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.

A video of UK defence secretary Ben Wallace being tricked into speaking with the Ukrainian prime minister over the phone emerged, angering Britain.

According to the British media, the video was published on Monday by two Russian hoaxers, who have been targeting the UK ministers with fake calls about the conflict in Ukraine over the past week.

Home Secretary Priti Patel revealed she had received a similar hoax call last week.

In the short clip, Wallace is shown purportedly speaking from Poland as the caller says Ukraine wants to progress a “nuclear programme” to protect itself from Moscow.

Later, Wallace tweeted, “Things must be going so badly for the Kremlin that they are now resorting to pranks and video fakes. Not the actions of a confident government, but then again after the Salisbury Cathedral sightseeing story, anything is possible …”

According to The Guardian, pranksters Vovan and Lexus claimed responsibility for the video.

They are being suspected of links to Russia’s security services, which they have denied.

On Monday, Boris Johnson's spokesman told reporters that "the Russian state was responsible for the hoax telephone calls made to UK ministers last week".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-tv-on-air-war-protester-accused-of-colluding-with-uk-by-her-network-464688">Russian TV on-air war protester accused of colluding with UK by her&nbsp;network</a>

The spokesman did not give further details, but added: "This is standard practice for Russian information operations. Disinformation is a tactic straight from the Kremlin playbook to try to distract from their illegal activities in Ukraine and the human rights abuses being committed there.”

"We are seeing a string of distraction stories and outright lies from the Kremlin, reflecting Putin's desperation as he seeks to hide the scale of the conflict and Russia's failings on the battlefield," he said further.

Watch |&nbsp;Video of a hoax call with UK minister Ben Wallace surfaces

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(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.

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. A video of UK defence secretary Ben Wallace being tricked into speaking with the Ukrainian prime minister over the phone emerged, angering Britain. According to the British media, the video was published on Monday by two Russian hoaxers, who have been targeting the UK ministers with fake calls about the conflict in Ukraine over the past week. Home Secretary Priti Patel revealed she had received a similar hoax call last week. In the short clip, Wallace is shown purportedly speaking from Poland as the caller says Ukraine wants to progress a “nuclear programme” to protect itself from Moscow. Later, Wallace tweeted, “Things must be going so badly for the Kremlin that they are now resorting to pranks and video fakes. Not the actions of a confident government, but then again after the Salisbury Cathedral sightseeing story, anything is possible …” According to The Guardian, pranksters Vovan and Lexus claimed responsibility for the video. They are being suspected of links to Russia’s security services, which they have denied. On Monday, Boris Johnson's spokesman told reporters that "the Russian state was responsible for the hoax telephone calls made to UK ministers last week". Also read | Russian TV on-air war protester accused of colluding with UK by her network The spokesman did not give further details, but added: "This is standard practice for Russian information operations. Disinformation is a tactic straight from the Kremlin playbook to try to distract from their illegal activities in Ukraine and the human rights abuses being committed there.” "We are seeing a string of distraction stories and outright lies from the Kremlin, reflecting Putin's desperation as he seeks to hide the scale of the conflict and Russia's failings on the battlefield," he said further. Watch | Video of a hoax call with UK minister Ben Wallace surfaces (With inputs from agencies)

Clip of UK defence secretary being tricked into speaking with Ukrainian PM emerges, Russian hand suspected

Head of Russia's state-owned Channel One network accused editor Marina Ovsyannikova, who staged on-air protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine, of colluding with the UK to betray Russia&nbsp;

Kirill Kleimyonov, head of Channel One's news division made the accusation in on-air remarks on Monday. Kleimyonov claimed that Ovsyannikova was in touch with UK embassy before she staged anti-war protest on air.

While working for Channel One television in Moscow, Marina Ovsyannikova barged onto the set of an evening newscast Monday, holding a poster reading "No War."

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"Marina Ovsyannikova spoke with the British embassy. Who of you has ever negotiated with a foreign embassy? Not with the visa center, but with the embassy, with its employee — even if he, as they say, is in civilian clothes. I, for one, never did," Kleimyonov said as quoted by Business Insider.

"I mean to call a spade a spade, that's all. An emotional outburst is one thing, but betrayal is quite another."

"And when a person betrays her country and at the same time all of us — people with whom she worked side by side for almost 20 years — betrays in a cold, calculated way, for a firmly agreed bonus," he said.

After her on air protest, Ovsyannikova was detained, fined 30,000 rubles ($280), and then freed pending possible further prosecution, but has turned down a French offer of asylum.&nbsp;

On Sunday she described to US media her decision to protest as "spontaneous," but said a sense of deep dissatisfaction with her government had been building for years -- a feeling she said many of her colleagues shared.

"The propaganda on our state channels was becoming more and more distorted, and the pressure that has been applied in Russian politics could not leave us indifferent," she told ABC News program "This Week."

"When I spoke to my friends and colleagues, everyone until the last moment could not believe that such a thing could happen -- that this gruesome war could take place," she said from Moscow, speaking through an interpreter.

(With inputs from agencies)

Head of Russia's state-owned Channel One network accused editor Marina Ovsyannikova, who staged on-air protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine, of colluding with the UK to betray Russia Kirill Kleimyonov, head of Channel One's news division made the accusation in on-air remarks on Monday.

Head of Russia's state-owned Channel One network accused editor Marina Ovsyannikova, who staged on-air protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine, of colluding with the UK to betray Russia Kirill Kleimyonov, head of Channel One's news division made the accusation in on-air remarks on Monday. Kleimyonov claimed that Ovsyannikova was in touch with UK embassy before she staged anti-war protest on air. While working for Channel One television in Moscow, Marina Ovsyannikova barged onto the set of an evening newscast Monday, holding a poster reading "No War." Also Read | Western sanctions might impact 69-year-old Vladimir Putin's youthful looks. Here's how "Marina Ovsyannikova spoke with the British embassy. Who of you has ever negotiated with a foreign embassy? Not with the visa center, but with the embassy, with its employee — even if he, as they say, is in civilian clothes. I, for one, never did," Kleimyonov said as quoted by Business Insider. "I mean to call a spade a spade, that's all. An emotional outburst is one thing, but betrayal is quite another." "And when a person betrays her country and at the same time all of us — people with whom she worked side by side for almost 20 years — betrays in a cold, calculated way, for a firmly agreed bonus," he said. After her on air protest, Ovsyannikova was detained, fined 30,000 rubles ($280), and then freed pending possible further prosecution, but has turned down a French offer of asylum. On Sunday she described to US media her decision to protest as "spontaneous," but said a sense of deep dissatisfaction with her government had been building for years -- a feeling she said many of her colleagues shared. "The propaganda on our state channels was becoming more and more distorted, and the pressure that has been applied in Russian politics could not leave us indifferent," she told ABC News program "This Week." "When I spoke to my friends and colleagues, everyone until the last moment could not believe that such a thing could happen -- that this gruesome war could take place," she said from Moscow, speaking through an interpreter. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian TV on-air war protester accused of colluding with UK by her network

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, a number of cases show how Moscow has intensified its crackdown on media and dissenters in the country.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed into law harsh new legislation to nab those who are being charged with spreading "fake news" about the military.&nbsp;

Putin has already banned Facebook and Instagram after labelling them as "extremist" and media reports have suggested that, to silence dissent, the Russian authorities have blocked or shut down independent media in the country. &nbsp;

The Russian leader last week promised that he will purge Russia of the "scum and traitors" who are opposing the special "military operation" in Ukraine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sending-secretly-acquired-soviet-defence-equipment-to-ukraine-report-464796">US sending secretly acquired Soviet defence equipment to Ukraine: Report</a>

As per a report by Bloomberg published on Tuesday (March 22), Russian lawmakers have expanded legislation that punishes people with fines or imprisonment for publishing "fake news" about the military’s operations to cover all state agencies.&nbsp;

The move has been deemed as a major escalation of the crackdown on media coverage in Russia of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.&nbsp;

The report added that the State Duma lower house of parliament backed amendments criminalising the public dissemination of "knowingly false information about the activities of government bodies abroad in pursuing Russia's national interests".&nbsp;

A person charged with the offence can be slapped with a penalty ranging from fines of between 700,000 rubles ($6,800) and 5 million rubles to imprisonment of up to 15 years if the actions led to "grave consequences".&nbsp;

The Kremlin said on Wednesday (March 23) that it was vital to apply a new law.&nbsp;Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the specific case of journalist Alexander Nevzorov, whom investigators late on Tuesday accused of deliberately spreading knowingly false information about the actions of the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;military in Ukraine.

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Telegram gains popularity 

Meanwhile, Telegram has overtaken WhatsApp to become Russia's most popular messaging tool, the mobile operator Megafon said on Monday (March 21).&nbsp;

WhatsApp owner Meta Platforms Inc is embroiled in a Russian court case, with prosecutors seeking to label it an "extremist organisation", and authorities have actively promoted Telegram as they have banned other foreign platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Russia's military operation in Ukraine has added fuel to a simmering dispute between foreign digital platforms and Moscow.&nbsp;

Megafon, one of Russia's four main telecoms operators, said its analysis of mobile internet traffic showed that Telegram's share had jumped to 63% in the first two weeks of March from 48% in the first two weeks of February.&nbsp;

WhatsApp's share dropped to 32% from 48%, Megafon said. The average Telegram user consumed 101 MB of data a day, compared to 26 MB for WhatsApp.&nbsp;

Founded by Russian Pavel Durov, Telegram has long been a popular news platform in Russia, with almost all major media, government entities and public figures operating content channels.

WATCH |&nbsp;Russian court finds Alexei Navalny guilty of large scale frauds

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(With inputs from agencies)

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, a number of cases show how Moscow has intensified its crackdown on media and dissenters in the country. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed into law harsh new legislation to nab those who are being charged with spreading "fake news" about the military.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, a number of cases show how Moscow has intensified its crackdown on media and dissenters in the country. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed into law harsh new legislation to nab those who are being charged with spreading "fake news" about the military. Putin has already banned Facebook and Instagram after labelling them as "extremist" and media reports have suggested that, to silence dissent, the Russian authorities have blocked or shut down independent media in the country. The Russian leader last week promised that he will purge Russia of the "scum and traitors" who are opposing the special "military operation" in Ukraine. ALSO READ | US sending secretly acquired Soviet defence equipment to Ukraine: Report As per a report by Bloomberg published on Tuesday (March 22), Russian lawmakers have expanded legislation that punishes people with fines or imprisonment for publishing "fake news" about the military’s operations to cover all state agencies. The move has been deemed as a major escalation of the crackdown on media coverage in Russia of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The report added that the State Duma lower house of parliament backed amendments criminalising the public dissemination of "knowingly false information about the activities of government bodies abroad in pursuing Russia's national interests". A person charged with the offence can be slapped with a penalty ranging from fines of between 700,000 rubles ($6,800) and 5 million rubles to imprisonment of up to 15 years if the actions led to "grave consequences". The Kremlin said on Wednesday (March 23) that it was vital to apply a new law. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the specific case of journalist Alexander Nevzorov, whom investigators late on Tuesday accused of deliberately spreading knowingly false information about the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine. ALSO READ | Russian oligarch moved wealth before sanctions in 27 Swiss accounts of sister Telegram gains popularity Meanwhile, Telegram has overtaken WhatsApp to become Russia's most popular messaging tool, the mobile operator Megafon said on Monday (March 21). WhatsApp owner Meta Platforms Inc is embroiled in a Russian court case, with prosecutors seeking to label it an "extremist organisation", and authorities have actively promoted Telegram as they have banned other foreign platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Russia's military operation in Ukraine has added fuel to a simmering dispute between foreign digital platforms and Moscow. Megafon, one of Russia's four main telecoms operators, said its analysis of mobile internet traffic showed that Telegram's share had jumped to 63% in the first two weeks of March from 48% in the first two weeks of February. WhatsApp's share dropped to 32% from 48%, Megafon said. The average Telegram user consumed 101 MB of data a day, compared to 26 MB for WhatsApp. Founded by Russian Pavel Durov, Telegram has long been a popular news platform in Russia, with almost all major media, government entities and public figures operating content channels. WATCH | Russian court finds Alexei Navalny guilty of large scale frauds × (With inputs from agencies)

Imprisonment of up to 15 years? Amid Ukraine invasion, Russia intensifies crackdown on media

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 Pentagon claimed on Monday that Russia was boosting air and sea military operations in Ukraine as it struggles to turn the tide of war in Ukraine, where the "dexterity" of the defence mounted by Kyiv is stalling the invasion.

A senior US official claimed that the Kremllin was "desperate" to increase its momentum in a war in which its troops have grown "frustrated and flummoxed" by a resistance that has shown durability despite being outmanned and outgunned, AFP reported.

President Vladimir Putin's forces have ramped up their sorties over and near Ukraine, flying more than 300 missions in the past 24 hours, with Kyiv likewise increasing their own air operations in a bid to deny Russia superiority in the skies, the official told reporters.

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&nbsp;

Few of the operations are dogfights, as Russia's military tends to fire air-to-ground missiles at Ukrainian targets from Russian or Belarusian skies.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-breakthrough-yet-at-russian-ukraine-peace-talks-says-kremlin-464321">No breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin</a>

"They're not venturing very far or for very long into Ukrainian airspace, because the Ukrainians have been defending their airspace with great dexterity," the official was quoted by AFP as saying, on condition of anonymity.

The official said that Russia is exhibiting 'increasing naval activity' in northern Black Sea. Russia is using multiple warships that are contributing shelling around port city of Odessa.

"What we're seeing is a near desperate attempt by the Russians to gain some momentum and try to turn the course of this in their favour," the defence official said, noting that on day 26 of the offensive, Russian forces remain pinned down 15 kilometres (nine miles) northwest and 30 km east of Kyiv.

At the weekend Moscow claimed it had fired hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine, but the Pentagon on Monday would not confirm or refute that the next-generation weaponry had been used.

The senior defence official did offer that from a military point of view using a hypersonic missile to hit a stationary target made little sense.

"It could be that they're trying to send a message to the West but also to Ukraine, and trying to gain leverage at the negotiating table," he added.

Russia also has been experiencing "a not insignificant number of failures" of its precision-guided munitions, the official said.&nbsp;

But the military's available combat power remains at roughly 90 percent, he added.

Ukraine's combat power is at a similar level in part because of contributions from Washington and other western powers.

(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. The Pentagon claimed on Monday that Russia was boosting air and sea military operations in Ukraine as it struggles to turn the tide of war in Ukraine, where the "dexterity" of the defence mounted by Kyiv is stalling the invasion. A senior US official claimed that the Kremllin was "desperate" to increase its momentum in a war in which its troops have grown "frustrated and flummoxed" by a resistance that has shown durability despite being outmanned and outgunned, AFP reported. President Vladimir Putin's forces have ramped up their sorties over and near Ukraine, flying more than 300 missions in the past 24 hours, with Kyiv likewise increasing their own air operations in a bid to deny Russia superiority in the skies, the official told reporters. × Few of the operations are dogfights, as Russia's military tends to fire air-to-ground missiles at Ukrainian targets from Russian or Belarusian skies. Also Read | No breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin "They're not venturing very far or for very long into Ukrainian airspace, because the Ukrainians have been defending their airspace with great dexterity," the official was quoted by AFP as saying, on condition of anonymity. The official said that Russia is exhibiting 'increasing naval activity' in northern Black Sea. Russia is using multiple warships that are contributing shelling around port city of Odessa. "What we're seeing is a near desperate attempt by the Russians to gain some momentum and try to turn the course of this in their favour," the defence official said, noting that on day 26 of the offensive, Russian forces remain pinned down 15 kilometres (nine miles) northwest and 30 km east of Kyiv. At the weekend Moscow claimed it had fired hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine, but the Pentagon on Monday would not confirm or refute that the next-generation weaponry had been used. The senior defence official did offer that from a military point of view using a hypersonic missile to hit a stationary target made little sense. "It could be that they're trying to send a message to the West but also to Ukraine, and trying to gain leverage at the negotiating table," he added. Russia also has been experiencing "a not insignificant number of failures" of its precision-guided munitions, the official said. But the military's available combat power remains at roughly 90 percent, he added. Ukraine's combat power is at a similar level in part because of contributions from Washington and other western powers. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine conflict: Russia ramping up naval and air activity, says Pentagon 

Russia must adhere to the United Nations Charter, British Prime Minister&nbsp;Boris&nbsp;Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a call on Tuesday, according to a readout provided by Johnson's office.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created a rift between India, which imports arms from Russia, and its Western allies, who have called on India to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin in stronger terms.

"The pair agreed that Ukraine’s integrity and territorial sovereignty must be respected," a statement issued by Johnson's office following the call said.

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"Russia needed to adhere to the UN Charter, the leaders said, and both agreed that respect for international law was the only way to ensure global peace and prosperity."

Johnson also said both countries needed to intensify efforts to promote peace and de-escalation in the region.

The British readout of the call said Johnson told Modi Russia's actions were "deeply disturbing and disastrous for the world". It did not indicate Modi's response to this point.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/walls-dreams-and-genocide-zelenskyy-invokes-history-to-rally-support-464564">Walls, dreams and genocide: Zelenskyy invokes history to rally support</a>

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden has said only India among the Quad group of countries was "somewhat shaky" in acting against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

India and Britain are currently in talks over a trade deal, but UK trade minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan has said that India's refusal to condemn Russia's actions has left Britain "very disappointed."

"Prime minister recognises that India has an important role to play in its relationship with Putin and his regime, and certainly he urged him to continue to join... the condemnation of Putin," Johnson's spokesman told reporters.

Watch |&nbsp;Ukraine faces intense Russian assault, defies Russian demand to lay down arms

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India has also indicated it might take Russia up on an offer to buy crude oil at a discount.

Johnson's spokesman said Britain wanted all countries to move away from reliance on Russian oil and gas, but each country was coming from a different starting point.

"The prime minister believes the best way to broaden that coalition and to bring people with us is through is through diplomacy," he said.

Russia must adhere to the United Nations Charter, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a call on Tuesday, according to a readout provided by Johnson's office.

Russia must adhere to the United Nations Charter, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a call on Tuesday, according to a readout provided by Johnson's office. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created a rift between India, which imports arms from Russia, and its Western allies, who have called on India to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin in stronger terms. "The pair agreed that Ukraine’s integrity and territorial sovereignty must be respected," a statement issued by Johnson's office following the call said. Also read | Ukraine conflict creates 'noodle crisis' in Indonesia "Russia needed to adhere to the UN Charter, the leaders said, and both agreed that respect for international law was the only way to ensure global peace and prosperity." Johnson also said both countries needed to intensify efforts to promote peace and de-escalation in the region. The British readout of the call said Johnson told Modi Russia's actions were "deeply disturbing and disastrous for the world". It did not indicate Modi's response to this point. Also read | Walls, dreams and genocide: Zelenskyy invokes history to rally support US President Joe Biden has said only India among the Quad group of countries was "somewhat shaky" in acting against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. India and Britain are currently in talks over a trade deal, but UK trade minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan has said that India's refusal to condemn Russia's actions has left Britain "very disappointed." "Prime minister recognises that India has an important role to play in its relationship with Putin and his regime, and certainly he urged him to continue to join... the condemnation of Putin," Johnson's spokesman told reporters. Watch | Ukraine faces intense Russian assault, defies Russian demand to lay down arms India has also indicated it might take Russia up on an offer to buy crude oil at a discount. Johnson's spokesman said Britain wanted all countries to move away from reliance on Russian oil and gas, but each country was coming from a different starting point. "The prime minister believes the best way to broaden that coalition and to bring people with us is through is through diplomacy," he said.

Russia must adhere to UN Charter, say UK and India

When the first McDonald’s restaurant appeared in the Soviet Union in 1990, my parents bundled my 9-month-old sister up and waited in line for hours in the brisk Russian winter so that they could get their first taste of a Big Mac and those famed French fries. The line snaked all around Moscow’s iconic Pushkin Square: Reports say that 30,000 people showed up on opening day alone.

It was a very exciting moment, my parents tell me: the first taste of liberty, a glimpse of what eating out could be like beyond the Iron Curtain, a symbol of bigger change to come.

Less than two years later, the USSR&nbsp;ceased to exist, opening the door to all kinds of democratic freedoms. The Russia I grew up in came with dubbed Disney cartoons and Argentine soap operas. Everyone suddenly had a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio. My mom’s new eye-shadow palette encompassed every shade of neon. I went to concerts, bought posters and cassette tapes and, unlike my parents, did not have to wear a five-pointed-star badge with a portrait of Vladimir Lenin on my chest every day at school.

Of course, there was an insidious side. With new freedoms came new challenges: a deep economic crisis and a sharp rise in inequality, an explosion of organized crime. After decades in which the state dictated nearly every decision for its subjects, from housing to place of work to taste in movies and music, the new era also brought with it uncertainty and chaos.

Still, I felt lucky to grow up in a vibrant, thriving society; I certainly didn’t want to go back to Soviet times. The stories my family told me were bleak.

They spoke about prohibited literature (anything perceived to go against Soviet values or written by émigré writers who had fled Soviet Russia), the difficulties of travel (impossible without the party committee’s blessings), the incessant shortages of food and consumer goods. I’m too young to remember, but my parents would line up for hours for the rare furniture supply that appeared at shops every few months. In 1990, when consumer items were still only sporadically available, my mom bought us a pair of tights sized for every age up to 16 because she assumed they would no longer be in supply as we grew older. Films were censored, foreign radio stations jammed.

I was fascinated by these stories but also relieved I never had to experience them. I was eager to unearth the trivial elements of Soviet people’s day-to-day existence, the ones that did not make it into the history books: a long-forgotten home music video, an awkward wedding photo, a leaflet, a questionable fashion choice. I started collecting remnants of the Soviet era, rummaging through old VHS tapes, friends’ photo albums, magazine cutouts and obscure flea markets to gather visual artifacts from a country that was no more.

In 2016, while living in Singapore, I created a Twitter account, @sovietvisuals, to share my makeshift Soviet archive with the world. Others started contributing their own photographs, videos and personal stories, and the project became a repository for our shared past. It also provided an opportunity to reflect critically on the social and cultural norms of the time while acknowledging the brutalities of the U.S.S.R.’s ideological constructs and oppressive practices. I never imagined how prescient it would be.

Vladimir Putin’s cynically named “special military operation” on Ukraine has thrust my country into pariah status — rightly, given the atrocities, human rights violations and brazen disregard for sovereignty that he has unleashed on Ukraine. Impossibly, in the past few weeks it’s felt as if we’d been yanked back to the Soviet era, except this time it’s even more horrifying, more repressive than we could have imagined. Russia is not just losing the comforts that Western capitalism offered, owing to severe sanctions, but Mr. Putin is also doubling down on closing off any expression of dissent.

For Ukrainians, the war has meant hell on earth. Countless lives shattered. I watch in horror as my friends there hide out in bomb shelters. Schools, hospitals, residential buildings destroyed by bombs, innocent people reportedly shot dead in the street as they attempt to escape to safety. It is immeasurably cruel, unfair and devastating.

For Russians, there is the fear and disgust at watching Mr. Putin’s ruthless campaign, which will inevitably raise the civilian death toll. There’s also the feeling of helplessness of not having been able to stop it and the shame of being from the country of the aggressor.

And unsurprisingly, Russia has been catapulted into a dark hole. Many foreign companies — clothing and credit card brands, car manufacturers and tech corporations, fast food and retail chains — have suspended operations, affecting every corner of the economy. The West’s sanctions have mostly cut Russian civilians off from the global economy.

Meanwhile, Mr. Putin has ensured that Russians who express opposition to the invasion face persecution: A new law punishes anyone spreading anything it deems “false information” about the war with up to 15 years in prison. This crackdown on freedom is not new to Russians, but it has reached a peak of absurdity: Standing in the street with a flower or a blank sign now gets you loaded into a police van.

Between arrests for speaking out, censorship, rumors of martial law and relentless propaganda, it’s as though we had landed straight in the Stalin era.

The Russia I knew has been erased. What’s coming next is dark. The U.S.S.R. gives us some clues of what it might be like — but even then, there were some flickers of hope.

As my parents’ stories and my archive show, many Soviet citizens found ways to thrive in what was essentially a giant social experiment. Yes, they had to deal with bread lines, news (and propaganda) supplied by the state-controlled, Orwellian-named Pravda (Truth) newspaper and a persistent fear of nuclear war. But they continued to create art, make scientific discoveries and build families and architectural masterpieces. There was a great deal of humor, beauty and creativity behind the Iron Curtain.

When l learned that McDonald’s had joined the long list of international companies suspending operations in Russia, I couldn’t help but think about my family’s first visit to the burger joint. Could any of the people lining up for their first cheeseburger in 1990 have imagined that modern Russia would find itself sliding all the way back to where it started?

We will remake Russia, of course, slowly and patiently, just like the generation before us. But not before this one crumbles first.

When the first McDonald’s restaurant appeared in the Soviet Union in 1990, my parents bundled my 9-month-old sister up and waited in line for hours in the brisk Russian winter so that they could get their first taste of a Big Mac and those famed French fries.

When the first McDonald’s restaurant appeared in the Soviet Union in 1990, my parents bundled my 9-month-old sister up and waited in line for hours in the brisk Russian winter so that they could get their first taste of a Big Mac and those famed French fries. The line snaked all around Moscow’s iconic Pushkin Square: Reports say that 30,000 people showed up on opening day alone. It was a very exciting moment, my parents tell me: the first taste of liberty, a glimpse of what eating out could be like beyond the Iron Curtain, a symbol of bigger change to come. Less than two years later, the USSR ceased to exist, opening the door to all kinds of democratic freedoms. The Russia I grew up in came with dubbed Disney cartoons and Argentine soap operas. Everyone suddenly had a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio. My mom’s new eye-shadow palette encompassed every shade of neon. I went to concerts, bought posters and cassette tapes and, unlike my parents, did not have to wear a five-pointed-star badge with a portrait of Vladimir Lenin on my chest every day at school. Of course, there was an insidious side. With new freedoms came new challenges: a deep economic crisis and a sharp rise in inequality, an explosion of organized crime. After decades in which the state dictated nearly every decision for its subjects, from housing to place of work to taste in movies and music, the new era also brought with it uncertainty and chaos. Still, I felt lucky to grow up in a vibrant, thriving society; I certainly didn’t want to go back to Soviet times. The stories my family told me were bleak. They spoke about prohibited literature (anything perceived to go against Soviet values or written by émigré writers who had fled Soviet Russia), the difficulties of travel (impossible without the party committee’s blessings), the incessant shortages of food and consumer goods. I’m too young to remember, but my parents would line up for hours for the rare furniture supply that appeared at shops every few months. In 1990, when consumer items were still only sporadically available, my mom bought us a pair of tights sized for every age up to 16 because she assumed they would no longer be in supply as we grew older. Films were censored, foreign radio stations jammed. I was fascinated by these stories but also relieved I never had to experience them. I was eager to unearth the trivial elements of Soviet people’s day-to-day existence, the ones that did not make it into the history books: a long-forgotten home music video, an awkward wedding photo, a leaflet, a questionable fashion choice. I started collecting remnants of the Soviet era, rummaging through old VHS tapes, friends’ photo albums, magazine cutouts and obscure flea markets to gather visual artifacts from a country that was no more. In 2016, while living in Singapore, I created a Twitter account, @sovietvisuals, to share my makeshift Soviet archive with the world. Others started contributing their own photographs, videos and personal stories, and the project became a repository for our shared past. It also provided an opportunity to reflect critically on the social and cultural norms of the time while acknowledging the brutalities of the U.S.S.R.’s ideological constructs and oppressive practices. I never imagined how prescient it would be. Vladimir Putin’s cynically named “special military operation” on Ukraine has thrust my country into pariah status — rightly, given the atrocities, human rights violations and brazen disregard for sovereignty that he has unleashed on Ukraine. Impossibly, in the past few weeks it’s felt as if we’d been yanked back to the Soviet era, except this time it’s even more horrifying, more repressive than we could have imagined. Russia is not just losing the comforts that Western capitalism offered, owing to severe sanctions, but Mr. Putin is also doubling down on closing off any expression of dissent. For Ukrainians, the war has meant hell on earth. Countless lives shattered. I watch in horror as my friends there hide out in bomb shelters. Schools, hospitals, residential buildings destroyed by bombs, innocent people reportedly shot dead in the street as they attempt to escape to safety. It is immeasurably cruel, unfair and devastating. For Russians, there is the fear and disgust at watching Mr. Putin’s ruthless campaign, which will inevitably raise the civilian death toll. There’s also the feeling of helplessness of not having been able to stop it and the shame of being from the country of the aggressor. And unsurprisingly, Russia has been catapulted into a dark hole. Many foreign companies — clothing and credit card brands, car manufacturers and tech corporations, fast food and retail chains — have suspended operations, affecting every corner of the economy. The West’s sanctions have mostly cut Russian civilians off from the global economy. Meanwhile, Mr. Putin has ensured that Russians who express opposition to the invasion face persecution: A new law punishes anyone spreading anything it deems “false information” about the war with up to 15 years in prison. This crackdown on freedom is not new to Russians, but it has reached a peak of absurdity: Standing in the street with a flower or a blank sign now gets you loaded into a police van. Between arrests for speaking out, censorship, rumors of martial law and relentless propaganda, it’s as though we had landed straight in the Stalin era. The Russia I knew has been erased. What’s coming next is dark. The U.S.S.R. gives us some clues of what it might be like — but even then, there were some flickers of hope. As my parents’ stories and my archive show, many Soviet citizens found ways to thrive in what was essentially a giant social experiment. Yes, they had to deal with bread lines, news (and propaganda) supplied by the state-controlled, Orwellian-named Pravda (Truth) newspaper and a persistent fear of nuclear war. But they continued to create art, make scientific discoveries and build families and architectural masterpieces. There was a great deal of humor, beauty and creativity behind the Iron Curtain. When l learned that McDonald’s had joined the long list of international companies suspending operations in Russia, I couldn’t help but think about my family’s first visit to the burger joint. Could any of the people lining up for their first cheeseburger in 1990 have imagined that modern Russia would find itself sliding all the way back to where it started? We will remake Russia, of course, slowly and patiently, just like the generation before us. But not before this one crumbles first.

The Russia I know is being erased. What’s coming next is darker

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday (March 20) addressed Isreali parliament and urged the Jewish nation to abandon neutrality and support Ukraine which is being invaded by Russia.&nbsp;

Zelensky, who himself is Jewish, has already addressed legislatures of the US, the UK and Germany.&nbsp;

In remarks that at several points compared Russian aggression to the Holocaust, Zelensky said that "Ukraine made the choice to save Jews 80 years ago."&nbsp;

"Now it's time for Israel to make its choice."

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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has walked a careful diplomatic line since Russia launched its invasion on February 24.

Stressing Israel's strong ties to Moscow and Kyiv, Bennett has sought to preserve delicate security cooperation with Russia, which has troops in Syria, across Israel's northern border.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/high-risk-of-attack-from-belarus-on-western-volyn-region-of-ukraine-says-presidential-office-464023">High risk of attack from Belarus on western Volyn region of Ukraine, says presidential office</a>

Bennett has held regular phone calls with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, including a three-hour meeting with Putin at the Kremlin on March 5.

While Ukrainian officials have voiced appreciation for Bennett's mediation efforts, Zelensky on Sunday implied that this too had proven to be a misstep.

"We can mediate between states but not between good and evil," the Ukrainian leader said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday (March 20) addressed Isreali parliament and urged the Jewish nation to abandon neutrality and support Ukraine which is being invaded by Russia.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday (March 20) addressed Isreali parliament and urged the Jewish nation to abandon neutrality and support Ukraine which is being invaded by Russia. Zelensky, who himself is Jewish, has already addressed legislatures of the US, the UK and Germany. In remarks that at several points compared Russian aggression to the Holocaust, Zelensky said that "Ukraine made the choice to save Jews 80 years ago." "Now it's time for Israel to make its choice." × Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has walked a careful diplomatic line since Russia launched its invasion on February 24. Stressing Israel's strong ties to Moscow and Kyiv, Bennett has sought to preserve delicate security cooperation with Russia, which has troops in Syria, across Israel's northern border. Also Read | High risk of attack from Belarus on western Volyn region of Ukraine, says presidential office Bennett has held regular phone calls with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, including a three-hour meeting with Putin at the Kremlin on March 5. While Ukrainian officials have voiced appreciation for Bennett's mediation efforts, Zelensky on Sunday implied that this too had proven to be a misstep. "We can mediate between states but not between good and evil," the Ukrainian leader said. (With inputs from agencies)

Zelensky addresses Israel parliament, compares Russian invasion to Holocaust

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said Russia's siege of Mariupol was "a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come", while authorities in the strategic port city said thousands of residents there had been taken by force to Russia. 
 
FIGHTING, DIPLOMACY 
 
* Zelenskiy urged Switzerland to crack down on Russian oligarchs who he said were helping to wage war on his country from the safety of "beautiful Swiss towns". 
 
* Russia said it had used hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles to destroy a large weapons depot in Ukraine`s western Ivano-Frankivsk region. 
 
* Russian President Putin is healthy, sane and "in better shape than ever", close ally Belarus President Lukashenko told Japanese TV. 
 
* A Russian mortar attack on Ukrainian town of Makariv in the Kyiv region killed seven people and hospitalised five on Friday, local police said in a statement. Russia denies targeting civilians. 
 
* A senior Chinese government official said that sanctions imposed by Western nations on Russia are increasingly "outrageous". 
 
CIVILIANS 
 
* Pope Francis made a surprise visit to young refugees being treated in a paediatric hospital in Rome. 
 
* The UN human rights office said at least 847 civilians had been killed and 1,399 wounded in Ukraine as of Friday. The Ukrainian prosecutor general`s office said that 112 children have been killed. 
 
ECONOMY AND MARKETS 
 
* Ukraine may not produce enough crops to export if this year`s sowing campaigns are disrupted by the invasion, presidential adviser Oleh Ustenko said. 
 
SPACE SUITS 
 
* Russia`s space agency dismissed Western media reports suggesting Russian cosmonauts joining the International Space Station had chosen to wear yellow suits with a blue trim in support of Ukraine. "Sometimes yellow is just yellow," Roscosmos`s press service said on its Telegram channel. 
 
QUOTES 
 
* "To do this to a peaceful city... is a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come," Zelenskiy said of Russia`s attacks on Mariupol. 
 
* "When the alarm sounded, I covered the windows with blankets so one couldn`t hear it. My small ones made up a monster, the siren monster," said Tanya, a refugee in the Polish border town of Przemysl.

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said Russia's siege of Mariupol was "a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come", while authorities in the strategic port city said thousands of residents there had been taken by force to Russia.

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said Russia's siege of Mariupol was "a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come", while authorities in the strategic port city said thousands of residents there had been taken by force to Russia. FIGHTING, DIPLOMACY * Zelenskiy urged Switzerland to crack down on Russian oligarchs who he said were helping to wage war on his country from the safety of "beautiful Swiss towns". * Russia said it had used hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles to destroy a large weapons depot in Ukraine`s western Ivano-Frankivsk region. * Russian President Putin is healthy, sane and "in better shape than ever", close ally Belarus President Lukashenko told Japanese TV. * A Russian mortar attack on Ukrainian town of Makariv in the Kyiv region killed seven people and hospitalised five on Friday, local police said in a statement. Russia denies targeting civilians. * A senior Chinese government official said that sanctions imposed by Western nations on Russia are increasingly "outrageous". CIVILIANS * Pope Francis made a surprise visit to young refugees being treated in a paediatric hospital in Rome. * The UN human rights office said at least 847 civilians had been killed and 1,399 wounded in Ukraine as of Friday. The Ukrainian prosecutor general`s office said that 112 children have been killed. ECONOMY AND MARKETS * Ukraine may not produce enough crops to export if this year`s sowing campaigns are disrupted by the invasion, presidential adviser Oleh Ustenko said. SPACE SUITS * Russia`s space agency dismissed Western media reports suggesting Russian cosmonauts joining the International Space Station had chosen to wear yellow suits with a blue trim in support of Ukraine. "Sometimes yellow is just yellow," Roscosmos`s press service said on its Telegram channel. QUOTES * "To do this to a peaceful city... is a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come," Zelenskiy said of Russia`s attacks on Mariupol. * "When the alarm sounded, I covered the windows with blankets so one couldn`t hear it. My small ones made up a monster, the siren monster," said Tanya, a refugee in the Polish border town of Przemysl.

Ukraine and Russia war: What you need to know right now

A unique incident was captured on camera as Ukrainian citizens confronted Russian military vehicles in the city of Kherson on Sunday.

"Go Home!" shouted the Ukrainians as they forced two Russian military vehicles to ultimately reverse and take an about-turn.

In a video obtained and released by Reuters, nearly a hundred Ukrainian citizens blocked path of&nbsp;Russian military vehicles. The military vehicles were seen painted&nbsp;in a “Z” symbol, heavily associated with the Russian military.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/high-risk-of-attack-from-belarus-on-western-volyn-region-of-ukraine-says-presidential-office-464023">High risk of attack from Belarus on western Volyn region of Ukraine, says presidential office</a>

Buildings and shops along the avenue matched those seen on Google satellite imagery, as well as file images of the area.

Following the confrontation by the protesters, some wearing Ukrainian flags, the vehicles turned around and left the immediate area.

Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday (March 19) that they had not seen any significant shifts over the past 24 hours in frontline areas, with fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces continuing in the Black Sea port-city Kherson.

Russia has said it now controls the Kherson region.

Meanwhile, China has called for ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine conflict, as said by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. However, Wang Yi has not criticised Russia.&nbsp;

CCTV cited Wang saying "NATO's unrestricted eastward expansion deserves reflection", shifting blame for the war to Western countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

A unique incident was captured on camera as Ukrainian citizens confronted Russian military vehicles in the city of Kherson on Sunday. "Go Home!" shouted the Ukrainians as they forced two Russian military vehicles to ultimately reverse and take an about-turn.

A unique incident was captured on camera as Ukrainian citizens confronted Russian military vehicles in the city of Kherson on Sunday. "Go Home!" shouted the Ukrainians as they forced two Russian military vehicles to ultimately reverse and take an about-turn. In a video obtained and released by Reuters, nearly a hundred Ukrainian citizens blocked path of Russian military vehicles. The military vehicles were seen painted in a “Z” symbol, heavily associated with the Russian military. Also Read | High risk of attack from Belarus on western Volyn region of Ukraine, says presidential office Buildings and shops along the avenue matched those seen on Google satellite imagery, as well as file images of the area. Following the confrontation by the protesters, some wearing Ukrainian flags, the vehicles turned around and left the immediate area. Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday (March 19) that they had not seen any significant shifts over the past 24 hours in frontline areas, with fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces continuing in the Black Sea port-city Kherson. Russia has said it now controls the Kherson region. Meanwhile, China has called for ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine conflict, as said by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. However, Wang Yi has not criticised Russia. CCTV cited Wang saying "NATO's unrestricted eastward expansion deserves reflection", shifting blame for the war to Western countries. (With inputs from agencies)

'Go Home': Ukrainian protesters confront Russian military vehicles in Kherson

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;

The invading soldiers seem to have been forcing several thousands of Mariupol residents to be relocated to Russia, claimed city council. &nbsp;

In a statement, the council said, "The occupiers are forcing people to leave Ukraine for Russian territory. The occupiers illegally took people out of the Levoberezhny district and a shelter in the building of a sports club, where more than a thousand people (mostly women and children) were hiding from constant bombing.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-pro-invasion-rally-russian-president-vladimir-putin-dons-costly-loro-piana-jacket-463688" hreflang="en">As Russians face financial crisis, President Vladimir Putin dons costly Loro Piana jacket in pro-war rally</a>

A total of 6,623 people has been evacuated from different cities, said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk. It includes 4,128 people from Mariupol, who have been taken northwest to Zaporizhzhia. &nbsp;

On Saturday, the evacuations from besieged cities of Ukraine were carried out along eight of 10 humanitarian corridors.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As Russian forces advanced into Mariupol, a major steel plant was closed.&nbsp;The fall of Mariupol&nbsp;may mark a major advance for the Russians in the battlefield.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-russia-conflict-time-for-meaningful-talks-says-president-volodymyr-zelenskiy-463642" hreflang="en">Ukraine-Russia conflict: Time for meaningful talks, says President Volodymyr Zelensky</a>

The local authorities of the city also asked for more help from Western nations.&nbsp; &nbsp;

In a video addressed to Western leaders, Mariupol police officer Michail Vershnin, said, “"Children, elderly people are dying. The city is destroyed and it is wiped off the face of the earth."&nbsp; &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. The invading soldiers seem to have been forcing several thousands of Mariupol residents to be relocated to Russia, claimed city council. In a statement, the council said, "The occupiers are forcing people to leave Ukraine for Russian territory. The occupiers illegally took people out of the Levoberezhny district and a shelter in the building of a sports club, where more than a thousand people (mostly women and children) were hiding from constant bombing.” Also Read: As Russians face financial crisis, President Vladimir Putin dons costly Loro Piana jacket in pro-war rally A total of 6,623 people has been evacuated from different cities, said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk. It includes 4,128 people from Mariupol, who have been taken northwest to Zaporizhzhia. On Saturday, the evacuations from besieged cities of Ukraine were carried out along eight of 10 humanitarian corridors. As Russian forces advanced into Mariupol, a major steel plant was closed. The fall of Mariupol may mark a major advance for the Russians in the battlefield. Also Read: Ukraine-Russia conflict: Time for meaningful talks, says President Volodymyr Zelensky The local authorities of the city also asked for more help from Western nations. In a video addressed to Western leaders, Mariupol police officer Michail Vershnin, said, “"Children, elderly people are dying. The city is destroyed and it is wiped off the face of the earth." (With inputs from agencies)

Thousands of Mariupol residents forced to relocate to Russia, claims city council

According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China is on the right side of history when it comes to the Ukraine crisis, and its position is in line with the aspirations of most countries. 
 
"China will continue to make independent judgments based on the merits of the matter and in an objective and fair attitude. We will never accept any external coercion and pressure, and we also oppose any groundless accusations and suspicions against China," a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing quoted Wang as saying. 
 
The Minister said "the long-term solution is to abandon the Cold War mentality, refrain from engaging in group confrontation, and truly form a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture", CNN reported. 
 
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-pro-invasion-rally-russian-president-vladimir-putin-dons-costly-loro-piana-jacket-463688" hreflang="en">As Russians face financial crisis, President Vladimir Putin dons costly Loro Piana jacket in pro-war rally</a> 
 
"Only in this way can long-term stability on the European continent be achieved," he added. 
 
While China has not explicitly criticised Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it has also not shown clear support for it.

Experts believe Beijing is navigating a difficult situation as the Ukraine crisis worsens, striving to strike a balance between its strategic cooperation with Moscow and its economic connections with the West. 
 
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-russia-conflict-time-for-meaningful-talks-says-president-volodymyr-zelenskiy-463642" hreflang="en">Ukraine-Russia conflict: Time for meaningful talks, says President Volodymyr Zelensky</a>

According to a CNN storey, the US has been watching with concern as Chinese President Xi Jinping cultivates a tight relationship with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, believing that the alliance of authoritarian leaders is preparing itself to militarily and economically confront Washington.

Xi and Putin solidified their alliance during high-profile discussions in Beijing last month, declaring in a long statement that their connection was boundless, according to the report. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China is on the right side of history when it comes to the Ukraine crisis, and its position is in line with the aspirations of most countries.

According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China is on the right side of history when it comes to the Ukraine crisis, and its position is in line with the aspirations of most countries. "China will continue to make independent judgments based on the merits of the matter and in an objective and fair attitude. We will never accept any external coercion and pressure, and we also oppose any groundless accusations and suspicions against China," a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing quoted Wang as saying. The Minister said "the long-term solution is to abandon the Cold War mentality, refrain from engaging in group confrontation, and truly form a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture", CNN reported. Also Read: As Russians face financial crisis, President Vladimir Putin dons costly Loro Piana jacket in pro-war rally "Only in this way can long-term stability on the European continent be achieved," he added. While China has not explicitly criticised Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it has also not shown clear support for it. Experts believe Beijing is navigating a difficult situation as the Ukraine crisis worsens, striving to strike a balance between its strategic cooperation with Moscow and its economic connections with the West. Also Read: Ukraine-Russia conflict: Time for meaningful talks, says President Volodymyr Zelensky According to a CNN storey, the US has been watching with concern as Chinese President Xi Jinping cultivates a tight relationship with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, believing that the alliance of authoritarian leaders is preparing itself to militarily and economically confront Washington. Xi and Putin solidified their alliance during high-profile discussions in Beijing last month, declaring in a long statement that their connection was boundless, according to the report. (With inputs from agencies)

China on the right side of history over Ukraine war: Wang Yi

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. 
 
 
According to authorities in Mariupol, a beleaguered Ukrainian port city, the Russian military destroyed an art school where some 400 people had taken refuge.

The school building was destroyed, according to local authorities, and people could be trapped beneath the rubble.

There was no information on casualties right away. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-mariupol-residents-forced-to-relocate-to-russia-claims-city-council-463908">Also read | Thousands of Mariupol residents forced to relocate to Russia, claims city council</a>

In Mariupol, Russian forces also bombarded a theatre where residents were sheltering.

Authorities say 130 people have been rescued, but many more could be trapped beneath the rubble.

Mariupol, a vital port on the Azov Sea, has been encircled by Russian soldiers, shut off from energy, food, and water supplies, and subjected to a barrage of artillery fire.

The siege of Mariupol, according to Ukraine's president, will go down in history as a case of Russian war crimes.&nbsp; 
 
(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. According to authorities in Mariupol, a beleaguered Ukrainian port city, the Russian military destroyed an art school where some 400 people had taken refuge. The school building was destroyed, according to local authorities, and people could be trapped beneath the rubble. There was no information on casualties right away. Also read | Thousands of Mariupol residents forced to relocate to Russia, claims city council In Mariupol, Russian forces also bombarded a theatre where residents were sheltering. Authorities say 130 people have been rescued, but many more could be trapped beneath the rubble. Mariupol, a vital port on the Azov Sea, has been encircled by Russian soldiers, shut off from energy, food, and water supplies, and subjected to a barrage of artillery fire. The siege of Mariupol, according to Ukraine's president, will go down in history as a case of Russian war crimes. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine: Officials say Mariupol art school used as shelter bombed by Russians

More than one-fifth of the 44 million people who were living in Ukraine before Russia invaded the country last month have been internally displaced or have fled to other countries, according to U.N. estimates.

And for those who remain in the country, millions face a daily struggle for survival as cities hard hit by fighting run low on food, lack clean water, have no access to medical care and operate in many places without heat and electricity.

The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration said in a report this month that “over 12 million people are estimated to be stranded in affected areas or unable to leave due to heightened security risks, destruction of bridges and roads, as well as lack of resources or information on where to find safety and accommodation.”

On Friday, the United Nations completed its first convoy of urgent humanitarian aid to one hard-hit city in eastern Ukraine, delivering medical supplies, bottled water, ready-to-eat meals and canned food to help about 35,000 people in Sumy.

The speed at which the humanitarian crisis has unfolded is without precedent in modern European history, transforming what had been a peaceful nation into a nightmare of destruction and death in a matter of weeks. More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began Feb. 24, and about 6.5 million have been forced from their homes by fighting, according to the IOM.

There is no reliable data on the full toll on civilian casualties. The United Nations said Friday that at least 816 Ukrainian civilians had died since the invasion began, including 59 children — figures that it says are probably a vast underestimate.

Efforts to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from cities across eastern and southern Ukraine continued to be undermined Saturday by intense fighting and cease-fire violations.

“More than 9,000 people were evacuated from the besieged Mariupol,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said in his overnight address to the nation. “In total, more than 180,000 Ukrainians have been rescued by the humanitarian corridors.”

But that represents just a fraction of the millions still thought to be trapped by fighting and in urgent need of relief or escape. Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of deliberately blocking humanitarian aid to besieged cities.

More than one-fifth of the 44 million people who were living in Ukraine before Russia invaded the country last month have been internally displaced or have fled to other countries, according to U.

More than one-fifth of the 44 million people who were living in Ukraine before Russia invaded the country last month have been internally displaced or have fled to other countries, according to U.N. estimates. And for those who remain in the country, millions face a daily struggle for survival as cities hard hit by fighting run low on food, lack clean water, have no access to medical care and operate in many places without heat and electricity. The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration said in a report this month that “over 12 million people are estimated to be stranded in affected areas or unable to leave due to heightened security risks, destruction of bridges and roads, as well as lack of resources or information on where to find safety and accommodation.” On Friday, the United Nations completed its first convoy of urgent humanitarian aid to one hard-hit city in eastern Ukraine, delivering medical supplies, bottled water, ready-to-eat meals and canned food to help about 35,000 people in Sumy. The speed at which the humanitarian crisis has unfolded is without precedent in modern European history, transforming what had been a peaceful nation into a nightmare of destruction and death in a matter of weeks. More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began Feb. 24, and about 6.5 million have been forced from their homes by fighting, according to the IOM. There is no reliable data on the full toll on civilian casualties. The United Nations said Friday that at least 816 Ukrainian civilians had died since the invasion began, including 59 children — figures that it says are probably a vast underestimate. Efforts to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from cities across eastern and southern Ukraine continued to be undermined Saturday by intense fighting and cease-fire violations. “More than 9,000 people were evacuated from the besieged Mariupol,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said in his overnight address to the nation. “In total, more than 180,000 Ukrainians have been rescued by the humanitarian corridors.” But that represents just a fraction of the millions still thought to be trapped by fighting and in urgent need of relief or escape. Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of deliberately blocking humanitarian aid to besieged cities.

As Russia targets civilians, 1 in 5 Ukrainians have fled their homes

Backdrop &nbsp;

The conflict in Ukraine has rolled over to fourth week of devastation, resulting in over three million refugees, numerous military and civilian casualties, and intermittent reconciliatory tones of hopeful dialogue, alternated with rhetoric from opposing sides to continue fighting. &nbsp;&nbsp;

While the West continues to give standing ovations to President Zelensky's emotional speeches and responds with a package of military hardware and funds, it is pouring fuel to the fire by prolonging global agony and encouraging Ukrainians to fight to the death in order to weaken Russia. &nbsp;&nbsp;

While NATO can claim that Ukraine is not part of it; hence it is not obligated to join fight against Russia through ‘No Fly Zone’ as repeatedly requested by Zelensky, risking the potential to trigger Third World War/Nuclear war, but NATO is very much part of the conflict through economic war, information war, diplomatic war, political war and other instruments of non-contact warfare. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Big power contest continues with no concern for humanitarian disaster &nbsp;&nbsp;

Any offensive into another sovereign country has disastrous consequences for the people and must be condemned, whether it’s current Russian offensive in Ukraine or earlier NATO invasions in Iraq and other parts of MENA. &nbsp;&nbsp;

With few security guarantees, this was avoidable, but the big power contest continues to spiral it, with display of heroics of President Zelensky, failing to read the extent, depth, and impact of Western support and President Putin's resolve, least realising that the nationalism and his peoples resolve is being used as an instrument to prolong an unwinnable, proxy war, leading his country to disaster. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The war of narrative seems getting dangerous with references to nuclear, biological and chemical dimensions in heated exchanges/allegations. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

How has battlefield ‘Ukraine’ shaped up after three weeks? &nbsp;

After three weeks, the shaping of battlefield by Russians seems to make strategic sense, but at a very heavy cost, which is increasing consistently. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Russian main offensive is towards Kyiv, which is the Centre of &nbsp;Gravity to achieve political objective of imposing no-NATO diktat on its political leadership or force a regime change, through the shortest route from Belarus. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The complete isolation of Kyiv is yet to be achieved and the political consolidation is not in sight. Given the spirit of nationalism among Ukrainians, stoked by Zelensky's sentimental appeals and bolstered by western information warfare, Russians need to moderate their political objective from regime change to imposing a no-NATO agreement with Zelensky, because any pro-Russian puppet regime, even if imposed, is unlikely to survive. &nbsp;

The Russian military aim to demilitarise Ukrainian military to ensure that Ukraine cannot be used as a launchpad by NATO to threaten security of Russia, has been partially achieved by extensive air and missile strikes to neutralise air defence capability and air assets to achieve favourable air situation, pulverising military targets, claiming to have destroyed most of them, including air fields and military installations in Ukraine. It is increasingly capturing strategic installations to step up pressure on Zelensky. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The offensive from South is aimed at cutting off Ukrainian access to Black Sea and Sea of Azov by securing a permanent land corridor from Russia to Crimea with an end-state of landlocked Ukraine. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Russians have been able to achieve most of the corridor except Odessa, with intense fighting in townships. The offensive from the East is aimed at liberation of complete Luhansk and Donetsk regions, where intense fighting continues despite initial gains. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Ukraine’s strong resolve to resist Russian offensive under leadership of President Zelensky, has been noteworthy, having deliberately prepared for the conflict. To overcome the asymmetry in military asset holdings, the Ukrainian force deployed smartly in densely populated areas to fight pitched battles in townships, despite losing air cover in the early phases of the conflict. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The strategy is to deploy military assets in civilian areas, turn towns into fortresses, and residential areas into pillboxes, incite mercenaries and civilians to fight as part of the war machine, launch sniper attacks, ambushes, small team operations, drone attacks on softer convoys, and provoke Russians to target residential areas in order to gain propaganda advantage from civilian casualties through superior information warfare, backed by the west to demonise President Putin. &nbsp;&nbsp;

With adoption of urban insurgency model, the war has thus morphed from conventional to hybrid war with both sides planning to induct more non-state actors. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Ukrainian strategy seems to have succeeded in delaying Russian operations and placing Russia in an awkward position of having to choose between fighting in populated, built up areas, which is cost prohibitive in terms of human and equipment casualties in favour of defender, or isolating, bombarding townships, residential areas alleged to house military assets, disrupting essential services, and pressuring Zelensky, at the cost of risking international condemnation. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Russians appear to have selected the latter option, extending the range of air strikes to western Ukraine which is the lifeline for assistance from West including military hardware. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Are actions by West helping Ukraine? &nbsp;

US and Western allies are claiming to be helping Ukraine through financial and diplomatic sanctions on Russia and military hardware support to Ukraine of the type (smaller calibre) which can improve staying power of Ukrainian fighters, and induce long term insurgency in Europe, even if negotiations reach some conclusion in due course. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The aim is to permanently weaken Russia by weaponising Ukrainian nationalism, posing Zelensky as hero, to continue fighting with their proxy support. &nbsp;&nbsp;

EU’s support to refugees from Ukraine is the only positive humanitarian support, where UK and US seem to be shying. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Decoding the future &nbsp;&nbsp;

If the war gets prolonged further, Ukraine will be destroyed physically, Russia will suffer punitive financial cost, EU will lose long lasting peace and energy security, and the entire world will suffer economically. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Ukrainians and Russian residents and soldiers will bear the brunt of the consequences. While the EU is presenting a bold, united front with the US in order to weaken Russia, it has its limits, up to the point when its gas supply is choked, with risk of insurgency at its doorsteps. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the short term, the US may appear to benefit from Russia's weakness by increasing arms and oil exports, but in the long run, it will lose credibility and reliability globally. &nbsp;&nbsp;

China will emerge wiser, learning from Russian experience and assessing the risk profile of the US, whose leadership is fixated on the wrong adversary and unable to combat the real competitor in the Indo-Pacific. Diversion of focus from China to Russia will speed up US decline as superpower, faster than what its strategists anticipate. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Sanctions will eventually lose their lustre, as more sanctions may lead non-western countries to seek an alternative financial system that is not dependent on the West, jeopardising their long-term interests. The world is more intertwined than it was previously, and with the economic fulcrum shifting from the West to the Indo-Pacific, a de-dollarised financial system could be the most significant future risk to the US. &nbsp;

For European security, a neutral Ukraine is the best option. Ukraine has never been accepted into NATO and is unlikely to be welcomed in the future, as it has never met the basic criteria of a peaceful internal and exterior situation, having been involved in conflicts/disturbances in both dimensions. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It is preferable if Ukraine and Russia face reality as soon as possible and resolve the issue through direct dialogue, putting rhetoric, egos, and sentiments aside. It might be a better idea for the West, too, to encourage a ceasefire through discussions, addressing the legitimate security interests of all parties, rather than adding fuel to the fire by imposing more sanctions or providing more hardware support to prolong the war.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Backdrop The conflict in Ukraine has rolled over to fourth week of devastation, resulting in over three million refugees, numerous military and civilian casualties, and intermittent reconciliatory tones of hopeful dialogue, alternated with rhetoric from opposing sides to continue fighting.

Backdrop The conflict in Ukraine has rolled over to fourth week of devastation, resulting in over three million refugees, numerous military and civilian casualties, and intermittent reconciliatory tones of hopeful dialogue, alternated with rhetoric from opposing sides to continue fighting. While the West continues to give standing ovations to President Zelensky's emotional speeches and responds with a package of military hardware and funds, it is pouring fuel to the fire by prolonging global agony and encouraging Ukrainians to fight to the death in order to weaken Russia. While NATO can claim that Ukraine is not part of it; hence it is not obligated to join fight against Russia through ‘No Fly Zone’ as repeatedly requested by Zelensky, risking the potential to trigger Third World War/Nuclear war, but NATO is very much part of the conflict through economic war, information war, diplomatic war, political war and other instruments of non-contact warfare. Big power contest continues with no concern for humanitarian disaster Any offensive into another sovereign country has disastrous consequences for the people and must be condemned, whether it’s current Russian offensive in Ukraine or earlier NATO invasions in Iraq and other parts of MENA. With few security guarantees, this was avoidable, but the big power contest continues to spiral it, with display of heroics of President Zelensky, failing to read the extent, depth, and impact of Western support and President Putin's resolve, least realising that the nationalism and his peoples resolve is being used as an instrument to prolong an unwinnable, proxy war, leading his country to disaster. The war of narrative seems getting dangerous with references to nuclear, biological and chemical dimensions in heated exchanges/allegations. How has battlefield ‘Ukraine’ shaped up after three weeks? After three weeks, the shaping of battlefield by Russians seems to make strategic sense, but at a very heavy cost, which is increasing consistently. Russian main offensive is towards Kyiv, which is the Centre of Gravity to achieve political objective of imposing no-NATO diktat on its political leadership or force a regime change, through the shortest route from Belarus. The complete isolation of Kyiv is yet to be achieved and the political consolidation is not in sight. Given the spirit of nationalism among Ukrainians, stoked by Zelensky's sentimental appeals and bolstered by western information warfare, Russians need to moderate their political objective from regime change to imposing a no-NATO agreement with Zelensky, because any pro-Russian puppet regime, even if imposed, is unlikely to survive. The Russian military aim to demilitarise Ukrainian military to ensure that Ukraine cannot be used as a launchpad by NATO to threaten security of Russia, has been partially achieved by extensive air and missile strikes to neutralise air defence capability and air assets to achieve favourable air situation, pulverising military targets, claiming to have destroyed most of them, including air fields and military installations in Ukraine. It is increasingly capturing strategic installations to step up pressure on Zelensky. The offensive from South is aimed at cutting off Ukrainian access to Black Sea and Sea of Azov by securing a permanent land corridor from Russia to Crimea with an end-state of landlocked Ukraine. Russians have been able to achieve most of the corridor except Odessa, with intense fighting in townships. The offensive from the East is aimed at liberation of complete Luhansk and Donetsk regions, where intense fighting continues despite initial gains. Ukraine’s strong resolve to resist Russian offensive under leadership of President Zelensky, has been noteworthy, having deliberately prepared for the conflict. To overcome the asymmetry in military asset holdings, the Ukrainian force deployed smartly in densely populated areas to fight pitched battles in townships, despite losing air cover in the early phases of the conflict. The strategy is to deploy military assets in civilian areas, turn towns into fortresses, and residential areas into pillboxes, incite mercenaries and civilians to fight as part of the war machine, launch sniper attacks, ambushes, small team operations, drone attacks on softer convoys, and provoke Russians to target residential areas in order to gain propaganda advantage from civilian casualties through superior information warfare, backed by the west to demonise President Putin. With adoption of urban insurgency model, the war has thus morphed from conventional to hybrid war with both sides planning to induct more non-state actors. The Ukrainian strategy seems to have succeeded in delaying Russian operations and placing Russia in an awkward position of having to choose between fighting in populated, built up areas, which is cost prohibitive in terms of human and equipment casualties in favour of defender, or isolating, bombarding townships, residential areas alleged to house military assets, disrupting essential services, and pressuring Zelensky, at the cost of risking international condemnation. The Russians appear to have selected the latter option, extending the range of air strikes to western Ukraine which is the lifeline for assistance from West including military hardware. Are actions by West helping Ukraine? US and Western allies are claiming to be helping Ukraine through financial and diplomatic sanctions on Russia and military hardware support to Ukraine of the type (smaller calibre) which can improve staying power of Ukrainian fighters, and induce long term insurgency in Europe, even if negotiations reach some conclusion in due course. The aim is to permanently weaken Russia by weaponising Ukrainian nationalism, posing Zelensky as hero, to continue fighting with their proxy support. EU’s support to refugees from Ukraine is the only positive humanitarian support, where UK and US seem to be shying. Decoding the future If the war gets prolonged further, Ukraine will be destroyed physically, Russia will suffer punitive financial cost, EU will lose long lasting peace and energy security, and the entire world will suffer economically. Ukrainians and Russian residents and soldiers will bear the brunt of the consequences. While the EU is presenting a bold, united front with the US in order to weaken Russia, it has its limits, up to the point when its gas supply is choked, with risk of insurgency at its doorsteps. In the short term, the US may appear to benefit from Russia's weakness by increasing arms and oil exports, but in the long run, it will lose credibility and reliability globally. China will emerge wiser, learning from Russian experience and assessing the risk profile of the US, whose leadership is fixated on the wrong adversary and unable to combat the real competitor in the Indo-Pacific. Diversion of focus from China to Russia will speed up US decline as superpower, faster than what its strategists anticipate. Sanctions will eventually lose their lustre, as more sanctions may lead non-western countries to seek an alternative financial system that is not dependent on the West, jeopardising their long-term interests. The world is more intertwined than it was previously, and with the economic fulcrum shifting from the West to the Indo-Pacific, a de-dollarised financial system could be the most significant future risk to the US. For European security, a neutral Ukraine is the best option. Ukraine has never been accepted into NATO and is unlikely to be welcomed in the future, as it has never met the basic criteria of a peaceful internal and exterior situation, having been involved in conflicts/disturbances in both dimensions. It is preferable if Ukraine and Russia face reality as soon as possible and resolve the issue through direct dialogue, putting rhetoric, egos, and sentiments aside. It might be a better idea for the West, too, to encourage a ceasefire through discussions, addressing the legitimate security interests of all parties, rather than adding fuel to the fire by imposing more sanctions or providing more hardware support to prolong the war. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion: Is the West weaponising Ukrainian nationalism to checkmate Russia?  

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s popularity has gone down drastically on the global stage following his invasion of Ukraine. <o:p></o:p>

A number of countries imposing sanctions on him and his cabinet members and now a Ukrainian government department has come up with an idea to build a rocket capable of launching him to Jupiter because 'it is a gas giant and the largest planet in the solar system'.<o:p></o:p>

The Ministry of Digital Transformation has launched a fundraiser campaign for this endeavour and it has already reached more than $2mn in donations.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/villas-in-miami-putin-lashes-out-scum-and-traitors-amid-ukraine-war-463167">'Villas in Miami': Putin lashes out at 'scum' and 'traitors' amid Ukraine war</a>

The website has the picture of Putin on a rocket and it says - "Donate to help us build a rocket that will send a bloody dictator far far away."<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;The goal of the government department is to raise $100mn and the donators are asked to send a minimum of $2.99 (£2.29) to 'purchase a rocket'. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-condemns-us-president-biden-for-calling-putin-war-criminal-463022">Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal'</a>

<o:p></o:p>

In reality, Ukraine’s vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov revealed that all the donations will go towards the armed forces and city restorations.<o:p></o:p>

'Everyone wants Putin to die. Until this happens, we give Ukrainians and the whole world a unique opportunity: Send Putin to Jupiter. Donate $2.99 for a rocket. All funds will be directed to the restoration of the destroyed infrastructure!,' Fedorov wrote on Twitter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-to-get-us-stingers-javelin-anti-armour-systems-is-it-a-gamechanger-463142" hreflang="en">Ukraine to get US Stingers, Javelin, anti-armour systems; is it a gamechanger?</a>

<o:p></o:p>

The idea of the fundraiser campaign came from Ukrainian-owner State Enterprise Diia and was later endorsed by the official Ministry of Digital Transformation. <o:p></o:p>

With donations coming in from all around the world, it aims to reach 100 million citizens to help 'send the one Evil to Jupiter'.

<o:p>Watch |&nbsp;</o:p>United States to provide military assistance to Kyiv<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-to-provide-military-assistance-to-kyiv-463143/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s popularity has gone down drastically on the global stage following his invasion of Ukraine. A number of countries imposing sanctions on him and his cabinet members and now a Ukrainian government department has come up with an idea to build a rocket capable of launching him to Jupiter because 'it is a gas giant and the largest planet in the solar system'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s popularity has gone down drastically on the global stage following his invasion of Ukraine. A number of countries imposing sanctions on him and his cabinet members and now a Ukrainian government department has come up with an idea to build a rocket capable of launching him to Jupiter because 'it is a gas giant and the largest planet in the solar system'. The Ministry of Digital Transformation has launched a fundraiser campaign for this endeavour and it has already reached more than $2mn in donations. Also read | 'Villas in Miami': Putin lashes out at 'scum' and 'traitors' amid Ukraine war The website has the picture of Putin on a rocket and it says - "Donate to help us build a rocket that will send a bloody dictator far far away." The goal of the government department is to raise $100mn and the donators are asked to send a minimum of $2.99 (£2.29) to 'purchase a rocket'. Also read | Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal' In reality, Ukraine’s vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov revealed that all the donations will go towards the armed forces and city restorations. 'Everyone wants Putin to die. Until this happens, we give Ukrainians and the whole world a unique opportunity: Send Putin to Jupiter. Donate $2.99 for a rocket. All funds will be directed to the restoration of the destroyed infrastructure!,' Fedorov wrote on Twitter. Also read | Ukraine to get US Stingers, Javelin, anti-armour systems; is it a gamechanger? The idea of the fundraiser campaign came from Ukrainian-owner State Enterprise Diia and was later endorsed by the official Ministry of Digital Transformation. With donations coming in from all around the world, it aims to reach 100 million citizens to help 'send the one Evil to Jupiter'. Watch | United States to provide military assistance to Kyiv

Fundraiser campaign to send Vladimir Putin to Jupiter reaches $2million

The United States has voiced its concern on Thursday as China may help Russia with military equipment. &nbsp;

This comes as the advance of Russian troops seems to have been halted at several locations in Ukraine. &nbsp;

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its fourth week. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/targeting-civilians-is-a-war-crime-antony-blinken-believes-russia-guilty-of-committing-war-crimes-463292">Antony Blinken believes Russia guilty of committing war crimes</a>

The capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, is witnessing Russian shelling as rescuers in the port of Mariupol dug survivors from the rubble. &nbsp;&nbsp;

For peace talks, the officials of the two countries met again but to no avail. They said that their positions remained far apart. &nbsp;

Russia's assault has faltered since invasion began, said Western sources and Ukrainian officials. &nbsp;

Despite sanctions and setbacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not shown any sign of relenting. Russia seems to have been counting on China to help it fight off blows to its economy. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deepfake-video-of-ukraine-president-zelensky-shared-online-463184" hreflang="en">Deepfake video of Ukraine President Zelensky shared online</a>

The United States is also concerned that China is "considering directly assisting Russia with military equipment to use in Ukraine," US secretary of state Antony Blinken said. &nbsp;

In a call on Friday, President Joe Biden will tell China's President Xi Jinping that Beijing "will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia's aggression, and we will not hesitate to impose costs," Blinken added. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has voiced its concern on Thursday as China may help Russia with military equipment. This comes as the advance of Russian troops seems to have been halted at several locations in Ukraine.

The United States has voiced its concern on Thursday as China may help Russia with military equipment. This comes as the advance of Russian troops seems to have been halted at several locations in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its fourth week. Also Read: Antony Blinken believes Russia guilty of committing war crimes The capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, is witnessing Russian shelling as rescuers in the port of Mariupol dug survivors from the rubble. For peace talks, the officials of the two countries met again but to no avail. They said that their positions remained far apart. Russia's assault has faltered since invasion began, said Western sources and Ukrainian officials. Despite sanctions and setbacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not shown any sign of relenting. Russia seems to have been counting on China to help it fight off blows to its economy. Also Read: Deepfake video of Ukraine President Zelensky shared online The United States is also concerned that China is "considering directly assisting Russia with military equipment to use in Ukraine," US secretary of state Antony Blinken said. In a call on Friday, President Joe Biden will tell China's President Xi Jinping that Beijing "will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia's aggression, and we will not hesitate to impose costs," Blinken added. (With inputs from agencies)

As Russia's advance halts in Ukraine, US warns China over backing Putin

A camera system used in countless Hollywood films and previously known as the 'Russian Arm'&nbsp;has been renamed by its inventors to 'U-Crane'&nbsp;in tribute to the country it came from.

The gyro-stabilized crane mounted on a car roof is used to give dynamic coverage of car chases and stampedes, allowing the audience to swoop alongside a fast-driving hero.

It is a staple of action blockbusters, including the 'Fast and Furious'&nbsp;franchise, 'Black Widow'&nbsp;and pretty much anything starring Tom Cruise.

Up until recently, the device, developed by Kyiv-based Filmotechnic in the 1990s, has been known as the "Russian Arm".

But no more.

"The NEW OFFICIAL name of Filmotechnic's world famous system is now U-CRANE in honor of (its) country of origin and their heroic fight against Russian aggression," the US branch of the firm said on Instagram last month.

"The gyro stabilized crane system was designed and built in Ukraine by Filmotechnic and will continue to be built in Kiev for years to come!"

Trade magazine Variety, which first reported the name change, said Filmotechnic employs around 250 people in under-siege Kyiv.

Kevin Descheemaeker of Filmotechnic USA told the title the name "Russian Arm" had been removed in tribute to Ukrainian film engineer and company owner Anatoliy Kokush, and to the company's Ukrainian employees.

"I emailed our international group to take down all the signage on our arm cars, trucks and trailers, websites and no longer use the hashtag #russianarm," Descheemaeker said in a statement.&nbsp;

"As a group we decided that U-CRANE would be a more respectful alternative and that is how the movement on social media started."

Russian forces attacked Ukraine three weeks ago, forcing millions of civilians to flee their homes, some across international borders.

The invading forces stand accused of targeting schools, hospital and theatres, ignoring established rules of conflict that require civilians to be spared the horrors of war.

A camera system used in countless Hollywood films and previously known as the 'Russian Arm' has been renamed by its inventors to 'U-Crane' in tribute to the country it came from.

A camera system used in countless Hollywood films and previously known as the 'Russian Arm' has been renamed by its inventors to 'U-Crane' in tribute to the country it came from. The gyro-stabilized crane mounted on a car roof is used to give dynamic coverage of car chases and stampedes, allowing the audience to swoop alongside a fast-driving hero. It is a staple of action blockbusters, including the 'Fast and Furious' franchise, 'Black Widow' and pretty much anything starring Tom Cruise. Up until recently, the device, developed by Kyiv-based Filmotechnic in the 1990s, has been known as the "Russian Arm". But no more. "The NEW OFFICIAL name of Filmotechnic's world famous system is now U-CRANE in honor of (its) country of origin and their heroic fight against Russian aggression," the US branch of the firm said on Instagram last month. "The gyro stabilized crane system was designed and built in Ukraine by Filmotechnic and will continue to be built in Kiev for years to come!" Trade magazine Variety, which first reported the name change, said Filmotechnic employs around 250 people in under-siege Kyiv. Kevin Descheemaeker of Filmotechnic USA told the title the name "Russian Arm" had been removed in tribute to Ukrainian film engineer and company owner Anatoliy Kokush, and to the company's Ukrainian employees. "I emailed our international group to take down all the signage on our arm cars, trucks and trailers, websites and no longer use the hashtag #russianarm," Descheemaeker said in a statement. "As a group we decided that U-CRANE would be a more respectful alternative and that is how the movement on social media started." Russian forces attacked Ukraine three weeks ago, forcing millions of civilians to flee their homes, some across international borders. The invading forces stand accused of targeting schools, hospital and theatres, ignoring established rules of conflict that require civilians to be spared the horrors of war.

Filmmakers rename 'Russian Arm' camera system 'U-Crane' after invasion

When President Joe Biden on Wednesday declared to reporters, almost off the cuff, that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a “war criminal,” he was speaking from the heart, his aides said, reacting to the wrenching images of civilians — including children — being dragged, dead or disfigured, from ruins of buildings shelled by Russian forces.

But he was also personalizing the conflict, in a way past presidents have avoided at moments of crisis with the United States’ leading nuclear-armed adversary. And his remark underscored how personal condemnation has become policy, as Biden and his top aides frame Putin as a pariah, an indiscriminate killer who should be standing trial at The Hague.

Biden amplified his attacks Thursday, calling Putin “a murderous dictator, a pure thug who is waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken chimed in, saying: “Personally, I agree. Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime.”

But what began as a visceral reaction appears to reflect a strategic decision. Branding Putin as a war criminal supports the administration’s case as it simultaneously tries to keep the Western alliance unified and attempts to pressure China not to bail Putin out of his economic crisis and military mistakes. That effort will face a new test Friday, when Biden is scheduled to talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since the invasion, and warn him against supplying weapons to Putin.

And Biden’s comments came after three weeks in which the United States and its allies piled sanctions on Russia that the administration said were designed to force Putin to withdraw his forces from Ukraine. But diplomats and intelligence officials from several countries say those sanctions are seen by Putin as an effort to stoke Russian unrest, turning both wealthy oligarchs and ordinary Russians against his rule.

The White House says that “regime change” in Russia is not on Washington’s strategic agenda. But in past cases when presidents have called national leaders war criminals — Iraq's Saddam Hussein or Syria's Bashar Assad — it has frequently been linked to an effort, covert or overt, to drive them from office.

When promised anonymity, many American officials say that they cannot imagine that Ukraine could be safe from Russian military action while Putin, stewing in grievances and now angry at his own military’s performance, is still in office.

Last week, CIA Director William Burns, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow who knew Putin as he tightened his control over Russia, told the House Intelligence Committee that Putin’s moves have been “premeditated and savage.” He predicted that Putin was “likely to double down and try to grind down the Ukrainian military with no regard for civilian casualties.”

“He has no sustainable political endgame in the face of what is going to continue to be fierce resistance from Ukrainians,” Burns said.

Other U.S. intelligence officials have said that Putin views the conflict not only as a war to reclaim Ukraine but to push back on American power. They said he increasingly sees himself wrapped in a struggle with Biden, whom he views as the last of a generation of Washington Cold Warriors.

Biden and Putin have not talked since Feb. 12, when the American president made one last attempt to warn the Russian leader that an attack would lead to crushing sanctions, more arms to the Ukrainians and a major buildup of troops and arms on NATO’s eastern front. That buildup was exactly the result Putin was trying to forestall.

It is almost unimaginable that the two men will be dealing with each other directly anytime soon. Hours after Biden’s “war criminal” comments, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov called the characterization “unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric.”

Putin has not said much about Biden, but he vowed this week to cleanse Russia of “scum and traitors” who he said were being organized by the West as a “fifth column” to destroy the country.

The enmity between the two men has been barely disguised for years, since the day when Biden, as vice president, by his account told Putin that he had looked in his eyes and had seen no soul. “We understand one another,” Putin is said to have replied.

But it comes at a moment when Washington’s biggest concern is that Putin will escalate the war — and reach for weapons of mass destruction.

Just hours before Biden’s declaration, his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told Nikolai Patrushev, Putin’s main national security adviser, that “any possible Russian decision to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine” would result in an even harsher Western response. Several of Biden's aides have been concerned that if the Russian leader feels cornered or believes the United States is trying to foment opposition, the chances that he will reach for such weapons could be heightened.

So, the debate underway in Washington now is what, exactly, might trigger Putin. Some believe he could lash out if dissent in Russia, already visible in street demonstrations, poses a real threat. Others believe that his trigger point might be a more direct entry into the war by NATO countries. They are already providing anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons that have contributed to what the Pentagon now estimates is a Russian death toll of at least 7,000 troops.

One former intelligence official noted that it was Hillary Rodham Clinton’s support for anti-Putin street demonstrations in Russia that prompted him to order the hacking of the Democratic National Committee when Clinton was running for president in 2016. Putin is a believer, the official said, in retribution.

Putin would have good reason to think the Biden administration is looking forward to his exit, although U.S. officials choose their words carefully to avoid the implication that Washington’s policy is to speed the process. Blinken, speaking to reporters Thursday, said that “when all is said and done, an independent Ukraine will be there, and at some point Vladimir Putin will not.”

The last time an American president went head to head with a Russian or Soviet leader with so much at stake was 60 years ago, during the Cuban missile crisis, widely regarded as the closest the world came to Armageddon. And yet at that moment, in October 1962, President John F. Kennedy’s instinct was to avoid personalizing the conflict — and to help his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, find a way out of direct confrontation.

“I think it is the most natural comparison to this moment,” said Fredrik Logevall, a Harvard historian and Kennedy biographer.

“He kept warning the members of X-COMM that they had to see things from Khrushchev’s perspective,” he said, referring to the committee Kennedy established to guide through the 13 days of the crisis. “He said we had to give him something here to step away. And he was careful in his public comments not to personalize his criticisms of Khrushchev himself. It’s a direct contrast to what Biden did.”

Putin is not the first foreign adversary Biden has called a war criminal, as he himself recounted in “Promises to Keep,” a 2007 memoir. He recalled meeting Slobodan Milosevic, president of Serbia and then of Yugoslavia, who ultimately became the first sitting head of a government to be charged with war crimes.

“He could tell I had just about had it with his lies, and at one point he looked up from the maps and said, without any emotion, ‘What do you think of me?’” Biden wrote.

“‘I think you’re a damn war criminal and you should be tried as one,’” Biden wrote. “I was looking right in Milosevic’s eyes, and his expression didn’t change. There was not the slightest twitch in his face. It was like I’d just told him he was a wonderful guy.”

Blinken said the president was now willing to go further with Putin, and begin collecting evidence of war crimes. “So when I tell you that there will be accountability and consequences for any war crimes that have been committed,” Blinken said Thursday, “I hope you’ll take me at my word, but actions always speak louder than words.”

When President Joe Biden on Wednesday declared to reporters, almost off the cuff, that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a “war criminal,” he was speaking from the heart, his aides said, reacting to the wrenching images of civilians — including children — being dragged, dead or disfigured, from ruins of buildings shelled by Russian forces.

When President Joe Biden on Wednesday declared to reporters, almost off the cuff, that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a “war criminal,” he was speaking from the heart, his aides said, reacting to the wrenching images of civilians — including children — being dragged, dead or disfigured, from ruins of buildings shelled by Russian forces. But he was also personalizing the conflict, in a way past presidents have avoided at moments of crisis with the United States’ leading nuclear-armed adversary. And his remark underscored how personal condemnation has become policy, as Biden and his top aides frame Putin as a pariah, an indiscriminate killer who should be standing trial at The Hague. Biden amplified his attacks Thursday, calling Putin “a murderous dictator, a pure thug who is waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken chimed in, saying: “Personally, I agree. Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime.” But what began as a visceral reaction appears to reflect a strategic decision. Branding Putin as a war criminal supports the administration’s case as it simultaneously tries to keep the Western alliance unified and attempts to pressure China not to bail Putin out of his economic crisis and military mistakes. That effort will face a new test Friday, when Biden is scheduled to talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since the invasion, and warn him against supplying weapons to Putin. And Biden’s comments came after three weeks in which the United States and its allies piled sanctions on Russia that the administration said were designed to force Putin to withdraw his forces from Ukraine. But diplomats and intelligence officials from several countries say those sanctions are seen by Putin as an effort to stoke Russian unrest, turning both wealthy oligarchs and ordinary Russians against his rule. The White House says that “regime change” in Russia is not on Washington’s strategic agenda. But in past cases when presidents have called national leaders war criminals — Iraq's Saddam Hussein or Syria's Bashar Assad — it has frequently been linked to an effort, covert or overt, to drive them from office. When promised anonymity, many American officials say that they cannot imagine that Ukraine could be safe from Russian military action while Putin, stewing in grievances and now angry at his own military’s performance, is still in office. Last week, CIA Director William Burns, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow who knew Putin as he tightened his control over Russia, told the House Intelligence Committee that Putin’s moves have been “premeditated and savage.” He predicted that Putin was “likely to double down and try to grind down the Ukrainian military with no regard for civilian casualties.” “He has no sustainable political endgame in the face of what is going to continue to be fierce resistance from Ukrainians,” Burns said. Other U.S. intelligence officials have said that Putin views the conflict not only as a war to reclaim Ukraine but to push back on American power. They said he increasingly sees himself wrapped in a struggle with Biden, whom he views as the last of a generation of Washington Cold Warriors. Biden and Putin have not talked since Feb. 12, when the American president made one last attempt to warn the Russian leader that an attack would lead to crushing sanctions, more arms to the Ukrainians and a major buildup of troops and arms on NATO’s eastern front. That buildup was exactly the result Putin was trying to forestall. It is almost unimaginable that the two men will be dealing with each other directly anytime soon. Hours after Biden’s “war criminal” comments, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov called the characterization “unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric.” Putin has not said much about Biden, but he vowed this week to cleanse Russia of “scum and traitors” who he said were being organized by the West as a “fifth column” to destroy the country. The enmity between the two men has been barely disguised for years, since the day when Biden, as vice president, by his account told Putin that he had looked in his eyes and had seen no soul. “We understand one another,” Putin is said to have replied. But it comes at a moment when Washington’s biggest concern is that Putin will escalate the war — and reach for weapons of mass destruction. Just hours before Biden’s declaration, his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told Nikolai Patrushev, Putin’s main national security adviser, that “any possible Russian decision to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine” would result in an even harsher Western response. Several of Biden's aides have been concerned that if the Russian leader feels cornered or believes the United States is trying to foment opposition, the chances that he will reach for such weapons could be heightened. So, the debate underway in Washington now is what, exactly, might trigger Putin. Some believe he could lash out if dissent in Russia, already visible in street demonstrations, poses a real threat. Others believe that his trigger point might be a more direct entry into the war by NATO countries. They are already providing anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons that have contributed to what the Pentagon now estimates is a Russian death toll of at least 7,000 troops. One former intelligence official noted that it was Hillary Rodham Clinton’s support for anti-Putin street demonstrations in Russia that prompted him to order the hacking of the Democratic National Committee when Clinton was running for president in 2016. Putin is a believer, the official said, in retribution. Putin would have good reason to think the Biden administration is looking forward to his exit, although U.S. officials choose their words carefully to avoid the implication that Washington’s policy is to speed the process. Blinken, speaking to reporters Thursday, said that “when all is said and done, an independent Ukraine will be there, and at some point Vladimir Putin will not.” The last time an American president went head to head with a Russian or Soviet leader with so much at stake was 60 years ago, during the Cuban missile crisis, widely regarded as the closest the world came to Armageddon. And yet at that moment, in October 1962, President John F. Kennedy’s instinct was to avoid personalizing the conflict — and to help his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, find a way out of direct confrontation. “I think it is the most natural comparison to this moment,” said Fredrik Logevall, a Harvard historian and Kennedy biographer. “He kept warning the members of X-COMM that they had to see things from Khrushchev’s perspective,” he said, referring to the committee Kennedy established to guide through the 13 days of the crisis. “He said we had to give him something here to step away. And he was careful in his public comments not to personalize his criticisms of Khrushchev himself. It’s a direct contrast to what Biden did.” Putin is not the first foreign adversary Biden has called a war criminal, as he himself recounted in “Promises to Keep,” a 2007 memoir. He recalled meeting Slobodan Milosevic, president of Serbia and then of Yugoslavia, who ultimately became the first sitting head of a government to be charged with war crimes. “He could tell I had just about had it with his lies, and at one point he looked up from the maps and said, without any emotion, ‘What do you think of me?’” Biden wrote. “‘I think you’re a damn war criminal and you should be tried as one,’” Biden wrote. “I was looking right in Milosevic’s eyes, and his expression didn’t change. There was not the slightest twitch in his face. It was like I’d just told him he was a wonderful guy.” Blinken said the president was now willing to go further with Putin, and begin collecting evidence of war crimes. “So when I tell you that there will be accountability and consequences for any war crimes that have been committed,” Blinken said Thursday, “I hope you’ll take me at my word, but actions always speak louder than words.”

By labeling Putin a 'war criminal,' Biden personalizes the conflict

US Air Force (USAF) general Kenneth Wilsbach said the US-built F-35 had an encounter with China's Chengdu J-20 adding that he was "relatively impressed with the command and control associated with the J-20." In other news, a deepfake video purportedly showing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is being shared online. Read this and more in Top 10 World News.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/relatively-impressed-us-f-35-fighter-jet-has-close-encounter-with-chinas-j-20-in-east-china-sea-463208"><img alt="Fighter" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b31bc364-8745-42da-9887-01c83317cfbc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Fighter%20plane.png" /></a> 
 
US general Kenneth Wilsbach's latest comments come as United States Navy recently recovered the F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter jet that sank in the South China Sea.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deepfake-video-of-ukraine-president-zelensky-shared-online-463184">Deepfake video of Ukraine President Zelensky shared online</a> 
 
The video appeared to show an ashen-faced Zelenskiy speaking from the presidential lectern and urging his countrymen to down their weapons in the face of Russian invaders.

<img alt="Deepfake" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="865b020c-061a-4b09-bbc8-7bceb2e1dc27" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Zelensky.png" />

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The ship, which had left Dubai few days ago, was bound for the port of Umm Qasr in Southern Iraq and it was carrying cars and other cargo.

<img alt="UAE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c150385b-5c4e-4e31-a738-ffe466064e94" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/UAE.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/villas-in-miami-putin-lashes-out-scum-and-traitors-amid-ukraine-war-463167">'Villas in Miami': Putin lashes out at 'scum' and 'traitors' amid Ukraine war</a> 
 
Putin's latest jibe at his political enemies comes even as Russia announced that it paid interest on foreign debt due this week.

<img alt="Putin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e06090ac-9125-4373-b49f-44413249c8f8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Putin.png" />

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While this finding has given rise to fresh fears around the world, health officials in Israel played down the risks of this new variant.

<img alt="Israel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e3919621-4611-406f-897c-e54a54628c75" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Israel.png" />

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US President Joe Biden announces an additional USD 800 million in security assistance to Ukraine. US to send hundreds more anti-aircraft system to Ukraine.

<img alt="Drone" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8f012e8a-b948-42ca-9ad6-7c3a92a7c330" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Drone.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/joint-euro-russian-mars-mission-suspended-because-of-ukraine-conflict-esa-463209">Joint Euro-Russian Mars mission suspended because of Ukraine conflict: ESA</a> 
 
The European Space Agency (ESA) has said that a joint Mars mission with Russia has been suspended over Ukraine war.

<img alt="Mars" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a4d0a599-d292-408a-937b-8f4677e44052" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Mars.png" />

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One of main thrusts of our skywatching has been to find exoplanets, and some that would possibly harbour life! But everything doesn't always go according to plan and our observations sometimes are not that accurate. That's life we suppose.

<img alt="exoplanets" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74d85096-ab05-4255-af1b-44eac8ef318d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/exoplanets.png" />

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According to Indian coast guard, during a patrol ICGS Vajra detected a boat 117 nautical miles south east of India's southern most district Kanyakumari.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indias-gold-output-could-rise-multifold-if-hurdles-removed-wgc-report-463041">India's gold output could rise multifold if hurdles removed: WGC report</a> 
 
India splurged a record $55.7 billion on gold imports in 2021, buying 1,050 tonnes - the most in a decade, and far more than the 430 tonnes imported in 2020.

<img alt="Gold" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f97937cd-f53c-45f8-b553-5e0cc6e7ffdd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Gold.png" />

US Air Force (USAF) general Kenneth Wilsbach said the US-built F-35 had an encounter with China's Chengdu J-20 adding that he was "relatively impressed with the command and control associated with the J-20.

US Air Force (USAF) general Kenneth Wilsbach said the US-built F-35 had an encounter with China's Chengdu J-20 adding that he was "relatively impressed with the command and control associated with the J-20." In other news, a deepfake video purportedly showing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is being shared online. Read this and more in Top 10 World News. 'Relatively impressed': US F-35 fighter jet has close encounter with China's J-20 in East China Sea US general Kenneth Wilsbach's latest comments come as United States Navy recently recovered the F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter jet that sank in the South China Sea. Deepfake video of Ukraine President Zelensky shared online The video appeared to show an ashen-faced Zelenskiy speaking from the presidential lectern and urging his countrymen to down their weapons in the face of Russian invaders. UAE cargo ship carrying 30 crew members sinks off Iran coast The ship, which had left Dubai few days ago, was bound for the port of Umm Qasr in Southern Iraq and it was carrying cars and other cargo. 'Villas in Miami': Putin lashes out at 'scum' and 'traitors' amid Ukraine war Putin's latest jibe at his political enemies comes even as Russia announced that it paid interest on foreign debt due this week. Everything we know about the new COVID-19 variant found in Israel While this finding has given rise to fresh fears around the world, health officials in Israel played down the risks of this new variant. US sending Switchblade drones to Ukraine US President Joe Biden announces an additional USD 800 million in security assistance to Ukraine. US to send hundreds more anti-aircraft system to Ukraine. Joint Euro-Russian Mars mission suspended because of Ukraine conflict: ESA The European Space Agency (ESA) has said that a joint Mars mission with Russia has been suspended over Ukraine war. Three exoplanets have been 'lost', here's what's the deal One of main thrusts of our skywatching has been to find exoplanets, and some that would possibly harbour life! But everything doesn't always go according to plan and our observations sometimes are not that accurate. That's life we suppose. Sri Lankan boat with six crew held for fishing in Indian waters According to Indian coast guard, during a patrol ICGS Vajra detected a boat 117 nautical miles south east of India's southern most district Kanyakumari. India's gold output could rise multifold if hurdles removed: WGC report India splurged a record $55.7 billion on gold imports in 2021, buying 1,050 tonnes - the most in a decade, and far more than the 430 tonnes imported in 2020.

Top 10 world news: US-China fighter jets encounter, Zelensky video, and more

Amid the shadow of the Russian invasion of&nbsp;Ukraine, UK foreign secretary Elizabeth Truss will visit India later this month. She is the first European foreign minister to visit India since the Russian invasion, an agenda that will dominate the talks when she meets external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar.&nbsp;

The invasion that started on February 24 has been a major geopolitical earthquake for Europe and the world and has led to the worst refugee crisis for the continent since World War- II.

The Indian, UK foreign ministers had spoken on the crisis in Ukraine recently. In a tweet on February 24, EAM had said, "A telephonic discussion with UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz. Exchanged perspectives on the Ukrainian situation."

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A telephonic discussion with UK Foreign Secretary <a href="https://twitter.com/trussliz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trussliz</a>. 
 
Exchanged perspectives on the Ukrainian situation.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1496825405797711877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Amid the Russian invasion, India's external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar has been engaged with foreign ministers of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and&nbsp;Moldova for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

India, under "Operation Ganga" has been able to bring back 22,500 nationals home from the war-torn country.

The UK foreign secretary last visited India in October of 2021&nbsp;during which she visited Mumbai. Both sides are engaged in free trade agreement talks as well.

Amid the shadow of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, UK foreign secretary Elizabeth Truss will visit India later this month. She is the first European foreign minister to visit India since the Russian invasion, an agenda that will dominate the talks when she meets external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar.

Amid the shadow of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, UK foreign secretary Elizabeth Truss will visit India later this month. She is the first European foreign minister to visit India since the Russian invasion, an agenda that will dominate the talks when she meets external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar. The invasion that started on February 24 has been a major geopolitical earthquake for Europe and the world and has led to the worst refugee crisis for the continent since World War- II. The Indian, UK foreign ministers had spoken on the crisis in Ukraine recently. In a tweet on February 24, EAM had said, "A telephonic discussion with UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz. Exchanged perspectives on the Ukrainian situation." A telephonic discussion with UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz. Exchanged perspectives on the Ukrainian situation. — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 24, 2022 × Amid the Russian invasion, India's external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar has been engaged with foreign ministers of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine. India, under "Operation Ganga" has been able to bring back 22,500 nationals home from the war-torn country. The UK foreign secretary last visited India in October of 2021 during which she visited Mumbai. Both sides are engaged in free trade agreement talks as well.

UK foreign secretary to visit India amid Ukraine war

Reports say the Russian media regulator has blocked access to over a&nbsp;dozen websites amid the war in Ukraine.

According to newswire AFP, the websites include Bellingcat including regional language websites namely Permdaily.ru. among others.

The news agency reported Russia's Roskomnadzor had confirmed the sites were blocked.&nbsp;

Reports claimed two Russian-language media based in Israel - 9 TV Channel Israel and Vesti Israel were also blocked including those based in Ukraine and Estonia.

Russian state communications regulator Roskomnadzor had earlier blocked access to Instagram over controversial hate speech row with Facebook's Meta.

Watch:&nbsp;&nbsp;Does Putin really want to stop this war or not?&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-crisis-does-putin-really-want-to-stop-this-war-or-not-462790/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meta had said the temporary change in its hate speech policy only applied to Ukraine after Russia's invasion.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, a television journalist Marina Ovsyannikova had held out a poster on-air standing behind a news anchor while protesting against the Ukraine war.

Kremlin had dismissed it as an act of "hooliganism". The poster said: "Stop the war. Don't believe the propaganda. Here they are lying to you."&nbsp;

A Russian court imposed a $280&nbsp;fine on Ovsyannikova and let her off. In the court proceeding, the Russian journalist maintained she was not guilty while facing possible ten-day detention.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Reports say the Russian media regulator has blocked access to over a dozen websites amid the war in Ukraine. According to newswire AFP, the websites include Bellingcat including regional language websites namely Permdaily.

Reports say the Russian media regulator has blocked access to over a dozen websites amid the war in Ukraine. According to newswire AFP, the websites include Bellingcat including regional language websites namely Permdaily.ru. among others. The news agency reported Russia's Roskomnadzor had confirmed the sites were blocked. Reports claimed two Russian-language media based in Israel - 9 TV Channel Israel and Vesti Israel were also blocked including those based in Ukraine and Estonia. Russian state communications regulator Roskomnadzor had earlier blocked access to Instagram over controversial hate speech row with Facebook's Meta. Watch: Does Putin really want to stop this war or not? Meta had said the temporary change in its hate speech policy only applied to Ukraine after Russia's invasion. On Tuesday, a television journalist Marina Ovsyannikova had held out a poster on-air standing behind a news anchor while protesting against the Ukraine war. Kremlin had dismissed it as an act of "hooliganism". The poster said: "Stop the war. Don't believe the propaganda. Here they are lying to you." A Russian court imposed a $280 fine on Ovsyannikova and let her off. In the court proceeding, the Russian journalist maintained she was not guilty while facing possible ten-day detention. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russia blocks access to several local websites amid Ukraine war

As the US supplies $1 billion in arms to Ukraine, President Joe Biden for the first time referred to Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal."

Biden's remarks are described by the Kremlin as "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric."&nbsp;

Russia blamed the US of murdering "hundreds of thousands of people around the world."&nbsp;

"We believe such rhetoric to be unacceptable and unforgivable on the part of the head of a state, whose bombs have killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world," said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the state news agencies TASS and Ria Novosti. 
 
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It's the first time Biden has used such strong words to criticise Putin, and the White House later stated that he was "speaking from his heart." 
 
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The statement in Washington happened Wednesday when a reporter asked the US president: "Mr President, after everything we have seen, are you ready to call Putin a war criminal?"

The President responded with no "Before being questioned, he modified his response to "Did you ask me if I would tell....?"I believe he is a war criminal."&nbsp; 
 
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After watching "barbaric" photographs of the carnage in Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the president was speaking from his heart rather than making an official statement.

She pointed out that there was a distinct legal process, overseen by the State Department, for determining war crimes, which was still underway.

On the president's official Twitter account, the following was posted:&nbsp;

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Putin is inflicting appalling devastation and horror on Ukraine — bombing apartment buildings and maternity wards. 
 
Yesterday, we saw reports that Russian forces were holding hundreds of doctors and patients hostage. 
 
These are atrocities. It is an outrage to the world.
— President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1504182615011643403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)

As the US supplies $1 billion in arms to Ukraine, President Joe Biden for the first time referred to Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal." Biden's remarks are described by the Kremlin as "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric.

As the US supplies $1 billion in arms to Ukraine, President Joe Biden for the first time referred to Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal." Biden's remarks are described by the Kremlin as "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric." Russia blamed the US of murdering "hundreds of thousands of people around the world." "We believe such rhetoric to be unacceptable and unforgivable on the part of the head of a state, whose bombs have killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world," said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the state news agencies TASS and Ria Novosti. Also read | ‘Kidnapped’ mayor of Melitopol is freed after being swapped for nine Russian soldiers It's the first time Biden has used such strong words to criticise Putin, and the White House later stated that he was "speaking from his heart." Also read | Ukraine under attack: Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image The statement in Washington happened Wednesday when a reporter asked the US president: "Mr President, after everything we have seen, are you ready to call Putin a war criminal?" The President responded with no "Before being questioned, he modified his response to "Did you ask me if I would tell....?"I believe he is a war criminal." ALSO READ | US cancels license of China-owned telecom company After watching "barbaric" photographs of the carnage in Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the president was speaking from his heart rather than making an official statement. She pointed out that there was a distinct legal process, overseen by the State Department, for determining war crimes, which was still underway. On the president's official Twitter account, the following was posted: Putin is inflicting appalling devastation and horror on Ukraine — bombing apartment buildings and maternity wards. Yesterday, we saw reports that Russian forces were holding hundreds of doctors and patients hostage. These are atrocities. It is an outrage to the world. — President Biden (@POTUS) March 16, 2022 × (With inputs from agencies)

Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal'

On Wednesday, Ukraine handed over nine detained Russian soldiers in order to gain the release of Melitopol's mayor, who was detained last week, according to the Interfax Ukraine news agency.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's administration had previously stated that mayor Ivan Fedorov had been released, but provided no other details.&nbsp;

"Ivan Fedorov was released from Russian captivity ... for him, Russia received nine captured soldiers who were born in 2002 and 2003. These are actually children," Interfax Ukraine quoted Zelenskiy press aide Darya Zarivnaya as saying. 
 
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Ivan Fedorov praised President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for not 'abandoning' him in a phone call shared by the Ukrainian government, and stated he will be ready to serve again after 'one or two days to recover.'&nbsp;

Mayor Ivan Fedorov was kidnapped, according to the Ukrainian president and parliament, because he "refused to cooperate with the enemy." 
 
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President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to him on the phone on Wednesday, telling him he was 'glad to hear the voice of a man alive,' according to a video released on Telegram.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

On Wednesday, Ukraine handed over nine detained Russian soldiers in order to gain the release of Melitopol's mayor, who was detained last week, according to the Interfax Ukraine news agency.

On Wednesday, Ukraine handed over nine detained Russian soldiers in order to gain the release of Melitopol's mayor, who was detained last week, according to the Interfax Ukraine news agency. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's administration had previously stated that mayor Ivan Fedorov had been released, but provided no other details. "Ivan Fedorov was released from Russian captivity ... for him, Russia received nine captured soldiers who were born in 2002 and 2003. These are actually children," Interfax Ukraine quoted Zelenskiy press aide Darya Zarivnaya as saying. Also read | Ukraine under attack: Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image Ivan Fedorov praised President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for not 'abandoning' him in a phone call shared by the Ukrainian government, and stated he will be ready to serve again after 'one or two days to recover.' Mayor Ivan Fedorov was kidnapped, according to the Ukrainian president and parliament, because he "refused to cooperate with the enemy." ALSO READ | US cancels license of China-owned telecom company President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to him on the phone on Wednesday, telling him he was 'glad to hear the voice of a man alive,' according to a video released on Telegram. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Kidnapped’ mayor of Melitopol is freed after being swapped for nine Russian soldiers

The Russian onslaught is getting deadlier by the day and the Ukrainian resistance is getting fiercer. And the west continues to keep &nbsp;President Volodymyr Zelensky at an arm's length. But that could change as the Biden administration is going to arm Ukraine with killer drones.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden has announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine on Wednesday. &nbsp;Biden says America will continue to give Ukraine weapons to fight and defend itself.&nbsp;

"This new package on its own is going to provide unprecedented assistance to Ukraine, and includes 800 anti-aircraft systems," Biden said, to stop Russian planes and helicopters attacking Ukrainians.&nbsp;

In a landmark virtual address to the U.S Congress, Ukraine's leader on Wednesday made an emotive appeal to lawmakers for greater Western intervention against Russia. Zelensky invoked September 11 and Pearl Harbor during his impassioned address to the US Congress, imploring Washington to step up military aid and impose a no-fly zone to counter the Russian invasion closing in on Kyiv. But that request involves a direct engagement of NATO forces and has been repeatedly refused by the West.&nbsp;

<img alt="Drone" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4e898a67-800b-4a71-88da-06812645d435" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/AeroVironment%20image%202%20%281%29.PNG" />

(Image: AeroVironment)

Among the weaponry which Washington is sending, the most potent in the U.S made 'Switchblade' drones. These kamikaze drones are manufactured by AeroVironment, an American defence contractor. The small and lightweight drones are effectively remote-controlled bombs.

Anti-armour loitering munitions have more range and precision and cost less than present-day anti-tank weapons. It basically means the drone can orbit the battlefield until its ground controller guides it onto a target. The advantage of having loitering ammunition is that it has the ability to patrol for extended periods, remain hidden and then immediately strike stationary or moving targets.&nbsp;

With the west unwilling to provide its fighter jets, a proposal floated by Poland which was shot down by the U.S, the drones are a relatively cheap and very cost-effective means of destruction. The Ukrainian army has suffered heavy losses and it’s a David vs Goliath battle.

But these tactical drones are lightweight and can be launched from a tube-like mortar shell and require minimum handling &amp; training, unlike other weaponry.

The Switchblade 600 weighs 22 Kg and can hover over a target for 40 minutes before zooming down at speeds of 185kph. It is programmed and equipped to pierce armour and destroy a tank or an armoured vehicle. These Switchblades are designed to be easily portable, fitting into a rucksack and perfectly suits the Ukrainian army which along with the volunteers is giving a tough fight to the Russian troops.&nbsp;

Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reveals that the U.S is indeed providing advanced anti-aircraft weapon systems which would give Ukraine an edge as it's taken on a much superior adversary in Russia.&nbsp;

Moscow isn't taking the bonhomie between Ukraine &amp; West kindly. On Sunday, a barrage of Russian missiles hit a large Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland. A local Ukrainian official said 35 people were killed and 134 were wounded.

Russia's defence ministry says a large number of weapons supplied by foreign nations were being stored at the sprawling training facility. The attack on the Yavoriv International Centre for Peacekeeping and Security, a base just 25 km from the Polish border. It had previously hosted NATO military instructors.&nbsp;

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Saturday (12th March 2022) said its troops could target supplies of Western weapons in Ukraine. He told the state television, 'We warned the United States that the orchestrated pumping of weapons from a number of countries is not just a dangerous move, it is a move that turns these convoys into legitimate targets'.&nbsp;

Clearly, Moscow has made its intent clear and with this latest move of providing Ukraine with weapons that could inflict heavy damage to the Russian forces, the tensions continue to only rise further.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Russian onslaught is getting deadlier by the day and the Ukrainian resistance is getting fiercer. And the west continues to keep President Volodymyr Zelensky at an arm's length.

The Russian onslaught is getting deadlier by the day and the Ukrainian resistance is getting fiercer. And the west continues to keep President Volodymyr Zelensky at an arm's length. But that could change as the Biden administration is going to arm Ukraine with killer drones. US President Joe Biden has announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine on Wednesday. Biden says America will continue to give Ukraine weapons to fight and defend itself. "This new package on its own is going to provide unprecedented assistance to Ukraine, and includes 800 anti-aircraft systems," Biden said, to stop Russian planes and helicopters attacking Ukrainians. In a landmark virtual address to the U.S Congress, Ukraine's leader on Wednesday made an emotive appeal to lawmakers for greater Western intervention against Russia. Zelensky invoked September 11 and Pearl Harbor during his impassioned address to the US Congress, imploring Washington to step up military aid and impose a no-fly zone to counter the Russian invasion closing in on Kyiv. But that request involves a direct engagement of NATO forces and has been repeatedly refused by the West. (Image: AeroVironment) Among the weaponry which Washington is sending, the most potent in the U.S made 'Switchblade' drones. These kamikaze drones are manufactured by AeroVironment, an American defence contractor. The small and lightweight drones are effectively remote-controlled bombs. Anti-armour loitering munitions have more range and precision and cost less than present-day anti-tank weapons. It basically means the drone can orbit the battlefield until its ground controller guides it onto a target. The advantage of having loitering ammunition is that it has the ability to patrol for extended periods, remain hidden and then immediately strike stationary or moving targets. With the west unwilling to provide its fighter jets, a proposal floated by Poland which was shot down by the U.S, the drones are a relatively cheap and very cost-effective means of destruction. The Ukrainian army has suffered heavy losses and it’s a David vs Goliath battle. But these tactical drones are lightweight and can be launched from a tube-like mortar shell and require minimum handling & training, unlike other weaponry. The Switchblade 600 weighs 22 Kg and can hover over a target for 40 minutes before zooming down at speeds of 185kph. It is programmed and equipped to pierce armour and destroy a tank or an armoured vehicle. These Switchblades are designed to be easily portable, fitting into a rucksack and perfectly suits the Ukrainian army which along with the volunteers is giving a tough fight to the Russian troops. Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reveals that the U.S is indeed providing advanced anti-aircraft weapon systems which would give Ukraine an edge as it's taken on a much superior adversary in Russia. Moscow isn't taking the bonhomie between Ukraine & West kindly. On Sunday, a barrage of Russian missiles hit a large Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland. A local Ukrainian official said 35 people were killed and 134 were wounded. Russia's defence ministry says a large number of weapons supplied by foreign nations were being stored at the sprawling training facility. The attack on the Yavoriv International Centre for Peacekeeping and Security, a base just 25 km from the Polish border. It had previously hosted NATO military instructors. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Saturday (12th March 2022) said its troops could target supplies of Western weapons in Ukraine. He told the state television, 'We warned the United States that the orchestrated pumping of weapons from a number of countries is not just a dangerous move, it is a move that turns these convoys into legitimate targets'. Clearly, Moscow has made its intent clear and with this latest move of providing Ukraine with weapons that could inflict heavy damage to the Russian forces, the tensions continue to only rise further. (With inputs from agencies)

US sending Switchblade drones to Ukraine

The European Space Agency (ESA) has said that a joint Mars mission with Russia has been suspended over Ukraine war.

"We deeply deplore the human casualties and tragic consequences of the aggression towards Ukraine," the agency said as it confirmed the suspension of the ExoMars mission.

The decision to suspend cooperation with Roscosmos was taken by ESA's ruling council, at a meeting this week in Paris.

"We deeply deplore the human casualties and tragic consequences of the aggression towards Ukraine,? an ESA statement said.

"While recognising the impact on scientific exploration of space, ESA is fully aligned with the sanctions imposed on Russia by its member states."

Because of their respective orbits around the Sun, Mars is only readily reachable from Earth every two years. The next launch window would be 2024.

The rover's primary mission was to have been determining whether Mars ever hosted life.

The ExoMars mission has already been pushed back from 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the need for more tests on the spacecraft.

The mission was to have blasted off on a Russian Proton-M rocket from the Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan in September, and had been scheduled to land on the red planet some nine months later.

Already on Mars are NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed in February 2021, and China's first Mars rover, Zhurong, named after the Chinese god of fire

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Space Agency (ESA) has said that a joint Mars mission with Russia has been suspended over Ukraine war. "We deeply deplore the human casualties and tragic consequences of the aggression towards Ukraine," the agency said as it confirmed the suspension of the ExoMars mission.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has said that a joint Mars mission with Russia has been suspended over Ukraine war. "We deeply deplore the human casualties and tragic consequences of the aggression towards Ukraine," the agency said as it confirmed the suspension of the ExoMars mission. The decision to suspend cooperation with Roscosmos was taken by ESA's ruling council, at a meeting this week in Paris. "We deeply deplore the human casualties and tragic consequences of the aggression towards Ukraine,? an ESA statement said. "While recognising the impact on scientific exploration of space, ESA is fully aligned with the sanctions imposed on Russia by its member states." Because of their respective orbits around the Sun, Mars is only readily reachable from Earth every two years. The next launch window would be 2024. The rover's primary mission was to have been determining whether Mars ever hosted life. The ExoMars mission has already been pushed back from 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the need for more tests on the spacecraft. The mission was to have blasted off on a Russian Proton-M rocket from the Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan in September, and had been scheduled to land on the red planet some nine months later. Already on Mars are NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed in February 2021, and China's first Mars rover, Zhurong, named after the Chinese god of fire (With inputs from agencies)

Joint Euro-Russian Mars mission suspended because of Ukraine conflict: ESA

A video purportedly showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky capitulating to Russian demands drew criticism online. Facebook has reportedly removed the video from its platform. There are warnings from experts that more sophisticated attempts to spread fake news may be made as the Ukraine conflict goes on.

The video appeared to show an ashen-faced Zelenskiy speaking from the presidential lectern and urging his countrymen to down their weapons in the face of Russian invaders.

It is not clear whether anyone was convinced. Internet users immediately flagged the discrepancies between the skin tone on Zelenskiy's neck and face, the odd accent in the video, and the pixelation around his head. A Facebook official later said&nbsp; the company was removing the footage from its platform.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/villas-in-miami-putin-lashes-out-scum-and-traitors-amid-ukraine-war-463167">'Villas in Miami': Putin lashes out at 'scum' and 'traitors' amid Ukraine war</a>

Nina Schick, the author of "Deepfakes," said the video looked like "an absolutely terrible faceswap," referring to programs that can digitally graft one person's face onto another's body -- part of a wider family of computer techniques that can create hyperrealistic forgeries known as "deepfakes."

Television station Ukraine24 said in a Facebook post that the video was broadcast by "enemy hackers" and was "FAKE! FAKE!" The station could not immediately be reached for further detail and Ukraine's cyber watchdog agency did not immediately return messages seeking comment. But Ukraine's Ministry of Defense later released a video from the real Zelenskiy apparently dismissing the footage as a "childish provocation."

"We are not going to lay down any weapons until our victory," he said.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-under-attack-russia-attacks-mariupol-theatre-sheltering-hundreds-of-civilians-see-satellite-image-463012">Ukraine under attack: Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image</a>

Ukrainian officials have been warning of the danger of deepfakes, especially after Moscow's forces were denied a quick victory on the battlefield following their Feb. 24 invasion.

Two weeks ago, Ukraine's military intelligence agency put out a short video alerting the country to the danger of deepfakes, alleging that the Kremlin was preparing a stunt involving one.

The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Schick called the fake Zelenskiy video "very crude," but warned that the it was a matter of time before the technology became more accessible.

"Expect fakes like this to become easier to produce while appearing highly authentic," she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A video purportedly showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky capitulating to Russian demands drew criticism online. Facebook has reportedly removed the video from its platform.

A video purportedly showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky capitulating to Russian demands drew criticism online. Facebook has reportedly removed the video from its platform. There are warnings from experts that more sophisticated attempts to spread fake news may be made as the Ukraine conflict goes on. The video appeared to show an ashen-faced Zelenskiy speaking from the presidential lectern and urging his countrymen to down their weapons in the face of Russian invaders. It is not clear whether anyone was convinced. Internet users immediately flagged the discrepancies between the skin tone on Zelenskiy's neck and face, the odd accent in the video, and the pixelation around his head. A Facebook official later said the company was removing the footage from its platform. Also Read | 'Villas in Miami': Putin lashes out at 'scum' and 'traitors' amid Ukraine war Nina Schick, the author of "Deepfakes," said the video looked like "an absolutely terrible faceswap," referring to programs that can digitally graft one person's face onto another's body -- part of a wider family of computer techniques that can create hyperrealistic forgeries known as "deepfakes." Television station Ukraine24 said in a Facebook post that the video was broadcast by "enemy hackers" and was "FAKE! FAKE!" The station could not immediately be reached for further detail and Ukraine's cyber watchdog agency did not immediately return messages seeking comment. But Ukraine's Ministry of Defense later released a video from the real Zelenskiy apparently dismissing the footage as a "childish provocation." "We are not going to lay down any weapons until our victory," he said. Also Read | Ukraine under attack: Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image Ukrainian officials have been warning of the danger of deepfakes, especially after Moscow's forces were denied a quick victory on the battlefield following their Feb. 24 invasion. Two weeks ago, Ukraine's military intelligence agency put out a short video alerting the country to the danger of deepfakes, alleging that the Kremlin was preparing a stunt involving one. The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Schick called the fake Zelenskiy video "very crude," but warned that the it was a matter of time before the technology became more accessible. "Expect fakes like this to become easier to produce while appearing highly authentic," she said. (With inputs from agencies)

Deepfake video of Ukraine President Zelensky shared online

Russian&nbsp;government&nbsp;websites&nbsp;are&nbsp;facing&nbsp;unprecedented&nbsp;cyber&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;and technical efforts are being made to filter foreign web traffic, the TASS news agency cited the digital ministry as saying on Thursday.

Russian&nbsp;government&nbsp;entities and state-owned companies have been targeted over events in Ukraine, with the websites&nbsp;of the Kremlin, flagship carrier Aeroflot and major lender Sberbank among those to have seen outages or temporary access issues in recent weeks.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-condemns-us-president-biden-for-calling-putin-war-criminal-463022">&nbsp;Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal'</a>

The ministry was working to adjust to the new conditions, it said, as&nbsp;cyber&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;ratchet up.

"If previously their power at peak moments reached 500 gigabytes, then now it is at 1 terabyte," the ministry said. "That is two to three times more powerful than the most serious incidents of this kind that have been previously&nbsp;reported."

As Russia becomes increasingly isolated from global financial systems and supply chains, the&nbsp;government&nbsp;has proposed a raft of measures to support the IT sector, among others.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/panama-says-three-ships-hit-by-russian-missiles-in-black-sea-since-start-of-ukraine-invasion-463051">Panama says three ships hit by Russian missiles in Black Sea since start of Ukraine invasion</a>

Technology firms will have access to preferential tax and lending conditions and the digital ministry has previously suggested&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;IT companies discuss a phased transfer of technical support components with foreign firms.

Citing draft&nbsp;government&nbsp;documents, Interfax&nbsp;reported late on Wednesday that the digital ministry had proposed allocating 14 billion roubles ($134.30 million) to support IT companies in the form of grants.

Russian government websites are facing unprecedented cyber attacks and technical efforts are being made to filter foreign web traffic, the TASS news agency cited the digital ministry as saying on Thursday.

Russian government websites are facing unprecedented cyber attacks and technical efforts are being made to filter foreign web traffic, the TASS news agency cited the digital ministry as saying on Thursday. Russian government entities and state-owned companies have been targeted over events in Ukraine, with the websites of the Kremlin, flagship carrier Aeroflot and major lender Sberbank among those to have seen outages or temporary access issues in recent weeks. Also read | Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal' The ministry was working to adjust to the new conditions, it said, as cyber attacks ratchet up. "If previously their power at peak moments reached 500 gigabytes, then now it is at 1 terabyte," the ministry said. "That is two to three times more powerful than the most serious incidents of this kind that have been previously reported." As Russia becomes increasingly isolated from global financial systems and supply chains, the government has proposed a raft of measures to support the IT sector, among others. Also read | Panama says three ships hit by Russian missiles in Black Sea since start of Ukraine invasion Technology firms will have access to preferential tax and lending conditions and the digital ministry has previously suggested Russian IT companies discuss a phased transfer of technical support components with foreign firms. Citing draft government documents, Interfax reported late on Wednesday that the digital ministry had proposed allocating 14 billion roubles ($134.30 million) to support IT companies in the form of grants.

Russian government sites facing unprecedented cyber attacks: Report

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 Russia and Ukraine conflict continues to escalate with reports of massive loss of life and property in the Ukrainian cities that are being shelled by the Russian forces. Latest reports state that a French-Irish cameraman for US-based Fox News and a Ukrainian working as a producer for the US television network have been killed near Kyiv. The media outlet informed on Tuesday (March 15) that cameraperson Pierre Zakrzewski and producer Oleksandra Kuvshynova died during the conflict. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine conflict: Joe Biden to announce $800 million in new security aid to Ukraine Zakrzewski was a veteran war-zone photographer who had covered multiple conflicts, including in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Benjamin Hall, another correspondent for the news outlet was also wounded when their vehicle was struck Monday by incoming fire in Horenka, outside the capital. Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said that Hall, who is a Briton and works as the network's State Department correspondent, is currently in hospital in war-torn Ukraine. Mentioning Zakrzewski, Scott said, "Pierre was a war zone photographer who covered nearly every international story for Fox News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria during his long tenure with us." ALSO READ | 'Courage of true friends of Ukraine': European leaders' defiant visit to Kyiv amid growing tension with Russia The 55-year-old Zakrzewski was based in London and he had been working in Ukraine since February. He had dual French and Irish citizenship. "He was a warm-hearted traveler who provoked beautiful encounters, he was very humble and human and had not lost any of his sensitivity over the years," a member of his family told news agency AFP. The family member further said that last week Zakrzewski "had helped to shelter a newborn baby found after a bombing, named Prince Charlie". "His passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched." He is survived by his wife Michelle, a documentary filmmaker and producer, his family member said. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said he was "deeply disturbed and saddened" by the deaths of Zakrzewski and his colleague. "My thoughts are with their families, friends and fellow journalists," Martin said on Twitter. "We condemn this indiscriminate and immoral war by Russia on Ukraine." At least four journalists have died in nearly three weeks of fighting. American filmmaker and journalist Brent Renaud was shot dead by Russian forces in the town of Irpin in Ukraine's Kyiv region, a regional police chief said on Sunday. WATCH | Russia sanctions top American leaders, Joe Biden and several top US officials on the list ×

Fox News veteran war-zone photographer, Ukrainian journalist killed in Ukraine

Amid default fears, Russia is due to pay interest on its foreign debt on Wednesday.

President Putin on Wednesday had said that "economic blitzkrieg" against Russia had failed as he sought to assure citizens that Russian banks had overcome the "challenge".

"Working literally 24 hours a day they continue to operate citizens' payments and accountancy and ensure the activity by the enterprises," Putin said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/fitch-downgrades-russias-sovereign-rating-says-default-imminent-460675">Also Read:&nbsp;Fitch downgrades Russia’s sovereign rating, says default ‘imminent’</a>

Russia had last recorded a sovereign default in 1998 when it defaulted on domestic debt and the first sovereign default on foreign currency debt since the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.

Reports claim Russia has asked an American bank to process the payments of $117 million for two dollar-denominated bonds but hasn't heard about the financial process going through amid the sanctions. Western sanctions had targeted $300 billion Russian foreign currency reserves held abroad.

Watch:&nbsp;Russia could default on its debt within days

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President Putin had asserted that "illegitimate action to freeze part of the bank of Russia's foreign currency reserves draws a line under the credibility of so-called first-class assets" blaming the US and EU of being in "real default on their obligations to Russia".

Russia has however shifted the onus on the US saying the default depended on the US. Finance minister Anton Siluanov speaking to state media said "We have the money. We made the payment. Now the ball is in the court of the American authorities" even as he accused the West of pushing Russia towards an "artificial default".

(With inputs from Agencies)

Amid default fears, Russia is due to pay interest on its foreign debt on Wednesday. President Putin on Wednesday had said that "economic blitzkrieg" against Russia had failed as he sought to assure citizens that Russian banks had overcome the "challenge".

Amid default fears, Russia is due to pay interest on its foreign debt on Wednesday. President Putin on Wednesday had said that "economic blitzkrieg" against Russia had failed as he sought to assure citizens that Russian banks had overcome the "challenge". "Working literally 24 hours a day they continue to operate citizens' payments and accountancy and ensure the activity by the enterprises," Putin said. Also Read: Fitch downgrades Russia’s sovereign rating, says default ‘imminent’ Russia had last recorded a sovereign default in 1998 when it defaulted on domestic debt and the first sovereign default on foreign currency debt since the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Reports claim Russia has asked an American bank to process the payments of $117 million for two dollar-denominated bonds but hasn't heard about the financial process going through amid the sanctions. Western sanctions had targeted $300 billion Russian foreign currency reserves held abroad. Watch: Russia could default on its debt within days President Putin had asserted that "illegitimate action to freeze part of the bank of Russia's foreign currency reserves draws a line under the credibility of so-called first-class assets" blaming the US and EU of being in "real default on their obligations to Russia". Russia has however shifted the onus on the US saying the default depended on the US. Finance minister Anton Siluanov speaking to state media said "We have the money. We made the payment. Now the ball is in the court of the American authorities" even as he accused the West of pushing Russia towards an "artificial default". (With inputs from Agencies)

'Economic blitzkrieg' has failed, says Putin amid Russian default fears

President Volodomyr Zelensky&nbsp;of Ukraine made an urgent and emotional appeal to Congress on Wednesday to come to his country’s aid as it fights off a brutal Russian invasion, asking help protecting its air space, military assistance and stronger sanctions as part of what he cast as a war for the cause of democracy itself.

In a remarkably direct appeal by a wartime leader to policymakers in Washington, Zelensky&nbsp;addressed lawmakers on a large screen in a movie theater-style auditorium under the Capitol, invoking the memories of Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — when the United States came under attack — as he pleaded for support saying, “We need you right now.”

In remarks translated from Ukrainian, he said starkly: “I call on you to do more.”

Wearing a green T-shirt and seated next to a Ukrainian flag, Zelensky tailored his remarks to Americans and those who represent them, borrowing a phrase from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — “I have a dream” — as he asked for a no-fly zone over his country. “I have a need” to protect the sky, he said.

That request had little chance of being approved, given that it would thrust American pilots into direct confrontation with the Russians, and Zelensky&nbsp;quickly pivoted to something to which Republicans and Democrats have been far more receptive: asking for more weapons to enable his people to keep up the fight themselves.

He also asked lawmakers to get companies in their states and districts to send aid directly to Ukraine if they could.

Zelensky, whose background is in the entertainment industry, wrapped up his 18-minute speech with a graphic and wrenching video showing images of his war-torn country, including bombs exploding in cities around Ukraine, and civilians bloodied and killed by Russian attacks.

He concluded by speaking in English, calling upon the United States to take up what he portrayed as an obligation, given its place on the world stage to intervene in the conflict.

“To be the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace,” he said, as members of Congress grew visibly emotional.

As he addressed them directly, lawmakers sat rapt in their seats. Some scribbled notes, taking down quotations from his address, and many sniffled back tears.

“There was a collective holding of the breath,” said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.

President Volodomyr Zelensky of Ukraine made an urgent and emotional appeal to Congress on Wednesday to come to his country’s aid as it fights off a brutal Russian invasion, asking help protecting its air space, military assistance and stronger sanctions as part of what he cast as a war for the cause of democracy itself.

President Volodomyr Zelensky of Ukraine made an urgent and emotional appeal to Congress on Wednesday to come to his country’s aid as it fights off a brutal Russian invasion, asking help protecting its air space, military assistance and stronger sanctions as part of what he cast as a war for the cause of democracy itself. In a remarkably direct appeal by a wartime leader to policymakers in Washington, Zelensky addressed lawmakers on a large screen in a movie theater-style auditorium under the Capitol, invoking the memories of Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — when the United States came under attack — as he pleaded for support saying, “We need you right now.” In remarks translated from Ukrainian, he said starkly: “I call on you to do more.” Wearing a green T-shirt and seated next to a Ukrainian flag, Zelensky tailored his remarks to Americans and those who represent them, borrowing a phrase from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — “I have a dream” — as he asked for a no-fly zone over his country. “I have a need” to protect the sky, he said. That request had little chance of being approved, given that it would thrust American pilots into direct confrontation with the Russians, and Zelensky quickly pivoted to something to which Republicans and Democrats have been far more receptive: asking for more weapons to enable his people to keep up the fight themselves. He also asked lawmakers to get companies in their states and districts to send aid directly to Ukraine if they could. Zelensky, whose background is in the entertainment industry, wrapped up his 18-minute speech with a graphic and wrenching video showing images of his war-torn country, including bombs exploding in cities around Ukraine, and civilians bloodied and killed by Russian attacks. He concluded by speaking in English, calling upon the United States to take up what he portrayed as an obligation, given its place on the world stage to intervene in the conflict. “To be the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace,” he said, as members of Congress grew visibly emotional. As he addressed them directly, lawmakers sat rapt in their seats. Some scribbled notes, taking down quotations from his address, and many sniffled back tears. “There was a collective holding of the breath,” said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.

Zelensky delivers plea to Congress: 'I call on you to do more'

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.

A White House official said that the United States President Joe Biden will announce $800 million in new security assistance to Ukraine Wednesday (March 16).&nbsp;

The official further informed that the announcement is set to come soon after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the US Congress.&nbsp;

News agency AFP quoted the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Tuesday (March 15), said that the announcement is expected to come at 11.45 am (local time).&nbsp;

The official said that the latest security aid brings "the total (aid) announced in the last week alone to $1 billion." However, the official didn't provide details on what would be included in the $800 million of security assistance.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/courage-of-true-friends-of-ukraine-european-leaders-defiant-visit-to-kyiv-amid-growing-tension-with-russia-462717">'Courage of true friends of Ukraine': European leaders' defiant visit to Kyiv amid growing tension with Russia</a>

Previously, Biden had already authorized $200 million in additional military equipment to Ukraine on Saturday. That came on top of $350 million authorized by Washington, also for military equipment, on February 26 - at the time, the largest such package in US history.

The official said that in the past year, the US has provided over 600 Stinger missiles and approximately 2,600 Javelin anti-armour systems to Ukraine.&nbsp;

The US has also provided an assortment of radar systems, helicopters, grenade launchers, guns and ammunition and other equipment, the official added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imitation-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-french-president-discards-suits-dons-sweatshirt-copying-zelensky-462399" hreflang="en">Imitation, the sincerest form of flattery: French President discards suits, dons sweatshirt. Copying Zelensky?</a>

Meanwhile, Biden will make his first visit to Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine to discuss the crisis with NATO allies next week, the White House said.

Biden will attend a NATO leaders' meeting at the military alliance's headquarters in Brussels on March 24.

Also, NATO is set to tell its military commanders on Wednesday to draw up plans for new ways to deter Russia from future military action, including more troops and missile defences in eastern Europe, officials and diplomats said.

"We need to reset our military posture for this new reality. Ministers will start an important discussion on concrete measures to reinforce our security for the longer term, in all domains," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Tuesday.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;From repairing cars to converting Russian guns, this auto shop in Kyiv is helping Ukrainians

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(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. A White House official said that the United States President Joe Biden will announce $800 million in new security assistance to Ukraine Wednesday (March 16). The official further informed that the announcement is set to come soon after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the US Congress. News agency AFP quoted the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Tuesday (March 15), said that the announcement is expected to come at 11.45 am (local time). The official said that the latest security aid brings "the total (aid) announced in the last week alone to $1 billion." However, the official didn't provide details on what would be included in the $800 million of security assistance. ALSO READ | 'Courage of true friends of Ukraine': European leaders' defiant visit to Kyiv amid growing tension with Russia Previously, Biden had already authorized $200 million in additional military equipment to Ukraine on Saturday. That came on top of $350 million authorized by Washington, also for military equipment, on February 26 - at the time, the largest such package in US history. The official said that in the past year, the US has provided over 600 Stinger missiles and approximately 2,600 Javelin anti-armour systems to Ukraine. The US has also provided an assortment of radar systems, helicopters, grenade launchers, guns and ammunition and other equipment, the official added. ALSO READ | Imitation, the sincerest form of flattery: French President discards suits, dons sweatshirt. Copying Zelensky? Meanwhile, Biden will make his first visit to Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine to discuss the crisis with NATO allies next week, the White House said. Biden will attend a NATO leaders' meeting at the military alliance's headquarters in Brussels on March 24. Also, NATO is set to tell its military commanders on Wednesday to draw up plans for new ways to deter Russia from future military action, including more troops and missile defences in eastern Europe, officials and diplomats said. "We need to reset our military posture for this new reality. Ministers will start an important discussion on concrete measures to reinforce our security for the longer term, in all domains," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Tuesday. WATCH | From repairing cars to converting Russian guns, this auto shop in Kyiv is helping Ukrainians × (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Joe Biden to announce $800 million in new security aid to Ukraine

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