoked the&nbsp;U.S. authorizations of&nbsp;China&nbsp;Unicom and Pacific Networks and its wholly owned subsidiary ComNet.

In 2019, the&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;rejected&nbsp;China&nbsp;Mobile's bid to provide&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;telecommunications services, citing&nbsp;national&nbsp;security&nbsp;risks.

Inclusion on the "covered&nbsp;list" means money from the&nbsp;FCC’s $8 billion annual Universal Service Fund may not be used to purchase or maintain products from the companies. The fund supports&nbsp;telecommunications for rural areas, low-income consumers, and facilities such as schools, libraries and hospitals.

The&nbsp;FCC&nbsp;last year also named Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology and Dahua Technology as&nbsp;security&nbsp;threats.

FCC&nbsp;Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency worked closely with&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;national&nbsp;security&nbsp;agencies to update the&nbsp;list&nbsp;and will add additional companies if warranted.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: YouTube blocks WION for reporting Russian statement

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-youtube-blocks-wion-for-reporting-russian-statement-465572/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday added Russia's AO Kaspersky Lab, China Telecom (Americas) Corp and China Mobile International USA to its list of communications equipment and service providers deemed threats to U.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday added Russia's AO Kaspersky Lab, China Telecom (Americas) Corp and China Mobile International USA to its list of communications equipment and service providers deemed threats to U.S. national security. The regulator last year designated five Chinese companies including Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp as the first firms on the list, which was mandated under a 2019 law. Kaspersky is the first Russian company listed. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the new designations "will help secure our networks from threats posed by Chinese and Russian state-backed entities seeking to engage in espionage and otherwise harm America’s interests." Also read | US cancels license of China-owned telecom company U.S. officials have long said that running Kaspersky software could open American networks to malign activity from Moscow and banned Kaspersky's flagship antivirus product from federal networks in 2017. Moscow-based Kaspersky has consistently denied being a tool of the Russian government, In naming Kaspersky, the FCC announcement did not cite Russia's invasion of Ukraine or recent warnings by President Joe Biden of potential cyberattacks by Russia in response to U.S. sanctions and support of Ukraine. Kaspersky said in a statement that it was disappointed in the FCC decision, arguing it was "made on political grounds." The move was “unsubstantiated and is a response to the geopolitical climate rather than a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of Kaspersky’s products and services," the company said. The Chinese Embassy in Washington said Friday that the FCC "abused state power and maliciously attacked Chinese telecom operators again without factual basis. The U.S. should immediately stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies. "China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," it added. The Chinese companies did not immediately comment. Also read | Chinese telecom giant Huawei reportedly helping Russia to stabilise internet network In October, the FCC revoked the U.S. authorization for China Telecom (Americas), saying it "is subject to exploitation, influence and control by the Chinese government." The FCC cited its prior decisions to deny or revoke the Chinese telecom companies' ability to operate in United States in its decision to add them to the threat list. The FCC also revoked the U.S. authorizations of China Unicom and Pacific Networks and its wholly owned subsidiary ComNet. In 2019, the FCC rejected China Mobile's bid to provide U.S. telecommunications services, citing national security risks. Inclusion on the "covered list" means money from the FCC’s $8 billion annual Universal Service Fund may not be used to purchase or maintain products from the companies. The fund supports telecommunications for rural areas, low-income consumers, and facilities such as schools, libraries and hospitals. The FCC last year also named Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology and Dahua Technology as security threats. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency worked closely with U.S. national security agencies to update the list and will add additional companies if warranted. Watch | Gravitas: YouTube blocks WION for reporting Russian statement

US FCC adds Russia's Kaspersky, China telecom firms to national security threat list

Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia’s leading independent newspapers and whose editor Dmitry Muratov was a co-awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, has suspended its operations until the end of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Chief editor Dmitry Muratov in a statement said they have taken the decision after receiving two warnings of legal action from the government’s Roskomnadzor censorship agency.

A third warning would result in the newspaper's media license being revoked.

Muratov said it was a “difficult” decision, indicating it was an effort to “save” the respected publication and avoid a total shutdown.

“For us and, I know, for you, this is a terrible and difficult decision. But we need to save us for each other,” he said in a statement.

In the last several years, Kremlin had been tightening&nbsp;its noose around the media, prohibiting them from reporting that falls in contradiction with the official government sources. The crackdown increased further in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/retaliatory-visa-measures-russia-set-to-restrict-entry-of-nationals-from-unfriendly-countries-466435" hreflang="en">Russia set to restrict entry of nationals from 'unfriendly' countries</a>

Under a new law, editors and outlets are potentially are liable for up to 15 years in prison for breaking the new rule.

According to The Moscow Times, another independent newspaper which partly functions out of Amsterdam, most Russian outlets have been forced into exile.

Novaya Gazeta is one of Russia’s oldest and most respected independent media outlets.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-cites-russian-provocations-for-pausing-evacuations-of-civilians-466311">Ukraine cites Russian 'provocations' for pausing evacuations of civilians</a>

It was co-founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. It is the only main newspaper left voicing criticism of President Vladimir Putin and his tactics in and outside the country.

Last year, Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace prize alongside Maria Ressa of the Philippines for their efforts “to safeguard freedom of expression.”

Last week, Muratov&nbsp;said&nbsp;the newspaper had decided to donate the gold medal to a fund to help Ukrainian refugees.

(With inputs from agencies)

Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia’s leading independent newspapers and whose editor Dmitry Muratov was a co-awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, has suspended its operations until the end of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia’s leading independent newspapers and whose editor Dmitry Muratov was a co-awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, has suspended its operations until the end of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Chief editor Dmitry Muratov in a statement said they have taken the decision after receiving two warnings of legal action from the government’s Roskomnadzor censorship agency. A third warning would result in the newspaper's media license being revoked. Muratov said it was a “difficult” decision, indicating it was an effort to “save” the respected publication and avoid a total shutdown. “For us and, I know, for you, this is a terrible and difficult decision. But we need to save us for each other,” he said in a statement. In the last several years, Kremlin had been tightening its noose around the media, prohibiting them from reporting that falls in contradiction with the official government sources. The crackdown increased further in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Also read | Russia set to restrict entry of nationals from 'unfriendly' countries Under a new law, editors and outlets are potentially are liable for up to 15 years in prison for breaking the new rule. According to The Moscow Times, another independent newspaper which partly functions out of Amsterdam, most Russian outlets have been forced into exile. Novaya Gazeta is one of Russia’s oldest and most respected independent media outlets. Also read | Ukraine cites Russian 'provocations' for pausing evacuations of civilians It was co-founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. It is the only main newspaper left voicing criticism of President Vladimir Putin and his tactics in and outside the country. Last year, Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace prize alongside Maria Ressa of the Philippines for their efforts “to safeguard freedom of expression.” Last week, Muratov said the newspaper had decided to donate the gold medal to a fund to help Ukrainian refugees. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia’s top independent newspaper, co-founded by Gorbachev, ceases operations after warnings

Russian&nbsp;Foreign&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Sergei&nbsp;Lavrov&nbsp;said&nbsp;on&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;that a&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;between&nbsp;President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy should happen once the two sides are closer to agreeing on key issues.

Speaking to Serbian media outlets,&nbsp;Lavrov&nbsp;added that any&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;between&nbsp;Putin and Zelenskiy to exchange views on the conflict right now would be counter-productive.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-seizes-premium-swiss-watches-amid-sanctions-report-466418">Russia seizes premium Swiss watches amid sanctions: Report</a>

Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what it called a special operation to degrade its southern neighbour's military capabilities and root out people it called dangerous nationalists.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-sinopec-suspends-talks-with-russian-companies-amid-sanctions-row-466372">China's Sinopec suspends talks with Russian companies amid sanctions row</a>

Ukrainian forces have mounted stiff resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to force it to withdraw its forces.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Plus: The story of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-the-story-of-ukraines-president-volodymyr-zelensky-466054/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy should happen once the two sides are closer to agreeing on key issues.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy should happen once the two sides are closer to agreeing on key issues. Speaking to Serbian media outlets, Lavrov added that any meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy to exchange views on the conflict right now would be counter-productive. Also read | Russia seizes premium Swiss watches amid sanctions: Report Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what it called a special operation to degrade its southern neighbour's military capabilities and root out people it called dangerous nationalists. Also read | China's Sinopec suspends talks with Russian companies amid sanctions row Ukrainian forces have mounted stiff resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to force it to withdraw its forces. Watch | Gravitas Plus: The story of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky

Putin, Zelenskiy meeting needed once sides closer on key issues: Russian Foreign Minister

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka has stopped its lucrative flights to Moscow as insurance rates became prohibitive after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the country's national airline announced Monday.

Both Russia and Ukraine were among the top three tourism-generating markets for Sri Lanka, a nation grappling with its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.

Sri Lankan Airlines operated three flights a week to the Russian capital until fighting broke out last month and had reduced the frequency to two.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-major-sri-lankan-newspapers-suspending-print-editions-as-surge-in-economic-crisis-465415">Two major Sri Lankan newspapers suspend print editions as economic crisis surges</a>

The airline said it was compelled to pull the once highly profitable Moscow flights due to the steep operating costs after war broke out and difficulties in repatriating profits from Russia.

The South Asian nation had banked on tourists from the two warring nations to earn much-needed foreign exchange to finance the import of food, fuel and medicines.

The airline said its pullout was due to "operational restrictions that are outside of the airline's control" and promised to refund those with flight bookings.

Out of the 82,300 foreign tourists who visited Sri Lanka in January about 13,500 or 16.4 per cent were Russians, followed by 11,750 Indians and 7,770 Ukrainians.

The collapse of the leisure sector soon after the pandemic broke out in 2020 saw Sri Lanka lose more than four billion dollars in lost tourism revenue.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-significant-achievements-so-far-in-russia-ukraine-talks-kremlin-466309">&nbsp;No ‘significant achievements’ so far in Russia-Ukraine talks: Kremlin</a>

The country's best year for tourism was 2018 when it earned $4.38 billion from tourism and welcomed 2.3 million visitors.

Sri Lanka is currently in the grip of severe shortages of food and fuel as commercial banks have run out of dollars to finance essential imports.

Colombo has said it will seek an IMF bailout as the country's foreign currency reserves had hit $2 billion at the end of February, compared to $7.5 billion two years ago.

Watch |&nbsp;External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar holds important bilateral talks in Sri Lanka

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/external-affairs-minister-s-jaishankar-holds-important-bilateral-talks-in-sri-lanka-466368/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka has stopped its lucrative flights to Moscow as insurance rates became prohibitive after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the country's national airline announced Monday.

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka has stopped its lucrative flights to Moscow as insurance rates became prohibitive after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the country's national airline announced Monday. Both Russia and Ukraine were among the top three tourism-generating markets for Sri Lanka, a nation grappling with its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. Sri Lankan Airlines operated three flights a week to the Russian capital until fighting broke out last month and had reduced the frequency to two. Also read | Two major Sri Lankan newspapers suspend print editions as economic crisis surges The airline said it was compelled to pull the once highly profitable Moscow flights due to the steep operating costs after war broke out and difficulties in repatriating profits from Russia. The South Asian nation had banked on tourists from the two warring nations to earn much-needed foreign exchange to finance the import of food, fuel and medicines. The airline said its pullout was due to "operational restrictions that are outside of the airline's control" and promised to refund those with flight bookings. Out of the 82,300 foreign tourists who visited Sri Lanka in January about 13,500 or 16.4 per cent were Russians, followed by 11,750 Indians and 7,770 Ukrainians. The collapse of the leisure sector soon after the pandemic broke out in 2020 saw Sri Lanka lose more than four billion dollars in lost tourism revenue. Also read | No ‘significant achievements’ so far in Russia-Ukraine talks: Kremlin The country's best year for tourism was 2018 when it earned $4.38 billion from tourism and welcomed 2.3 million visitors. Sri Lanka is currently in the grip of severe shortages of food and fuel as commercial banks have run out of dollars to finance essential imports. Colombo has said it will seek an IMF bailout as the country's foreign currency reserves had hit $2 billion at the end of February, compared to $7.5 billion two years ago. Watch | External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar holds important bilateral talks in Sri Lanka

War forces crisis-hit Sri Lanka to end Moscow flights

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Ukraine had recently appealed to a Chinese maker of civilian drones to cut ties with Russia as they claimed that the drones are being used by the Russian army to target missile attacks. Now, the drone maker DJI has responded to the allegations as they dismissed the "utterly false" accusations that the Russian military is using its drones. On March 16, Mykhailo Fedorov, who is Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, said he asked DJI founder Frank Wang in a letter to cut ties with Russia. On Twitter, the Chinese firm wrote, "DJI promotes civilian drone applications that benefit society," adding that MediaMarkt's accusation was "utterly false". In Saturday's statement, it said, "We do not support any use that does harm to people's lives, rights and interests." ALSO READ | What does Joe Biden's 'horrendous gaffe' over Ukraine mean? Reports have stated that users of the Chinese drone giant's products range from photography hobbyists to US fire departments. The firm has found itself in an uncomfortable position after Russia invaded Ukraine more than a month ago in what Moscow calls a "special military operation". While Western firms have pulled out of Russia in protest, DJI has stayed on, like many Chinese companies, taking a cue from Beijing's stance of refraining from criticism of Moscow over the invasion. WATCH | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Zelensky calls on NATO to support Kyiv × (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese drone maker reacts to allegations that Russian military uses its drones in Ukraine

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Britain's Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his armed forces face a "day of reckoning" as there is evidence of war crimes that are apparently being committed in Ukraine during the invasion.&nbsp;

In a report published by Sky News on Sunday (March 27), the minister weighed in on a range of topics, from US President Joe Biden's '[Putin] cannot remain in power' to sanctions against Russia.&nbsp;

While speaking to the media outlet, Zahawi said: "The important thing to remember is that there is evidence that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine, the targeting of civilian areas."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-does-joe-bidens-gaffe-over-ukraine-mean-466272">What does Joe Biden's 'horrendous gaffe' over Ukraine mean?</a>

"The Deputy Prime Minister (and Justice Secretary) Dominic Raab has been working with the international criminal court to make sure that that evidence is well documented, well collected, so those who commit war crimes know that there will be a day of reckoning," he added.&nbsp;

Zahawi further said that he did not agree with comments made by Biden, who said during a speech on Saturday (March 26) that Putin "cannot remain in power".&nbsp;

Recently, an assessment done by the United States claimed that the Russian military committed war crimes in Ukraine after Putin ordered special "military operations" in the neighbouring country.&nbsp;

On March 23, the US said that public information and intelligence it has collected amounts to strong evidence that the war crimes have been committed in Ukraine.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said in a statement, "Today, I can announce that, based on information currently available, the US government assesses that members of Russia's forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-ready-to-discuss-adopting-neutral-status-466182">President Zelensky says Ukraine ready to discuss adopting neutral status</a>

As per United Nations, the concept of war crimes developed particularly at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.&nbsp;

During that time, the international humanitarian law, which is also known as the law of armed conflict, was codified.&nbsp;

The Hague Conventions was adopted in 1899 and 1907 focus on the prohibition of warring parties to use certain means and methods of warfare.&nbsp;

War crimes mean grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949. Violation includes wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, wilfully causing great suffering, extensive destruction and appropriation of property, etc.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Biden admin's course-correction over 'regime change in Russia' remark

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/biden-admins-course-correction-over-regime-change-in-russia-remark-466252/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Britain's Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his armed forces face a "day of reckoning" as there is evidence of war crimes that are apparently being committed in Ukraine during the invasion. In a report published by Sky News on Sunday (March 27), the minister weighed in on a range of topics, from US President Joe Biden's '[Putin] cannot remain in power' to sanctions against Russia. While speaking to the media outlet, Zahawi said: "The important thing to remember is that there is evidence that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine, the targeting of civilian areas." ALSO READ | What does Joe Biden's 'horrendous gaffe' over Ukraine mean? "The Deputy Prime Minister (and Justice Secretary) Dominic Raab has been working with the international criminal court to make sure that that evidence is well documented, well collected, so those who commit war crimes know that there will be a day of reckoning," he added. Zahawi further said that he did not agree with comments made by Biden, who said during a speech on Saturday (March 26) that Putin "cannot remain in power". Recently, an assessment done by the United States claimed that the Russian military committed war crimes in Ukraine after Putin ordered special "military operations" in the neighbouring country. On March 23, the US said that public information and intelligence it has collected amounts to strong evidence that the war crimes have been committed in Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said in a statement, "Today, I can announce that, based on information currently available, the US government assesses that members of Russia's forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine." ALSO READ | President Zelensky says Ukraine ready to discuss adopting neutral status As per United Nations, the concept of war crimes developed particularly at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. During that time, the international humanitarian law, which is also known as the law of armed conflict, was codified. The Hague Conventions was adopted in 1899 and 1907 focus on the prohibition of warring parties to use certain means and methods of warfare. War crimes mean grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949. Violation includes wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, wilfully causing great suffering, extensive destruction and appropriation of property, etc. WATCH | Biden admin's course-correction over 'regime change in Russia' remark ×

'There will be a day of reckoning': UK minister thinks war crimes committed in Ukraine

As the delegations prepare for a fresh round of talks in Istanbul, the Kremlin stated Monday that talks between Moscow and Kyiv negotiators have so far yielded no major achievements on the Ukrainian issue.&nbsp;

“So far we cannot state any significant achievements or breakthroughs,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that it was “important” that it had been decided to continue the talks in person.

Ukraine’s priorities at the Ukrainian-Russian talks in Turkey this week will be “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told his nation Sunday in his nightly address.

“We are looking for peace, really, without delay,” he said. “There is an opportunity and a need for a face-to-face meeting in Turkey.

As the delegations prepare for a fresh round of talks in Istanbul, the Kremlin stated Monday that talks between Moscow and Kyiv negotiators have so far yielded no major achievements on the Ukrainian issue.

As the delegations prepare for a fresh round of talks in Istanbul, the Kremlin stated Monday that talks between Moscow and Kyiv negotiators have so far yielded no major achievements on the Ukrainian issue. “So far we cannot state any significant achievements or breakthroughs,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that it was “important” that it had been decided to continue the talks in person. Ukraine’s priorities at the Ukrainian-Russian talks in Turkey this week will be “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told his nation Sunday in his nightly address. “We are looking for peace, really, without delay,” he said. “There is an opportunity and a need for a face-to-face meeting in Turkey.

No ‘significant achievements’ so far in Russia-Ukraine talks: Kremlin

Ukraine on Sunday warned that fighting around Mariupol, the southern port city in Ukraine may increase in coming days. The warning has come after Moscow said that it was focussing military resources to capture the Donbas region in the east.

"This means a potential or sharp deterioration around Mariupol," an adviser to the head of the President's office, Oleksiy Arestovich, said in a video statement.

He was referring to a surprise Russian statement on Friday that it was time for Moscow to set as its "main goal" controlling Donbas, an eastern region already partly held by Russian proxies.

"This gives us hope in the area of Kyiv, Chernigiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions, that we will drive the enemy out of here," Arestovich said, referring to north and eastern regions.

He also said that Ukrainian forces were counterattacking the Russian forces in these areas.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine on February 24 with the aim of defending pro-Moscow separatists to and "demilitarise and de-nazify" the country.

The Russian announcement on Friday would amount to a sharp change of course with much limited goals that would not include an assault on the capital.

Moscow's month-long invasion on its pro-democracy neighbour has largely stalled with no major recent advances and Ukrainian forces even able to counterattack in places.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine on Sunday warned that fighting around Mariupol, the southern port city in Ukraine may increase in coming days. The warning has come after Moscow said that it was focussing military resources to capture the Donbas region in the east.

Ukraine on Sunday warned that fighting around Mariupol, the southern port city in Ukraine may increase in coming days. The warning has come after Moscow said that it was focussing military resources to capture the Donbas region in the east. "This means a potential or sharp deterioration around Mariupol," an adviser to the head of the President's office, Oleksiy Arestovich, said in a video statement. He was referring to a surprise Russian statement on Friday that it was time for Moscow to set as its "main goal" controlling Donbas, an eastern region already partly held by Russian proxies. "This gives us hope in the area of Kyiv, Chernigiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions, that we will drive the enemy out of here," Arestovich said, referring to north and eastern regions. He also said that Ukrainian forces were counterattacking the Russian forces in these areas. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine on February 24 with the aim of defending pro-Moscow separatists to and "demilitarise and de-nazify" the country. The Russian announcement on Friday would amount to a sharp change of course with much limited goals that would not include an assault on the capital. Moscow's month-long invasion on its pro-democracy neighbour has largely stalled with no major recent advances and Ukrainian forces even able to counterattack in places. (With inputs from agencies)

Increase in fighting around Mariupol possible, Ukraine warns

Pope Francis on Sunday warned of a global conflict arising from war in Ukraine which, he said, had capacity to wipe out humankind from the face of the Earth.&nbsp;

More than a month has passed since the invasion of Ukraine, since the start of this cruel and senseless war, which, like every war, is a defeat for everyone, for all of us," he said to thousands of people in St. Peter's Square for his Sunday blessing.

"We must repudiate war, a place of death where fathers and mothers bury their children, where men kill their brothers without even seeing them, where the powerful decide and the poor die," he said.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-i-was-the-us-president-id-threaten-to-drop-a-nuclear-bomb-on-russia-trump-465947">If I was the US President, I’d threaten to drop a nuclear bomb on Russia: Trump</a>

The war in Ukraine was destroying the country's future, he said, citing a statistic that half of the country's children had to flee the country.

"That is the bestiality of war, something that is barbarous and sacrilegious," he said, urging his listeners not to consider war as inevitable or something to get used to.

"If we emerge from this (war) the same as we were before, we will all be in some way guilty. Faced with the danger of self-destruction, humanity must understand that the time has come to abolish war, to cancel it from the history of man before it cancels man from history," he said.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/leading-energy-analyst-says-russian-gas-sales-to-china-will-not-make-up-for-loss-of-european-markets-465956">Leading energy analyst says Russian gas sales to China 'will not make up for loss of European markets'</a>

Since Russia invaded its neighbour on Feb. 24, Francis has several times spoken of a possible nuclear conflict.

"I beg every politician involved to reflect on this, to make a commitment, and, looking at martyred Ukraine, to understand that every day of war worsens the situation for everyone," he said.

"Enough! Stop! Let the weapons fall silent. Negotiate seriously for peace," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pope Francis on Sunday warned of a global conflict arising from war in Ukraine which, he said, had capacity to wipe out humankind from the face of the Earth. More than a month has passed since the invasion of Ukraine, since the start of this cruel and senseless war, which, like every war, is a defeat for everyone, for all of us," he said to thousands of people in St.

Pope Francis on Sunday warned of a global conflict arising from war in Ukraine which, he said, had capacity to wipe out humankind from the face of the Earth. More than a month has passed since the invasion of Ukraine, since the start of this cruel and senseless war, which, like every war, is a defeat for everyone, for all of us," he said to thousands of people in St. Peter's Square for his Sunday blessing. "We must repudiate war, a place of death where fathers and mothers bury their children, where men kill their brothers without even seeing them, where the powerful decide and the poor die," he said. Also Read: If I was the US President, I’d threaten to drop a nuclear bomb on Russia: Trump The war in Ukraine was destroying the country's future, he said, citing a statistic that half of the country's children had to flee the country. "That is the bestiality of war, something that is barbarous and sacrilegious," he said, urging his listeners not to consider war as inevitable or something to get used to. "If we emerge from this (war) the same as we were before, we will all be in some way guilty. Faced with the danger of self-destruction, humanity must understand that the time has come to abolish war, to cancel it from the history of man before it cancels man from history," he said. Also Read: Leading energy analyst says Russian gas sales to China 'will not make up for loss of European markets' Since Russia invaded its neighbour on Feb. 24, Francis has several times spoken of a possible nuclear conflict. "I beg every politician involved to reflect on this, to make a commitment, and, looking at martyred Ukraine, to understand that every day of war worsens the situation for everyone," he said. "Enough! Stop! Let the weapons fall silent. Negotiate seriously for peace," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Pope Francis warns of a global conflict over Ukraine war

On March 26, two German states announced that public displays of the "Z" emblem used by the Russian army in their invasion of Ukraine have been banned.

In Lower Saxony and Bavaria, anyone who brandishes the emblem during protests or paints it on cars or buildings to demonstrate support for Vladimir Putin's war faces up to three years in prison or a fine.

Lower Saxony's interior minister, Boris Pistorius, remarked, "It is incomprehensible to me how this symbol 'Z' could be used in our country to condone this atrocity."

The letter "Z," which appears in the Latin alphabet but not in Cyrillic, first appeared on military vehicles approaching Ukraine, probably to differentiate them from Ukrainian forces and avoid friendly fire.

However, the symbol has since become commonplace on Moscow streets, apparel, and social media accounts on the Russian internet, a trend that the Russian authorities are eager to promote.

There have been cases of such displays in the German state of Lower Saxony as well, according to the state's interior ministry. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Germany has announced plans to reduce its Russian oil imports by half by the summer (starting in June), as Western nations aim to sever economic links with Moscow as retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.

Prior to the outbreak of the war on February 24, Russia supplied a third of Germany's oil imports, 45 percent of its coal purchases, and 55 percent of its gas imports.

(With inputs from agencies)

On March 26, two German states announced that public displays of the "Z" emblem used by the Russian army in their invasion of Ukraine have been banned. In Lower Saxony and Bavaria, anyone who brandishes the emblem during protests or paints it on cars or buildings to demonstrate support for Vladimir Putin's war faces up to three years in prison or a fine.

On March 26, two German states announced that public displays of the "Z" emblem used by the Russian army in their invasion of Ukraine have been banned. In Lower Saxony and Bavaria, anyone who brandishes the emblem during protests or paints it on cars or buildings to demonstrate support for Vladimir Putin's war faces up to three years in prison or a fine. Lower Saxony's interior minister, Boris Pistorius, remarked, "It is incomprehensible to me how this symbol 'Z' could be used in our country to condone this atrocity." The letter "Z," which appears in the Latin alphabet but not in Cyrillic, first appeared on military vehicles approaching Ukraine, probably to differentiate them from Ukrainian forces and avoid friendly fire. However, the symbol has since become commonplace on Moscow streets, apparel, and social media accounts on the Russian internet, a trend that the Russian authorities are eager to promote. There have been cases of such displays in the German state of Lower Saxony as well, according to the state's interior ministry. Meanwhile, Germany has announced plans to reduce its Russian oil imports by half by the summer (starting in June), as Western nations aim to sever economic links with Moscow as retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. Prior to the outbreak of the war on February 24, Russia supplied a third of Germany's oil imports, 45 percent of its coal purchases, and 55 percent of its gas imports. (With inputs from agencies)

Two German states outlaw the display of Russia's 'Z' war symbol

Former US President Doald Trump said in an interview with Stuart Varney of Fox Business on March 21 that if he were president right now, he would threaten Vladimir Putin with nuclear war.&nbsp;

"I listened to him constantly using the N-word. That’s the N-word, and he’s constantly using it: the nuclear word," Trump said.

"We say, ’Oh, he’s a nuclear power.’ But we’re a greater nuclear power. We have the greatest submarines in the world, the most powerful machines ever built…. You should say, ‘Look, if you mention that word one more time, we’re going to send them over and we’ll be coasting back and forth, up and down your coast. You can’t let this tragedy continue. You can’t let these, these thousands of people die, "he added.

The US reaction has been dictated by Russia's standing as a nuclear-armed power, particularly in Biden's reluctance to adopt steps, such as a Nato-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine, that may lead to direct physical confrontation with Russia.

Trump was defeated in the 2020 presidential election by Joe Biden, who is now dealing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | The U.S. warns against conflict on NATO soil amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-us-warns-against-conflict-on-nato-soil-amid-the-ongoing-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-465890/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Doald Trump said in an interview with Stuart Varney of Fox Business on March 21 that if he were president right now, he would threaten Vladimir Putin with nuclear war.

Former US President Doald Trump said in an interview with Stuart Varney of Fox Business on March 21 that if he were president right now, he would threaten Vladimir Putin with nuclear war. "I listened to him constantly using the N-word. That’s the N-word, and he’s constantly using it: the nuclear word," Trump said. "We say, ’Oh, he’s a nuclear power.’ But we’re a greater nuclear power. We have the greatest submarines in the world, the most powerful machines ever built…. You should say, ‘Look, if you mention that word one more time, we’re going to send them over and we’ll be coasting back and forth, up and down your coast. You can’t let this tragedy continue. You can’t let these, these thousands of people die, "he added. The US reaction has been dictated by Russia's standing as a nuclear-armed power, particularly in Biden's reluctance to adopt steps, such as a Nato-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine, that may lead to direct physical confrontation with Russia. Trump was defeated in the 2020 presidential election by Joe Biden, who is now dealing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Watch | The U.S. warns against conflict on NATO soil amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine (With inputs from agencies)

If I was the US President, I’d threaten to drop a nuclear bomb on Russia: Trump

In what appeared to be the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rockets struck Lviv, the western Ukrainian city, on Saturday. The development came on the same day of Russian capture of the town where workers from the defunct Chernobyl nuclear plant live.

There are no signs of let-up in the Ukraine conflict as fighting is raging in several parts of the country.

On Saturday, US President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "butcher". He was in Poland.

The Kremlin was cited by Russia's TASS news agency as saying such comments would further damage prospects for mending Russian-US&nbsp;ties.

After more than four weeks of fighting, Russia has failed to seize any major Ukrainian city and the conflict has killed thousands of people, sent nearly 3.8 million abroad and driven more than half of Ukraine's children from their homes, according to the United Nations.

<img alt="Lviv" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a74310d5-fd56-4681-8d29-1374c09c5faa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/lviv.png" />

Moscow signalled on Friday it was scaling back its military ambitions to focus on territory claimed by Russian-backed separatists in the east

But two rockets hit the outskirts of Lviv, some 60 km (40 miles) from the Polish border, a city that so far have escaped the heavy bombardment and fighting that has devastated some Ukrainian cities closer to Russia.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-to-meet-ukrainian-ministers-in-first-face-to-face-meeting-since-russias-invasion-465684">Biden meets Ukrainian ministers in first face-to-face meeting since Russia's invasion</a>

Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyy said five people had been wounded and residents were told to head to shelters after three powerful blasts in mid-afternoon. Reuters witnesses saw black smoke rising from the northeast side of the city and Lviv's mayor said an oil storage facility had been hit.

Russian troops seized Slavutych, a town where workers at the nearby Chernobyl plant live, the regional governor said.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mine-like-object-found-floating-off-black-sea-465722">'Mine-like object' found floating off Black Sea</a>

He said Russian forces had fired into the air and thrown stun grenades to disperse residents who unfurled a large Ukrainian flag and shouted "Glory to Ukraine" in protest. Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Slavutych sits just outside the so-called exclusion zone around Chernobyl, which was the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986.

Ukrainian staff have continued to work at Chernobyl after the plant was seized by Russian forces soon after the start of the Feb. 24 invasion, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed alarm about the situation if workers are unable to rotate.

(With inputs from agencies)

In what appeared to be the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rockets struck Lviv, the western Ukrainian city, on Saturday. The development came on the same day of Russian capture of the town where workers from the defunct Chernobyl nuclear plant live.

In what appeared to be the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rockets struck Lviv, the western Ukrainian city, on Saturday. The development came on the same day of Russian capture of the town where workers from the defunct Chernobyl nuclear plant live. There are no signs of let-up in the Ukraine conflict as fighting is raging in several parts of the country. On Saturday, US President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "butcher". He was in Poland. The Kremlin was cited by Russia's TASS news agency as saying such comments would further damage prospects for mending Russian-US ties. After more than four weeks of fighting, Russia has failed to seize any major Ukrainian city and the conflict has killed thousands of people, sent nearly 3.8 million abroad and driven more than half of Ukraine's children from their homes, according to the United Nations. Moscow signalled on Friday it was scaling back its military ambitions to focus on territory claimed by Russian-backed separatists in the east But two rockets hit the outskirts of Lviv, some 60 km (40 miles) from the Polish border, a city that so far have escaped the heavy bombardment and fighting that has devastated some Ukrainian cities closer to Russia. Also Read | Biden meets Ukrainian ministers in first face-to-face meeting since Russia's invasion Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyy said five people had been wounded and residents were told to head to shelters after three powerful blasts in mid-afternoon. Reuters witnesses saw black smoke rising from the northeast side of the city and Lviv's mayor said an oil storage facility had been hit. Russian troops seized Slavutych, a town where workers at the nearby Chernobyl plant live, the regional governor said. Also Read | 'Mine-like object' found floating off Black Sea He said Russian forces had fired into the air and thrown stun grenades to disperse residents who unfurled a large Ukrainian flag and shouted "Glory to Ukraine" in protest. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. Slavutych sits just outside the so-called exclusion zone around Chernobyl, which was the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986. Ukrainian staff have continued to work at Chernobyl after the plant was seized by Russian forces soon after the start of the Feb. 24 invasion, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed alarm about the situation if workers are unable to rotate. (With inputs from agencies)

Rockets strike western Ukrainian city Lviv, Kremlin denounces Biden's 'butcher' comment

Ukrainian officials said on Saturday that Russian forces took control of a town housing staff working at the Chernobyl nuclear site and briefly detained the mayor.

"I have been released. Everything is fine, as far as it is possible under occupation," Yuri Fomichev, mayor of Slavutych, told AFP by phone, after officials in the Ukraine capital Kyiv announced earlier he had been detained.&nbsp;

Earlier, Kyiv announced that Russian troops had entered Slavutych and occupied the municipal hospital.

Some 25,000 people live in the town 160 kilometres (99 miles) north of the capital, built after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

Residents took to the streets, carrying a large blue and yellow Ukrainian flag and heading towards the hospital, the administration said, adding that Russian forces fired into the air and threw stun grenades into the crowd.

It also shared on its Telegram account images in which dozens of people gathered around the Ukrainian flag and chanted: "Glory to Ukraine".

"According to the latest information, the town's mayor, Yuri Fomichev, has been captured," the administration said.

The Chernobyl plant was taken by the Russian army on February 24 on the same day that Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

The International Atomic Energy Agency expressed "concern" Thursday after Ukraine informed the organisation of Russia's bombardment of Slavutych.

The town's capture comes after the first staff rotation at Chernobyl plant last weekend since Russia took control. 
About 100 Ukrainian technicians continued to run the daily operations at the radioactive site for nearly four weeks without being rotated.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian officials said on Saturday that Russian forces took control of a town housing staff working at the Chernobyl nuclear site and briefly detained the mayor.

Ukrainian officials said on Saturday that Russian forces took control of a town housing staff working at the Chernobyl nuclear site and briefly detained the mayor. "I have been released. Everything is fine, as far as it is possible under occupation," Yuri Fomichev, mayor of Slavutych, told AFP by phone, after officials in the Ukraine capital Kyiv announced earlier he had been detained. Earlier, Kyiv announced that Russian troops had entered Slavutych and occupied the municipal hospital. Some 25,000 people live in the town 160 kilometres (99 miles) north of the capital, built after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. Residents took to the streets, carrying a large blue and yellow Ukrainian flag and heading towards the hospital, the administration said, adding that Russian forces fired into the air and threw stun grenades into the crowd. It also shared on its Telegram account images in which dozens of people gathered around the Ukrainian flag and chanted: "Glory to Ukraine". "According to the latest information, the town's mayor, Yuri Fomichev, has been captured," the administration said. The Chernobyl plant was taken by the Russian army on February 24 on the same day that Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine. The International Atomic Energy Agency expressed "concern" Thursday after Ukraine informed the organisation of Russia's bombardment of Slavutych. The town's capture comes after the first staff rotation at Chernobyl plant last weekend since Russia took control. About 100 Ukrainian technicians continued to run the daily operations at the radioactive site for nearly four weeks without being rotated. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia occupies town that houses Chernobyl staff, say Ukraine officials 

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

Russia seems to be running out of precision guided munitions, a Reuters report said, citing a senior Pentagon official on Thursday. &nbsp;

It also looks to rely on the so-called dumb bombs and artillery, the official added. &nbsp;

This comes as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl has also speculated that he did not believe President Vladimir Putin wants to have an all-out conflict with NATO. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainians-need-to-achieve-peace-halt-russian-bombardment-says-president-volodymyr-zelensky-465301">Ukrainians 'need to achieve peace', halt Russian bombardment: Zelensky</a>

Not just this, Russia also seems to be suffering high failure rates, which is around 60% for some precision-guided missiles, three US officials told Reuters. &nbsp;

Russian forces have also taken heavy casualties and are low on supplies, the report added. &nbsp;

Despite relentless shelling, the invading forces have failed to capture any major city. The Russian armoured columns have barely moved in weeks. It has been stalled near the capital, Kyiv and besieged cities in the east. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-may-find-pretext-to-attack-ukraine-with-chemical-weapons-nato-chief-465274" hreflang="en">Russia may find pretext to attack Ukraine with chemical weapons: NATO chief</a>

Ukraine has also said that it is now shifting to the offensive. The forces have started to push back Russian forces, including north of Kyiv. It has also repelled five Russian attacks in the country’s east on Thursday. &nbsp;

In one month, Ukraine has fended off the invasion what many had anticipated to be a quick Russian victory. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Russia seems to be running out of precision guided munitions, a Reuters report said, citing a senior Pentagon official on Thursday. It also looks to rely on the so-called dumb bombs and artillery, the official added. This comes as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl has also speculated that he did not believe President Vladimir Putin wants to have an all-out conflict with NATO. Also Read | Ukrainians 'need to achieve peace', halt Russian bombardment: Zelensky Not just this, Russia also seems to be suffering high failure rates, which is around 60% for some precision-guided missiles, three US officials told Reuters. Russian forces have also taken heavy casualties and are low on supplies, the report added. Despite relentless shelling, the invading forces have failed to capture any major city. The Russian armoured columns have barely moved in weeks. It has been stalled near the capital, Kyiv and besieged cities in the east. Also Read: Russia may find pretext to attack Ukraine with chemical weapons: NATO chief Ukraine has also said that it is now shifting to the offensive. The forces have started to push back Russian forces, including north of Kyiv. It has also repelled five Russian attacks in the country’s east on Thursday. In one month, Ukraine has fended off the invasion what many had anticipated to be a quick Russian victory. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia running out of precision guided munitions, may rely on dumb bombs, says report  

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the strategic burden on China, according to a senior Pentagon official, because Russian troops have been on the offensive in Ukraine for the better part of the month-long war. 
 
"I do think that there`s a degree to which what Putin has done in Ukraine makes Russia much more of a strategic burden for Beijing than it was six weeks ago or six months ago," Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said. 
 
China's government has swung toward Russia, voicing support for Moscow's complaints about Nato expansion while hesitating to label its activities as an invasion.

However, while Beijing's censors are working hard to keep any criticism of that viewpoint out of the public eye, the disagreement has sparked passionate debate among Chinese policy specialists and the general public.

Analysts say the argument demonstrates the tensions created by a confrontation between Chinese diplomatic values and alignment with Russia, as Beijing tries to assess how the war would effect its interests.&nbsp; 
 
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-accuses-russia-of-using-phosphorus-bombs-to-kill-civilians-465207">Ukraine accuses Russia of using phosphorus bombs to kill civilians</a>

Following standoffs over Ukraine and Taiwan, China and Russia declared a "no limits" alliance in February, promising to work together more against the West. 
 
According to a senior US defence official, Ukrainian army pushed Russian forces positioned outside the capital city of Kyiv for weeks as far as 15 miles further back in a massive counteroffensive on Wednesday. 
 
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/one-month-since-russia-invaded-ukraine-hundreds-dead-millions-displaced-when-will-it-end-465149" hreflang="en">One month since Russia invaded Ukraine: Hundreds dead, millions displaced - When will it end?</a> 
 
To provide a battlefield update, the official spoke on the condition of anonymity. 
 
Russian forces have advanced nearly 40 kilometres from the capital. 
 
Watch | Ukrainian Female Footballers have found a new training ground

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukrainian-female-footballers-have-found-a-new-training-ground-465290/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the strategic burden on China, according to a senior Pentagon official, because Russian troops have been on the offensive in Ukraine for the better part of the month-long war.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the strategic burden on China, according to a senior Pentagon official, because Russian troops have been on the offensive in Ukraine for the better part of the month-long war. "I do think that there`s a degree to which what Putin has done in Ukraine makes Russia much more of a strategic burden for Beijing than it was six weeks ago or six months ago," Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said. China's government has swung toward Russia, voicing support for Moscow's complaints about Nato expansion while hesitating to label its activities as an invasion. However, while Beijing's censors are working hard to keep any criticism of that viewpoint out of the public eye, the disagreement has sparked passionate debate among Chinese policy specialists and the general public. Analysts say the argument demonstrates the tensions created by a confrontation between Chinese diplomatic values and alignment with Russia, as Beijing tries to assess how the war would effect its interests. Also Read: Ukraine accuses Russia of using phosphorus bombs to kill civilians Following standoffs over Ukraine and Taiwan, China and Russia declared a "no limits" alliance in February, promising to work together more against the West. According to a senior US defence official, Ukrainian army pushed Russian forces positioned outside the capital city of Kyiv for weeks as far as 15 miles further back in a massive counteroffensive on Wednesday. Also Read: One month since Russia invaded Ukraine: Hundreds dead, millions displaced - When will it end? To provide a battlefield update, the official spoke on the condition of anonymity. Russian forces have advanced nearly 40 kilometres from the capital. Watch | Ukrainian Female Footballers have found a new training ground (With inputs from agencies)

Pentagon says Russia more of a burden to China after Ukraine invasion

The Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has denied any ties to Infosys, the multinational software business part-owned by his wife and still operating in Russia during the conflict in Ukraine.

As most allies slapped harsh economic sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, Rishi Sunak, the son-in-law of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, was questioned by a Sky News reporter why his business advice was not being followed at home.

The chancellor stated that he had "nothing to do" with Infosys, a company in which his wife, Akshata Murthy, owns stock.&nbsp;

Sunak's representative stated that his wife played no part in the operational decisions made by Infosys.

According to the most recent annual report from Infosys, Akshata Murthy owns 0.9 percent of the company's stock, valued at hundreds of millions of pounds.&nbsp;

Sunak told Sky News: "I'm an elected politician, and I'm here to talk to you about what I'm responsible for. My wife is not. " He added that companies' operations were "up to them". "We've put in place significant sanctions and all the companies we're responsible for are following those, as they rightly should," said the chancellor.

Akshata Murthy's father, N.R. Narayana Murthy, co-founded Infosys and departed from the firm in 2014.

The firm, which was founded in 1981, has subsequently expanded into a number of nations and has a presence in Moscow.

Sunak has pushed British businesses to leave Russia in order to cause "economic agony" for President Vladimir Putin.

"I'm advising asset owners and managers to think twice about any investments that assist Putin and his administration in any way."

Furthermore, India has not imposed trade restrictions on Russia as a result of sanctions, and most Indian enterprises continue to operate in the nation.&nbsp;

Infosys stated in a statement that it "supports and advocates for peace" between Russia and Ukraine.

According to the report, Infosys has a small team of employees in Russia that provides local services to some worldwide clients.

They also stated that they have no active business contacts with Russian companies in the area.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has denied any ties to Infosys, the multinational software business part-owned by his wife and still operating in Russia during the conflict in Ukraine.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has denied any ties to Infosys, the multinational software business part-owned by his wife and still operating in Russia during the conflict in Ukraine. As most allies slapped harsh economic sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, Rishi Sunak, the son-in-law of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, was questioned by a Sky News reporter why his business advice was not being followed at home. The chancellor stated that he had "nothing to do" with Infosys, a company in which his wife, Akshata Murthy, owns stock. Sunak's representative stated that his wife played no part in the operational decisions made by Infosys. According to the most recent annual report from Infosys, Akshata Murthy owns 0.9 percent of the company's stock, valued at hundreds of millions of pounds. Sunak told Sky News: "I'm an elected politician, and I'm here to talk to you about what I'm responsible for. My wife is not. " He added that companies' operations were "up to them". "We've put in place significant sanctions and all the companies we're responsible for are following those, as they rightly should," said the chancellor. Akshata Murthy's father, N.R. Narayana Murthy, co-founded Infosys and departed from the firm in 2014. The firm, which was founded in 1981, has subsequently expanded into a number of nations and has a presence in Moscow. Sunak has pushed British businesses to leave Russia in order to cause "economic agony" for President Vladimir Putin. "I'm advising asset owners and managers to think twice about any investments that assist Putin and his administration in any way." Furthermore, India has not imposed trade restrictions on Russia as a result of sanctions, and most Indian enterprises continue to operate in the nation. Infosys stated in a statement that it "supports and advocates for peace" between Russia and Ukraine. According to the report, Infosys has a small team of employees in Russia that provides local services to some worldwide clients. They also stated that they have no active business contacts with Russian companies in the area. (With inputs from agencies)

UK finance minister Rishi Sunak questioned over Infosys presence in Russia

Russia's media regulator has imposed restrictions on Google News, accusing the company of disseminating "false" material on Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

According to a statement from Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor reported by the agencies, the decision was made at the request of the Russian General Prosecutor's Office.

“Google provided access to numerous publications and materials that contain false information… about the course of the special military operation on Ukrainian territory,” the statement by Russia's media regulator says. 
 
"We’ve confirmed that some people are having difficulty accessing the Google News app and website in Russia and that this is not due to any technical issues on our end," Google said in statement. 
 
"We’ve worked hard to keep information services like News accessible to people in Russia for as long as possible."

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Will Putin launch a nuclear strike?

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-putin-launch-a-nuclear-strike-465000/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

 
"The American online news resource in question provided access to numerous publications and materials containing inauthentic and publicly important information about the course of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine," Interfax quoted the regulator as saying. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-spies-in-poland-country-expels-45-russian-diplomats-for-espionage-464868">Russian spies in Poland?: Country expels 45 Russian diplomats for espionage</a> 
 
A new Russian law makes it illegal to report any event that could discredit the Russian military. 
 
Since the beginning of Russia's engagement in Ukraine on February 24, the Russian government has strengthened its grip on information on the internet, one of the country's last bastions of free expression.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Russia's media regulator has imposed restrictions on Google News, accusing the company of disseminating "false" material on Russia's offensive in Ukraine. According to a statement from Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor reported by the agencies, the decision was made at the request of the Russian General Prosecutor's Office.

Russia's media regulator has imposed restrictions on Google News, accusing the company of disseminating "false" material on Russia's offensive in Ukraine. According to a statement from Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor reported by the agencies, the decision was made at the request of the Russian General Prosecutor's Office. “Google provided access to numerous publications and materials that contain false information… about the course of the special military operation on Ukrainian territory,” the statement by Russia's media regulator says. "We’ve confirmed that some people are having difficulty accessing the Google News app and website in Russia and that this is not due to any technical issues on our end," Google said in statement. "We’ve worked hard to keep information services like News accessible to people in Russia for as long as possible." WATCH | Gravitas: Will Putin launch a nuclear strike? × "The American online news resource in question provided access to numerous publications and materials containing inauthentic and publicly important information about the course of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine," Interfax quoted the regulator as saying. Also read | Russian spies in Poland?: Country expels 45 Russian diplomats for espionage A new Russian law makes it illegal to report any event that could discredit the Russian military. Since the beginning of Russia's engagement in Ukraine on February 24, the Russian government has strengthened its grip on information on the internet, one of the country's last bastions of free expression. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia blocks Google over 'inauthentic' information on Ukraine war

Ukraine is using facial recognition software to identify the bodies of Russian soldiers killed in combat and to trace their families to inform them of their deaths, Ukraine`s vice prime minister told Reuters. 
 
Reuters exclusively reported that Ukraine`s Ministry of Defense this month began using technology from Clearview AI, a New York-based facial recognition provider that finds images on the web that match faces from uploaded photos. It was not clear at that time how the technology would be used. 
 
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine`s vice prime minister who also runs the ministry of digital transformation, told Reuters in an interview that Ukraine had been using Clearview AI software to find the social media accounts of dead Russian soldiers. 
 
From there, authorities are messaging relatives to make arrangements to collect the body, he said. 
 
"As a courtesy to the mothers of those soldiers, we are disseminating this information over social media to at least let families know that they they`ve lost their sons and to then enable them to come to collect their bodies," Fedorov said, speaking via a translator. 
 
Fedorov declined to specify the number of bodies identified through facial recognition but he said the percentage of recognized individuals claimed by families has been "high." Reuters was unable to independently confirm this. 
 
Opponents of facial recognition, including civil rights groups, have decried Ukraine`s adoption of Clearview, citing the possibility of misidentification. 
 
Clearview is battling a lawsuit in U.S. federal court in Chicago filed by consumers under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The ongoing case concerns whether the company`s gathering of images from the internet violated privacy law. 
 
Clearview says its actions have been legal. It says its face matches should only be a starting point in investigations. 
 
Fedorov said that Ukraine was not using the technology to identify its own troops killed in battle. He did not specify why. 
 
Ukraine`s Ministry of Internal Affairs did not respond to requests for comment. It has been overseeing the country`s Look For Your Own project, a Telegram channel where it posts images of unidentified captured or killed Russian soldiers and invites claims from relatives. 
 
The Ukrainian government has an online form where Russian relatives can submit a claim to collect a body. Fedorov did not provide details of how the bodies are being returned to families and Reuters could not independently determine that. 
 
Ukraine`s military has said some 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since Russia invaded on Feb 24. Russia has said its casualties are much lower during what it describes as a "special military operation" to demilitarize Ukraine. 
 
The Kremlin did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Ukraine`s use of Clearview. 
 
Clearview, which offered its service free of charge to Ukraine after the Russian invasion, has said its search engine includes over 2 billion images from VKontakte, a popular Russian social media service. 
 
VKontakte did not respond to a request for comment. 
 
Facial recognition is just one of many tools, including cloud services from Amazon.com Inc, that Ukraine has been able to adopt for free as Western businesses come to its aid, Fedorov said. 
 
Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. 
 
Richard Bassed, head of the forensic medicine department at Monash University in Australia, said fingerprints, dental records and DNA remain the most common ways of confirming someone`s identity. 
 
Obtaining pre-death samples of such data from enemy fighters is challenging, though, opening the door to innovative techniques such as facial recognition. 
 
But clouded eyes and injured and expressionless faces potentially make facial recognition unreliable on the dead, said Bassed, who has been researching the technology. 
 
In the United States, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System said it has not adopted automated facial recognition because the technology is not currently generally accepted in the forensic community.

Ukraine is using facial recognition software to identify the bodies of Russian soldiers killed in combat and to trace their families to inform them of their deaths, Ukraine`s vice prime minister told Reuters.

Ukraine is using facial recognition software to identify the bodies of Russian soldiers killed in combat and to trace their families to inform them of their deaths, Ukraine`s vice prime minister told Reuters. Reuters exclusively reported that Ukraine`s Ministry of Defense this month began using technology from Clearview AI, a New York-based facial recognition provider that finds images on the web that match faces from uploaded photos. It was not clear at that time how the technology would be used. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine`s vice prime minister who also runs the ministry of digital transformation, told Reuters in an interview that Ukraine had been using Clearview AI software to find the social media accounts of dead Russian soldiers. From there, authorities are messaging relatives to make arrangements to collect the body, he said. "As a courtesy to the mothers of those soldiers, we are disseminating this information over social media to at least let families know that they they`ve lost their sons and to then enable them to come to collect their bodies," Fedorov said, speaking via a translator. Fedorov declined to specify the number of bodies identified through facial recognition but he said the percentage of recognized individuals claimed by families has been "high." Reuters was unable to independently confirm this. Opponents of facial recognition, including civil rights groups, have decried Ukraine`s adoption of Clearview, citing the possibility of misidentification. Clearview is battling a lawsuit in U.S. federal court in Chicago filed by consumers under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The ongoing case concerns whether the company`s gathering of images from the internet violated privacy law. Clearview says its actions have been legal. It says its face matches should only be a starting point in investigations. Fedorov said that Ukraine was not using the technology to identify its own troops killed in battle. He did not specify why. Ukraine`s Ministry of Internal Affairs did not respond to requests for comment. It has been overseeing the country`s Look For Your Own project, a Telegram channel where it posts images of unidentified captured or killed Russian soldiers and invites claims from relatives. The Ukrainian government has an online form where Russian relatives can submit a claim to collect a body. Fedorov did not provide details of how the bodies are being returned to families and Reuters could not independently determine that. Ukraine`s military has said some 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since Russia invaded on Feb 24. Russia has said its casualties are much lower during what it describes as a "special military operation" to demilitarize Ukraine. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Ukraine`s use of Clearview. Clearview, which offered its service free of charge to Ukraine after the Russian invasion, has said its search engine includes over 2 billion images from VKontakte, a popular Russian social media service. VKontakte did not respond to a request for comment. Facial recognition is just one of many tools, including cloud services from Amazon.com Inc, that Ukraine has been able to adopt for free as Western businesses come to its aid, Fedorov said. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. Richard Bassed, head of the forensic medicine department at Monash University in Australia, said fingerprints, dental records and DNA remain the most common ways of confirming someone`s identity. Obtaining pre-death samples of such data from enemy fighters is challenging, though, opening the door to innovative techniques such as facial recognition. But clouded eyes and injured and expressionless faces potentially make facial recognition unreliable on the dead, said Bassed, who has been researching the technology. In the United States, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System said it has not adopted automated facial recognition because the technology is not currently generally accepted in the forensic community.

Ukraine uses facial recognition to identify dead Russian soldiers and tell families

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using phosphorus bombs&nbsp;in his embattled country, urging&nbsp;NATO to provide military support.

The white phosphorus bombs were deployed in the eastern Luhansk Oblast region where an overnight shelling by the Russian forces killed four people, the Kyiv Independent reported.

According to the local governor Serhiy Haidai, the Russian forces attacked several towns in Luhansk Oblast using missiles and phosphorus bombs.

"The Russians are struggling. They can't advance. That's why they have started to use heavy weapons," the governor was quoted as saying.

This is not the first time that they have deployed phosphorus bombs in Ukraine. Earlier this month, a cop in Donbas region had accused Putin's forces of using phosphorus munition to attack civilians.

In a video address to NATO earlier in the day, Zelensky asked for military aid saying that children and adults are being killed by the Russian forces.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/one-month-since-russia-invaded-ukraine-hundreds-dead-millions-displaced-when-will-it-end-465149" hreflang="en">One month since Russia invaded Ukraine: Hundreds dead, millions displaced - When will it end?</a>

"This morning, by the way, phosphorus bombs were used. Russian phosphorus bombs. Adults were killed again and children were killed again," Zelensky said.

&nbsp;What is a phosphorous bomb?

White phosphorus is a substance used by militaries around the world in smoke, illumination and incendiary munitions, and is typically the burning element in tracer ammunition.

It burns brightly when exposed to air and produces a large amount of smoke, meaning it can be used to mark targets at night by lighting up an area on the battlefield or to create smokescreens during the day which

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-assesses-russian-forces-committed-war-crimes-in-ukraine-465050" hreflang="en">US government assesses Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine</a>

It is used mainly in the military, and other applications may include as a component in fertilisers, food additives and cleaning compounds. Initially, it was also used in pesticides and fireworks, but many countries have banned its use in several sectors.

The 1977 Geneva Convention restrict the deployment of white phosphorous bombs if they endanger civilians.

Also read |&nbsp;Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, NATO leaders prepare for an emergency summit

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-invasion-of-ukraine-continues-nato-leaders-prepare-for-an-emergency-summit-465036/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using phosphorus bombs in his embattled country, urging NATO to provide military support. The white phosphorus bombs were deployed in the eastern Luhansk Oblast region where an overnight shelling by the Russian forces killed four people, the Kyiv Independent reported. According to the local governor Serhiy Haidai, the Russian forces attacked several towns in Luhansk Oblast using missiles and phosphorus bombs. "The Russians are struggling. They can't advance. That's why they have started to use heavy weapons," the governor was quoted as saying. This is not the first time that they have deployed phosphorus bombs in Ukraine. Earlier this month, a cop in Donbas region had accused Putin's forces of using phosphorus munition to attack civilians. In a video address to NATO earlier in the day, Zelensky asked for military aid saying that children and adults are being killed by the Russian forces. Also read | One month since Russia invaded Ukraine: Hundreds dead, millions displaced - When will it end? "This morning, by the way, phosphorus bombs were used. Russian phosphorus bombs. Adults were killed again and children were killed again," Zelensky said. What is a phosphorous bomb? White phosphorus is a substance used by militaries around the world in smoke, illumination and incendiary munitions, and is typically the burning element in tracer ammunition. It burns brightly when exposed to air and produces a large amount of smoke, meaning it can be used to mark targets at night by lighting up an area on the battlefield or to create smokescreens during the day which Also read | US government assesses Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine It is used mainly in the military, and other applications may include as a component in fertilisers, food additives and cleaning compounds. Initially, it was also used in pesticides and fireworks, but many countries have banned its use in several sectors. The 1977 Geneva Convention restrict the deployment of white phosphorous bombs if they endanger civilians. Also read | Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, NATO leaders prepare for an emergency summit (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine accuses Russia of using phosphorus bombs to kill civilians

Elvira Nabiillina, the highly regarded governor of Russia's central bank was reportedly going to step down from her post after Ukraine invasion was ordered. However, she continued on her post only when Putin asked her to stay, said Bloomberg citing sources. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

She faces a hard road ahead navigating the Russian economy given the sanctions imposed on the country by the West.

Nabillina (58) is in office since 2013. She has been able to guide Russian economy through previous rounds on Western sanctions. These sanctions were imposed on Russia when it annexed Crimea.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-provide-6000-missiles-to-ukraine-germany-says-further-strela-missiles-on-way-to-kyiv-465032">UK to provide 6,000 missiles to Ukraine; Germany says further Strela missiles on way to Kyiv</a>

Nabillina's term as governor was extended last on the recommendation of Putin

On February 28, four days after Russian troops entered Ukraine, the central bank raised its main interest rate from 9.5 to 20 percent after Western nations imposed sanctions that largely cut Russia's financial sector off from the global economy.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oksana-baulina-russian-journalist-killed-during-bombardment-in-kyiv-465090">Oksana Baulina: Russian journalist killed during bombardment in Kyiv</a>

The Russian central bank's board held its main interest rate at 20 percent, as expected, at a regular meeting on Friday.

Nabiullina, who delivered a speech instead of holding her customary post-meeting press conference, said that it was "extremely difficult" to provide updated economic forecasts in the current conditions, but she would do so next month.

She nevertheless sought to strike a reassuring tone about the economy, saying the measures undertaken in response to the "unprecedented" Western sanctions helped avoid a run on banks and that the liquidity situation has stabilised.

"Inflation will remain elevated for a certain amount of time, but we won't allow an inflationary spiral develop," said Nabiullina.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elvira Nabiillina, the highly regarded governor of Russia's central bank was reportedly going to step down from her post after Ukraine invasion was ordered. However, she continued on her post only when Putin asked her to stay, said Bloomberg citing sources.

Elvira Nabiillina, the highly regarded governor of Russia's central bank was reportedly going to step down from her post after Ukraine invasion was ordered. However, she continued on her post only when Putin asked her to stay, said Bloomberg citing sources. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. She faces a hard road ahead navigating the Russian economy given the sanctions imposed on the country by the West. Nabillina (58) is in office since 2013. She has been able to guide Russian economy through previous rounds on Western sanctions. These sanctions were imposed on Russia when it annexed Crimea. Also Read | UK to provide 6,000 missiles to Ukraine; Germany says further Strela missiles on way to Kyiv Nabillina's term as governor was extended last on the recommendation of Putin On February 28, four days after Russian troops entered Ukraine, the central bank raised its main interest rate from 9.5 to 20 percent after Western nations imposed sanctions that largely cut Russia's financial sector off from the global economy. Also Read | Oksana Baulina: Russian journalist killed during bombardment in Kyiv The Russian central bank's board held its main interest rate at 20 percent, as expected, at a regular meeting on Friday. Nabiullina, who delivered a speech instead of holding her customary post-meeting press conference, said that it was "extremely difficult" to provide updated economic forecasts in the current conditions, but she would do so next month. She nevertheless sought to strike a reassuring tone about the economy, saying the measures undertaken in response to the "unprecedented" Western sanctions helped avoid a run on banks and that the liquidity situation has stabilised. "Inflation will remain elevated for a certain amount of time, but we won't allow an inflationary spiral develop," said Nabiullina. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia's central bank governor wanted to resign over Ukraine, Putin refused: Report

Amid escalating Ukraine crisis, another nuclear warning has been issued. A top Russian diplomat warned the NATO countries Wednesday (March 23), as he said that they are dealing with nuclear power and should not threaten Moscow.&nbsp;

During an interview with Sky News, Dmitry Polyanskiy, who is a Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN, said, "If Russia is provoked by NATO, if Russia is attacked by NATO I don't know ... we are a nuclear power, why not?"&nbsp;

He was then asked, whether it was a "legitimate thing" to say, Polyanskiy replied: "I don't think it's the right thing to be saying but it's not a right thing to threaten Russia and to try to interfere."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oksana-baulina-russian-journalist-killed-during-bombardment-in-kyiv-465090">Oksana Baulina: Russian journalist killed during bombardment in Kyiv</a>

"So when you're dealing with a nuclear power of course you have to calculate all the possible outcomes of your behaviour," he further added.&nbsp;

On being asked about the allegations of war crimes,&nbsp;Polyanskiy said, "I don't think we're committing war crimes in Ukraine. Of course, it's not up to me to assess. I'm not there. You're not there. You're looking at the videos, you're looking at the many of videos which are considered to be fake news. You believe one thing, I believe another thing."

During an interaction with CNN International on Tuesday (March 22), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia would only use nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict if it were facing an "existential threat".&nbsp;

Peskov said as quoted by the media outlet, "We have a concept of domestic security, and it's public. You can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used. So if it is an existential threat for our country, then it can be used in accordance with our concept."&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Russian reformer Anatoly Chubais quits as Putin's special envoy

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-reformer-anatoly-chubais-quits-as-putins-special-envoy-465057/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Amid escalating Ukraine crisis, another nuclear warning has been issued. A top Russian diplomat warned the NATO countries Wednesday (March 23), as he said that they are dealing with nuclear power and should not threaten Moscow.

Amid escalating Ukraine crisis, another nuclear warning has been issued. A top Russian diplomat warned the NATO countries Wednesday (March 23), as he said that they are dealing with nuclear power and should not threaten Moscow. During an interview with Sky News, Dmitry Polyanskiy, who is a Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN, said, "If Russia is provoked by NATO, if Russia is attacked by NATO I don't know ... we are a nuclear power, why not?" He was then asked, whether it was a "legitimate thing" to say, Polyanskiy replied: "I don't think it's the right thing to be saying but it's not a right thing to threaten Russia and to try to interfere." ALSO READ | Oksana Baulina: Russian journalist killed during bombardment in Kyiv "So when you're dealing with a nuclear power of course you have to calculate all the possible outcomes of your behaviour," he further added. On being asked about the allegations of war crimes, Polyanskiy said, "I don't think we're committing war crimes in Ukraine. Of course, it's not up to me to assess. I'm not there. You're not there. You're looking at the videos, you're looking at the many of videos which are considered to be fake news. You believe one thing, I believe another thing." During an interaction with CNN International on Tuesday (March 22), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia would only use nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict if it were facing an "existential threat". Peskov said as quoted by the media outlet, "We have a concept of domestic security, and it's public. You can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used. So if it is an existential threat for our country, then it can be used in accordance with our concept." WATCH | Russian reformer Anatoly Chubais quits as Putin's special envoy ×

'We are a nuclear power, why not?': Top Russian diplomat over Ukraine invasion

UEFA has received declarations of interest from Britain and Ireland, Russia and Turkey to host the European Championship in 2028, the governing body said on Wednesday.

Russia and Turkey have declared their interest in hosting Euro 2032, UEFA added, and Italy has also announced its intention to bid for that tournament.

Governing bodies FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russian clubs and national teams from international competition - pending an appeal by the Russian Football Union (RFU) to the Court of Arbitration of Sport - following its invasion of Ukraine.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-go-down-to-bahrain-1-2-in-international-friendly-465111">India go down to Bahrain 1-2 in international friendly</a>

The RFU has not been suspended but UEFA said it would be monitoring the situation closely.

"The UEFA Executive Committee will remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, - &nbsp;in addition to its already-scheduled meetings of 7 April and 10 May - to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary, including in light of the declaration of interest expressed by the Russian Football Union for hosting the UEFA EURO," a UEFA spokesperson said.

Russia staged the World Cup in 2018. Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the final, was used for a rally hosted by president Vladimir Putin last week.

"We should take the opportunity to host the Euro. It would be held at our World Cup stadiums. We have developed infrastructure," RFU president Alexander Dyukov was quoted as saying by Match TV.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-legends-wayne-rooney-patrick-vieira-inducted-into-hall-of-fame-464856">Premier League legends Wayne Rooney, Patrick Vieira inducted into Hall of Fame</a>

"We understand that there is a minimal chance (to host), but we must use it. We reserve are right to make a bid, this option is free."

Minimum requirements include having 10 stadiums available, one having a capacity of at least 60,000 and two with at least 50,000 seats.

The list of bidders will be announced in April and the hosts for both Euro 2028 and 2032 will be named in September next year.

The 2024 European Championship will be held by Germany.

UEFA has received declarations of interest from Britain and Ireland, Russia and Turkey to host the European Championship in 2028, the governing body said on Wednesday.

UEFA has received declarations of interest from Britain and Ireland, Russia and Turkey to host the European Championship in 2028, the governing body said on Wednesday. Russia and Turkey have declared their interest in hosting Euro 2032, UEFA added, and Italy has also announced its intention to bid for that tournament. Governing bodies FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russian clubs and national teams from international competition - pending an appeal by the Russian Football Union (RFU) to the Court of Arbitration of Sport - following its invasion of Ukraine. ALSO READ: India go down to Bahrain 1-2 in international friendly The RFU has not been suspended but UEFA said it would be monitoring the situation closely. "The UEFA Executive Committee will remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, - in addition to its already-scheduled meetings of 7 April and 10 May - to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary, including in light of the declaration of interest expressed by the Russian Football Union for hosting the UEFA EURO," a UEFA spokesperson said. Russia staged the World Cup in 2018. Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the final, was used for a rally hosted by president Vladimir Putin last week. "We should take the opportunity to host the Euro. It would be held at our World Cup stadiums. We have developed infrastructure," RFU president Alexander Dyukov was quoted as saying by Match TV. ALSO READ: Premier League legends Wayne Rooney, Patrick Vieira inducted into Hall of Fame "We understand that there is a minimal chance (to host), but we must use it. We reserve are right to make a bid, this option is free." Minimum requirements include having 10 stadiums available, one having a capacity of at least 60,000 and two with at least 50,000 seats. The list of bidders will be announced in April and the hosts for both Euro 2028 and 2032 will be named in September next year. The 2024 European Championship will be held by Germany.

UEFA receive declarations of interest from Britain-Ireland, Russia, Turkey to host Euro 2028

russia-0

Russia, News on Russia, stories on Russia, articles on Russia, Russia stories at Wion, Russia news, Russia latest news

russia 0