Why has Ukraine been able to stall Russian advance?

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday issued an "urgent appeal" to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following a spike in prices and supply fears due to the Ukraine crisis.

Habeck called on top oil-producing nations to "increase production in order to create relief on the market".

"That would be a contribution" to easing the stress on firms and households, he said at a Berlin press conference.

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Oil&nbsp;prices rose on Tuesday, with Brent surging past $132 a barrel on expectations that the United States and Britain will announce a formal ban on Russian&nbsp;oil&nbsp;imports, stoking supply concerns.

The ban is expected to be a gradual phasing out over time and is expected to last about a year to try to stop people panic-buying fuel.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said prices could rise to more than $300 a barrel.

In addition to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Ukraine, the fighting and ensuing Western sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s Russia have sent a shock wave through the global economy.

Energy prices have surged worldwide, stocks have plummeted, and the food supply for many who rely on crops farmed in the fertile Black Sea region has been threatened.

Russia is the world's biggest exporter of oil and natural gas, and until now its energy exports had been exempted from international sanctions. Although the United States is not a leading buyer of Russian oil, its allies are likely to come under pressure to also wean their economies off Russian energy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/just-how-crucial-is-russian-gas-for-west-in-spite-of-its-invasion-of-ukraine-460314">Just how crucial Russian gas is for West, in spite of its invasion of Ukraine</a>

Europe is heavily reliant on Russian energy imports, and Western sanctions against Russia have so far not targeted oil and gas.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called Russian energy supplies of "essential importance" for people's daily lives in Europe's biggest economy.

The US announcement will intensify the impact of the war on a global economy already suffering supply shortages and price surges as it lurches out of the pandemic crisis. In the United States, gas pump prices have already hit a record since Russia launched the invasion, worsening inflation that was already at 40-year highs.

US Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, said the administration was coordinating with European allies "and making sure that we've done the groundwork to understand how to effectively implement a ban on Russian energy."

"We are going to see increased gas prices here in the United States. In Europe, they will see dramatic increases in prices. That's the cost of standing up for freedom and standing alongside the Ukrainian people, but it's going to cost us," Coons told CNN.

Buses carried civilians out of one embattled Ukrainian city Tuesday and supplies toward another, as officials tried to rescue people away from a Russian onslaught and ease the dire humanitarian situation for those still stuck.

On the 13th day of the invasion, Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II grew even more severe, with UN&nbsp;officials reporting that 2 million people have now fled Ukraine.

Demands for ways to safely evacuate civilians have surged along with intensifying shelling by Russian forces that is also strangling cities, cutting off supplies of food, water and medicine as well as escape routes in tactics described by Ukrainian officials as reminiscent of medieval sieges.

(With inputs from agencies)

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday issued an "urgent appeal" to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following a spike in prices and supply fears due to the Ukraine crisis.

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday issued an "urgent appeal" to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following a spike in prices and supply fears due to the Ukraine crisis. Habeck called on top oil-producing nations to "increase production in order to create relief on the market". "That would be a contribution" to easing the stress on firms and households, he said at a Berlin press conference. Oil prices rose on Tuesday, with Brent surging past $132 a barrel on expectations that the United States and Britain will announce a formal ban on Russian oil imports, stoking supply concerns. The ban is expected to be a gradual phasing out over time and is expected to last about a year to try to stop people panic-buying fuel. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said prices could rise to more than $300 a barrel. In addition to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Ukraine, the fighting and ensuing Western sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s Russia have sent a shock wave through the global economy. Energy prices have surged worldwide, stocks have plummeted, and the food supply for many who rely on crops farmed in the fertile Black Sea region has been threatened. Russia is the world's biggest exporter of oil and natural gas, and until now its energy exports had been exempted from international sanctions. Although the United States is not a leading buyer of Russian oil, its allies are likely to come under pressure to also wean their economies off Russian energy. Also read | Just how crucial Russian gas is for West, in spite of its invasion of Ukraine Europe is heavily reliant on Russian energy imports, and Western sanctions against Russia have so far not targeted oil and gas. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called Russian energy supplies of "essential importance" for people's daily lives in Europe's biggest economy. The US announcement will intensify the impact of the war on a global economy already suffering supply shortages and price surges as it lurches out of the pandemic crisis. In the United States, gas pump prices have already hit a record since Russia launched the invasion, worsening inflation that was already at 40-year highs. US Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, said the administration was coordinating with European allies "and making sure that we've done the groundwork to understand how to effectively implement a ban on Russian energy." "We are going to see increased gas prices here in the United States. In Europe, they will see dramatic increases in prices. That's the cost of standing up for freedom and standing alongside the Ukrainian people, but it's going to cost us," Coons told CNN. Buses carried civilians out of one embattled Ukrainian city Tuesday and supplies toward another, as officials tried to rescue people away from a Russian onslaught and ease the dire humanitarian situation for those still stuck. On the 13th day of the invasion, Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II grew even more severe, with UN officials reporting that 2 million people have now fled Ukraine. Demands for ways to safely evacuate civilians have surged along with intensifying shelling by Russian forces that is also strangling cities, cutting off supplies of food, water and medicine as well as escape routes in tactics described by Ukrainian officials as reminiscent of medieval sieges. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany issues 'urgent appeal' to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following price hike

Twenty-one people, including two children, were killed in airstrikes on the besieged northeast Ukrainian city of Sumy, the authorities said.

"The bodies of 21 people, including two children" were found at the site of strikes, the regional public prosecutor said on Facebook.&nbsp;

Evacuations of people fleeing embattled Ukrainian cities along safe corridors began Tuesday, while UN&nbsp;officials said the exodus of refugees from Russia’s invasion reached 2 million.

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The Russian onslaught has trapped people inside cities that are running low on food, water and medicine amid the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II.

Previous attempts to lead civilians to safety have crumbled with renewed attacks. But on Tuesday, video posted by Ukrainian officials showed buses with people moving along a snowy road from the eastern city of Sumy and yellow buses with a red cross on them in southern port of Mariupol.

"We have already started the evacuation of civilians from Sumy to Poltava (in central Ukraine), including foreign students," the foreign ministry said in a tweet. "We call on Russia to agree on other humanitarian corridors in Ukraine."

Those buses are headed to other cities in Ukraine, but many people have chosen to flee the country instead. Safa Msehli, a spokesperson for the UN’s International Organisation for Migration, tweeted that 2 million have now left, including at least 100,000 people who are not Ukrainian.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-ukraine-has-been-able-to-stall-russian-advance-460209">Why Ukraine has been able to stall Russian advance?</a>

Russia’s coordination center for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk both said a cease-fire was agreed to start Tuesday morning to allow some civilians to evacuate, but it was not clear where all the corridors would lead to, amid disagreement between the two sides.

Russia’s coordination center suggested there would be more than one corridor, but that most would lead to Russia, either directly or through Belarus. At the UN, however, the Russian ambassador suggested corridors from several cities could be opened and people could choose for themselves which direction they would take.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-ukraines-punisher-drone-is-targeting-russian-supply-lines-460230" hreflang="en">How Ukraine's 'Punisher' drone is targeting Russian supply lines</a>

Vereshchuk, meanwhile, only said that the two sides had agreed to an evacuation of civilians from the eastern city of Sumy, toward the Ukrainian city of Poltava. Those to be evacuated include foreign students from India and China, she said.

She reiterated that proposals to evacuate civilians to Russia and its ally Belarus, which was a launch pad for the invasion, were unacceptable.

Later, Ukrainian presidential aide Kyrylo Tymoshenko posted a video of yellow buses with a red cross plastered on the side that he said were being used for evacuations from Mariupol toward the city of Zaporizhzhia. He said that humanitarian aid was also being sent in to Mariupol.

Demands for effective passageways have surged amid intensifying shelling by Russian forces. The steady bombardments, including in some of Ukraine’s most populated regions, have yielded a humanitarian crisis of diminishing food, water and medical supplies.

(With inputs from agencies)

Twenty-one people, including two children, were killed in airstrikes on the besieged northeast Ukrainian city of Sumy, the authorities said. "The bodies of 21 people, including two children" were found at the site of strikes, the regional public prosecutor said on Facebook.

Twenty-one people, including two children, were killed in airstrikes on the besieged northeast Ukrainian city of Sumy, the authorities said. "The bodies of 21 people, including two children" were found at the site of strikes, the regional public prosecutor said on Facebook. Evacuations of people fleeing embattled Ukrainian cities along safe corridors began Tuesday, while UN officials said the exodus of refugees from Russia’s invasion reached 2 million. The Russian onslaught has trapped people inside cities that are running low on food, water and medicine amid the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II. Previous attempts to lead civilians to safety have crumbled with renewed attacks. But on Tuesday, video posted by Ukrainian officials showed buses with people moving along a snowy road from the eastern city of Sumy and yellow buses with a red cross on them in southern port of Mariupol. "We have already started the evacuation of civilians from Sumy to Poltava (in central Ukraine), including foreign students," the foreign ministry said in a tweet. "We call on Russia to agree on other humanitarian corridors in Ukraine." Those buses are headed to other cities in Ukraine, but many people have chosen to flee the country instead. Safa Msehli, a spokesperson for the UN’s International Organisation for Migration, tweeted that 2 million have now left, including at least 100,000 people who are not Ukrainian. Also see | Why Ukraine has been able to stall Russian advance? Russia’s coordination center for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk both said a cease-fire was agreed to start Tuesday morning to allow some civilians to evacuate, but it was not clear where all the corridors would lead to, amid disagreement between the two sides. Russia’s coordination center suggested there would be more than one corridor, but that most would lead to Russia, either directly or through Belarus. At the UN, however, the Russian ambassador suggested corridors from several cities could be opened and people could choose for themselves which direction they would take. Also see | How Ukraine's 'Punisher' drone is targeting Russian supply lines Vereshchuk, meanwhile, only said that the two sides had agreed to an evacuation of civilians from the eastern city of Sumy, toward the Ukrainian city of Poltava. Those to be evacuated include foreign students from India and China, she said. She reiterated that proposals to evacuate civilians to Russia and its ally Belarus, which was a launch pad for the invasion, were unacceptable. Later, Ukrainian presidential aide Kyrylo Tymoshenko posted a video of yellow buses with a red cross plastered on the side that he said were being used for evacuations from Mariupol toward the city of Zaporizhzhia. He said that humanitarian aid was also being sent in to Mariupol. Demands for effective passageways have surged amid intensifying shelling by Russian forces. The steady bombardments, including in some of Ukraine’s most populated regions, have yielded a humanitarian crisis of diminishing food, water and medical supplies. (With inputs from agencies)

21 killed in airstrikes on Ukraine's Sumy, first convoy of evacuees leaves city

Dayana Yastremska's unexpected run to the Lyon Open final ended in defeat on Sunday but the Ukrainian said she would donate her prize money towards aid efforts following Russia's invasion of her country 10 days ago.

Yastremska, who has won three WTA titles, fled Ukraine with her younger sister with help from their parents just days after the invasion began on Feb. 24.

She said she spent two nights in an underground parking lot before they fled.

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The 21-year-old took the first set against Zhang Shuai before losing 3-6 6-3 6-4 to the eighth seed, who came back from 4-2 down in the decider to clinch the title.

"The prize money I earn here I'm going to give to the Ukrainian Foundation to support Ukraine," Yastremska, who draped her country's flag around her shoulders, said at the trophy presentation.

"If Ukrainian people are watching me, I want to say 'you guys are so strong, you have an amazing spirit, and I tried to fight for Ukraine'.

"I want to say thanks to every single person for standing by Ukraine."

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation".

There was, however, some good news for Yastremska with the organisers of the March 9-20 WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells announcing that she was handed a wildcard into the main draw.

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Italian Camila Giorgi's withdrawal paved the way for four-time major winner Naomi Osaka to move into the main draw at Indian Wells as a direct entry and freeing up a wildcard which was handed to Yastremska.

"My beloved Ukraine, I really wanted to win this one for you," Yastremska, a former world number 21 who is currently ranked 103rd, said on Twitter following her defeat in Lyon.

"I gave my absolute best throughout this week because that's what Ukrainians do!"

Dayana Yastremska's unexpected run to the Lyon Open final ended in defeat on Sunday but the Ukrainian said she would donate her prize money towards aid efforts following Russia's invasion of her country 10 days ago.

Dayana Yastremska's unexpected run to the Lyon Open final ended in defeat on Sunday but the Ukrainian said she would donate her prize money towards aid efforts following Russia's invasion of her country 10 days ago. Yastremska, who has won three WTA titles, fled Ukraine with her younger sister with help from their parents just days after the invasion began on Feb. 24. She said she spent two nights in an underground parking lot before they fled. ALSO READ: International Judo Federation removes Vladimir Putin, Arkady Rotenberg from all positions amid Ukraine war The 21-year-old took the first set against Zhang Shuai before losing 3-6 6-3 6-4 to the eighth seed, who came back from 4-2 down in the decider to clinch the title. "The prize money I earn here I'm going to give to the Ukrainian Foundation to support Ukraine," Yastremska, who draped her country's flag around her shoulders, said at the trophy presentation. "If Ukrainian people are watching me, I want to say 'you guys are so strong, you have an amazing spirit, and I tried to fight for Ukraine'. "I want to say thanks to every single person for standing by Ukraine." Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation". There was, however, some good news for Yastremska with the organisers of the March 9-20 WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells announcing that she was handed a wildcard into the main draw. ALSO READ: Russian gymnast sports 'Z' symbol on shirt while sharing podium with Ukrainian winner, sparks outrage Italian Camila Giorgi's withdrawal paved the way for four-time major winner Naomi Osaka to move into the main draw at Indian Wells as a direct entry and freeing up a wildcard which was handed to Yastremska. "My beloved Ukraine, I really wanted to win this one for you," Yastremska, a former world number 21 who is currently ranked 103rd, said on Twitter following her defeat in Lyon. "I gave my absolute best throughout this week because that's what Ukrainians do!"

Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska to donate Lyon Open prize money to help her war-torn homeland

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy and cynicism after Moscow said it would open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities, but only to Russia or Belarus.

"All this is not serious, it is moral and political cynicism, which I find intolerable," he told LCI television in an interview, adding that promises to protect civilians so that they could merely flee towards Russia were "hypocritical".

"The situation is worsening each day. People die, fatigue settles in. .. We have not managed to obtain a ceasefire," Macron told LCI television.

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Russia announced new "humanitarian corridors" on Monday to transport Ukrainians trapped under its bombardment,&nbsp;to Russia itself and its ally Belarus, in a move which was immediately denounced by Kyiv as an immoral stunt.

"They are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine," said a spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Well into the second week of war, Russia’s plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Its troops have made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv.

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The fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide, stocks plummeting, and is threatening the food supply and livelihoods of people around the globe who rely on farmland in the Black Sea region.

The death toll, meanwhile, remains unclear. The UN&nbsp;has confirmed a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned the number is a vast undercount. Police for the Kharkiv region said Monday that 209 people have died there alone, 133 of them civilians.

The Russian invasion has also sent 1.7 million people fleeing Ukraine, creating what the head of the UN refugee agency called “the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.”

Both Russia and Ukraine are also among the world's main exporters of grain, edible oils and industrial metals. The war threatens to send global food prices skyrocketing and complicate industries' recovery from the pandemic crisis.

Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. It calls the campaign it launched on February 24 a "special military operation" to disarm Ukraine and remove leaders it describes as neo-Nazis. Ukraine and its Western allies call this a transparent pretext for an invasion to conquer a nation of 44 million people.

(With inputs from agencies)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy and cynicism after Moscow said it would open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities, but only to Russia or Belarus.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy and cynicism after Moscow said it would open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities, but only to Russia or Belarus. "All this is not serious, it is moral and political cynicism, which I find intolerable," he told LCI television in an interview, adding that promises to protect civilians so that they could merely flee towards Russia were "hypocritical". "The situation is worsening each day. People die, fatigue settles in. .. We have not managed to obtain a ceasefire," Macron told LCI television. Russia announced new "humanitarian corridors" on Monday to transport Ukrainians trapped under its bombardment, to Russia itself and its ally Belarus, in a move which was immediately denounced by Kyiv as an immoral stunt. "They are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine," said a spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Well into the second week of war, Russia’s plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Its troops have made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? The fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide, stocks plummeting, and is threatening the food supply and livelihoods of people around the globe who rely on farmland in the Black Sea region. The death toll, meanwhile, remains unclear. The UN has confirmed a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned the number is a vast undercount. Police for the Kharkiv region said Monday that 209 people have died there alone, 133 of them civilians. The Russian invasion has also sent 1.7 million people fleeing Ukraine, creating what the head of the UN refugee agency called “the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.” Both Russia and Ukraine are also among the world's main exporters of grain, edible oils and industrial metals. The war threatens to send global food prices skyrocketing and complicate industries' recovery from the pandemic crisis. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. It calls the campaign it launched on February 24 a "special military operation" to disarm Ukraine and remove leaders it describes as neo-Nazis. Ukraine and its Western allies call this a transparent pretext for an invasion to conquer a nation of 44 million people. (With inputs from agencies)

Macron accuses Putin of hypocrisy and cynicism over Ukraine corridor

1.7 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in the space of 11 days, the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said.

Nearly three-fifths of the total, nearly 1.03 million, arrived in Poland, according to the agency. Over 180,000 went to Hungary and 128,000 to Slovakia.

Grandi stressed that wide international assistance is needed for Poland and other countries receiving refugees from Ukraine.

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He said that “predictions are difficult, hundreds of thousands are on the move inside Ukraine, and it is very likely that we will see a large influx continuing in the next few days.”

Grandi said that “what is needed really is a ceasefire, is the end to hostilities because that’s the only way to stop this tragedy.”

In Montpellier, France, EU foreign affairs policy chief Josep Borrell called on mobilising “all the resources” of the bloc of 27 nations to help countries welcoming refugees from Ukraine, including neighboring Poland and Romania. Borrell spoke ahead of a meeting of development ministers of the EU.

Ukraine said on Monday a Russian proposal on humanitarian corridors was "completely immoral" after Moscow suggested it would allow people to flee Ukrainian cities provided they exited to Belarus or Russia.

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A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian citizens should be allowed to leave their homes through Ukrainian territory, and accused Russia of deliberately hampering previous evacuation attempts.

"This is a completely immoral story. People's suffering is used to create the desired television picture," the spokesman said in a written message. "These are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine."

Western allies have imposed unprecedented sanctions against businesses, banks, and billionaires in a bid to choke the Russian economy and pressure Moscow to halt its assault.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has equated global sanctions with a declaration of war and warned that Kyiv is "putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood" by continuing to resist.

Kremlin says Russia’s military action in Ukraine could be halted “only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia.”

Putin has listed “demilitarisation” and “denazification” of Ukraine, recognition of Russian-annexed Crimea as part of Russia and separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states as the Kremlin’s main demands.

Ceasefire talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials began on the Belarusian border on Monday as Russia faces deepening economic isolation.

(With inputs from agencies)

1.7 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in the space of 11 days, the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said.

1.7 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in the space of 11 days, the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said. Nearly three-fifths of the total, nearly 1.03 million, arrived in Poland, according to the agency. Over 180,000 went to Hungary and 128,000 to Slovakia. Grandi stressed that wide international assistance is needed for Poland and other countries receiving refugees from Ukraine. He said that “predictions are difficult, hundreds of thousands are on the move inside Ukraine, and it is very likely that we will see a large influx continuing in the next few days.” Grandi said that “what is needed really is a ceasefire, is the end to hostilities because that’s the only way to stop this tragedy.” In Montpellier, France, EU foreign affairs policy chief Josep Borrell called on mobilising “all the resources” of the bloc of 27 nations to help countries welcoming refugees from Ukraine, including neighboring Poland and Romania. Borrell spoke ahead of a meeting of development ministers of the EU. Ukraine said on Monday a Russian proposal on humanitarian corridors was "completely immoral" after Moscow suggested it would allow people to flee Ukrainian cities provided they exited to Belarus or Russia. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian citizens should be allowed to leave their homes through Ukrainian territory, and accused Russia of deliberately hampering previous evacuation attempts. "This is a completely immoral story. People's suffering is used to create the desired television picture," the spokesman said in a written message. "These are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine." Western allies have imposed unprecedented sanctions against businesses, banks, and billionaires in a bid to choke the Russian economy and pressure Moscow to halt its assault. But Russian President Vladimir Putin has equated global sanctions with a declaration of war and warned that Kyiv is "putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood" by continuing to resist. Kremlin says Russia’s military action in Ukraine could be halted “only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia.” Putin has listed “demilitarisation” and “denazification” of Ukraine, recognition of Russian-annexed Crimea as part of Russia and separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states as the Kremlin’s main demands. Ceasefire talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials began on the Belarusian border on Monday as Russia faces deepening economic isolation. (With inputs from agencies)

Almost 2 million flee Ukraine in ‘fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since WWII’: UN

China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said Beijing is willing to act as a mediator on the Ukraine crisis.

Speaking during his annual briefing with foreign media, he said China was "willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation, when necessary".

Wang Yi said it was a “blatant double standard if some respect the sovereignty of Ukraine but repeatedly harm China’s sovereignty over Taiwan”.

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The foreign minister described the China-Russia relationship as "the world's most crucial bilateral relationship", which "is conducive to world peace, stability and development".

China has refused to condemn its close ally Moscow after only last month touting a "no limits" strategic partnership between the two countries.

Beijing has repeatedly said it would play a "constructive role in calling for negotiations" to resolve the crisis but has not previously committed to joining or hosting any peace talks.

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China is the only friend that might help Russia blunt the impact of economic sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, but President Xi Jinping’s government is giving no sign it might be willing to risk its own access to US and European markets by doing too much.

Even if Beijing wanted to, its ability to support President Vladimir Putin by importing more Russian gas and other goods is limited.

Relations with Moscow have warmed since Xi took power in 2012, motivated by shared resentment of Washington, but their interests can conflict. While their militaries hold joint exercises, Putin is uneasy about the growing Chinese economic presence in Central Asia and Russia’s Far East.

“China-Russia relations are at the highest level in history, but the two countries are not an alliance,” said Li Xin, an international relations expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.

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Xi’s government might support Putin within those limits,&nbsp;and Chinese companies might use the situation to pursue better deals,&nbsp;but will balk at openly violating sanctions and being targeted for penalties, experts said.

“China doesn’t want to get so involved that it ends up suffering as a result of its support for Russia,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist for Capital Economics.

Chinese trade with Russia rose to $146.9 billion last year, but that is less than one-tenth of China’s total $1.6 trillion in trade with the United States and EU.

“It all hinges on whether they’re willing to risk their access to Western markets to help Russia, and I don’t think they are,” said Williams. “It’s just not that big a market.”

China’s multibillion-dollar purchases of Russian gas for its energy-hungry economy have been a lifeline for Putin following trade and financial sanctions imposed in 2014 over his seizure of Crimea from Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said Beijing is willing to act as a mediator on the Ukraine crisis. Speaking during his annual briefing with foreign media, he said China was "willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation, when necessary".

China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said Beijing is willing to act as a mediator on the Ukraine crisis. Speaking during his annual briefing with foreign media, he said China was "willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation, when necessary". Wang Yi said it was a “blatant double standard if some respect the sovereignty of Ukraine but repeatedly harm China’s sovereignty over Taiwan”. The foreign minister described the China-Russia relationship as "the world's most crucial bilateral relationship", which "is conducive to world peace, stability and development". China has refused to condemn its close ally Moscow after only last month touting a "no limits" strategic partnership between the two countries. Beijing has repeatedly said it would play a "constructive role in calling for negotiations" to resolve the crisis but has not previously committed to joining or hosting any peace talks. Also read | China, Russia aware of US’ military might, will defend Taiwan if Beijing attacks: Biden China is the only friend that might help Russia blunt the impact of economic sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, but President Xi Jinping’s government is giving no sign it might be willing to risk its own access to US and European markets by doing too much. Even if Beijing wanted to, its ability to support President Vladimir Putin by importing more Russian gas and other goods is limited. Relations with Moscow have warmed since Xi took power in 2012, motivated by shared resentment of Washington, but their interests can conflict. While their militaries hold joint exercises, Putin is uneasy about the growing Chinese economic presence in Central Asia and Russia’s Far East. “China-Russia relations are at the highest level in history, but the two countries are not an alliance,” said Li Xin, an international relations expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? Xi’s government might support Putin within those limits, and Chinese companies might use the situation to pursue better deals, but will balk at openly violating sanctions and being targeted for penalties, experts said. “China doesn’t want to get so involved that it ends up suffering as a result of its support for Russia,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist for Capital Economics. Chinese trade with Russia rose to $146.9 billion last year, but that is less than one-tenth of China’s total $1.6 trillion in trade with the United States and EU. “It all hinges on whether they’re willing to risk their access to Western markets to help Russia, and I don’t think they are,” said Williams. “It’s just not that big a market.” China’s multibillion-dollar purchases of Russian gas for its energy-hungry economy have been a lifeline for Putin following trade and financial sanctions imposed in 2014 over his seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

Wang Yi says China is willing to act as mediator on Ukraine crisis

President Zelensky of Ukraine has asked the West to impose a no-fly zone as a precautionary measure as his country comes under aerial attack from Russia.

He claims that dragging NATO into a confrontation with Russia is not his intention, but his pleas have so far been ignored.

If a no-fly zone is imposed, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has indicated that RAF fighters may be forced to target Russian planes, resulting in a far larger confrontation.

Here we explain what a no-fly zone (NFZ) is, why NATO refuses to enforce one, and how many times it has been used previously.&nbsp;

What is a no-fly zone?&nbsp;

For security reasons, a no-fly zone is a restricted area where aeroplanes are prohibited from flying.

They're frequently employed in war zones to prevent aggressors from flying military aircraft over their own territory.

It protects civilians and military targets while also conducting surveillance.

Opposing fighter aeroplanes monitor the zone, looking for any planes that aren't following the rules.

Any rogue planes may be compelled to land or escorted away, and they could be shot down in the process.

A no-fly zone is an order that prohibits aeroplanes from flying over a specific area.

For security considerations, such zones are occasionally imposed over government facilities or public spaces, as well as sacred sites for religious and cultural purposes.&nbsp;

During conflicts, they are most problematic when employed to prohibit military aircraft from engaging in hostile acts.

All unlicensed aircraft would be barred from flying over Ukraine under a no-fly zone.

Following the 1991 Gulf War, Western nations imposed such restrictions on areas of Iraq for more than a decade, as well as during the civil wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1993 to 1995 and Libya in 2011.&nbsp; 
 
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Why is NATO adamant about not imposing one over Ukraine?

NATO countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, have refused to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine in order to avoid a direct conflict.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary general, has consistently dismissed the idea of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, telling NBC on February 28 that "we have no intention of moving into Ukraine, either on the ground or in the air."&nbsp; 
 
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No-fly zones have been utilised in the past

Following the first Gulf War in 1991, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France established two no-fly zones in Iraq to prevent Saddam Hussein from targeting Iraq's Kurdish and Shia Muslim communities.

This was done without the support of the United Nations.

During the Bosnian War in the 1990s, NATO countries used Operation Deny Flight to impose a no-fly zone.

Libya was placed under a no-fly zone in 2011 to protect its citizens from the Gaddafi regime's attacks.

RAF jets from the United Kingdom were among those involved.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Zelensky of Ukraine has asked the West to impose a no-fly zone as a precautionary measure as his country comes under aerial attack from Russia. He claims that dragging NATO into a confrontation with Russia is not his intention, but his pleas have so far been ignored.

President Zelensky of Ukraine has asked the West to impose a no-fly zone as a precautionary measure as his country comes under aerial attack from Russia. He claims that dragging NATO into a confrontation with Russia is not his intention, but his pleas have so far been ignored. If a no-fly zone is imposed, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has indicated that RAF fighters may be forced to target Russian planes, resulting in a far larger confrontation. Here we explain what a no-fly zone (NFZ) is, why NATO refuses to enforce one, and how many times it has been used previously. What is a no-fly zone? For security reasons, a no-fly zone is a restricted area where aeroplanes are prohibited from flying. They're frequently employed in war zones to prevent aggressors from flying military aircraft over their own territory. It protects civilians and military targets while also conducting surveillance. Opposing fighter aeroplanes monitor the zone, looking for any planes that aren't following the rules. Any rogue planes may be compelled to land or escorted away, and they could be shot down in the process. A no-fly zone is an order that prohibits aeroplanes from flying over a specific area. For security considerations, such zones are occasionally imposed over government facilities or public spaces, as well as sacred sites for religious and cultural purposes. During conflicts, they are most problematic when employed to prohibit military aircraft from engaging in hostile acts. All unlicensed aircraft would be barred from flying over Ukraine under a no-fly zone. Following the 1991 Gulf War, Western nations imposed such restrictions on areas of Iraq for more than a decade, as well as during the civil wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1993 to 1995 and Libya in 2011. IN PICS | What are Czech hedgehogs?: Homemade obstacles that can destroy Russian tanks Why is NATO adamant about not imposing one over Ukraine? NATO countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, have refused to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine in order to avoid a direct conflict. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary general, has consistently dismissed the idea of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, telling NBC on February 28 that "we have no intention of moving into Ukraine, either on the ground or in the air." IN PICS | Battle analysis: Russian tank armada vs Ukraine - who will win? No-fly zones have been utilised in the past Following the first Gulf War in 1991, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France established two no-fly zones in Iraq to prevent Saddam Hussein from targeting Iraq's Kurdish and Shia Muslim communities. This was done without the support of the United Nations. During the Bosnian War in the 1990s, NATO countries used Operation Deny Flight to impose a no-fly zone. Libya was placed under a no-fly zone in 2011 to protect its citizens from the Gaddafi regime's attacks. RAF jets from the United Kingdom were among those involved. (With inputs from agencies)

No-fly zone: What does it mean, and why is NATO unwilling to impose one over Ukraine? 

Russia has announced fresh ceasefire to open humanitarian corridors in Ukraine to facilitate the evacuations of civilians from several Ukraine in cities. The Russian military will hold fire on open green corridors in several Ukraine cities including the capital Kyiv 7am onwards. Now Russian defence ministry confirmed that they hold temporary ceasefire to facilitate the evacuation from several Ukraine in cities.

Russia calls for a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine from 7 AM GMT to aid in evacuations

What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine?

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and others have called for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine to counter the threat from Russian military aircraft. For now, NATO leaders have said they aren’t willing, fearful such a move could drag them into a broader war with Russia.

A no-fly zone is an order to ban aircraft in a specified area. Such zones are sometimes imposed over government buildings or public places for security reasons, or over sacred sites for religious and cultural reasons. Their most contentious use is when they are used during conflicts to prevent military aircraft from engaging in hostile actions.

The modern use of no-fly zones stems from the Persian Gulf War. After the United States and its allies repelled Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991, the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, used helicopter gunships to quash uprisings at home, killing tens of thousands.

The coalition allied against Saddam over Kuwait was unwilling to carry out a full-scale campaign against him. Instead, the United States, Britain and France imposed no-fly zones over the north and south of Iraq as a limited step to protect against aerial attacks by his forces.

Those no-fly zones continued until the 2003 war in Iraq. Critics said the effort lacked legal authorization, and U.S. attacks on Iraqi air defense infrastructure also killed civilians.

No-fly zones have been imposed elsewhere. NATO, with the approval of the United Nations, enforced them over Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1993 to 1995 during the Balkans conflict. The alliance did so again in 2011 in Libya, when dictator Moammar Gadhafi was trying to crush a rebellion.

No-fly zones can allow countries to take action without committing large numbers of ground troops, relying instead on a comparatively small number of aircraft and supporting infrastructure. But enforcing such restrictions can also involve a significant use of force, including destroying anti-air defenses or shooting down aircraft.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has warned that any nation that tried to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would in effect be “participating in the armed conflict,” raising the threat of Russian retaliation. NATO’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said Friday that its members had rejected a no-fly zone out of fears it could lead to “a full-fledged war in Europe.”

Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s leader, has said that NATO’s refusal to take such a step has given Russia a “green light” to continue the war. 
&nbsp;

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and others have called for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine to counter the threat from Russian military aircraft. For now, NATO leaders have said they aren’t willing, fearful such a move could drag them into a broader war with Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and others have called for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine to counter the threat from Russian military aircraft. For now, NATO leaders have said they aren’t willing, fearful such a move could drag them into a broader war with Russia. A no-fly zone is an order to ban aircraft in a specified area. Such zones are sometimes imposed over government buildings or public places for security reasons, or over sacred sites for religious and cultural reasons. Their most contentious use is when they are used during conflicts to prevent military aircraft from engaging in hostile actions. The modern use of no-fly zones stems from the Persian Gulf War. After the United States and its allies repelled Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991, the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, used helicopter gunships to quash uprisings at home, killing tens of thousands. The coalition allied against Saddam over Kuwait was unwilling to carry out a full-scale campaign against him. Instead, the United States, Britain and France imposed no-fly zones over the north and south of Iraq as a limited step to protect against aerial attacks by his forces. Those no-fly zones continued until the 2003 war in Iraq. Critics said the effort lacked legal authorization, and U.S. attacks on Iraqi air defense infrastructure also killed civilians. No-fly zones have been imposed elsewhere. NATO, with the approval of the United Nations, enforced them over Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1993 to 1995 during the Balkans conflict. The alliance did so again in 2011 in Libya, when dictator Moammar Gadhafi was trying to crush a rebellion. No-fly zones can allow countries to take action without committing large numbers of ground troops, relying instead on a comparatively small number of aircraft and supporting infrastructure. But enforcing such restrictions can also involve a significant use of force, including destroying anti-air defenses or shooting down aircraft. President Vladimir Putin of Russia has warned that any nation that tried to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would in effect be “participating in the armed conflict,” raising the threat of Russian retaliation. NATO’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said Friday that its members had rejected a no-fly zone out of fears it could lead to “a full-fledged war in Europe.” Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s leader, has said that NATO’s refusal to take such a step has given Russia a “green light” to continue the war.

Here’s why Western leaders are reluctant to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday his campaign in Ukraine was going according to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting, as efforts to evacuate the heavily bombarded city of Mariupol failed for the second day in a row.

He made the comments in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who appealed for a ceasefire in the conflict that the United Nations says has created the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two.

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Putin "drew attention to the fact that Kyiv still does not fulfil agreements reached on this acute humanitarian issue," according to a statement from the Kremlin, after two agreements to evacuate Mariupol fell though following allegations of ceasefire breaches.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">He told Erdogan he was ready for dialogue with Ukraine and foreign partners but any attempt to draw out negotiation would fail, a Kremlin statement said.&nbsp;</div>

Putin earlier listed “demilitarisation” and “denazification” of Ukraine, recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, and recognition of the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states as the Kremlin’s main demands.

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Ukraine's Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault by Russian troops.

“There can be no ‘green corridors’ because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom,“ Gerashchenko said on Telegram.

The news dashed hopes of progress in easing, much less ending, the war in Ukraine, which is now in its 11 day and has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country.&nbsp;

Russian troops have already taken control of the Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine, as well as Chernobyl, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would draw the West into the war.

“The world is strong enough to close our skies,” Zelensky said in a video address on Sunday.

The strength of Ukrainian resistance continues to surprise Russian forces, and they have responded by targeting populated areas, including the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Mariupol, the UK Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence briefing.

British military officials on Sunday compared Russia’s tactics in Ukraine to those used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pummeled with airstrikes and artillery after Russian forces faced unexpected resistance.

“This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale,” the ministry said. “Russia has used similar tactics in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016, employing both air and ground-based munitions.”

The death toll of the conflict is difficult to measure. The UN&nbsp;human rights office said at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed, but the true number is probably much higher. Russian and Ukrainian defense officials have not provided information on their military causalities.

Ukraine’s military is vastly outmatched by Russia’s, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday his campaign in Ukraine was going according to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting, as efforts to evacuate the heavily bombarded city of Mariupol failed for the second day in a row.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday his campaign in Ukraine was going according to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting, as efforts to evacuate the heavily bombarded city of Mariupol failed for the second day in a row. He made the comments in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who appealed for a ceasefire in the conflict that the United Nations says has created the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two. Putin "drew attention to the fact that Kyiv still does not fulfil agreements reached on this acute humanitarian issue," according to a statement from the Kremlin, after two agreements to evacuate Mariupol fell though following allegations of ceasefire breaches. He told Erdogan he was ready for dialogue with Ukraine and foreign partners but any attempt to draw out negotiation would fail, a Kremlin statement said. Putin earlier listed “demilitarisation” and “denazification” of Ukraine, recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, and recognition of the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states as the Kremlin’s main demands. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? Ukraine's Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault by Russian troops. “There can be no ‘green corridors’ because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom,“ Gerashchenko said on Telegram. The news dashed hopes of progress in easing, much less ending, the war in Ukraine, which is now in its 11 day and has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country. Russian troops have already taken control of the Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine, as well as Chernobyl, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster. Also read | Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy in Ukraine invasion has stumped US defence experts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would draw the West into the war. “The world is strong enough to close our skies,” Zelensky said in a video address on Sunday. The strength of Ukrainian resistance continues to surprise Russian forces, and they have responded by targeting populated areas, including the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Mariupol, the UK Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence briefing. British military officials on Sunday compared Russia’s tactics in Ukraine to those used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pummeled with airstrikes and artillery after Russian forces faced unexpected resistance. “This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale,” the ministry said. “Russia has used similar tactics in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016, employing both air and ground-based munitions.” The death toll of the conflict is difficult to measure. The UN human rights office said at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed, but the true number is probably much higher. Russian and Ukrainian defense officials have not provided information on their military causalities. Ukraine’s military is vastly outmatched by Russia’s, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. (With inputs from agencies)

Putin says his campaign in Ukraine will not end until Kyiv stops fighting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday (March 6) said Russian forces were preparing to bombard the city of Odessa on Ukraine's Black Sea coast.

"Rockets against Odessa? This will be a war crime," he said in a televised address.

Russian forces have made progress in southern Ukraine since their February 24 invasion, overrunning the city of Kherson and besieging the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared.

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More than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded, the head of the United Nations’ refugee agency reported Sunday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for the failure and warned that the country’s ongoing resistance since Russia invaded its ex-Soviet neighbor on Feb. 24 is putting the country’s future as a nation in jeopardy.

“If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood,” the Russian leader said Saturday. “And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.”

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Putin also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia’s economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling. likening to “declaring war.”

With the Kremlin’s rhetoric growing fiercer and a reprieve from fighting dissolving, Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities.

During the first 11 days of the conflict, Russian forces from Belarus have also advanced on the capital Kyiv from the northwest and northeast, while another group bombarded the northern city of Kharkiv.

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Previous meetings held in Belarus had led to a cease-fire agreement to create humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of children, women and older people from Ukrainian cities, where pharmacies have run bare, hundreds of thousands face food and water shortages, and the injured have been succumbing to their wounds.

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapons and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But the fight itself has been left to Ukrainians, who have expressed a mixture of courageous resolve and despondency.

“Ukraine is bleeding,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a video released Saturday, “but Ukraine has not fallen.”

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday (March 6) said Russian forces were preparing to bombard the city of Odessa on Ukraine's Black Sea coast. "Rockets against Odessa?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday (March 6) said Russian forces were preparing to bombard the city of Odessa on Ukraine's Black Sea coast. "Rockets against Odessa? This will be a war crime," he said in a televised address. Russian forces have made progress in southern Ukraine since their February 24 invasion, overrunning the city of Kherson and besieging the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared. More than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded, the head of the United Nations’ refugee agency reported Sunday. Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for the failure and warned that the country’s ongoing resistance since Russia invaded its ex-Soviet neighbor on Feb. 24 is putting the country’s future as a nation in jeopardy. “If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood,” the Russian leader said Saturday. “And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.” Also read | Why is Ukraine crisis threatening to upset delicate Black Sea equilibrium? Putin also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia’s economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling. likening to “declaring war.” With the Kremlin’s rhetoric growing fiercer and a reprieve from fighting dissolving, Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities. During the first 11 days of the conflict, Russian forces from Belarus have also advanced on the capital Kyiv from the northwest and northeast, while another group bombarded the northern city of Kharkiv. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? Previous meetings held in Belarus had led to a cease-fire agreement to create humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of children, women and older people from Ukrainian cities, where pharmacies have run bare, hundreds of thousands face food and water shortages, and the injured have been succumbing to their wounds. The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapons and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But the fight itself has been left to Ukrainians, who have expressed a mixture of courageous resolve and despondency. “Ukraine is bleeding,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a video released Saturday, “but Ukraine has not fallen.” (With inputs from agencies)

'This will be a war crime': Ukraine warns Russia preparing to shell port city Odessa

China has told the United States to pay attention to the negative impact of NATO’s continuous eastward expansion on Russia’s security environment.

During a conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi &nbsp;''encouraged the United States, NATO, the European Union, and Russia to engage in dialogue on an equal footing, face up to the contradictions and problems accumulated over the years.''

Meanwhile, Blinken discussed about "Moscow's premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine," a US State Department spokesperson said.

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"The Secretary noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty," spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

"He underscored that the world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price," Price added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin toasted a friendship with "no limits" at a warm meeting in February, but just one month later that bond is being tested by the war in Ukraine.

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With international outrage and sanctions mounting against Russia, Beijing is scrambling to avoid being tainted by association with Moscow while also maintaining their increasingly close ties.

Once bitter Cold War rivals, China and Russia have moved closer than ever since Xi Jinping took power nearly a decade ago, driven by their shared desire to confront US power.

But China seems to have been caught flat-footed by Russia's military offensive, fierce Ukrainian resistance, and the volume of the resulting international anti-Kremlin backlash.

Beijing, which has long demanded respect for territorial integrity in border disputes with its own neighbours, has been forced into rhetorical contortions on Ukraine to avoid upsetting Russia.

While maintaining lip service to national sovereignty, China has insisted that Moscow's security concerns regarding Ukraine and the broader expansion of the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) are valid.

It has refused to condemn Moscow, with Chinese government spokespersons remonstrating foreign journalists at press conferences who refer to the assault on Ukraine as an "invasion".

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

China has told the United States to pay attention to the negative impact of NATO’s continuous eastward expansion on Russia’s security environment. During a conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ''encouraged the United States, NATO, the European Union, and Russia to engage in dialogue on an equal footing, face up to the contradictions and problems accumulated over the years.

China has told the United States to pay attention to the negative impact of NATO’s continuous eastward expansion on Russia’s security environment. During a conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ''encouraged the United States, NATO, the European Union, and Russia to engage in dialogue on an equal footing, face up to the contradictions and problems accumulated over the years.'' Meanwhile, Blinken discussed about "Moscow's premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine," a US State Department spokesperson said. "The Secretary noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty," spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. "He underscored that the world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price," Price added. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin toasted a friendship with "no limits" at a warm meeting in February, but just one month later that bond is being tested by the war in Ukraine. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? With international outrage and sanctions mounting against Russia, Beijing is scrambling to avoid being tainted by association with Moscow while also maintaining their increasingly close ties. Once bitter Cold War rivals, China and Russia have moved closer than ever since Xi Jinping took power nearly a decade ago, driven by their shared desire to confront US power. But China seems to have been caught flat-footed by Russia's military offensive, fierce Ukrainian resistance, and the volume of the resulting international anti-Kremlin backlash. Beijing, which has long demanded respect for territorial integrity in border disputes with its own neighbours, has been forced into rhetorical contortions on Ukraine to avoid upsetting Russia. While maintaining lip service to national sovereignty, China has insisted that Moscow's security concerns regarding Ukraine and the broader expansion of the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) are valid. It has refused to condemn Moscow, with Chinese government spokespersons remonstrating foreign journalists at press conferences who refer to the assault on Ukraine as an "invasion". (With inputs from agencies)

China tells US to pay attention to negative impact of NATO’s continuous expansion on Russia’s security

Ukrainian presidential advisor has said the country had halted an advance on the Black Sea port city of Mykolayiv after local authorities said Russian troops had entered.

“All enemy’s attempts to move directly towards Mykolayiv were repulsed,“ Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

If captured, the city of 500,000 people in southern Ukraine, where Russian forces have made the most progress so far, would be the biggest yet to fall.

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Ukraine's military says it is fighting "fierce battles" with Russian forces on the edge of the southern city of Mykolaiv -- which controls the road to the key Black Sea city of Odessa in the west.

Dozens of civilians are being killed in the battle for Chernihiv in the north, with those who remain living in craters or among the ruins.

The port of Mariupol has endured heavy bombardment, a sign of its strategic value to Moscow due to its position between Russian-backed separatist-held eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea Crimean peninsula, which Moscow seized from Kyiv in 2014.

Russia held nuclear drills Saturday as well as the conventional exercises in Belarus, and has ongoing naval drills off the coast in the Black Sea.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-does-aftermath-of-russian-invasion-look-like-for-ukraine-459414" hreflang="en">What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine?</a>

In response to Russia's invasion, Turkey last month closed its Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits linking the Mediterranean and Black Seas to warships under a 1936 pact, limiting passage of some Russian vessels. The convention stipulates however, that warships belonging to Black Sea coastal countries can return to their bases.

The Italian government had also approved deployment of 235 military forces aboard two or three naval vessels, as well as an aircraft as part of surveillance and intelligence-gathering in the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

The stakes are high: if Russia manages to conquer the entire Ukrainian coastline up to the Danube Delta,&nbsp;one of Europe's principal shipping lanes,&nbsp;that would create a direct point of contact between Moscow and NATO member Romania.

If Russian forces take the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa, they could "completely take the Ukrainian coast... and consolidate their hold on the Black Sea", said Igor Delanoe, a specialist on the Russian navy at the Franco-Russian Observatory.

"Russia would thus complete what began in 2014" when they annexed the Crimean peninsula, extending their influence over the Black Sea, according to Jean-Sylvestre Mongrenier of the Thomas More think-tank, which is based in Paris and Brussels. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Ukrainian presidential advisor has said the country had halted an advance on the Black Sea port city of Mykolayiv after local authorities said Russian troops had entered.

Ukrainian presidential advisor has said the country had halted an advance on the Black Sea port city of Mykolayiv after local authorities said Russian troops had entered. “All enemy’s attempts to move directly towards Mykolayiv were repulsed,“ Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. If captured, the city of 500,000 people in southern Ukraine, where Russian forces have made the most progress so far, would be the biggest yet to fall. Ukraine's military says it is fighting "fierce battles" with Russian forces on the edge of the southern city of Mykolaiv -- which controls the road to the key Black Sea city of Odessa in the west. Dozens of civilians are being killed in the battle for Chernihiv in the north, with those who remain living in craters or among the ruins. The port of Mariupol has endured heavy bombardment, a sign of its strategic value to Moscow due to its position between Russian-backed separatist-held eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea Crimean peninsula, which Moscow seized from Kyiv in 2014. Russia held nuclear drills Saturday as well as the conventional exercises in Belarus, and has ongoing naval drills off the coast in the Black Sea. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? In response to Russia's invasion, Turkey last month closed its Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits linking the Mediterranean and Black Seas to warships under a 1936 pact, limiting passage of some Russian vessels. The convention stipulates however, that warships belonging to Black Sea coastal countries can return to their bases. The Italian government had also approved deployment of 235 military forces aboard two or three naval vessels, as well as an aircraft as part of surveillance and intelligence-gathering in the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The stakes are high: if Russia manages to conquer the entire Ukrainian coastline up to the Danube Delta, one of Europe's principal shipping lanes, that would create a direct point of contact between Moscow and NATO member Romania. If Russian forces take the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa, they could "completely take the Ukrainian coast... and consolidate their hold on the Black Sea", said Igor Delanoe, a specialist on the Russian navy at the Franco-Russian Observatory. "Russia would thus complete what began in 2014" when they annexed the Crimean peninsula, extending their influence over the Black Sea, according to Jean-Sylvestre Mongrenier of the Thomas More think-tank, which is based in Paris and Brussels. (With inputs from agencies)

Why is Ukraine crisis threatening to upset delicate Black Sea equilibrium?

In a sharp rebuke to his former boss, former US Vice President Mike Pence said that Donald Trump was wrong for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said that “there is no room in this party for apologists for Putin” as he further cemented his break from Trump.

“Where would Russian tanks be today if NATO had not expanded the borders of freedom? There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin,” Pence said.

“There is only room for champions of freedom,” he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-praises-putins-strategy-in-ukraine-calls-him-a-genius-455635">Also read |&nbsp;Donald Trump praises Putin’s strategy in Ukraine, calls him a ‘genius’ &nbsp;</a>

During an interview on a right-wing radio programme, The Clay Travis &amp; Buck Sexton Show, Trump had called Putin a "genius" to "declare a large portion of Ukraine as independent."

Pence said Trump was incorrect to think Pence could have taken action to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential election that Trump has falsely claimed was stolen from him.

"President Trump is wrong," Pence said in a speech in Florida to the conservative Federalist Society. "I had no right to overturn the election."

"The presidency belongs to the American people, and the American people alone. And frankly there is no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president," Pence added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jan-6-committee-lays-out-potential-criminal-charges-against-trump-458450">Also read |&nbsp;Jan 6 committee lays out potential criminal charges against Trump</a>

After losing his re-election bid Democrat Joe Biden in November 2020, the Republican Trump pressured Pence to block congressional certification of the results in an attempt to stay in power. Pence, a loyal lieutenant during the four years of Trump's tumultuous presidency, opted not to block certification.

In the chilling events of January 6, after a fiery speech near the White House in which Trump repeated his false claim of election fraud and urged the assembled crowd to "fight like hell," the mob marched to the Capitol and overran it in stunning scenes of violence and mayhem.

Trump was impeached for a historic second time after the Capitol riot, he was charged with inciting an insurrection, but was acquitted by the Senate.

The former president still dominates the Republican Party and regularly makes comments flirting with the idea of seeking a second term.

A mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to prevent Congress from formally certifying the election results. Pence was presiding over the proceedings and, along with US lawmakers at the Capitol, fled from the rioters.

"All Vice President Pence has to do is send it back to the states to recertify and we become president and you are the happiest people," Trump told his supporters during the Jan. 6 speech.

Later some of the rioters at the Capitol chanted "Hang Mike Pence" during the rampage and some set up makeshift gallows.

Trump at a rally in Texas on Saturday said that if he were to run for president and win in 2024, he would pardon people charged with criminal offenses in connection with the January 6 riot.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a sharp rebuke to his former boss, former US Vice President Mike Pence said that Donald Trump was wrong for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said that “there is no room in this party for apologists for Putin” as he further cemented his break from Trump.

In a sharp rebuke to his former boss, former US Vice President Mike Pence said that Donald Trump was wrong for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said that “there is no room in this party for apologists for Putin” as he further cemented his break from Trump. “Where would Russian tanks be today if NATO had not expanded the borders of freedom? There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin,” Pence said. “There is only room for champions of freedom,” he added. Also read | Donald Trump praises Putin’s strategy in Ukraine, calls him a ‘genius’ During an interview on a right-wing radio programme, The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, Trump had called Putin a "genius" to "declare a large portion of Ukraine as independent." Pence said Trump was incorrect to think Pence could have taken action to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential election that Trump has falsely claimed was stolen from him. "President Trump is wrong," Pence said in a speech in Florida to the conservative Federalist Society. "I had no right to overturn the election." "The presidency belongs to the American people, and the American people alone. And frankly there is no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president," Pence added. Also read | Jan 6 committee lays out potential criminal charges against Trump After losing his re-election bid Democrat Joe Biden in November 2020, the Republican Trump pressured Pence to block congressional certification of the results in an attempt to stay in power. Pence, a loyal lieutenant during the four years of Trump's tumultuous presidency, opted not to block certification. In the chilling events of January 6, after a fiery speech near the White House in which Trump repeated his false claim of election fraud and urged the assembled crowd to "fight like hell," the mob marched to the Capitol and overran it in stunning scenes of violence and mayhem. Trump was impeached for a historic second time after the Capitol riot, he was charged with inciting an insurrection, but was acquitted by the Senate. The former president still dominates the Republican Party and regularly makes comments flirting with the idea of seeking a second term. A mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to prevent Congress from formally certifying the election results. Pence was presiding over the proceedings and, along with US lawmakers at the Capitol, fled from the rioters. "All Vice President Pence has to do is send it back to the states to recertify and we become president and you are the happiest people," Trump told his supporters during the Jan. 6 speech. Later some of the rioters at the Capitol chanted "Hang Mike Pence" during the rampage and some set up makeshift gallows. Trump at a rally in Texas on Saturday said that if he were to run for president and win in 2024, he would pardon people charged with criminal offenses in connection with the January 6 riot. (With inputs from agencies)

Former US Vice President Mike Pence slams Donald Trump for praising Vladimir Putin

Beyond conventional wisdom, more than the loss of finance, strategy, and economy, there lies a much deeper, often immeasurable - the human cost of war.

Ukraine-Russia Conflict: The Human Cost Of War

The devastation that Ukraine is facing has sparked a new debate among Americans, with many claiming that if the embattled Ukrainians were privy to guns they could've defended their country better. Let's take a look at what's being said.

USA debates: Could Ukrainians have defended their country better if they owned more guns?

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 an accomplished pianist playing Louis Armstrong's song “What a Wonderful World” outside Lviv station has gone viral on social media.

Thousands of people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine are waiting for hours outside the railway station at the western city of Lviv to board trains heading to Poland.

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Lviv, some 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the Polish border, has become a transit point for families fleeing fighting in eastern, southern and central Ukraine.

Armstrong had written the song as a piece that might quell some of the racial and political unrest in America, given its optimism and celebration of life.

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Outside Lviv station, which is thronging with exhausted refugees fleeing war in eastern Ukraine, an accomplished pianist is playing “What a Wonderful World.” It’s hauntingly beautiful. <a href="https://t.co/Xm5itr8jl7">pic.twitter.com/Xm5itr8jl7</a>
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Lviv, a city of trams and cobblestone streets, has become a staging area for humanitarian aid and soldiers pouring back into Ukraine's war zone.

Several Western embassies had already transferred their activities to Lviv,&nbsp;moving out of Kyiv in the run-up to the war.

The authorities have organised free trains to take people across Ukraine towards several EU countries. The scenes at&nbsp;Lviv&nbsp;station are chaotic and the trains are packed.

Haggard-looking travellers scan the timetables, dragging suitcases and prams from one end of the station to the other. Police and military patrols are a constant presence. Volunteers in bright yellow vests hand out free tea and biscuits.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-are-czech-hedgehogs-homemade-obstacles-that-can-destroy-russian-tanks-459254" hreflang="en">What are Czech hedgehogs?: Homemade obstacles that can destroy Russian tanks</a>

Volunteers in the Ukrainian city of Lviv have been setting up shelters fearing Russian forces may advance sooner or later to the western part of the country.

A&nbsp;group of men in Lviv are also helping the war effort against Russian invaders by producing home-made anti-tank obstacles called&nbsp;"Czech hedgehog"&nbsp;from tutorials found on the internet.

Thousands are thought to have died or been wounded as the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two unfolds, creating 1 million refugees according to the United Nations.

The UN refugee agency has said the conflict looked set to trigger Europe's largest refugee crisis this century. 
&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.

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 an accomplished pianist playing Louis Armstrong's song “What a Wonderful World” outside Lviv station has gone viral on social media. Thousands of people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine are waiting for hours outside the railway station at the western city of Lviv to board trains heading to Poland. Lviv, some 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the Polish border, has become a transit point for families fleeing fighting in eastern, southern and central Ukraine. Armstrong had written the song as a piece that might quell some of the racial and political unrest in America, given its optimism and celebration of life. Outside Lviv station, which is thronging with exhausted refugees fleeing war in eastern Ukraine, an accomplished pianist is playing “What a Wonderful World.” It’s hauntingly beautiful. pic.twitter.com/Xm5itr8jl7 — Andrew RC Marshall (@Journotopia) March 5, 2022 × Lviv, a city of trams and cobblestone streets, has become a staging area for humanitarian aid and soldiers pouring back into Ukraine's war zone. Several Western embassies had already transferred their activities to Lviv, moving out of Kyiv in the run-up to the war. The authorities have organised free trains to take people across Ukraine towards several EU countries. The scenes at Lviv station are chaotic and the trains are packed. Haggard-looking travellers scan the timetables, dragging suitcases and prams from one end of the station to the other. Police and military patrols are a constant presence. Volunteers in bright yellow vests hand out free tea and biscuits. Also read | What are Czech hedgehogs?: Homemade obstacles that can destroy Russian tanks Volunteers in the Ukrainian city of Lviv have been setting up shelters fearing Russian forces may advance sooner or later to the western part of the country. A group of men in Lviv are also helping the war effort against Russian invaders by producing home-made anti-tank obstacles called "Czech hedgehog" from tutorials found on the internet. Thousands are thought to have died or been wounded as the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two unfolds, creating 1 million refugees according to the United Nations. The UN refugee agency has said the conflict looked set to trigger Europe's largest refugee crisis this century. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | This video of pianist playing 'What a Wonderful World' outside Lviv station has gone viral

Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy during Ukraine's invasion has stumped US defence experts.

In war, winning quick control of airspace is crucial. Russia’s failure to do so in Ukraine, despite its vast military strength, has been a surprise and may help explain how Ukraine has so far prevented a rout.

The standoff in the sky is among the Russian battle shortcomings, including logistical breakdowns, that have thrown Moscow off stride in its invasion.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-releases-video-claiming-an-attack-on-military-site-459273/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Typically, an invading force would seek at the outset to destroy or at least paralyse the target country’s air and missile defences because dominance of the skies allows ground forces to operate more effectively and with fewer losses.&nbsp;

US military officials had assumed that Russia would use its electronic warfare and cyber capabilities to blind and paralyse Ukraine’s air defences and military communications.

That would have been "the logical and widely anticipated next step, as seen in almost every military conflict since 1938," wrote the RUSI think-tank in London, in an article called "The Mysterious Case of the Missing Russian Air Force."

But the first two weeks have confounded those expectations and instead seen Moscow act far more delicately with its air power, so much so that US officials can't exactly explain what's driving Russia's apparent risk-averse behavior.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-are-czech-hedgehogs-homemade-obstacles-that-can-destroy-russian-tanks-459254" hreflang="en">What are Czech hedgehogs?: Homemade obstacles that can destroy Russian tanks</a>

Vastly outmatched by Russia's military, in terms of raw numbers and firepower, Ukraine's own air force is still flying and its air defenses are still deemed to be viable,&nbsp;a fact that is baffling military experts.

"They're not necessarily willing to take high risks with their own aircraft and their own pilots," a senior US defence official said

A possible explanation for Russia’s failure to do so is that President Vladimir Putin built his war strategy on an assumption that Ukrainian defenses would easily fold, allowing Russian forces to quickly capture Kyiv, the capital, and crush Ukrainian forces in the east and south without having to achieve air superiority.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russia-attacks-ukraine-kalibr-cruise-missiles-tested-in-syrian-battlefield-459267" hreflang="en">Russia attacks Ukraine: Kalibr cruise missiles 'tested' in Syrian battlefield</a>

“We think that they’re a few days behind where they expected to be” at this stage, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said.

“It’s clear, yes, the Russians have had their own challenges and they have met resistance we don’t believe they fully expected.”

Ukrainian air force fighter jets are still carrying out low-level, defensive counter-air and ground-attack sorties. Russia is still flying through contested airspace.

Ukrainian troops with surface-to-air rockets are able to threaten Russian aircraft and create risk to Russian pilots trying to support ground forces.

"There's a lot of stuff they're doing that's perplexing," said Rob Lee, a Russian military specialist at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

He thought the beginning of the war would be "maximum use of force."

"Because every day it goes on there's a cost and the risk goes up. And they're not doing that and it just is really hard to explain for any realistic reason."

“There are two basic ways you can describe the slowness of the Russian advance in Ukraine,” said Loren Thompson, a defence analyst at the Lexington Institute, a Washington think tank.

“One explanation is deliberate restraint. The other explanation is poor execution. We don’t know enough to identify which is the more plausible explanation, but it’s important to recognise the Russians have all sorts of options they have not yet brought to bear,” including heavier use of cyberattacks against the Ukrainian command and control system and air defences.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-is-the-chain-of-command-for-potential-russian-nuclear-strikes-458854">What is the chain of command for potential Russian nuclear strikes?</a>

In its latest assessment, the Institute for the Study of War said Moscow has likely recognised that its initial approach failed and is moving additional combat power toward Ukraine.

“The tide of the war could change rapidly in Russia’s favour if the Russian military has correctly identified its failings and addresses them promptly, given the overwhelming advantage in net combat power that Moscow enjoys,” it said.

The confusion over how Russia has used its air force comes as President Joe Biden's administration rejects calls by Kyiv for a no-fly zone that could draw the United States directly into a conflict with Russia, whose plans for its air force are unclear.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-invasion-parents-of-indian-student-reveal-that-missiles-are-falling-near-hostels-459279" hreflang="en">Ukraine invasion: Parents of Indian student reveal that missiles are falling near hostels</a>

Military experts have seen evidence of a lack of Russian air force coordination with ground troop formations, with multiple Russian columns of troops sent forward beyond the reach of their own air defense cover.

That leaves Russian soldiers vulnerable to attack from Ukrainian forces, including those newly equipped with Turkish drones and US&nbsp;and British anti-tank missiles. David Deptula, a retired US&nbsp;Air Force three-star general who once commanded the no-fly zone over northern Iraq, said he was surprised that Russia didn't work harder to establish air dominance from the start.

"The Russians are discovering that coordinating multi-domain operations is not easy," Deptula said. "And that they are not as good as they presumed they were."

While the Russians have been under-performing, Ukraine's military has been exceeding expectations so far.

Ukraine's experience from the last eight years of fighting with Russian-backed separatist forces in the east was dominated by static World War One-style trench warfare.

By contrast Russia's forces got combat experience in Syria, where they intervened on the side of President Bashar al-Assad, and demonstrated some ability to synchronize ground maneuvers with air and drone attacks.

Ukraine's ability to keep flying air force jets is a visible demonstration of the country's resilience in the face of attack and has been a morale booster, both to its own military and Ukraine's people, experts say.

It has also led to mythologising of the Ukrainian air force, including a tale about a Ukrainian jet fighter that purportedly single-handedly downed six Russian aircrafts, dubbed online as "The Ghost of Kyiv."

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy during Ukraine's invasion has stumped US defence experts. In war, winning quick control of airspace is crucial. Russia’s failure to do so in Ukraine, despite its vast military strength, has been a surprise and may help explain how Ukraine has so far prevented a rout.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy during Ukraine's invasion has stumped US defence experts. In war, winning quick control of airspace is crucial. Russia’s failure to do so in Ukraine, despite its vast military strength, has been a surprise and may help explain how Ukraine has so far prevented a rout. The standoff in the sky is among the Russian battle shortcomings, including logistical breakdowns, that have thrown Moscow off stride in its invasion. Typically, an invading force would seek at the outset to destroy or at least paralyse the target country’s air and missile defences because dominance of the skies allows ground forces to operate more effectively and with fewer losses. US military officials had assumed that Russia would use its electronic warfare and cyber capabilities to blind and paralyse Ukraine’s air defences and military communications. That would have been "the logical and widely anticipated next step, as seen in almost every military conflict since 1938," wrote the RUSI think-tank in London, in an article called "The Mysterious Case of the Missing Russian Air Force." But the first two weeks have confounded those expectations and instead seen Moscow act far more delicately with its air power, so much so that US officials can't exactly explain what's driving Russia's apparent risk-averse behavior. Also see | What are Czech hedgehogs?: Homemade obstacles that can destroy Russian tanks Vastly outmatched by Russia's military, in terms of raw numbers and firepower, Ukraine's own air force is still flying and its air defenses are still deemed to be viable, a fact that is baffling military experts. "They're not necessarily willing to take high risks with their own aircraft and their own pilots," a senior US defence official said A possible explanation for Russia’s failure to do so is that President Vladimir Putin built his war strategy on an assumption that Ukrainian defenses would easily fold, allowing Russian forces to quickly capture Kyiv, the capital, and crush Ukrainian forces in the east and south without having to achieve air superiority. Also see | Russia attacks Ukraine: Kalibr cruise missiles 'tested' in Syrian battlefield “We think that they’re a few days behind where they expected to be” at this stage, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said. “It’s clear, yes, the Russians have had their own challenges and they have met resistance we don’t believe they fully expected.” Ukrainian air force fighter jets are still carrying out low-level, defensive counter-air and ground-attack sorties. Russia is still flying through contested airspace. Ukrainian troops with surface-to-air rockets are able to threaten Russian aircraft and create risk to Russian pilots trying to support ground forces. "There's a lot of stuff they're doing that's perplexing," said Rob Lee, a Russian military specialist at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He thought the beginning of the war would be "maximum use of force." "Because every day it goes on there's a cost and the risk goes up. And they're not doing that and it just is really hard to explain for any realistic reason." “There are two basic ways you can describe the slowness of the Russian advance in Ukraine,” said Loren Thompson, a defence analyst at the Lexington Institute, a Washington think tank. “One explanation is deliberate restraint. The other explanation is poor execution. We don’t know enough to identify which is the more plausible explanation, but it’s important to recognise the Russians have all sorts of options they have not yet brought to bear,” including heavier use of cyberattacks against the Ukrainian command and control system and air defences. Also see | What is the chain of command for potential Russian nuclear strikes? In its latest assessment, the Institute for the Study of War said Moscow has likely recognised that its initial approach failed and is moving additional combat power toward Ukraine. “The tide of the war could change rapidly in Russia’s favour if the Russian military has correctly identified its failings and addresses them promptly, given the overwhelming advantage in net combat power that Moscow enjoys,” it said. The confusion over how Russia has used its air force comes as President Joe Biden's administration rejects calls by Kyiv for a no-fly zone that could draw the United States directly into a conflict with Russia, whose plans for its air force are unclear. Also read | Ukraine invasion: Parents of Indian student reveal that missiles are falling near hostels Military experts have seen evidence of a lack of Russian air force coordination with ground troop formations, with multiple Russian columns of troops sent forward beyond the reach of their own air defense cover. That leaves Russian soldiers vulnerable to attack from Ukrainian forces, including those newly equipped with Turkish drones and US and British anti-tank missiles. David Deptula, a retired US Air Force three-star general who once commanded the no-fly zone over northern Iraq, said he was surprised that Russia didn't work harder to establish air dominance from the start. "The Russians are discovering that coordinating multi-domain operations is not easy," Deptula said. "And that they are not as good as they presumed they were." While the Russians have been under-performing, Ukraine's military has been exceeding expectations so far. Ukraine's experience from the last eight years of fighting with Russian-backed separatist forces in the east was dominated by static World War One-style trench warfare. By contrast Russia's forces got combat experience in Syria, where they intervened on the side of President Bashar al-Assad, and demonstrated some ability to synchronize ground maneuvers with air and drone attacks. Ukraine's ability to keep flying air force jets is a visible demonstration of the country's resilience in the face of attack and has been a morale booster, both to its own military and Ukraine's people, experts say. It has also led to mythologising of the Ukrainian air force, including a tale about a Ukrainian jet fighter that purportedly single-handedly downed six Russian aircrafts, dubbed online as "The Ghost of Kyiv." (With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy in Ukraine invasion has stumped US defence experts

Volunteer groups in the United Kingdom have raised $72 million for people affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group for 15 charities, praised the "overwhelming" response from the public.

"We've felt very humbled to be part of it," Jenny Hancock and Tom Jackson who have extended family in Ukraine told Sky News.&nbsp;

"It's been amazing, overwhelming and quite emotional."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/watch-russian-president-vladimir-putins-former-speechwriter-on-wion-decoding-him-459231/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

''Most of our female relatives and the children have now left the country, but the men have stayed to fight,'' said Tom Jackson.

"It's through speaking with them that we have a good idea of what's needed most right now."

The Yas Bean coffee shop donated 100% of the price of each cup of coffee purchased on Friday to a Ukrainian aid charity. It is located in Macclesfield.

Owner Mika Johnson said customers have come especially to take part, adding: "People are kind at their very essence, and I think when you see what is happening overseas, most people have that compassion to put themselves in that position and want to help.

"What we're doing here is a drop in the ocean to what other fundraising groups are doing, but it gives people somewhere to come, have a coffee, have a chat if they want to, and do some good at the same time."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-government-may-handover-russian-oligarchs-seized-properties-to-ukrainian-refugees-says-raab-459215" hreflang="en">UK government may handover Russian oligarchs’ seized properties to Ukrainian refugees, says Raab&nbsp;</a>

In a warning of a hunger crisis yet to come, the UN World Food Programme says millions of people inside Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, will need food aid “immediately.”

The UN Security Council scheduled an open meeting for Monday on the worsening humanitarian situation.&nbsp;

The United Nations estimates that 12 million people in Ukraine and 4 million fleeing to neighboring countries in the coming months will need humanitarian aid.

More than 840 children have been wounded in the invasion, and 28 have been killed, according to Ukraine’s government.&nbsp;

At least 331 civilians have been confirmed killed, but the true number is probably much higher, the UN human rights office said.

The World Food Programme said on Friday it is ramping up food aid to war-torn Ukraine, citing reports of severe shortages of food and water in Kyiv, the capital, and the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

The UN agency said it is in the process of finding partners in Ukraine to help it distribute the food, and that it will also assist Ukrainian refugees coming across the border to neighbouring countries.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Volunteer groups in the United Kingdom have raised $72 million for people affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group for 15 charities, praised the "overwhelming" response from the public.

Volunteer groups in the United Kingdom have raised $72 million for people affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group for 15 charities, praised the "overwhelming" response from the public. "We've felt very humbled to be part of it," Jenny Hancock and Tom Jackson who have extended family in Ukraine told Sky News. "It's been amazing, overwhelming and quite emotional." ''Most of our female relatives and the children have now left the country, but the men have stayed to fight,'' said Tom Jackson. "It's through speaking with them that we have a good idea of what's needed most right now." The Yas Bean coffee shop donated 100% of the price of each cup of coffee purchased on Friday to a Ukrainian aid charity. It is located in Macclesfield. Owner Mika Johnson said customers have come especially to take part, adding: "People are kind at their very essence, and I think when you see what is happening overseas, most people have that compassion to put themselves in that position and want to help. "What we're doing here is a drop in the ocean to what other fundraising groups are doing, but it gives people somewhere to come, have a coffee, have a chat if they want to, and do some good at the same time." Also read | UK government may handover Russian oligarchs’ seized properties to Ukrainian refugees, says Raab In a warning of a hunger crisis yet to come, the UN World Food Programme says millions of people inside Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, will need food aid “immediately.” The UN Security Council scheduled an open meeting for Monday on the worsening humanitarian situation. The United Nations estimates that 12 million people in Ukraine and 4 million fleeing to neighboring countries in the coming months will need humanitarian aid. More than 840 children have been wounded in the invasion, and 28 have been killed, according to Ukraine’s government. At least 331 civilians have been confirmed killed, but the true number is probably much higher, the UN human rights office said. The World Food Programme said on Friday it is ramping up food aid to war-torn Ukraine, citing reports of severe shortages of food and water in Kyiv, the capital, and the northeastern city of Kharkiv. The UN agency said it is in the process of finding partners in Ukraine to help it distribute the food, and that it will also assist Ukrainian refugees coming across the border to neighbouring countries. (With inputs from agencies)

UK volunteer groups raise $72 million for people affected by Ukraine's invasion

Failure to launch: War scuppers Russia-West space collaboration

Belarusian clubs and the national team will have to play all their home matches in UEFA competitions at neutral venues with no spectators allowed, European soccer's governing body announced on Thursday.

Belarus has been used as a key staging post for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, drawing widespread condemnation.

"The UEFA Executive Committee met today and decided that all Belarusian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues with immediate effect," a statement read.

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"Furthermore, no spectators shall attend matches in which the teams from Belarus feature as host."

UEFA said its Executive Committee would convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.

World governing body FIFA and UEFA have already suspended Russia's national teams and clubs from international football until further notice as a result of the invasion.

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Earlier on Thursday Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from the Winter Paralympics in Beijing on the eve of the Games following threats of boycotts by other teams.

Belarusian clubs and the national team will have to play all their home matches in UEFA competitions at neutral venues with no spectators allowed, European soccer's governing body announced on Thursday.

Belarusian clubs and the national team will have to play all their home matches in UEFA competitions at neutral venues with no spectators allowed, European soccer's governing body announced on Thursday. Belarus has been used as a key staging post for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, drawing widespread condemnation. "The UEFA Executive Committee met today and decided that all Belarusian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues with immediate effect," a statement read. ALSO READ: Biennial World Cup is a 'no go' for everyone in football, says UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin "Furthermore, no spectators shall attend matches in which the teams from Belarus feature as host." UEFA said its Executive Committee would convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary. World governing body FIFA and UEFA have already suspended Russia's national teams and clubs from international football until further notice as a result of the invasion. ALSO READ: Premier League: Captains to wear special armbands in Ukrainian colours to show support Earlier on Thursday Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from the Winter Paralympics in Beijing on the eve of the Games following threats of boycotts by other teams.

Belarus clubs and national team banned from playing at home in UEFA competitions amid Ukraine crisis

Formula One will no longer race in Russia after the sport terminated its contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix, it said on Thursday, in response to the country's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

The event, which was set to move to a new track outside St Petersburg next year from its current Sochi Olympic park venue, had a contract until 2025.

The sport announced the cancellation of the 2022 race, originally scheduled for Sept 25, last week.

"Formula One can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter meaning Russia will not have a race in the future," a statement from the sport's commercial rights holder, which decides the calendar, said.

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Formula One's move to effectively pull out of Russia comes after the sport's governing body, the FIA, on Tuesday condemned the country's invasion of Ukraine but said Russian and Belarusian drivers could still take part in its competitions in a neutral capacity.

British federation Motorsport UK on Wednesday banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from racing in the country regardless of the flag they compete under.

Nikita Mazepin is the only Russian on the Formula One grid.

The 22-year-old already faces an uncertain future after his U.S.-owned Haas team removed all branding related to Russian potash producer and title sponsor Uralkali from its car on the final day of last week's Barcelona test.

Uralkali is owned by Mazepin's father, oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, and the fate of the partnership and the Russian's continued presence at the team is set to be decided this week.

The Russian Grand Prix joined the calendar in 2014.

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It has been attended by President Vladimir Putin in the past, with the Russian leader even handing out trophies on the podium.

Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine last week, with Belarus used as a key staging area.

The country calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation."

Formula One will no longer race in Russia after the sport terminated its contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix, it said on Thursday, in response to the country's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

Formula One will no longer race in Russia after the sport terminated its contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix, it said on Thursday, in response to the country's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. The event, which was set to move to a new track outside St Petersburg next year from its current Sochi Olympic park venue, had a contract until 2025. The sport announced the cancellation of the 2022 race, originally scheduled for Sept 25, last week. "Formula One can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter meaning Russia will not have a race in the future," a statement from the sport's commercial rights holder, which decides the calendar, said. ALSO READ: F1 world champion Max Verstappen to stay at Red Bull until 2028 Formula One's move to effectively pull out of Russia comes after the sport's governing body, the FIA, on Tuesday condemned the country's invasion of Ukraine but said Russian and Belarusian drivers could still take part in its competitions in a neutral capacity. British federation Motorsport UK on Wednesday banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from racing in the country regardless of the flag they compete under. Nikita Mazepin is the only Russian on the Formula One grid. The 22-year-old already faces an uncertain future after his U.S.-owned Haas team removed all branding related to Russian potash producer and title sponsor Uralkali from its car on the final day of last week's Barcelona test. Uralkali is owned by Mazepin's father, oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, and the fate of the partnership and the Russian's continued presence at the team is set to be decided this week. The Russian Grand Prix joined the calendar in 2014. ALSO READ: You can do better: Serena Williams lashes out at top newspaper for confusing her with sister Venus It has been attended by President Vladimir Putin in the past, with the Russian leader even handing out trophies on the podium. Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine last week, with Belarus used as a key staging area. The country calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation."

No Russian Grand Prix in future as Formula One terminates contract in wake of Ukraine crisis

Amidst the Russia-Ukraine war, former US president Donald Trump has claimed that Taiwan might be the next potential target, suggesting that the present conflict in Europe might give enough fodder for China to launch an attack.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Trump was quoted as saying, “Taiwan is going to be next. Just watch Taiwan;&nbsp;President Xi is watching with glee.”

He based his assumption on the Biden administration’s response to the Ukraine invasion.

"I do because they're seeing how stupid the United States is run. They're seeing that our leaders are incompetent. And of course, they're (China) going to do it. This is their time," he said, adding, “They (US) did nothing on Ukraine. They do nothing."

"President Xi happens to be a man with a high intelligence level, and he looks at what happened in Afghanistan … He saw the way that we left Afghanistan … left American citizens there – is still trying to get out – he sees that, and this is his opportunity to do what he wants to do," he said.

Trump also took a dig at President Joe Biden's handling of the Ukraine crisis.

“Biden said such weak statements at the beginning that Putin said ‘Oh wow, this is my time to go,’” he said.

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Earlier, Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen expressed concerns over the ongoing conflict saying that her island faces threats similar to those confronted by Ukraine during a meeting with a delegation of former US security officials.

"History teaches us that if we turn a blind eye to military aggression, we only worsen the threat to ourselves," Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen told the delegation.

"The Ukrainian people's commitment to protect their freedom and democracy, and their fearless dedication to defending their country have been met with deep empathy from the people of Taiwan, as we too stand on the frontlines of the battle for democracy."

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She warned of Beijing's rising military threat to Taiwan and the region, including "using cognitive warfare tactics and disinformation to divide Taiwanese society".

The delegation, led by ex-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and retired admiral Michael Mullen, arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday at a time of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over the self-ruled island as well as the crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

Amidst the Russia-Ukraine war, former US president Donald Trump has claimed that Taiwan might be the next potential target, suggesting that the present conflict in Europe might give enough fodder for China to launch an attack.

Amidst the Russia-Ukraine war, former US president Donald Trump has claimed that Taiwan might be the next potential target, suggesting that the present conflict in Europe might give enough fodder for China to launch an attack. In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Trump was quoted as saying, “Taiwan is going to be next. Just watch Taiwan; President Xi is watching with glee.” He based his assumption on the Biden administration’s response to the Ukraine invasion. "I do because they're seeing how stupid the United States is run. They're seeing that our leaders are incompetent. And of course, they're (China) going to do it. This is their time," he said, adding, “They (US) did nothing on Ukraine. They do nothing." "President Xi happens to be a man with a high intelligence level, and he looks at what happened in Afghanistan … He saw the way that we left Afghanistan … left American citizens there – is still trying to get out – he sees that, and this is his opportunity to do what he wants to do," he said. Trump also took a dig at President Joe Biden's handling of the Ukraine crisis. “Biden said such weak statements at the beginning that Putin said ‘Oh wow, this is my time to go,’” he said. Also read | China told Russia to delay Ukraine invasion until end of Winter Olympics: Report Earlier, Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen expressed concerns over the ongoing conflict saying that her island faces threats similar to those confronted by Ukraine during a meeting with a delegation of former US security officials. "History teaches us that if we turn a blind eye to military aggression, we only worsen the threat to ourselves," Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen told the delegation. "The Ukrainian people's commitment to protect their freedom and democracy, and their fearless dedication to defending their country have been met with deep empathy from the people of Taiwan, as we too stand on the frontlines of the battle for democracy." Also read | Florida man caught speeding, blames Putin and threat of nuclear war She warned of Beijing's rising military threat to Taiwan and the region, including "using cognitive warfare tactics and disinformation to divide Taiwanese society". The delegation, led by ex-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and retired admiral Michael Mullen, arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday at a time of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over the self-ruled island as well as the crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Just watch, Taiwan is going to be next’: Trump warns as Russia-Ukraine war rages on

Ex-Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko called on Thursday for more aid and other measures in support of victims of the Russian invasion of his homeland.

Widely regarded as his country's greatest ever player, Shevchenko said global soccer authorities had done the right thing in banning Russia from international competitions, though the sport was currently the last thing on his mind.

"We have refugees, we need humanitarian aid. We need medical support, food support...," Shevchenko, who won 111 caps for Ukraine during a stellar carrier that included stints at some of the world`s top clubs, told Sky Sports.

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"Football doesn't exist for me any more. I don't think about it. It's not the time for that... All my concentration, when I wake up, I think about how I can help my country, what I can do."

World soccer body FIFA and its European counterpart UEFA have banned teams from Russia and also Belarus, which has been a staging zone for the invasion.

Since Russia invaded, more than 2,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and hundreds of structures including homes, hospitals, kindergartens and transport facilities have been destroyed, Ukraine's emergency service said on Wednesday.

The United Nations has estimated that more than 870,000 people have fled from Ukraine.

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Shevchenko, who is currently based in London, said he had contemplated going home.

"I talk to my parents, I talk to my mother and say I want to go back, but my feeling is here now."

Ex-Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko called on Thursday for more aid and other measures in support of victims of the Russian invasion of his homeland. Widely regarded as his country's greatest ever player, Shevchenko said global soccer authorities had done the right thing in banning Russia from international competitions, though the sport was currently the last thing on his mind.

Ex-Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko called on Thursday for more aid and other measures in support of victims of the Russian invasion of his homeland. Widely regarded as his country's greatest ever player, Shevchenko said global soccer authorities had done the right thing in banning Russia from international competitions, though the sport was currently the last thing on his mind. "We have refugees, we need humanitarian aid. We need medical support, food support...," Shevchenko, who won 111 caps for Ukraine during a stellar carrier that included stints at some of the world`s top clubs, told Sky Sports. ALSO READ: Premier League: Captains to wear special armbands in Ukrainian colours to show support "Football doesn't exist for me any more. I don't think about it. It's not the time for that... All my concentration, when I wake up, I think about how I can help my country, what I can do." World soccer body FIFA and its European counterpart UEFA have banned teams from Russia and also Belarus, which has been a staging zone for the invasion. Since Russia invaded, more than 2,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and hundreds of structures including homes, hospitals, kindergartens and transport facilities have been destroyed, Ukraine's emergency service said on Wednesday. The United Nations has estimated that more than 870,000 people have fled from Ukraine. ALSO READ: Asian Champions League: Saudi Arabia set to host group matches Shevchenko, who is currently based in London, said he had contemplated going home. "I talk to my parents, I talk to my mother and say I want to go back, but my feeling is here now."

Former striker Andriy Shevchenko calls for more aid for Ukraine

In early February, Chinese officials asked Russian officials to wait for the Winter Olympics to end before launching invasion of Ukraine, a New York Times report said citing Biden administration officials and a European official who cited a Western intelligence report.

The US-based newspaper said that the Chinese officials had some level of knowledge about Russia's plans or intentions to invade Ukraine before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an all-out military attack last week.

The request was made around the time when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing for the opening ceremony of the Olympics during which he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, CNN reported said citing a US official associated with the intelligence report.

However, it is not clear from the report whether Putin addressed the matter with Xi directly.

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Reacting to the report, the Chinese Embassy in Washington called the claims “speculations without any basis”.

"The claims mentioned in the relevant reports are speculations without any basis, and are intended to blame-shift and smear China," said Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the embassy.

The New York Times said the intelligence on the exchange between the Chinese and Russian officials was collected by a Western intelligence service and was considered credible by officials reviewing it.

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Putin and Xi met at the start of the Olympics on February 4 and declared an upgraded “no limits” partnership in which they pledged to collaborate more against the West.

(With inputs from agencies)

In early February, Chinese officials asked Russian officials to wait for the Winter Olympics to end before launching invasion of Ukraine, a New York Times report said citing Biden administration officials and a European official who cited a Western intelligence report.

In early February, Chinese officials asked Russian officials to wait for the Winter Olympics to end before launching invasion of Ukraine, a New York Times report said citing Biden administration officials and a European official who cited a Western intelligence report. The US-based newspaper said that the Chinese officials had some level of knowledge about Russia's plans or intentions to invade Ukraine before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an all-out military attack last week. The request was made around the time when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing for the opening ceremony of the Olympics during which he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, CNN reported said citing a US official associated with the intelligence report. However, it is not clear from the report whether Putin addressed the matter with Xi directly. Also read | Florida man caught speeding, blames Putin and threat of nuclear war Reacting to the report, the Chinese Embassy in Washington called the claims “speculations without any basis”. "The claims mentioned in the relevant reports are speculations without any basis, and are intended to blame-shift and smear China," said Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the embassy. The New York Times said the intelligence on the exchange between the Chinese and Russian officials was collected by a Western intelligence service and was considered credible by officials reviewing it. Also read | 'No Indian student taken hostage by Ukraine forces': Indian govt Putin and Xi met at the start of the Olympics on February 4 and declared an upgraded “no limits” partnership in which they pledged to collaborate more against the West. (With inputs from agencies)

China told Russia to delay Ukraine invasion until end of Winter Olympics: Report

Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be able to compete at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Thursday, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area.

The decision comes a day after the IPC gave athletes from the two countries the green light to participate as neutrals, saying that the governing body had followed its rules and that "athletes were not the aggressors".

"Following a specially convened meeting, the IPC Governing Board has decided to refuse the athlete entries from the RPC and NPC Belarus for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games," the IPC said in a statement.

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"This means that para-athletes from these respective countries will no longer be allowed to participate in the Games which open on 4 March 2022.

"What is clear is that the rapidly escalating situation has now put us in a unique and impossible position so close to the start of the Games."

Thursday's verdict was condemned by various sporting bodies, with many urging the IPC to reverse its decision.

The 71-member Russian contingent is already in Beijing for the Games, which kick off on Friday.

Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be able to compete at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Thursday, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area.

Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be able to compete at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Thursday, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area. The decision comes a day after the IPC gave athletes from the two countries the green light to participate as neutrals, saying that the governing body had followed its rules and that "athletes were not the aggressors". "Following a specially convened meeting, the IPC Governing Board has decided to refuse the athlete entries from the RPC and NPC Belarus for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games," the IPC said in a statement. ALSO READ: Exclusive | 'Sport brings in great culture and peace' - Ropan Bopanna on changes in tennis amid Ukraine crisis "This means that para-athletes from these respective countries will no longer be allowed to participate in the Games which open on 4 March 2022. "What is clear is that the rapidly escalating situation has now put us in a unique and impossible position so close to the start of the Games." Thursday's verdict was condemned by various sporting bodies, with many urging the IPC to reverse its decision. The 71-member Russian contingent is already in Beijing for the Games, which kick off on Friday.

IPC bans athletes from Russia, Belarus to participate in Beijing Winter Paralympics

The Premier League and its clubs have wholeheartedly rejected Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine and hence, everyone involved will be showing support for the people of Ukraine at all matches this weekend.

"We call for peace and our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted. A show of solidarity for Ukraine will be visible at all Premier League matches from March 5-7. This follows the numerous ways in which clubs have already demonstrated their support," stated an official statement.

"The 20 club captains will wear special armbands in Ukrainian colours and fans are encouraged to join players, managers, match officials and club staff in a moment of reflection and solidarity before kick-off at each game," it added.

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Big screens at stadiums will display "Football Stands Together" against the backdrop of the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag.

These words will also be shown on LED perimeter boards during matches.

This message of solidarity will also be visible to fans around the world across Premier League digital channels.

Logos and profiles on those platforms will change to represent the colours of the Ukrainian flag which will also be displayed across match broadcasts both in the UK and overseas.

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Following Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine, the sports fraternity has become proactive and many events in Russia have been cancelled, including the Russian Grand Prix.

The Champions League final has also been moved out of Russia and it will now take place in Paris.

The Premier League and its clubs have wholeheartedly rejected Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine and hence, everyone involved will be showing support for the people of Ukraine at all matches this weekend.

The Premier League and its clubs have wholeheartedly rejected Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine and hence, everyone involved will be showing support for the people of Ukraine at all matches this weekend. "We call for peace and our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted. A show of solidarity for Ukraine will be visible at all Premier League matches from March 5-7. This follows the numerous ways in which clubs have already demonstrated their support," stated an official statement. "The 20 club captains will wear special armbands in Ukrainian colours and fans are encouraged to join players, managers, match officials and club staff in a moment of reflection and solidarity before kick-off at each game," it added. ALSO READ: IPC bans athletes from Russia, Belarus to participate in Beijing WInter Paralympics Big screens at stadiums will display "Football Stands Together" against the backdrop of the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag. These words will also be shown on LED perimeter boards during matches. This message of solidarity will also be visible to fans around the world across Premier League digital channels. Logos and profiles on those platforms will change to represent the colours of the Ukrainian flag which will also be displayed across match broadcasts both in the UK and overseas. ALSO READ: Bryan brothers to raise funds to support Elina Svitolina's humanitarian drive for Ukraine refugees Following Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine, the sports fraternity has become proactive and many events in Russia have been cancelled, including the Russian Grand Prix. The Champions League final has also been moved out of Russia and it will now take place in Paris.

Premier League: Captains to wear special armbands in Ukrainian colours to show support

Scattered around the forest in Poland like archaeological ruins, the crumbling concrete bunkers for decades stored Soviet nuclear warheads. Today, they store only memories — deeply painful for Poland, joyous for the Kremlin — of the vanished empire that President Vladimir Putin wants to rebuild, starting with his war in Ukraine.

“Nobody here trusted the Russians before and we certainly don’t trust them now,” said Mieczyslaw Zuk, a former Polish soldier who oversees the once top-secret nuclear site. The bunkers were abandoned by the Soviet military in 1990 as Moscow’s hegemony over East and Central Europe unraveled in what Putin has described as “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.”

Now Eastern European countries fear a catastrophe of their own could be in the making, as Putin seeks to turn back the clock and reclaim Russia’s lost sphere of influence, perilously close to their frontiers. Even leaders in the region who have long supported Putin are sounding the alarm.

Warnings about Moscow’s intentions, often dismissed until the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine as “Russophobia” by those without the experience of living in proximity to Russia, are now widely accepted as prescient. And while there has been debate about whether efforts to expand NATO into the former Soviet bloc were a provocation to Putin, his assault on Ukraine has left countries that joined the U.S.-led military alliance convinced they made the right decision.

A Russian attack on Poland or other former members of the defunct Warsaw Pact that now belong to NATO is still highly unlikely, but Putin has “made the unthinkable possible,” warned Gabrielus Landsbergis, the foreign minister of Lithuania, Poland’s neighbor to the north.

“We live in a new reality. If Putin is not stopped he will go further,” Landsbergis said. His country, bordering both Russia and its ally Belarus, has declared a state of emergency.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland gave his own warning of perhaps worse to come. “We should be under no illusions: This could be just the beginning,” he wrote in the Financial Times. “Tomorrow Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as well as Poland, could be next in line.”

Fear that Putin is capable of just about anything, even using nuclear weapons, is just “common sense,” said Toomas Ilves, a former president of Estonia.

Ilves announced this week on Twitter that he was “accepting apologies” for all the “patronizing nonsense from Western Europeans” who complained that “we Estonians were paranoid about Russian behavior.”

In a telephone interview, Ilves said he had not received any apologies yet but was gratified to see Russia’s “shills and useful idiots getting their comeuppance.”

Western Europeans who once scoffed at his dark view of Russia, he added, “have suddenly become East Europeans” in their fearful attitudes. “This past week marks the end of a 30-year-long error that we can all come together and sing kumbaya.”

Memories of Soviet hegemony over what is now NATO’s eastern flank — imposed after the Red Army liberated the region from Nazi occupation at the end of World War II — vary from country to country depending on history, geography and convoluted domestic political struggles.

For Poland, a nation repeatedly invaded by Russia over the centuries, they are of humiliation and oppression. Baltic states, extinguished as independent nations by Stalin in 1940 and dragooned at gunpoint into the Soviet Union, feel much the same way.

Others have fonder recollections, particularly Bulgaria, where pro-Russian sentiment has long run deep, at least until last week, and Serbia, which has for centuries seen Russia as its protector.

Putin’s war to bring Ukraine to heel, however, has united the region in alarm, with even Serbia voicing dismay. On Monday, Bulgaria’s prime minister fired his defense minister, who caused outrage by suggesting that the conflict in Ukraine should not be called a war but “a special military operation,” the Kremlin’s euphemism for its invasion.

Only Milorad Dodik, the belligerent, pro-Kremlin leader of Bosnia’s ethnic Serbian enclave, Republika Srpska, has shown any sympathy for Putin’s war, stating that Russia’s reasons for its invasion “were received with understanding.”

Outrage over Russian aggression, even in countries historically sympathetic to Moscow, has derailed years of work by Russian diplomats and intelligence operatives to cultivate allies like Ataka, an ultranationalist political party in Bulgaria that is so close to Russia that it once launched its election campaign in Moscow.

Even Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who usually delights in defying fellow European leaders and stood with Putin last month in the Kremlin, has now endorsed a raft of sanctions imposed on Russia by the European bloc. He is still blocking transport of weapons into Ukraine across Hungary’s border but has curbed his previously gushing enthusiasm for Putin.

So, too, has Milos Zeman, the previously Kremlin-friendly president of the Czech Republic. “I admit I was wrong,” Zeman said this week.

In Poland, traditionally one of the most anti-Russian countries in the region, the populist governing party, Law and Justice, has gone almost overnight from aligning itself with Moscow in its hostility to LGBTQ rights and the defense of traditional values to becoming one of Putin’s most robust critics, offering its territory for the delivery of weapons into Ukraine and taking in more than 450,000 Ukrainians who have fled the war.

Gas stations and ATMs in southeastern Poland along the border with Ukraine have been besieged in recent days by people worried that they might need to get out fast. That possibility hit home Monday evening when missiles slammed into a Ukrainian village just a few miles from the frontier, rattling windows in nearby houses on the Polish side.

Just two weeks before Russian troops poured into Ukraine, Poland’s prime minister joined Orban and Marine Le Pen, the far-right French presidential candidate who has frequently spoken up for Russia, at a meeting in Madrid focused on attacking the European Union and its liberal attitudes on immigration.

In recent days, however, Morawiecki has dropped the hostility to the European bloc to focus instead on opposing the Kremlin. He has lobbied for tough sanctions on Russia, traveling to Berlin to personally “shake Germany’s conscience” and nudge it toward a dramatic U-turn in its policy toward Russia. On a recent visit to Warsaw, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hailed Poland as “one of our most stalwart allies.”

On Friday, Poland hosted a summit meeting with nine regional leaders to rally opposition to Russia’s invasion and discuss ways to help Ukraine. “We have woken up to a completely new reality,” Polish President Andrzej Duda told the gathering, lamenting that it had taken a Russian invasion to interrupt “the peaceful sleep of wealthy Europeans.”

A nation of Slavs like Ukraine, Poland has long been viewed as a wayward family member by more messianic-minded Russian nationalists, whose views Putin channeled last week in his justification for the war. Russia’s foreign minister recently sneered at Poland and other new NATO members as “territories orphaned” by the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union.

To demonstrate that Poland has no desire to rejoin what Moscow imagines as its happy, obedient but sadly divided family, the mayor of Warsaw announced Tuesday that refugees from Ukraine would be housed in apartment blocks built during the Cold War to house Soviet diplomats and left abandoned since because of legal disputes over ownership.

Few people expect Russia to try to bring Poles back into a Moscow-dominated Slavic “family” by force, as it is now trying to do with Ukrainians. Doing that, said Tomasz Smura, director of research at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, a research group in Warsaw, “would mean that Putin has gone totally mad.”

At the former Soviet warhead bunker in Podborsko, northwestern Poland, Zuk said he never really expected the Russians to try to retake their lost, Soviet-era military outposts. But he still wondered why, just before pulling out of Podobsko with its nuclear weapons, the Soviet military drew up a maintenance schedule for cranes used to lift warheads and other equipment at the facility stretching years into the future.

“It seems they did not think they were leaving forever,” Zuk said, standing in a cavernous underground hall once crammed with warheads and long off limits to all but Soviet officers. In its attitude toward Poland, he added, Russia has always acted “like a master toward a servant,” a relationship that it is now trying to impose on Ukraine. “I worry that Putin may want to get hold of Poland and the Baltic states, too,” he said. 
&nbsp;

Scattered around the forest in Poland like archaeological ruins, the crumbling concrete bunkers for decades stored Soviet nuclear warheads. Today, they store only memories — deeply painful for Poland, joyous for the Kremlin — of the vanished empire that President Vladimir Putin wants to rebuild, starting with his war in Ukraine.

Scattered around the forest in Poland like archaeological ruins, the crumbling concrete bunkers for decades stored Soviet nuclear warheads. Today, they store only memories — deeply painful for Poland, joyous for the Kremlin — of the vanished empire that President Vladimir Putin wants to rebuild, starting with his war in Ukraine. “Nobody here trusted the Russians before and we certainly don’t trust them now,” said Mieczyslaw Zuk, a former Polish soldier who oversees the once top-secret nuclear site. The bunkers were abandoned by the Soviet military in 1990 as Moscow’s hegemony over East and Central Europe unraveled in what Putin has described as “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.” Now Eastern European countries fear a catastrophe of their own could be in the making, as Putin seeks to turn back the clock and reclaim Russia’s lost sphere of influence, perilously close to their frontiers. Even leaders in the region who have long supported Putin are sounding the alarm. Warnings about Moscow’s intentions, often dismissed until the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine as “Russophobia” by those without the experience of living in proximity to Russia, are now widely accepted as prescient. And while there has been debate about whether efforts to expand NATO into the former Soviet bloc were a provocation to Putin, his assault on Ukraine has left countries that joined the U.S.-led military alliance convinced they made the right decision. A Russian attack on Poland or other former members of the defunct Warsaw Pact that now belong to NATO is still highly unlikely, but Putin has “made the unthinkable possible,” warned Gabrielus Landsbergis, the foreign minister of Lithuania, Poland’s neighbor to the north. “We live in a new reality. If Putin is not stopped he will go further,” Landsbergis said. His country, bordering both Russia and its ally Belarus, has declared a state of emergency. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland gave his own warning of perhaps worse to come. “We should be under no illusions: This could be just the beginning,” he wrote in the Financial Times. “Tomorrow Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as well as Poland, could be next in line.” Fear that Putin is capable of just about anything, even using nuclear weapons, is just “common sense,” said Toomas Ilves, a former president of Estonia. Ilves announced this week on Twitter that he was “accepting apologies” for all the “patronizing nonsense from Western Europeans” who complained that “we Estonians were paranoid about Russian behavior.” In a telephone interview, Ilves said he had not received any apologies yet but was gratified to see Russia’s “shills and useful idiots getting their comeuppance.” Western Europeans who once scoffed at his dark view of Russia, he added, “have suddenly become East Europeans” in their fearful attitudes. “This past week marks the end of a 30-year-long error that we can all come together and sing kumbaya.” Memories of Soviet hegemony over what is now NATO’s eastern flank — imposed after the Red Army liberated the region from Nazi occupation at the end of World War II — vary from country to country depending on history, geography and convoluted domestic political struggles. For Poland, a nation repeatedly invaded by Russia over the centuries, they are of humiliation and oppression. Baltic states, extinguished as independent nations by Stalin in 1940 and dragooned at gunpoint into the Soviet Union, feel much the same way. Others have fonder recollections, particularly Bulgaria, where pro-Russian sentiment has long run deep, at least until last week, and Serbia, which has for centuries seen Russia as its protector. Putin’s war to bring Ukraine to heel, however, has united the region in alarm, with even Serbia voicing dismay. On Monday, Bulgaria’s prime minister fired his defense minister, who caused outrage by suggesting that the conflict in Ukraine should not be called a war but “a special military operation,” the Kremlin’s euphemism for its invasion. Only Milorad Dodik, the belligerent, pro-Kremlin leader of Bosnia’s ethnic Serbian enclave, Republika Srpska, has shown any sympathy for Putin’s war, stating that Russia’s reasons for its invasion “were received with understanding.” Outrage over Russian aggression, even in countries historically sympathetic to Moscow, has derailed years of work by Russian diplomats and intelligence operatives to cultivate allies like Ataka, an ultranationalist political party in Bulgaria that is so close to Russia that it once launched its election campaign in Moscow. Even Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who usually delights in defying fellow European leaders and stood with Putin last month in the Kremlin, has now endorsed a raft of sanctions imposed on Russia by the European bloc. He is still blocking transport of weapons into Ukraine across Hungary’s border but has curbed his previously gushing enthusiasm for Putin. So, too, has Milos Zeman, the previously Kremlin-friendly president of the Czech Republic. “I admit I was wrong,” Zeman said this week. In Poland, traditionally one of the most anti-Russian countries in the region, the populist governing party, Law and Justice, has gone almost overnight from aligning itself with Moscow in its hostility to LGBTQ rights and the defense of traditional values to becoming one of Putin’s most robust critics, offering its territory for the delivery of weapons into Ukraine and taking in more than 450,000 Ukrainians who have fled the war. Gas stations and ATMs in southeastern Poland along the border with Ukraine have been besieged in recent days by people worried that they might need to get out fast. That possibility hit home Monday evening when missiles slammed into a Ukrainian village just a few miles from the frontier, rattling windows in nearby houses on the Polish side. Just two weeks before Russian troops poured into Ukraine, Poland’s prime minister joined Orban and Marine Le Pen, the far-right French presidential candidate who has frequently spoken up for Russia, at a meeting in Madrid focused on attacking the European Union and its liberal attitudes on immigration. In recent days, however, Morawiecki has dropped the hostility to the European bloc to focus instead on opposing the Kremlin. He has lobbied for tough sanctions on Russia, traveling to Berlin to personally “shake Germany’s conscience” and nudge it toward a dramatic U-turn in its policy toward Russia. On a recent visit to Warsaw, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hailed Poland as “one of our most stalwart allies.” On Friday, Poland hosted a summit meeting with nine regional leaders to rally opposition to Russia’s invasion and discuss ways to help Ukraine. “We have woken up to a completely new reality,” Polish President Andrzej Duda told the gathering, lamenting that it had taken a Russian invasion to interrupt “the peaceful sleep of wealthy Europeans.” A nation of Slavs like Ukraine, Poland has long been viewed as a wayward family member by more messianic-minded Russian nationalists, whose views Putin channeled last week in his justification for the war. Russia’s foreign minister recently sneered at Poland and other new NATO members as “territories orphaned” by the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union. To demonstrate that Poland has no desire to rejoin what Moscow imagines as its happy, obedient but sadly divided family, the mayor of Warsaw announced Tuesday that refugees from Ukraine would be housed in apartment blocks built during the Cold War to house Soviet diplomats and left abandoned since because of legal disputes over ownership. Few people expect Russia to try to bring Poles back into a Moscow-dominated Slavic “family” by force, as it is now trying to do with Ukrainians. Doing that, said Tomasz Smura, director of research at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, a research group in Warsaw, “would mean that Putin has gone totally mad.” At the former Soviet warhead bunker in Podborsko, northwestern Poland, Zuk said he never really expected the Russians to try to retake their lost, Soviet-era military outposts. But he still wondered why, just before pulling out of Podobsko with its nuclear weapons, the Soviet military drew up a maintenance schedule for cranes used to lift warheads and other equipment at the facility stretching years into the future. “It seems they did not think they were leaving forever,” Zuk said, standing in a cavernous underground hall once crammed with warheads and long off limits to all but Soviet officers. In its attitude toward Poland, he added, Russia has always acted “like a master toward a servant,” a relationship that it is now trying to impose on Ukraine. “I worry that Putin may want to get hold of Poland and the Baltic states, too,” he said.

Putin’s war to bring Ukraine to heel unites Eastern Europe in alarm

Formula One driver Nikita Mazepin will not be able to race in the British Grand Prix on his Russian license after Motorsport UK on Wednesday banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from racing amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The move by Britain's motor racing federation comes a day after the sport's governing body FIA said Russian and Belarusian drivers would be allowed to compete in a "neutral capacity" under an "FIA flag" following an extraordinary meeting of its World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).

By targeting the nationality of the licenses, Motorsport UK's decision will stop Russian and Belarusian drivers from racing in Britain, regardless of the flag they compete under.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-winter-paralympics-athletes-from-russia-belarus-can-compete-as-neutrals-458193">Beijing Winter Paralympics: Athletes from Russia, Belarus can compete as neutrals</a>

"We stand united with the people of Ukraine and the motorsport community following the invasion and the unacceptable actions that have unfolded," said Motorsport UK Chair David Richards, who attended Tuesday's WMSC meeting, in a statement.

"This is a time for the international motorsport community to act and show support for the people of Ukraine and our colleagues at the Federation Automobile d'Ukraine (FAU)."

Motorsport UK said its decision was made in full consultation with the British Government and national sports governing bodies.

Mazepin, the only Russian on the Formula One grid, already faces an uncertain future after his U.S.-owned Haas team removed all branding related to Russian potash producer and title sponsor Uralkali on the final day of last week's Barcelona test.

Uralkali is owned by Mazepin's father, oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, and the fate of the partnership and the Russian`s continued presence at the team is set to be decided this week.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/drivers-from-russia-belarus-to-participate-only-in-their-neutral-capacity-says-fia-president-md-ben-sulayem-458137">Drivers from Russia, Belarus to participate only in their neutral capacity, says FIA President Md. Ben Sulayem</a>

Motorsport UK also announced a ban on Russian and Belarusian-licensed teams competing in the UK.

It banned the display of Russian or Belarusian national symbols, colours or flags, even on team uniforms, equipment and cars, at Motorsport UK-permitted events.

The organisation's move raises the prospect of other national motorsport federations applying similar restrictions for their home Formula One races.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The British Grand Prix is scheduled for July 3 at Silverstone.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/roman-abramovich-wants-to-get-rid-of-chelsea-so-he-offered-to-sell-it-says-swiss-billionaire-hansjorg-wyss-458199">Roman Abramovich wants to get rid of Chelsea so he offered to sell it, says Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss</a>

Belarus has been a key staging area for the Russian invasion.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation."&nbsp;

Formula One driver Nikita Mazepin will not be able to race in the British Grand Prix on his Russian license after Motorsport UK on Wednesday banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from racing amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Formula One driver Nikita Mazepin will not be able to race in the British Grand Prix on his Russian license after Motorsport UK on Wednesday banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from racing amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The move by Britain's motor racing federation comes a day after the sport's governing body FIA said Russian and Belarusian drivers would be allowed to compete in a "neutral capacity" under an "FIA flag" following an extraordinary meeting of its World Motor Sport Council (WMSC). By targeting the nationality of the licenses, Motorsport UK's decision will stop Russian and Belarusian drivers from racing in Britain, regardless of the flag they compete under. ALSO READ: Beijing Winter Paralympics: Athletes from Russia, Belarus can compete as neutrals "We stand united with the people of Ukraine and the motorsport community following the invasion and the unacceptable actions that have unfolded," said Motorsport UK Chair David Richards, who attended Tuesday's WMSC meeting, in a statement. "This is a time for the international motorsport community to act and show support for the people of Ukraine and our colleagues at the Federation Automobile d'Ukraine (FAU)." Motorsport UK said its decision was made in full consultation with the British Government and national sports governing bodies. Mazepin, the only Russian on the Formula One grid, already faces an uncertain future after his U.S.-owned Haas team removed all branding related to Russian potash producer and title sponsor Uralkali on the final day of last week's Barcelona test. Uralkali is owned by Mazepin's father, oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, and the fate of the partnership and the Russian`s continued presence at the team is set to be decided this week. ALSO READ: Drivers from Russia, Belarus to participate only in their neutral capacity, says FIA President Md. Ben Sulayem Motorsport UK also announced a ban on Russian and Belarusian-licensed teams competing in the UK. It banned the display of Russian or Belarusian national symbols, colours or flags, even on team uniforms, equipment and cars, at Motorsport UK-permitted events. The organisation's move raises the prospect of other national motorsport federations applying similar restrictions for their home Formula One races. The British Grand Prix is scheduled for July 3 at Silverstone. ALSO READ: Roman Abramovich wants to get rid of Chelsea so he offered to sell it, says Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss Belarus has been a key staging area for the Russian invasion. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation."

Motorsport UK bans Russian drivers from racing in Britain amid Ukraine invasion