Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky during a video address to the Danish parliament said Russia's siege of Mariupol is a "crime against humanity".

"What the Russian troops are doing to Mariupol is a crime against humanity, which is happening in front of the eyes of the whole planet in real-time", Zelensky told Danish parliamentarians.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russia-using-phosphorus-bombs-in-ukraine-incendiary-weapons-its-use-466629">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Russia using phosphorus bombs in Ukraine? Incendiary weapons &amp; its use</a>

According to the United Nations agency, 3.9 million Ukrainians have fled the country since the Russian invasion began last month. UNHCR said the daily outflow rate of refugees was 40,000 per day.

"There were no military ambitions in Mykolaiv, the people in Mykolaiv presented no threat to Russia. And even then, like all the Ukrainians, they became the targets for the Russian troops", Zelensky said adding, "seven people were killed, 22 were wounded, and people are still going through the rubble."

Watch:&nbsp;Russia &amp; Ukraine begin talks in Istanbul to stop fighting in Ukraine

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-begin-talks-in-istanbul-aims-to-stop-fighting-in-ukraine-466649/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Reports say Mariupol has been heavily bombarded by Russian forces in the past few weeks with water, electricity and food running low even as several thousand civilians remain trapped in the city. A Ukrainian official said at least 5,000 people have already died due to continued Russian shelling.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's negotiator said if the security guarantee system works out then Ukraine will agree to neutral status.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-war-what-panzerfaust-3-weapons-can-do-against-russian-tanks-466330">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine war: What Panzerfaust 3 weapons can do against Russian tanks</a>

The negotiator said neutral status would include not having foreign military bases while adding that a referendum in Ukraine would be needed on terms of agreement with Russia.

"We want an international mechanism of security guarantees where guarantor countries will act in a similar way to NATO's article number five -- and even more firmly," David Arakhamia, a Ukrainian negotiator said.

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators began their talks in Istanbul at the Dolmabahce palace in Istanbul on Tuesday amid attacks in Ukraine even as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who hosted the event urged&nbsp;"an end to this tragedy".&nbsp;

The Russian negotiator said "meaningful" talks were held with Ukraine officials.&nbsp;

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut &nbsp;said he was "encouraged for a ceasefire as soon as possible" while adding, "We have seen that they have achieved some progress, they reached consensus."

Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said his forces are ready to scale down fighting near Kyiv and Chernihiv to create a conducive atmosphere for the dialogue process.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky during a video address to the Danish parliament said Russia's siege of Mariupol is a "crime against humanity". "What the Russian troops are doing to Mariupol is a crime against humanity, which is happening in front of the eyes of the whole planet in real-time", Zelensky told Danish parliamentarians.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky during a video address to the Danish parliament said Russia's siege of Mariupol is a "crime against humanity". "What the Russian troops are doing to Mariupol is a crime against humanity, which is happening in front of the eyes of the whole planet in real-time", Zelensky told Danish parliamentarians. Also Read in Pics: Russia using phosphorus bombs in Ukraine? Incendiary weapons & its use According to the United Nations agency, 3.9 million Ukrainians have fled the country since the Russian invasion began last month. UNHCR said the daily outflow rate of refugees was 40,000 per day. "There were no military ambitions in Mykolaiv, the people in Mykolaiv presented no threat to Russia. And even then, like all the Ukrainians, they became the targets for the Russian troops", Zelensky said adding, "seven people were killed, 22 were wounded, and people are still going through the rubble." Watch: Russia & Ukraine begin talks in Istanbul to stop fighting in Ukraine Reports say Mariupol has been heavily bombarded by Russian forces in the past few weeks with water, electricity and food running low even as several thousand civilians remain trapped in the city. A Ukrainian official said at least 5,000 people have already died due to continued Russian shelling. Meanwhile, Ukraine's negotiator said if the security guarantee system works out then Ukraine will agree to neutral status. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine war: What Panzerfaust 3 weapons can do against Russian tanks The negotiator said neutral status would include not having foreign military bases while adding that a referendum in Ukraine would be needed on terms of agreement with Russia. "We want an international mechanism of security guarantees where guarantor countries will act in a similar way to NATO's article number five -- and even more firmly," David Arakhamia, a Ukrainian negotiator said. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators began their talks in Istanbul at the Dolmabahce palace in Istanbul on Tuesday amid attacks in Ukraine even as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who hosted the event urged "an end to this tragedy". The Russian negotiator said "meaningful" talks were held with Ukraine officials. Turkish foreign minister Mevlut said he was "encouraged for a ceasefire as soon as possible" while adding, "We have seen that they have achieved some progress, they reached consensus." Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said his forces are ready to scale down fighting near Kyiv and Chernihiv to create a conducive atmosphere for the dialogue process. (With inputs from Agencies)

Peace talks: Ukraine demands security guarantee; Russia ready to scale down fighting near Kyiv

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the Putin regime is preparing restrictions on entry from "unfriendly" states amid the Ukraine war.

"A draft presidential decree is being developed on retaliatory visa measures in response to the "unfriendly"&nbsp;actions of a number of foreign states," Lavrov said, adding, "This act will introduce a number of restrictions on entry into Russia."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-could-russian-president-vladimir-putin-be-prosecuted-for-war-crimes-in-ukraine-465719">Also Read in Pics: How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine?</a>

The foreign ministry earlier on Monday had declared it is expelling three Slovakian diplomats after the country expelled three Russian diplomats for espionage earlier this month. Slovakia has taken in several thousand refugees from Ukraine after Russia's invasion.

Amid efforts to resume peace talks in Istanbul, Russia's foreign ministry declared that direct talks between President Putin and Ukraine President Zelensky would be "counterproductive".

Watch:&nbsp;A soldier from US talks about change in Ukraine army

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-soldier-from-us-talks-about-change-in-ukraine-army-466421/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Russian president had last met Zelensky during talks in 2019 in Paris. Lavrov insisted that "demilitarisation and the denazification of Ukraine" was an essential component while also demanding that Ukraine should "stop assimilating itself with the West, with NATO, in the military sense".

"Stop being a country that is continually being militarised and where they try to deploy offensive weapons threatening Russia," Lavrov said pointing at Ukraine.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/history-of-urban-warfare-why-russia-will-find-it-difficult-to-conquer-kyiv-465932">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;&nbsp;History of urban warfare &amp; why Russia will find it difficult to conquer Kyiv</a>

Meanwhile, the exodus of top companies from Russia continued as beer makers Heineken and Carlsberg announced their exit from the country, other top brands including Ikea, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs and McDonald's have&nbsp;already decided to pull out from the country.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened to watch the war in Ukraine continue to unfold and intensify," Heineken said, adding,"We have concluded that Heineken's ownership of the business in Russia is no longer sustainable nor viable in the current environment."

(With inputs from Agencies)

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the Putin regime is preparing restrictions on entry from "unfriendly" states amid the Ukraine war. "A draft presidential decree is being developed on retaliatory visa measures in response to the "unfriendly" actions of a number of foreign states," Lavrov said, adding, "This act will introduce a number of restrictions on entry into Russia.

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the Putin regime is preparing restrictions on entry from "unfriendly" states amid the Ukraine war. "A draft presidential decree is being developed on retaliatory visa measures in response to the "unfriendly" actions of a number of foreign states," Lavrov said, adding, "This act will introduce a number of restrictions on entry into Russia." Also Read in Pics: How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine? The foreign ministry earlier on Monday had declared it is expelling three Slovakian diplomats after the country expelled three Russian diplomats for espionage earlier this month. Slovakia has taken in several thousand refugees from Ukraine after Russia's invasion. Amid efforts to resume peace talks in Istanbul, Russia's foreign ministry declared that direct talks between President Putin and Ukraine President Zelensky would be "counterproductive". Watch: A soldier from US talks about change in Ukraine army The Russian president had last met Zelensky during talks in 2019 in Paris. Lavrov insisted that "demilitarisation and the denazification of Ukraine" was an essential component while also demanding that Ukraine should "stop assimilating itself with the West, with NATO, in the military sense". "Stop being a country that is continually being militarised and where they try to deploy offensive weapons threatening Russia," Lavrov said pointing at Ukraine. Also Read in Pics: History of urban warfare & why Russia will find it difficult to conquer Kyiv Meanwhile, the exodus of top companies from Russia continued as beer makers Heineken and Carlsberg announced their exit from the country, other top brands including Ikea, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs and McDonald's have already decided to pull out from the country. "We are shocked and deeply saddened to watch the war in Ukraine continue to unfold and intensify," Heineken said, adding,"We have concluded that Heineken's ownership of the business in Russia is no longer sustainable nor viable in the current environment." (With inputs from Agencies)

'Retaliatory visa measures': Russia set to restrict entry of nationals from 'unfriendly' countries

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

According to reports, China's Sinopec has suspended investment and a gas marketing venture in Russia amid increasing threat of Western sanctions.

Sinopec is Asia's largest oil refiner. The company had reportedly struck a deal with Russia in east Siberia’s Amur region. The venture had started two years ago and was expected to start in 2024.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/history-of-urban-warfare-why-russia-will-find-it-difficult-to-conquer-kyiv-465932">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;&nbsp;History of urban warfare &amp; why Russia will find it difficult to conquer Kyiv</a>

Ma Yongsheng, Sinopec's chairman had reportedly said earlier that "operations in Russia are going smoothly". President Xi's regime has so far refused to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Reuters reported that China's foreign ministry had summoned officials from energy companies to review their business ties with Russian partners. The foreign ministry said it had the "right to carry out normal economic and trade cooperation across the world".

Watch:&nbsp;Zelensky calls on NATO to support Kyiv

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-conflict-zelensky-calls-on-nato-to-support-kyiv-466358/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Several companies have exited Russia ever since President Putin announced the "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24.

Western countries including EU nations have come down heavily against Russian oligarchs. However, Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Russia's oligarchs can continue to do business in the country as long as they respect international law.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-could-russian-president-vladimir-putin-be-prosecuted-for-war-crimes-in-ukraine-465719">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine?</a>

EU nations and the US have specifically targeted Russian oligarchs believed to be close to President Putin while imposing unprecedented measures against the high profile billionaires as several nations have seized yachts owned by Russia's richest.

The sanctions issue has become a major issue as President Macron last week dismissed President Putin's demand for Europe to pay for gas in rubles. Macron declared that "it is therefore not possible today to do what is requested", while adding, "it is not contractual" as he accused Russia of trying to "circumvent" EU sanctions.

Germany which is a major buyer of Russian gas also denounced the move as Europe scrambles to reduce dependence on Russian gas.&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. According to reports, China's Sinopec has suspended investment and a gas marketing venture in Russia amid increasing threat of Western sanctions. Sinopec is Asia's largest oil refiner. The company had reportedly struck a deal with Russia in east Siberia’s Amur region. The venture had started two years ago and was expected to start in 2024. Also Read in Pics: History of urban warfare & why Russia will find it difficult to conquer Kyiv Ma Yongsheng, Sinopec's chairman had reportedly said earlier that "operations in Russia are going smoothly". President Xi's regime has so far refused to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Reuters reported that China's foreign ministry had summoned officials from energy companies to review their business ties with Russian partners. The foreign ministry said it had the "right to carry out normal economic and trade cooperation across the world". Watch: Zelensky calls on NATO to support Kyiv Several companies have exited Russia ever since President Putin announced the "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24. Western countries including EU nations have come down heavily against Russian oligarchs. However, Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Russia's oligarchs can continue to do business in the country as long as they respect international law. Also Read in Pics: How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine? EU nations and the US have specifically targeted Russian oligarchs believed to be close to President Putin while imposing unprecedented measures against the high profile billionaires as several nations have seized yachts owned by Russia's richest. The sanctions issue has become a major issue as President Macron last week dismissed President Putin's demand for Europe to pay for gas in rubles. Macron declared that "it is therefore not possible today to do what is requested", while adding, "it is not contractual" as he accused Russia of trying to "circumvent" EU sanctions. Germany which is a major buyer of Russian gas also denounced the move as Europe scrambles to reduce dependence on Russian gas. (With inputs from Agencies)

China's Sinopec suspends talks with Russian companies amid sanctions row

Ukraine's parliament said Russian forces fired at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv as reports claimed Slavutych town where workers at Chernobyl nuclear plant live has been captured by Russian forces.

Kharkiv has come under heavy bombardment by Russian forces as local officials claimed Russia has been firing missiles from the Black Sea including artillery and mortar attack from nearby areas.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-russias-missiles-in-ukraine-are-failing-to-hit-the-target-465689">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Why Russia's missiles in Ukraine are failing to hit the target</a>

"It is currently impossible to estimate the extent of damage due to hostilities that do not stop in the area of the nuclear installation," State nuclear regulatory inspectorate said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
❗❗❗ WARNING 
Russian army fired again at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv 
 
"It is currently impossible to estimate the extent of damage due to hostilities that do not stop in the area of the nuclear installation," — State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate.
— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine - Ukrainian Parliament (@ua_parliament) <a href="https://twitter.com/ua_parliament/status/1507794278893899780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov had said there is "indiscriminatory bombing" taking place in the area while declaring that "it's a war against Kharkiv".

Watch:&nbsp;Smoke engulfs Lviv after powerful explosions rock the city

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-conflict-smoke-engulfs-lviv-after-powerful-explosions-rock-the-city-465828/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russian troops had entered the city on February 24 as President Putin announced "special military operation" against Ukraine, however, Ukraine's forces resisted the initial Russian attack pushing back Putin's troops to the outskirts of the city.&nbsp;

There has been heavy artillery fire from the Russian forces for the past few weeks with administrative buildings being the target of attacks including homes and apartment blocks.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-war-russias-orlan-10-krasnopol-laser-guided-drones-462157">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine war: Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones</a>

Ukraine forces have been battling Russia's overwhelming force with new anti-missile defences in&nbsp;Kharkiv , reports claim.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Agencies)

Ukraine's parliament said Russian forces fired at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv as reports claimed Slavutych town where workers at Chernobyl nuclear plant live has been captured by Russian forces.

Ukraine's parliament said Russian forces fired at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv as reports claimed Slavutych town where workers at Chernobyl nuclear plant live has been captured by Russian forces. Kharkiv has come under heavy bombardment by Russian forces as local officials claimed Russia has been firing missiles from the Black Sea including artillery and mortar attack from nearby areas. Also Read in Pics: Why Russia's missiles in Ukraine are failing to hit the target "It is currently impossible to estimate the extent of damage due to hostilities that do not stop in the area of the nuclear installation," State nuclear regulatory inspectorate said. ❗❗❗ WARNING Russian army fired again at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv "It is currently impossible to estimate the extent of damage due to hostilities that do not stop in the area of the nuclear installation," — State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate. — Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine - Ukrainian Parliament (@ua_parliament) March 26, 2022 × Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov had said there is "indiscriminatory bombing" taking place in the area while declaring that "it's a war against Kharkiv". Watch: Smoke engulfs Lviv after powerful explosions rock the city Russian troops had entered the city on February 24 as President Putin announced "special military operation" against Ukraine, however, Ukraine's forces resisted the initial Russian attack pushing back Putin's troops to the outskirts of the city. There has been heavy artillery fire from the Russian forces for the past few weeks with administrative buildings being the target of attacks including homes and apartment blocks. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine war: Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones Ukraine forces have been battling Russia's overwhelming force with new anti-missile defences in Kharkiv , reports claim. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russian army fired again at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv, says Ukraine

The Kremlin dismissed a remark by U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday that Vladimir Putin "can not remain in power," saying it was up to Russians to choose their own president.

Asked about Biden's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters: "That's not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians. "

A White House official said Biden, who was speaking in Warsaw, had not been calling for "regime change" in Russia, but his point was that "Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region".

Peskov did not immediately respond to a follow-up request for reaction to the White House clarification.

Watch | Joe Biden delivers remarks from Warsaw, says Putin is strangling democracy &amp; World order

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/joe-biden-delivers-remarks-from-warsaw-says-putin-is-strangling-democracy-world-order-465819/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Biden has stepped up personal attacks on Putin since the Russian president ordered the invasion of Ukraine last month, and the Kremlin has replied by questioning the U.S. leader's state of mind.

Last week, it accused Biden of making "personal insults" towards Putin after he labelled him a "war criminal" and a "murderous dictator", and said his remarks appeared to have been fuelled by irritation, fatigue, and forgetfulness.

Dmitry Rogozin, the outspoken head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, suggested mockingly on social media that the clarification of Biden's latest remarks had come from the White House medical unit.

Rogozin has previously derided what he called "Alzheimer's sanctions" imposed on Russia by the United States over the war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation.

The Kremlin dismissed a remark by U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday that Vladimir Putin "can not remain in power," saying it was up to Russians to choose their own president.

The Kremlin dismissed a remark by U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday that Vladimir Putin "can not remain in power," saying it was up to Russians to choose their own president. Asked about Biden's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters: "That's not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians. " A White House official said Biden, who was speaking in Warsaw, had not been calling for "regime change" in Russia, but his point was that "Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region". Peskov did not immediately respond to a follow-up request for reaction to the White House clarification. Watch | Joe Biden delivers remarks from Warsaw, says Putin is strangling democracy & World order Biden has stepped up personal attacks on Putin since the Russian president ordered the invasion of Ukraine last month, and the Kremlin has replied by questioning the U.S. leader's state of mind. Last week, it accused Biden of making "personal insults" towards Putin after he labelled him a "war criminal" and a "murderous dictator", and said his remarks appeared to have been fuelled by irritation, fatigue, and forgetfulness. Dmitry Rogozin, the outspoken head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, suggested mockingly on social media that the clarification of Biden's latest remarks had come from the White House medical unit. Rogozin has previously derided what he called "Alzheimer's sanctions" imposed on Russia by the United States over the war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation.

Kremlin says it's not for Biden to say if Putin stays in power

Just hours after President Joe Biden said President Putin "cannot stay in power", the White House clarified that the US president was "not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change."

Biden called Putin a "butcher" as he termed the Ukraine war as a "battle for freedom" during a speech in Warsaw. "We stand with you," he told Ukraine while talking about collective defence within NATO countries.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-russias-missiles-in-ukraine-are-failing-to-hit-the-target-465689">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Why Russia's missiles in Ukraine are failing to hit the target</a>

The US president earlier met Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and defence minister Oleksii Reznikov amid heavy fighting in Ukraine as the foreign minister gave Biden a fragment of a Russian missile that struck a base in Yavoriv.

"Don't even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory," Biden warned in his speech pointing towards the Russian president, adding, "Let there be no doubt that this war has already been a strategic failure for Russia."

Watch:&nbsp;Joe Biden delivers says Putin is strangling democracy &amp; world order

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/joe-biden-delivers-remarks-from-warsaw-says-putin-is-strangling-democracy-world-order-465819/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meanwhile, Ukraine said its forces had recaptured the northeast town of Trostianets near the Ukraine border. Ukraine's defence ministry declared that Trostianets in the Sumy region has been liberated from Russian occupation troops.

Reports claimed Russian forces had taken control of the town where the staff working at the Chernobyl nuclear site live. The Russians reportedly detained the mayor leading to protests in the area.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-could-russian-president-vladimir-putin-be-prosecuted-for-war-crimes-in-ukraine-465719">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine?</a>

The mayor of the town was later released. The &nbsp;Chernobyl nuclear plant was seized by Russian forces on February 24 as President Putin announced a "special military operation" against Ukraine.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Just hours after President Joe Biden said President Putin "cannot stay in power", the White House clarified that the US president was "not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change.

Just hours after President Joe Biden said President Putin "cannot stay in power", the White House clarified that the US president was "not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change." Biden called Putin a "butcher" as he termed the Ukraine war as a "battle for freedom" during a speech in Warsaw. "We stand with you," he told Ukraine while talking about collective defence within NATO countries. Also Read in Pics: Why Russia's missiles in Ukraine are failing to hit the target The US president earlier met Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and defence minister Oleksii Reznikov amid heavy fighting in Ukraine as the foreign minister gave Biden a fragment of a Russian missile that struck a base in Yavoriv. "Don't even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory," Biden warned in his speech pointing towards the Russian president, adding, "Let there be no doubt that this war has already been a strategic failure for Russia." Watch: Joe Biden delivers says Putin is strangling democracy & world order Meanwhile, Ukraine said its forces had recaptured the northeast town of Trostianets near the Ukraine border. Ukraine's defence ministry declared that Trostianets in the Sumy region has been liberated from Russian occupation troops. Reports claimed Russian forces had taken control of the town where the staff working at the Chernobyl nuclear site live. The Russians reportedly detained the mayor leading to protests in the area. Also Read in Pics: How could Russian President Vladimir Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine? The mayor of the town was later released. The Chernobyl nuclear plant was seized by Russian forces on February 24 as President Putin announced a "special military operation" against Ukraine. (With inputs from Agencies)

President Biden not seeking regime change in Russia, clarifies White House

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.

Amid heavy fighting in Ukraine, the Russian Army said it had lost 1,351 soldiers in the war even as NATO officials claimed around 7,000 to&nbsp;15,000 Russian soldiers have died in over a month.

President Putin had ordered a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24 as Russian troops entered the neighbouring country amid heavy resistance by Ukraine's forces. Ukraine had claimed that over 15,000 Russian soldiers had died.

In recent weeks Ukraine's army has reportedly halted Russia's advance as the UK defence ministry said Ukraine's counterattacks are underway near capital Kyiv. The authorities in Moscow said at least 3,850 Russian soldiers were injured in the fighting.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-war-russias-orlan-10-krasnopol-laser-guided-drones-462157">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones</a>

Pentagon officials said Ukrainian forces were also counterattacking in Kherson which was reportedly under Russian control.&nbsp;

As the fighting continues&nbsp;on several fronts, the head of the Russian General Staff's main operational directorate, Sergei Rudskoi, said that the "core efforts" of the Russian Army was the "liberation of Donbass".

Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared Donbass and Luhansk region as independent states just days before the Ukraine invasion last month.

Watch:&nbsp;Complete focus on liberating Ukraine's Donbas region, says Russia

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-complete-focus-on-liberating-ukraines-donbas-region-465606/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meanwhile, Western officials said another top Russian general Yakov Rezanstev was reportedly killed by Ukraine's forces.

Reports claimed missiles hit Ukraine's military command centre in Vinnytsia city with casualties still unknown as Russia claimed it had destroyed Ukraine's largest military fuel storage site with Kalibr cruise missile strikes.

President Zelensky who has been pleading for a no-fly zone since the beginning of the war said his troops had dealt Russia "powerful blows".

"Our defenders are leading the Russian leadership to a simple and logical idea: we must talk, talk meaningfully, urgently and fairly," Ukraine's president asserted.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-claims-to-capture-russias-pantsir-s1-missile-system-is-it-a-rich-catch-461275">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch?</a>

The refugee crisis in Ukraine continues to worry Western countries with French President Emmanuel Macron seeking assistance from Turkey and Greece to conduct a "humanitarian operation".

(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. Amid heavy fighting in Ukraine, the Russian Army said it had lost 1,351 soldiers in the war even as NATO officials claimed around 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers have died in over a month. President Putin had ordered a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24 as Russian troops entered the neighbouring country amid heavy resistance by Ukraine's forces. Ukraine had claimed that over 15,000 Russian soldiers had died. In recent weeks Ukraine's army has reportedly halted Russia's advance as the UK defence ministry said Ukraine's counterattacks are underway near capital Kyiv. The authorities in Moscow said at least 3,850 Russian soldiers were injured in the fighting. Also Read in Pics: Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones Pentagon officials said Ukrainian forces were also counterattacking in Kherson which was reportedly under Russian control. As the fighting continues on several fronts, the head of the Russian General Staff's main operational directorate, Sergei Rudskoi, said that the "core efforts" of the Russian Army was the "liberation of Donbass". Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared Donbass and Luhansk region as independent states just days before the Ukraine invasion last month. Watch: Complete focus on liberating Ukraine's Donbas region, says Russia Meanwhile, Western officials said another top Russian general Yakov Rezanstev was reportedly killed by Ukraine's forces. Reports claimed missiles hit Ukraine's military command centre in Vinnytsia city with casualties still unknown as Russia claimed it had destroyed Ukraine's largest military fuel storage site with Kalibr cruise missile strikes. President Zelensky who has been pleading for a no-fly zone since the beginning of the war said his troops had dealt Russia "powerful blows". "Our defenders are leading the Russian leadership to a simple and logical idea: we must talk, talk meaningfully, urgently and fairly," Ukraine's president asserted. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch? The refugee crisis in Ukraine continues to worry Western countries with French President Emmanuel Macron seeking assistance from Turkey and Greece to conduct a "humanitarian operation". (With inputs from Agencies)

Russia reveals military death toll amid heavy fighting in Kherson

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Amid reports of a seventh Russian general being killed, Russia's senior general Sergei Rudskoi suggested that the country's military forces would have their "main goal" of taking control over Donbass in eastern Ukraine.

Russia has been at war with Ukraine for over a month ever since President Vladimir Putin announced "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/drone-warfare-in-ukraine-switchblade-buzzing-bee-drones-vs-russias-orlan-10-463449">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10</a>

Pentagon officials said Ukrainian troops were on the counteroffensive in Kherson which is reportedly under Russian control.

"The combat potential of Ukraine's armed forces has been significantly reduced, which allows us to focus our main efforts on achieving the main goal - the liberation of Donbass," News agency AFP quoted a senior representative of the Russian General Staff&nbsp;Sergei Rudskoi as saying.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden during his visit to Europe visited Rzeszow near Ukraine as he praised "incredible" resistance put up by Ukrainians against the Russian troops.

Watch:&nbsp;Is Putin at risk of a coup?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-putin-at-risk-of-a-coup-465563/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Are democracies going to prevail... or are autocracies going to prevail? And that's really what's at stake," Biden said even as Pentagon officials said &nbsp;Kherson was "contested territory again".&nbsp;

The US president visited Poland and met US soldiers stationed in the country including aid workers who have been tackling the massive refugee crisis in the country as millions of Ukrainians mainly women and children have poured into the neighbouring country ever since the Russian invasion last month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraines-tochka-u-missile-can-it-stop-russian-attack-462852">Also Read in Pics |&nbsp;Ukraine's Tochka-U missile: Can it stop Russian attack?</a>

Russia continued its bombardment in Ukraine as it hit a military command centre in Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, reports said, even as Ukraine's foreign minister insisted on a "ceasefire, security guarantees and territorial integrity of Ukraine".

As the fighting continued in key areas, the Russian army claimed it had lost 1,351 troops and evacuated 400,000 civilians.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Amid reports of a seventh Russian general being killed, Russia's senior general Sergei Rudskoi suggested that the country's military forces would have their "main goal" of taking control over Donbass in eastern Ukraine. Russia has been at war with Ukraine for over a month ever since President Vladimir Putin announced "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24. Also Read in Pics: Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10 Pentagon officials said Ukrainian troops were on the counteroffensive in Kherson which is reportedly under Russian control. "The combat potential of Ukraine's armed forces has been significantly reduced, which allows us to focus our main efforts on achieving the main goal - the liberation of Donbass," News agency AFP quoted a senior representative of the Russian General Staff Sergei Rudskoi as saying. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden during his visit to Europe visited Rzeszow near Ukraine as he praised "incredible" resistance put up by Ukrainians against the Russian troops. Watch: Is Putin at risk of a coup? "Are democracies going to prevail... or are autocracies going to prevail? And that's really what's at stake," Biden said even as Pentagon officials said Kherson was "contested territory again". The US president visited Poland and met US soldiers stationed in the country including aid workers who have been tackling the massive refugee crisis in the country as millions of Ukrainians mainly women and children have poured into the neighbouring country ever since the Russian invasion last month. Also Read in Pics | Ukraine's Tochka-U missile: Can it stop Russian attack? Russia continued its bombardment in Ukraine as it hit a military command centre in Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, reports said, even as Ukraine's foreign minister insisted on a "ceasefire, security guarantees and territorial integrity of Ukraine". As the fighting continued in key areas, the Russian army claimed it had lost 1,351 troops and evacuated 400,000 civilians. (With inputs from Agencies)

Ukraine war: Main goal is the liberation of Donbass, says Russian general

Why Russia's missiles in Ukraine are failing to hit the target

As Ukraine continues to battle Russian forces, President Zelensky in a video address to the Doha Forum said urged an increase in the output of energy.

"I ask you to increase the output of energy to ensure that everyone in Russia understands that no one can use energy as a weapon to blackmail the world," Zelensky told the Doha Forum.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/one-month-since-russia-invaded-ukraine-hundreds-dead-millions-displaced-when-will-it-end-465149">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;One month since Russia invaded Ukraine: Hundreds dead, millions displaced - When will it end?</a>

"They are bragging that they can destroy with nuclear weapons not only a certain country but the entire planet," Zelensky said after President Putin had put his nuclear forces on alert amid the Ukraine war.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HE Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DohaForum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DohaForum</a> Opening Ceremony. <a href="https://t.co/TMJ7eVMHhG">pic.twitter.com/TMJ7eVMHhG</a>
— Doha Forum (@DohaForum) <a href="https://twitter.com/DohaForum/status/1507647884623241221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Ukraine's president has been pleading NATO to declare a no-fly zone since the outbreak of the war, however, the European military alliance has so far rejected Zelensky's plea.

Watch:&nbsp;Ukrainian forces try to recapture towns outside Kyiv

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukrainian-forces-try-to-recapture-towns-outside-kyiv-amid-russian-invasion-465643/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On Friday, Zelensky&nbsp;had said the situation in Mariupol remains "tragic" despite evacuations as Russia continues its bombing campaign. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych claimed Ukraine's forces had killed the commander of the 49th Russian Southern District Army, General Yakov Ryazantsev in a strike on Chornobayivka near Kherson even as President Zelensky claimed Chernobayevka will "go down in the history of warfare".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/drone-warfare-in-ukraine-switchblade-buzzing-bee-drones-vs-russias-orlan-10-463449">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;&nbsp;Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10</a>

Amid the fighting in Ukraine, the White House said on Saturday that President Biden will meet two Ukrainian ministers in Warsaw.

(With inputs from Agencies)

As Ukraine continues to battle Russian forces, President Zelensky in a video address to the Doha Forum said urged an increase in the output of energy. "I ask you to increase the output of energy to ensure that everyone in Russia understands that no one can use energy as a weapon to blackmail the world," Zelensky told the Doha Forum.

As Ukraine continues to battle Russian forces, President Zelensky in a video address to the Doha Forum said urged an increase in the output of energy. "I ask you to increase the output of energy to ensure that everyone in Russia understands that no one can use energy as a weapon to blackmail the world," Zelensky told the Doha Forum. Also Read in Pics: One month since Russia invaded Ukraine: Hundreds dead, millions displaced - When will it end? "They are bragging that they can destroy with nuclear weapons not only a certain country but the entire planet," Zelensky said after President Putin had put his nuclear forces on alert amid the Ukraine war. HE Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President at #DohaForum Opening Ceremony. pic.twitter.com/TMJ7eVMHhG — Doha Forum (@DohaForum) March 26, 2022 × Ukraine's president has been pleading NATO to declare a no-fly zone since the outbreak of the war, however, the European military alliance has so far rejected Zelensky's plea. Watch: Ukrainian forces try to recapture towns outside Kyiv On Friday, Zelensky had said the situation in Mariupol remains "tragic" despite evacuations as Russia continues its bombing campaign. Meanwhile, presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych claimed Ukraine's forces had killed the commander of the 49th Russian Southern District Army, General Yakov Ryazantsev in a strike on Chornobayivka near Kherson even as President Zelensky claimed Chernobayevka will "go down in the history of warfare". Also Read in Pics: Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10 Amid the fighting in Ukraine, the White House said on Saturday that President Biden will meet two Ukrainian ministers in Warsaw. (With inputs from Agencies)

Increase energy output so that nobody can use it as a weapon to blackmail: Zelensky to Doha Forum

Amid the Ukraine war, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they had expelled ten Russian diplomats.

Estonia's foreign ministry said the Russian diplomats had "directly and actively undermined Estonia's security and spread propaganda justifying Russia's military action."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/drone-warfare-in-ukraine-switchblade-buzzing-bee-drones-vs-russias-orlan-10-463449">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10</a>

Lithuania expelled four Russian diplomats as foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said, "Russia's military attacks on civilians, civilian objects, hospitals, schools, maternity wards and cultural objects are war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Latvia's foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics said the three expelled Russian embassy officials were involved in "activities are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine".

The decision has been coordinated with Lithuania and Estonia, the foreign minister added.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Latvia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Latvia</a> expells three Russian Embassy employees in connection with activities that are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a>. The decision has been coordinated with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lithuania?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lithuania</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Estonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Estonia</a>
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) <a href="https://twitter.com/edgarsrinkevics/status/1504790139008135215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Watch: 'Firefighters in Kyiv working in volatile conditions'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/state-emergency-service-firefighters-in-kyiv-working-in-volatile-conditions-463511/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Bulgaria's foreign ministry also&nbsp;announced the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats over suspected espionage activities. Bulgaria had earlier expelled two Russian diplomats earlier this month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraines-tochka-u-missile-can-it-stop-russian-attack-462852">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine's Tochka-U missile: Can it stop Russian attack?</a>

Reports claimed on Thursday that Kosovo has requested President Biden to help in joining NATO.

President Vjosa Osmani in a letter said "Kosovo's membership in NATO has become imperative" amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti had earlier pressed for the country's entry into the EU and NATO.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Amid the Ukraine war, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they had expelled ten Russian diplomats. Estonia's foreign ministry said the Russian diplomats had "directly and actively undermined Estonia's security and spread propaganda justifying Russia's military action.

Amid the Ukraine war, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they had expelled ten Russian diplomats. Estonia's foreign ministry said the Russian diplomats had "directly and actively undermined Estonia's security and spread propaganda justifying Russia's military action." Also Read in Pics: Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10 Lithuania expelled four Russian diplomats as foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said, "Russia's military attacks on civilians, civilian objects, hospitals, schools, maternity wards and cultural objects are war crimes and crimes against humanity." Latvia's foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics said the three expelled Russian embassy officials were involved in "activities are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine". The decision has been coordinated with Lithuania and Estonia, the foreign minister added. #Latvia expells three Russian Embassy employees in connection with activities that are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in #Ukraine. The decision has been coordinated with #Lithuania and #Estonia — Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) March 18, 2022 × Watch: 'Firefighters in Kyiv working in volatile conditions' Bulgaria's foreign ministry also announced the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats over suspected espionage activities. Bulgaria had earlier expelled two Russian diplomats earlier this month. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine's Tochka-U missile: Can it stop Russian attack? Reports claimed on Thursday that Kosovo has requested President Biden to help in joining NATO. President Vjosa Osmani in a letter said "Kosovo's membership in NATO has become imperative" amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti had earlier pressed for the country's entry into the EU and NATO. (With inputs from Agencies)

'War crimes': Amid Ukraine war, Baltic states expel Russian diplomats

Amid the shadow of the Russian invasion of&nbsp;Ukraine, UK foreign secretary Elizabeth Truss will visit India later this month. She is the first European foreign minister to visit India since the Russian invasion, an agenda that will dominate the talks when she meets external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar.&nbsp;

The invasion that started on February 24 has been a major geopolitical earthquake for Europe and the world and has led to the worst refugee crisis for the continent since World War- II.

The Indian, UK foreign ministers had spoken on the crisis in Ukraine recently. In a tweet on February 24, EAM had said, "A telephonic discussion with UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz. Exchanged perspectives on the Ukrainian situation."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A telephonic discussion with UK Foreign Secretary <a href="https://twitter.com/trussliz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trussliz</a>. 
 
Exchanged perspectives on the Ukrainian situation.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1496825405797711877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Amid the Russian invasion, India's external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar has been engaged with foreign ministers of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and&nbsp;Moldova for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

India, under "Operation Ganga" has been able to bring back 22,500 nationals home from the war-torn country.

The UK foreign secretary last visited India in October of 2021&nbsp;during which she visited Mumbai. Both sides are engaged in free trade agreement talks as well.

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

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

UK foreign secretary to visit India amid Ukraine war

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

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

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

Russia blocks access to several local websites amid Ukraine war

In 36 days of fighting on Iwo Jima during World War II, nearly 7,000 Marines were killed. Now, 20 days after President Vladimir Putin of Russia invaded Ukraine, his military has already lost more soldiers, according to US&nbsp;intelligence estimates.

The conservative side of the estimate, at more than 7,000 Russian troop deaths, is greater than the number of US&nbsp;troops killed over 20 years in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

It is a staggering number amassed in just three weeks of fighting, US&nbsp;officials say, with implications for the combat effectiveness of Russian units, including soldiers in tank formations. Pentagon officials say a 10% casualty rate, including dead and wounded, for a single unit renders it unable to carry out combat-related tasks.

With more than 150,000 Russian troops involved in the war in Ukraine, Russian casualties, when including the estimated 14,000 to 21,000 injured, are near that level. And the Russian military has lost at least three generals in the fight, according to Ukrainian, NATO and Russian officials.

Pentagon officials say that a high, and rising, number of war dead can destroy the will to continue fighting. The result, they say, has shown up in intelligence reports that senior officials in the Biden administration read every day: One recent report focused on low morale among Russian troops and described soldiers just parking their vehicles and walking off into the woods.

The US&nbsp;officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, caution that their numbers of Russian troop deaths are inexact, compiled through analysis of the news media, Ukrainian figures (which tend to be high, with the latest at 13,500), Russian figures (which tend to be low, with the latest at 498), satellite imagery and careful perusal of video images of Russian tanks and troops that come under fire.

US&nbsp;military and intelligence officials know, for instance, how many troops are usually in a tank, and can extrapolate from that the number of casualties when an armored vehicle is hit by, say, a Javelin anti-tank missile.

The high rate of casualties goes far to explain why Russia’s much-vaunted force has remained largely stalled outside of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.

“Losses like this affect morale and unit cohesion, especially since these soldiers don’t understand why they’re fighting,” said Evelyn Farkas, the top Pentagon official for Russia and Ukraine during the Obama administration. “Your overall situational awareness decreases. Someone’s got to drive, someone’s got to shoot.”

But, she added, “that’s just the land forces.” With Russian ground forces in disarray, Putin has increasingly looked to the skies to attack Ukrainian cities, residential buildings, hospitals and even schools. That aerial bombardment, officials say, has helped camouflage the Russian military’s poor performance on the ground. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said this week that an estimated 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the war.

Signs of Russia’s challenges abound. Late last week, Russian news sources reported that Putin had put two of his top intelligence officials under house arrest. The officials, who run the Fifth Service of Russia’s main intelligence service, the FSB, were interrogated for providing poor intelligence before the invasion, according to Andrei Soldatov, a Russian security services expert.

“They were in charge of providing political intelligence and cultivating networks of support in Ukraine,” Soldatov said in an interview. “They told Putin what he wanted to hear” about how the invasion would progress.

Russians may be hearing only what Putin wants them to hear about his “operation” in Ukraine, which he refuses to call a war or an invasion. Since it began, he has exerted iron control over the news outlets in Russia; state media is not publicizing most casualties and has minimized the destruction.

But some Russians have access to virtual private networks (VPNs) and are able to get news from the West.

“I don’t believe he can wall off, indefinitely, Russians from the truth,” CIA Director William Burns told the Senate on March 10. “Especially as realities began to puncture that bubble, the realities of killed and wounded coming home, and the increasing number, the realities of the economic consequences for ordinary Russians, the realities of the horrific scenes of hospitals and schools being bombed next door in Ukraine, and of civilian casualties there as well.”

The news of the generals’ deaths is trickling out, first from Ukrainians, then confirmed by NATO officials, with one death acknowledged by Putin in a speech. They have been identified as Maj. Gen. Andrei Kolesnikov, a commander from Russia’s eastern military district; Maj. Gen. Vitaly Gerasimov, first deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army; and Maj. Gen. Andrei Sukhovetsky, deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army.

Western officials say about 20 Russian generals were in Ukraine as part of the war effort and that they may have pushed closer to the front to boost morale.

“Three generals already — that’s a shocking number,” Michael McFaul, former US&nbsp;ambassador to Russia, said in an interview.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials reported that a fourth general, Maj. Gen. Oleg Mityaev, commander of the 150th motorized rifle division, had been killed in fighting.

Two US&nbsp;military officials said many Russian generals are talking on unsecured phones and radios. In at least one instance, they said, the Ukrainians intercepted a general’s call, geolocated it and attacked his location, killing him and his staff.

If Russian military deaths continue to rise, the kinds of civic organizations that called attention to troop deaths and injuries during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan could once more come to prominence.

But the Russian toll, some military specialists and lawmakers say, is unlikely to change Putin’s strategy.

“It is stunning, and the Russians haven’t even gotten to the worst of it, when they hit urban combat in the cities,” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a member of the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, said in an interview.

“I don’t think it’ll have an impact on Putin’s calculus,” Crow said. “He is not willing to lose. He’s been backed into a corner and will continue to throw troops at the problem.”

In 36 days of fighting on Iwo Jima during World War II, nearly 7,000 Marines were killed. Now, 20 days after President Vladimir Putin of Russia invaded Ukraine, his military has already lost more soldiers, according to US intelligence estimates.

In 36 days of fighting on Iwo Jima during World War II, nearly 7,000 Marines were killed. Now, 20 days after President Vladimir Putin of Russia invaded Ukraine, his military has already lost more soldiers, according to US intelligence estimates. The conservative side of the estimate, at more than 7,000 Russian troop deaths, is greater than the number of US troops killed over 20 years in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. It is a staggering number amassed in just three weeks of fighting, US officials say, with implications for the combat effectiveness of Russian units, including soldiers in tank formations. Pentagon officials say a 10% casualty rate, including dead and wounded, for a single unit renders it unable to carry out combat-related tasks. With more than 150,000 Russian troops involved in the war in Ukraine, Russian casualties, when including the estimated 14,000 to 21,000 injured, are near that level. And the Russian military has lost at least three generals in the fight, according to Ukrainian, NATO and Russian officials. Pentagon officials say that a high, and rising, number of war dead can destroy the will to continue fighting. The result, they say, has shown up in intelligence reports that senior officials in the Biden administration read every day: One recent report focused on low morale among Russian troops and described soldiers just parking their vehicles and walking off into the woods. The US officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, caution that their numbers of Russian troop deaths are inexact, compiled through analysis of the news media, Ukrainian figures (which tend to be high, with the latest at 13,500), Russian figures (which tend to be low, with the latest at 498), satellite imagery and careful perusal of video images of Russian tanks and troops that come under fire. US military and intelligence officials know, for instance, how many troops are usually in a tank, and can extrapolate from that the number of casualties when an armored vehicle is hit by, say, a Javelin anti-tank missile. The high rate of casualties goes far to explain why Russia’s much-vaunted force has remained largely stalled outside of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. “Losses like this affect morale and unit cohesion, especially since these soldiers don’t understand why they’re fighting,” said Evelyn Farkas, the top Pentagon official for Russia and Ukraine during the Obama administration. “Your overall situational awareness decreases. Someone’s got to drive, someone’s got to shoot.” But, she added, “that’s just the land forces.” With Russian ground forces in disarray, Putin has increasingly looked to the skies to attack Ukrainian cities, residential buildings, hospitals and even schools. That aerial bombardment, officials say, has helped camouflage the Russian military’s poor performance on the ground. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said this week that an estimated 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the war. Signs of Russia’s challenges abound. Late last week, Russian news sources reported that Putin had put two of his top intelligence officials under house arrest. The officials, who run the Fifth Service of Russia’s main intelligence service, the FSB, were interrogated for providing poor intelligence before the invasion, according to Andrei Soldatov, a Russian security services expert. “They were in charge of providing political intelligence and cultivating networks of support in Ukraine,” Soldatov said in an interview. “They told Putin what he wanted to hear” about how the invasion would progress. Russians may be hearing only what Putin wants them to hear about his “operation” in Ukraine, which he refuses to call a war or an invasion. Since it began, he has exerted iron control over the news outlets in Russia; state media is not publicizing most casualties and has minimized the destruction. But some Russians have access to virtual private networks (VPNs) and are able to get news from the West. “I don’t believe he can wall off, indefinitely, Russians from the truth,” CIA Director William Burns told the Senate on March 10. “Especially as realities began to puncture that bubble, the realities of killed and wounded coming home, and the increasing number, the realities of the economic consequences for ordinary Russians, the realities of the horrific scenes of hospitals and schools being bombed next door in Ukraine, and of civilian casualties there as well.” The news of the generals’ deaths is trickling out, first from Ukrainians, then confirmed by NATO officials, with one death acknowledged by Putin in a speech. They have been identified as Maj. Gen. Andrei Kolesnikov, a commander from Russia’s eastern military district; Maj. Gen. Vitaly Gerasimov, first deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army; and Maj. Gen. Andrei Sukhovetsky, deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army. Western officials say about 20 Russian generals were in Ukraine as part of the war effort and that they may have pushed closer to the front to boost morale. “Three generals already — that’s a shocking number,” Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia, said in an interview. On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials reported that a fourth general, Maj. Gen. Oleg Mityaev, commander of the 150th motorized rifle division, had been killed in fighting. Two US military officials said many Russian generals are talking on unsecured phones and radios. In at least one instance, they said, the Ukrainians intercepted a general’s call, geolocated it and attacked his location, killing him and his staff. If Russian military deaths continue to rise, the kinds of civic organizations that called attention to troop deaths and injuries during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan could once more come to prominence. But the Russian toll, some military specialists and lawmakers say, is unlikely to change Putin’s strategy. “It is stunning, and the Russians haven’t even gotten to the worst of it, when they hit urban combat in the cities,” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a member of the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, said in an interview. “I don’t think it’ll have an impact on Putin’s calculus,” Crow said. “He is not willing to lose. He’s been backed into a corner and will continue to throw troops at the problem.”

As Russian troop deaths climb, morale becomes an issue, officials say

As the war in Ukraine drags on, President Vladimir Putin who had ordered a "special military operation" on February 24 in a stern message said, "the Russian people, will always be able to distinguish the true patriots from the scum and the traitors".

In a dark message, Putin added: "just to spit them out like a midge that accidentally flew into their mouths". The Russian president had said on Wednesday that the military operation is going according to plan even as the war in Ukraine has continued for over three weeks with towns putting up stiff resistance against the Russian invasion.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/napoleons-waterloo-hitlers-barbarossa-5-lessons-putin-can-learn-from-failed-war-campaigns-461556">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Napoleon's Waterloo &amp; Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons Putin can learn</a>

"I do not judge those with villas in Miami or the French Riviera or who can't get by without oysters or foie gras or so-called 'gender freedoms', he said, adding, "The problem is they mentally exist there, and not here, with our people with Russia."

Putin's latest jibe at his political enemies comes even as Russia announced that it paid interest on foreign debt due this week. Russia risked default on its foreign debt for the first time in over a hundred years.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;NATO rejects Ukraine 'peace mission'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nato-rejects-ukraine-peace-mission-instead-seeks-to-bolster-its-eastern-flank-463148/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The West will try to bet on the so-called fifth column, on traitors to divide our society, to provoke a civil confrontation, to strive to achieve its aim. And there is one aim – the destruction of Russia," he said in a televised address.

The Russian president's claims come even as prosecutors called for opposition leader Alexei Navalny to serve 13 years in prison on new fraud charges. Navalny who is a strong critic of Putin was jailed last year after surviving a poison attack which he has blamed on the Putin regime. The prosecutors also demanded Navalny be fined $10,600. The judge is&nbsp;set to deliver his verdict on &nbsp;March 22.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-the-real-mr-putin-meet-the-judo-fighter-who-worked-for-the-kgb-455631">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;&nbsp;Who is the real Mr Putin? Meet the judo fighter who worked for the KGB</a>

In his speech, the Russian president continued his attack on the so-called traitors, saying: "I am convinced that this natural and necessary self-cleansing of society will only strengthen our country, our solidarity, cohesion and readiness to meet any challenge."

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp;

As the war in Ukraine drags on, President Vladimir Putin who had ordered a "special military operation" on February 24 in a stern message said, "the Russian people, will always be able to distinguish the true patriots from the scum and the traitors".

As the war in Ukraine drags on, President Vladimir Putin who had ordered a "special military operation" on February 24 in a stern message said, "the Russian people, will always be able to distinguish the true patriots from the scum and the traitors". In a dark message, Putin added: "just to spit them out like a midge that accidentally flew into their mouths". The Russian president had said on Wednesday that the military operation is going according to plan even as the war in Ukraine has continued for over three weeks with towns putting up stiff resistance against the Russian invasion. Also Read in Pics: Napoleon's Waterloo & Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons Putin can learn "I do not judge those with villas in Miami or the French Riviera or who can't get by without oysters or foie gras or so-called 'gender freedoms', he said, adding, "The problem is they mentally exist there, and not here, with our people with Russia." Putin's latest jibe at his political enemies comes even as Russia announced that it paid interest on foreign debt due this week. Russia risked default on its foreign debt for the first time in over a hundred years. Watch: NATO rejects Ukraine 'peace mission' "The West will try to bet on the so-called fifth column, on traitors to divide our society, to provoke a civil confrontation, to strive to achieve its aim. And there is one aim – the destruction of Russia," he said in a televised address. The Russian president's claims come even as prosecutors called for opposition leader Alexei Navalny to serve 13 years in prison on new fraud charges. Navalny who is a strong critic of Putin was jailed last year after surviving a poison attack which he has blamed on the Putin regime. The prosecutors also demanded Navalny be fined $10,600. The judge is set to deliver his verdict on March 22. Also Read in Pics: Who is the real Mr Putin? Meet the judo fighter who worked for the KGB In his speech, the Russian president continued his attack on the so-called traitors, saying: "I am convinced that this natural and necessary self-cleansing of society will only strengthen our country, our solidarity, cohesion and readiness to meet any challenge." (With inputs from Agencies)

'Villas in Miami': Putin lashes out at 'scum' and 'traitors' amid Ukraine war

According to a report, Ukraine&nbsp;and Russia have made "significant progress" on a "tentative 15-point peace plan including a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal".

The report in the Financial Times of London quoting people involved in the talks said Russia will withdraw "if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits on its armed forces".

The deal reportedly involves Ukraine giving up on its plan to join NATO and ensuring that it does not&nbsp;host foreign military bases.

However, the report said Ukrainian officials are worried&nbsp;over President Putin's true intention and it might be an attempt by the Russian leader to buy time to regroup his forces.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-war-russias-orlan-10-krasnopol-laser-guided-drones-462157">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine war: Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones</a>

The report quoted President Zelensky's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak who said that any deal would involve Russian forces withdrawing regions captured by it since February 24 when President Putin declared his "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Ukraine had earlier rejected Russian proposals for it to adopt a neutral status like Austria or Sweden.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Ukrainian medical students set up temporary hospitals inside bomb shelters

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukrainian-medical-students-set-up-temporary-hospitals-inside-bomb-shelters-462924/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Sweden is not a member of NATO however it is a partner of the European alliance, however, it had increased its military budget after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

"Ukraine is now in a direct state of war with Russia. As a result, the model can only be 'Ukrainian' and only on legally verified security guarantees," its top negotiator Mikhailo Podolyak had said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-ukrainian-colours-paint-britains-streets-street-art-shows-support-for-kyiv-462483">Also Read:&nbsp;Ukrainian colours paint Britain's streets, street art shows support for Kyiv</a>

Russia had said neutrality proposals along the lines of Sweden or Austria were being discussed in talks with Ukraine while indicating it could be a "compromise".

Russia's lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsk had said the talks were &nbsp;"slow and difficult" and that Russia wanted peace "as soon as possible."

(With inputs from Agencies)

According to a report, Ukraine and Russia have made "significant progress" on a "tentative 15-point peace plan including a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal". The report in the Financial Times of London quoting people involved in the talks said Russia will withdraw "if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits on its armed forces".

According to a report, Ukraine and Russia have made "significant progress" on a "tentative 15-point peace plan including a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal". The report in the Financial Times of London quoting people involved in the talks said Russia will withdraw "if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits on its armed forces". The deal reportedly involves Ukraine giving up on its plan to join NATO and ensuring that it does not host foreign military bases. However, the report said Ukrainian officials are worried over President Putin's true intention and it might be an attempt by the Russian leader to buy time to regroup his forces. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine war: Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones The report quoted President Zelensky's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak who said that any deal would involve Russian forces withdrawing regions captured by it since February 24 when President Putin declared his "special military operation" in Ukraine. Ukraine had earlier rejected Russian proposals for it to adopt a neutral status like Austria or Sweden. Watch: Ukrainian medical students set up temporary hospitals inside bomb shelters Sweden is not a member of NATO however it is a partner of the European alliance, however, it had increased its military budget after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. "Ukraine is now in a direct state of war with Russia. As a result, the model can only be 'Ukrainian' and only on legally verified security guarantees," its top negotiator Mikhailo Podolyak had said. Also Read: Ukrainian colours paint Britain's streets, street art shows support for Kyiv Russia had said neutrality proposals along the lines of Sweden or Austria were being discussed in talks with Ukraine while indicating it could be a "compromise". Russia's lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsk had said the talks were "slow and difficult" and that Russia wanted peace "as soon as possible." (With inputs from Agencies)

Ukraine war- Significant progress made on 15-point peace plan: Report

A court on Tuesday released a Russian TV editor who had protested against President Putin's military action against Ukraine with a $280 fine.

TV editor Marina Ovsyannikova had placed a poster behind&nbsp;the anchor on the live news show which read "No War" as the clip went viral worldwide. The sign read: "NO WAR. Stop the war. Don't believe propaganda. They are lying to you here."

Marina faced ten-day detention for speaking out against the war. Russian President Putin had declared his forces were undertaking a "special military operation" as Russian forces began bombardment of Ukraine on February 24.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-journalist-interrupts-russian-tv-news-to-protest-war-462412">Also Read:&nbsp;Woman journalist interrupts Russian TV news to protest war</a>

Ovsyannikova pleaded not guilty before the court and declared that, "I am still convinced that Russia is committing a crime". She said Russian authorities questioned her for 14 hours even as his lawyer earlier the day had said she could not be located.

Her lawyer Daniil Berman had said Marina faced a longer prison sentence under new laws against "fake news" of upto 15 years in jail. In a video release, Ovsyannikova declared that her father is Ukrainian and her mother is Russian.

"I was not allowed to contact my relatives or provided with any judicial help," she told reporters.

Kremlin denounced her protest as "hooliganism" as the court said she was found guilty of flouting protest laws. &nbsp;In a video recording before the incident, Ovsyannikova said: "The next 10 generations of our descendants will not wash away the shame of this fratricidal war."

(With inputs from Agencies)

A court on Tuesday released a Russian TV editor who had protested against President Putin's military action against Ukraine with a $280 fine. TV editor Marina Ovsyannikova had placed a poster behind the anchor on the live news show which read "No War" as the clip went viral worldwide.

A court on Tuesday released a Russian TV editor who had protested against President Putin's military action against Ukraine with a $280 fine. TV editor Marina Ovsyannikova had placed a poster behind the anchor on the live news show which read "No War" as the clip went viral worldwide. The sign read: "NO WAR. Stop the war. Don't believe propaganda. They are lying to you here." Marina faced ten-day detention for speaking out against the war. Russian President Putin had declared his forces were undertaking a "special military operation" as Russian forces began bombardment of Ukraine on February 24. Also Read: Woman journalist interrupts Russian TV news to protest war Ovsyannikova pleaded not guilty before the court and declared that, "I am still convinced that Russia is committing a crime". She said Russian authorities questioned her for 14 hours even as his lawyer earlier the day had said she could not be located. Her lawyer Daniil Berman had said Marina faced a longer prison sentence under new laws against "fake news" of upto 15 years in jail. In a video release, Ovsyannikova declared that her father is Ukrainian and her mother is Russian. "I was not allowed to contact my relatives or provided with any judicial help," she told reporters. Kremlin denounced her protest as "hooliganism" as the court said she was found guilty of flouting protest laws. In a video recording before the incident, Ovsyannikova said: "The next 10 generations of our descendants will not wash away the shame of this fratricidal war." (With inputs from Agencies)

Russian court fines woman journalist after on-air protest

As the war in Ukraine continues amid talks between Ukraine and Russian officials, the Russian envoy to the United Nations called for a Security Council vote on a resolution it has drafted about the "deteriorating humanitarian situation" in Ukraine.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia said France and Mexico had decided not to present a draft resolution on humanitarian aid. However, the Russian envoy added that his country will put forward its own draft before the UN Council.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-promises-to-pay-syrian-army-fighters-1100-to-fight-in-ukraine-watchdog-462529">Also Read |&nbsp;Russia promises to pay Syrian army fighters $1,100 to fight in Ukraine: Watchdog</a>

Meanwhile, Russia's joint coordination headquarters in a meeting on humanitarian response to Ukraine said the humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate rapidly and in some cities&nbsp;it has become "critical".

The coordination group said the situation in Mariupol is "extremely difficult". "As a result of effective actions, the formations of the Donetsk People's Republic with the support of units of the Russian armed forces&nbsp;have surgically destroyed almost all firing points equipped by neo-Nazis in the suburban areas of Mariupol," it said.

"All the injured and willing residents of Mariupol will be taken to temporary accommodation facilities where all conditions for comfortable living are created," it added.

"Despite the endless streams of lies and misinformation, the Russian Federation continues to fully fulfill its humanitarian obligations," it said.

(With inputs from Agencies)

As the war in Ukraine continues amid talks between Ukraine and Russian officials, the Russian envoy to the United Nations called for a Security Council vote on a resolution it has drafted about the "deteriorating humanitarian situation" in Ukraine.

As the war in Ukraine continues amid talks between Ukraine and Russian officials, the Russian envoy to the United Nations called for a Security Council vote on a resolution it has drafted about the "deteriorating humanitarian situation" in Ukraine. Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia said France and Mexico had decided not to present a draft resolution on humanitarian aid. However, the Russian envoy added that his country will put forward its own draft before the UN Council. Also Read | Russia promises to pay Syrian army fighters $1,100 to fight in Ukraine: Watchdog Meanwhile, Russia's joint coordination headquarters in a meeting on humanitarian response to Ukraine said the humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate rapidly and in some cities it has become "critical". The coordination group said the situation in Mariupol is "extremely difficult". "As a result of effective actions, the formations of the Donetsk People's Republic with the support of units of the Russian armed forces have surgically destroyed almost all firing points equipped by neo-Nazis in the suburban areas of Mariupol," it said. "All the injured and willing residents of Mariupol will be taken to temporary accommodation facilities where all conditions for comfortable living are created," it added. "Despite the endless streams of lies and misinformation, the Russian Federation continues to fully fulfill its humanitarian obligations," it said. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russia calls for UN vote on humanitarian situation in Ukraine

Days after the Kremlin confirmed President Putin had allowed Syrian fighters to take part in the Ukraine war, Chechen&nbsp;leader Ramzan Kadyrov said he had travelled to Ukraine to meet Russian troops attacking Kyiv.

Reports claimed a television channel in Grozny, Chechnya, showed images of Kadyrov in its Telegram social media channel in a room with Russian troops discussing military operations outside Ukraine's capital.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-russia-war-who-are-the-wagner-mercenaries-460674">Also Read:&nbsp;Ukraine-Russia war: Who are the 'Wagner' mercenaries?</a>

Who is Ramzan Kadyrov? 
Kadyrov's feared paramilitary force has been accused of unleashing terror in Chechnya where he reportedly rules with an iron fist.

He is blacklisted by Western nations. The Chechnyan warlord is believed to be close to President Putin.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/napoleons-waterloo-hitlers-barbarossa-5-lessons-putin-can-learn-from-failed-war-campaigns-461556">Also Read in Pics |&nbsp;Napoleon's Waterloo &amp; Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons for Putin</a>

Kadyrov, 45, is the son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov who was assassinated in 2004. He took over the presidency in 2007 while he was just 30.

His father and former president Akhmad Kadyrov had raised warcry against Russia during the&nbsp;first Chechen war in 1994 which resulted in the battle of Grozny during former President Boris Yelstin's tenure in the mid-1900s. Akhmad later switched sides to Russia during the second Chechen war. &nbsp;

Kadyrov was declared the caretaker prime minister of Chechnya in 2005 after former PM Sergey Abramov was injured in a car accident and became PM in 2006 as he rose to power during Putin's regime.

Kadyrov linked to assassination of Chechen fighter in Berlin?

In 2019&nbsp;Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a former Chechen fighter was killed in a Berlin park. He had fought in the second Chechen war against Russian forces from 2001-2005.

UK police had apprehended the suspected killer who was reportedly a Russian man. Reports linked Khangoshvili's killing to Ramzan Kadyrov although it could be not be proved even as Russia rejected any links to the ruthless murder.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Days after the Kremlin confirmed President Putin had allowed Syrian fighters to take part in the Ukraine war, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said he had travelled to Ukraine to meet Russian troops attacking Kyiv.

Days after the Kremlin confirmed President Putin had allowed Syrian fighters to take part in the Ukraine war, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said he had travelled to Ukraine to meet Russian troops attacking Kyiv. Reports claimed a television channel in Grozny, Chechnya, showed images of Kadyrov in its Telegram social media channel in a room with Russian troops discussing military operations outside Ukraine's capital. Also Read: Ukraine-Russia war: Who are the 'Wagner' mercenaries? Who is Ramzan Kadyrov? Kadyrov's feared paramilitary force has been accused of unleashing terror in Chechnya where he reportedly rules with an iron fist. He is blacklisted by Western nations. The Chechnyan warlord is believed to be close to President Putin. Also Read in Pics | Napoleon's Waterloo & Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons for Putin Kadyrov, 45, is the son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov who was assassinated in 2004. He took over the presidency in 2007 while he was just 30. His father and former president Akhmad Kadyrov had raised warcry against Russia during the first Chechen war in 1994 which resulted in the battle of Grozny during former President Boris Yelstin's tenure in the mid-1900s. Akhmad later switched sides to Russia during the second Chechen war. Kadyrov was declared the caretaker prime minister of Chechnya in 2005 after former PM Sergey Abramov was injured in a car accident and became PM in 2006 as he rose to power during Putin's regime. Kadyrov linked to assassination of Chechen fighter in Berlin? In 2019 Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a former Chechen fighter was killed in a Berlin park. He had fought in the second Chechen war against Russian forces from 2001-2005. UK police had apprehended the suspected killer who was reportedly a Russian man. Reports linked Khangoshvili's killing to Ramzan Kadyrov although it could be not be proved even as Russia rejected any links to the ruthless murder. (With inputs from Agencies)

Ukraine-Russia war: Who is Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov?

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.

Amid Western assistance to Ukraine in the ongoing with Russia, President Zelensky asserted that "it all came at a cost, it's not for free".

"Sometimes we receive weapons directly, but you have to understand that everything has its price," Ukraine's president said even as Russia said on Saturday that it could target foreign military supplies and convoys to Ukraine.

On Monday, Russian forces targeted a Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland. Reports said at least 35 people were killed in the attack and 130 injured.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-claims-to-capture-russias-pantsir-s1-missile-system-is-it-a-rich-catch-461275">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch?</a>

According to the Russian defence ministry, it had targeted weapons depots which were reportedly supplied by foreign nations. The Russian ministry claimed it had killed "180 foreign mercenaries".

The attack took place at the Yavoriv International Centre for Peacekeeping and Security which is just 25 km from the Polish border. US Secretary of state Anthony Blinken condemned the attack saying the "brutality must stop".

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We condemn the Russian Federation’s missile attack on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yavoriv, close to Ukraine’s border with Poland. The brutality must stop.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1503127191713984517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Watch:&nbsp;Mariupol under siege: Over 2,100 people killed

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mariupol-under-siege-over-2100-people-killed-in-mariupol-amid-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-462025/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

After the attack, President Zelensky warned NATO nations saying that it was "only a matter of time before Russian rockets" would fall on NATO territory while repeating his call for a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Zelensky's comments come as Russian troops continued their push on Kyiv and conducted strikes on other Ukrainian cities. At least nine people were killed in a Russian strike in Mykolai, the governor said. The city is strategically located on the road to the port city of Odessa.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/napoleons-waterloo-hitlers-barbarossa-5-lessons-putin-can-learn-from-failed-war-campaigns-461556">Also Read:&nbsp;Napoleon's Waterloo &amp; Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons Putin can learn from failed war campaigns</a>

Reports say Russian forces have been advancing from various directions over Kyiv while capturing an airport in Vasylkiv town close to the capital. Mariupol city has also been heavily bombed in the past few days with food and water running low in the city amid&nbsp;civilian casualties due to continued Russian shelling.&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. Amid Western assistance to Ukraine in the ongoing with Russia, President Zelensky asserted that "it all came at a cost, it's not for free". "Sometimes we receive weapons directly, but you have to understand that everything has its price," Ukraine's president said even as Russia said on Saturday that it could target foreign military supplies and convoys to Ukraine. On Monday, Russian forces targeted a Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland. Reports said at least 35 people were killed in the attack and 130 injured. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch? According to the Russian defence ministry, it had targeted weapons depots which were reportedly supplied by foreign nations. The Russian ministry claimed it had killed "180 foreign mercenaries". The attack took place at the Yavoriv International Centre for Peacekeeping and Security which is just 25 km from the Polish border. US Secretary of state Anthony Blinken condemned the attack saying the "brutality must stop". We condemn the Russian Federation’s missile attack on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yavoriv, close to Ukraine’s border with Poland. The brutality must stop. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 13, 2022 × Watch: Mariupol under siege: Over 2,100 people killed After the attack, President Zelensky warned NATO nations saying that it was "only a matter of time before Russian rockets" would fall on NATO territory while repeating his call for a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Zelensky's comments come as Russian troops continued their push on Kyiv and conducted strikes on other Ukrainian cities. At least nine people were killed in a Russian strike in Mykolai, the governor said. The city is strategically located on the road to the port city of Odessa. Also Read: Napoleon's Waterloo & Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons Putin can learn from failed war campaigns Reports say Russian forces have been advancing from various directions over Kyiv while capturing an airport in Vasylkiv town close to the capital. Mariupol city has also been heavily bombed in the past few days with food and water running low in the city amid civilian casualties due to continued Russian shelling. (With inputs from Agencies)

It's not for free, says Zelensky on Western arms sale to Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has prompted the biggest rethinking of US&nbsp;foreign policy since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, infusing the United States with a new sense of mission and changing its strategic calculus with allies and adversaries alike.

The Russian invasion has bonded America to Europe more tightly than at any time since the Cold War and deepened US&nbsp;ties with Asian allies, while forcing a reassessment of rivals like China, Iran and Venezuela.

And it has reenergized Washington’s leadership role in the democratic world just months after the chaotic US&nbsp;withdrawal from Afghanistan ended 20 years of conflict on a dismal note.

But the new focus on Russia will come with hard choices and internal contradictions, similar to ones that defined U.S. diplomacy during the Cold War, when America sometimes overlooked human rights abuses and propped up dictators in the name of the struggle against communism.

“It feels like we’re definitively in a new era,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser in the Obama White House. “The post-9/11 war on terror period of American hubris, and decline, is now behind us. And we’re not sure what’s next.”

The attack by President Vladimir Putin of Russia on his neighbour has become a prism through which nearly all US&nbsp;foreign policy decisions will be cast for the foreseeable future, experts and officials said.

In recent weeks, Western officials have spoken in terms that often echo the grand declarations that followed the 2001 terrorist attacks. On Friday, President Joe Biden said that “the free world is coming together” to stand up to Putin — a phrase reminiscent of President George W. Bush’s talk of how “the entire free world” was at war against terrorism.

In the near term, Moscow’s aggression is sure to invigorate Biden’s global fight for democracy against autocracies like Russia, making vivid the threats to fledgling democracies like Ukraine. Yet three increasingly authoritarian NATO nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — play key roles in the coalition aiding Ukraine. And the United States is grappling with internal assaults to its own democracy.

The war lends urgency to Biden’s climate change agenda, reinforcing the need for more reliance on renewable clean energy over the fossil fuels that fill Russian coffers. Yet it has already generated new pressure to increase the short-term supply of oil from the likes of Venezuela’s isolated dictatorship and Saudi Arabia’s authoritarian monarchy.

And it creates a powerful new incentive for the United States to find ways of prying President Xi Jinping of China away from Putin, who is likely counting on diplomatic and economic lifelines from Xi amid crushing Western sanctions. But some administration officials see China as a lost cause and prefer to treat China and Russia as committed partners, hoping that might galvanize policies among Asian and European allies to contain them both.

While some experts warn that a renewed focus on Europe will inevitably divert attention from Asia, several top White House officials say the United States can capitalize on how the war has convinced some Asian governments that they need to work more closely with the West to build up a global ideological front to defend democracy.

“What we are seeing now is an unprecedented level of Asian interest and focus,” Kurt M. Campbell, the top White House official on Asia policy, said at a talk hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

“And I believe one of the outcomes of this tragedy will be a kind of new thinking around how to solidify institutional connections beyond what we’ve already seen between Europe and the Pacific,” he said.

America’s approach to the world was already undergoing a major shift, with the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq concluded, and conversations over Islamic terrorism no longer at the fore. Many war-weary Americans welcomed calls for a reduced military footprint overseas by President Donald Trump, who questioned NATO’s relevance and even flirted with withdrawing from the alliance.

Biden sought to rebuild US&nbsp;alliances, but did so largely in the name of confronting China. The Russian invasion has expanded his mission dramatically and urgently, setting the stage for a seismic geopolitical shift that would pit the United States and its allies against China and Russia at once if they form an entrenched anti-Western bloc.

But it also gives Washington a new and nobler sense of purpose, Rhodes said. “We’ve been trying to get to a new era for a long time,” he said. “And now I think Putin’s invasion has necessitated an American return to the moral high ground.”

Playing hardball over energy

Early signs of how the new U.S. priorities are creating diplomatic quakes have already emerged.

On Friday, the United States and its European allies agreed to pause talks with Iran that just days earlier seemed on the verge of clinching a return to the 2015 deal that limited Iran’s nuclear program. Western nations are refusing a demand by Moscow, which is a party to the Obama-era agreement from which Trump withdrew, for guarantees that its future transactions with Iran be exempted from the sanctions imposed on Russia in recent weeks.

“It’s been clear since last weekend that negotiations to revive the Iran deal could not be walled off from the Ukraine war,” Dalia Dassa Kaye, an Iran expert at the Rand Corp., said Friday.

Last year, Biden made a new agreement a core goal of his foreign policy. It is unclear whether one can be struck without Russia, which is a member of the commission that supervises compliance with the deal and would take control of Iran’s excess enriched uranium.

The United States is also looking at Venezuela from a new angle. Senior Biden administration officials travelled to Venezuela two weeks after the Russian invasion, becoming the first to visit the country in years. Venezuela, a partner of Russia, is under heavy US&nbsp;sanctions imposed years ago to weaken the repressive government of President Nicolás Maduro. In 2019, the Trump administration imposed additional sanctions on the state oil company, central bank and senior officials to pressure Maduro to step down.

Now, with Biden looking to increase global oil supplies to bring down prices, U.S. officials are talking to Maduro’s government about buying his oil again. The idea has drawn some sharp criticism in Congress, however, where Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, fumed that “efforts to unify the entire world against a murderous tyrant in Moscow should not be undercut by propping up a dictator under investigation for crimes against humanity in Caracas.”

The same imperative on oil is reshaping US&nbsp;diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two Persian Gulf nations that some Biden administration officials view with suspicion or hostility because of their autocratic systems and leading roles in a war in Yemen that has resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe. Brett McGurk and Amos J. Hochstein, two senior administration officials, traveled to the Gulf days before the Russian invasion to discuss security and energy issues.

However, Saudi Arabia has declined so far to increase oil production, while the United Arab Emirates waited until Wednesday to ask the OPEC nations to do so. U.S. officials were also furious with the UAE for declining to vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Russia, although it did support a similar resolution later in the UN&nbsp;General Assembly.

The unreliability of the two nations and Russia’s place in the oil economy have increased momentum within the Biden administration to enact policies that would help the United States more quickly wean itself off fossil fuels and confront the climate crisis. This could lead future administrations to devote fewer diplomatic and military resources to the Gulf nations in the long term, even if U.S. officials want them to help on oil now.

“We may see more fundamental questioning about the value of these partnerships,” Kaye said. “These states already believe the US&nbsp;has checked out of the region, but their stance on Russia may only strengthen voices calling for a further reduction of US&nbsp;forces in the region.”

Israel, the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East, has also staked out a neutral position on the Ukraine war, largely because of Russia’s presence in the region. But US&nbsp;officials have been more forgiving of Israel’s stance as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett conducts shuttle diplomacy. He met with Putin for three hours in Moscow on March 5 and then spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone before returning home. U.S. officials said Bennett consulted with them about the talks, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this past week that they “appreciate the efforts.”

Zelenskyy told reporters Saturday that Jerusalem could be a site for peace talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia.

Juggling allies in Europe and Asia

In Europe, Russia’s invasion has supercharged the Biden administration’s efforts to restore the morale of a NATO alliance that Trump undermined.

But the alliance includes three nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — whose democratic backsliding has troubled the Biden administration. Hungary and Turkey were pointedly excluded from Biden’s global democracy summit in December, and the European Union has cut billions of euros of funding to Poland and Hungary for what it sees as erosions of legal and democratic principles. Now all three countries are participating in the coalition against Russia.

“In times of crisis, there is sometimes a tension between our values and our interests,” said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. “In the short term, we’re going to have to prioritize pushing back against Russia, at the risk of taking our foot off the gas on the democracy and human rights concerns that had been at the front and center of the Biden administration’s agenda.”

In the Asia-Pacific region, several important U.S. partners and allies are working with Washington on sanctions and export controls on technology against Russia. These include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia. Some Asian nations have agreed to long-term gas swaps with Europe to help relieve a potential Russian shut-off of energy exports. And Australia has committed to spending $50 million to send weapons to Ukraine, including missiles and ammunition.

However, India — the most populous U.S. partner in the so-called Quad coalition of democracies in Asia — has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion because of decades-old security ties with Moscow. That stance undermines Biden’s insistence that democratic nations band together against autocracies.

But it is the other Asian behemoth, China, that presents the biggest diplomatic challenge for the United States. China is Russia’s most powerful partner, and their bond has strengthened in recent years.

Even as the Russian military decimates Ukrainian cities and kills hundreds or thousands of civilians, China has signaled that it stands by Moscow by issuing anti-U.S. declarations and amplifying the Kremlin’s propaganda and conspiracy theories.

Xi’s persistent support of Putin, with whom he shares a drive to dilute US&nbsp;power, has made administration officials wonder whether there is any way to pull them apart on Ukraine.

On Thursday, CIA Director William Burns told US&nbsp;senators he believed that Xi was “unsettled” by the war. Some China analysts say that if Beijing wants to salvage its reputation with Western nations, particularly in Europe, it might agree to take steps to help Ukraine without directly breaking from Russia.

Ryan Hass, a China director on the National Security Council in the Obama White House, proposed testing Beijing with specific requests, such as asking them to provide more humanitarian aid and refrain from recognizing Russian-installed governments in Ukraine or shielding Russia from war crimes investigations.

“If China’s leaders take concrete actions to relieve suffering,” he said, “then lives would be saved and there would be less centrifugal pressure toward cleaving the world into rival blocs.”

The war in Ukraine has prompted the biggest rethinking of US foreign policy since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, infusing the United States with a new sense of mission and changing its strategic calculus with allies and adversaries alike.

The war in Ukraine has prompted the biggest rethinking of US foreign policy since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, infusing the United States with a new sense of mission and changing its strategic calculus with allies and adversaries alike. The Russian invasion has bonded America to Europe more tightly than at any time since the Cold War and deepened US ties with Asian allies, while forcing a reassessment of rivals like China, Iran and Venezuela. And it has reenergized Washington’s leadership role in the democratic world just months after the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan ended 20 years of conflict on a dismal note. But the new focus on Russia will come with hard choices and internal contradictions, similar to ones that defined U.S. diplomacy during the Cold War, when America sometimes overlooked human rights abuses and propped up dictators in the name of the struggle against communism. “It feels like we’re definitively in a new era,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser in the Obama White House. “The post-9/11 war on terror period of American hubris, and decline, is now behind us. And we’re not sure what’s next.” The attack by President Vladimir Putin of Russia on his neighbour has become a prism through which nearly all US foreign policy decisions will be cast for the foreseeable future, experts and officials said. In recent weeks, Western officials have spoken in terms that often echo the grand declarations that followed the 2001 terrorist attacks. On Friday, President Joe Biden said that “the free world is coming together” to stand up to Putin — a phrase reminiscent of President George W. Bush’s talk of how “the entire free world” was at war against terrorism. In the near term, Moscow’s aggression is sure to invigorate Biden’s global fight for democracy against autocracies like Russia, making vivid the threats to fledgling democracies like Ukraine. Yet three increasingly authoritarian NATO nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — play key roles in the coalition aiding Ukraine. And the United States is grappling with internal assaults to its own democracy. The war lends urgency to Biden’s climate change agenda, reinforcing the need for more reliance on renewable clean energy over the fossil fuels that fill Russian coffers. Yet it has already generated new pressure to increase the short-term supply of oil from the likes of Venezuela’s isolated dictatorship and Saudi Arabia’s authoritarian monarchy. And it creates a powerful new incentive for the United States to find ways of prying President Xi Jinping of China away from Putin, who is likely counting on diplomatic and economic lifelines from Xi amid crushing Western sanctions. But some administration officials see China as a lost cause and prefer to treat China and Russia as committed partners, hoping that might galvanize policies among Asian and European allies to contain them both. While some experts warn that a renewed focus on Europe will inevitably divert attention from Asia, several top White House officials say the United States can capitalize on how the war has convinced some Asian governments that they need to work more closely with the West to build up a global ideological front to defend democracy. “What we are seeing now is an unprecedented level of Asian interest and focus,” Kurt M. Campbell, the top White House official on Asia policy, said at a talk hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “And I believe one of the outcomes of this tragedy will be a kind of new thinking around how to solidify institutional connections beyond what we’ve already seen between Europe and the Pacific,” he said. America’s approach to the world was already undergoing a major shift, with the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq concluded, and conversations over Islamic terrorism no longer at the fore. Many war-weary Americans welcomed calls for a reduced military footprint overseas by President Donald Trump, who questioned NATO’s relevance and even flirted with withdrawing from the alliance. Biden sought to rebuild US alliances, but did so largely in the name of confronting China. The Russian invasion has expanded his mission dramatically and urgently, setting the stage for a seismic geopolitical shift that would pit the United States and its allies against China and Russia at once if they form an entrenched anti-Western bloc. But it also gives Washington a new and nobler sense of purpose, Rhodes said. “We’ve been trying to get to a new era for a long time,” he said. “And now I think Putin’s invasion has necessitated an American return to the moral high ground.” Playing hardball over energy Early signs of how the new U.S. priorities are creating diplomatic quakes have already emerged. On Friday, the United States and its European allies agreed to pause talks with Iran that just days earlier seemed on the verge of clinching a return to the 2015 deal that limited Iran’s nuclear program. Western nations are refusing a demand by Moscow, which is a party to the Obama-era agreement from which Trump withdrew, for guarantees that its future transactions with Iran be exempted from the sanctions imposed on Russia in recent weeks. “It’s been clear since last weekend that negotiations to revive the Iran deal could not be walled off from the Ukraine war,” Dalia Dassa Kaye, an Iran expert at the Rand Corp., said Friday. Last year, Biden made a new agreement a core goal of his foreign policy. It is unclear whether one can be struck without Russia, which is a member of the commission that supervises compliance with the deal and would take control of Iran’s excess enriched uranium. The United States is also looking at Venezuela from a new angle. Senior Biden administration officials travelled to Venezuela two weeks after the Russian invasion, becoming the first to visit the country in years. Venezuela, a partner of Russia, is under heavy US sanctions imposed years ago to weaken the repressive government of President Nicolás Maduro. In 2019, the Trump administration imposed additional sanctions on the state oil company, central bank and senior officials to pressure Maduro to step down. Now, with Biden looking to increase global oil supplies to bring down prices, U.S. officials are talking to Maduro’s government about buying his oil again. The idea has drawn some sharp criticism in Congress, however, where Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, fumed that “efforts to unify the entire world against a murderous tyrant in Moscow should not be undercut by propping up a dictator under investigation for crimes against humanity in Caracas.” The same imperative on oil is reshaping US diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two Persian Gulf nations that some Biden administration officials view with suspicion or hostility because of their autocratic systems and leading roles in a war in Yemen that has resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe. Brett McGurk and Amos J. Hochstein, two senior administration officials, traveled to the Gulf days before the Russian invasion to discuss security and energy issues. However, Saudi Arabia has declined so far to increase oil production, while the United Arab Emirates waited until Wednesday to ask the OPEC nations to do so. U.S. officials were also furious with the UAE for declining to vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Russia, although it did support a similar resolution later in the UN General Assembly. The unreliability of the two nations and Russia’s place in the oil economy have increased momentum within the Biden administration to enact policies that would help the United States more quickly wean itself off fossil fuels and confront the climate crisis. This could lead future administrations to devote fewer diplomatic and military resources to the Gulf nations in the long term, even if U.S. officials want them to help on oil now. “We may see more fundamental questioning about the value of these partnerships,” Kaye said. “These states already believe the US has checked out of the region, but their stance on Russia may only strengthen voices calling for a further reduction of US forces in the region.” Israel, the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East, has also staked out a neutral position on the Ukraine war, largely because of Russia’s presence in the region. But US officials have been more forgiving of Israel’s stance as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett conducts shuttle diplomacy. He met with Putin for three hours in Moscow on March 5 and then spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone before returning home. U.S. officials said Bennett consulted with them about the talks, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this past week that they “appreciate the efforts.” Zelenskyy told reporters Saturday that Jerusalem could be a site for peace talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia. Juggling allies in Europe and Asia In Europe, Russia’s invasion has supercharged the Biden administration’s efforts to restore the morale of a NATO alliance that Trump undermined. But the alliance includes three nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — whose democratic backsliding has troubled the Biden administration. Hungary and Turkey were pointedly excluded from Biden’s global democracy summit in December, and the European Union has cut billions of euros of funding to Poland and Hungary for what it sees as erosions of legal and democratic principles. Now all three countries are participating in the coalition against Russia. “In times of crisis, there is sometimes a tension between our values and our interests,” said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. “In the short term, we’re going to have to prioritize pushing back against Russia, at the risk of taking our foot off the gas on the democracy and human rights concerns that had been at the front and center of the Biden administration’s agenda.” In the Asia-Pacific region, several important U.S. partners and allies are working with Washington on sanctions and export controls on technology against Russia. These include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia. Some Asian nations have agreed to long-term gas swaps with Europe to help relieve a potential Russian shut-off of energy exports. And Australia has committed to spending $50 million to send weapons to Ukraine, including missiles and ammunition. However, India — the most populous U.S. partner in the so-called Quad coalition of democracies in Asia — has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion because of decades-old security ties with Moscow. That stance undermines Biden’s insistence that democratic nations band together against autocracies. But it is the other Asian behemoth, China, that presents the biggest diplomatic challenge for the United States. China is Russia’s most powerful partner, and their bond has strengthened in recent years. Even as the Russian military decimates Ukrainian cities and kills hundreds or thousands of civilians, China has signaled that it stands by Moscow by issuing anti-U.S. declarations and amplifying the Kremlin’s propaganda and conspiracy theories. Xi’s persistent support of Putin, with whom he shares a drive to dilute US power, has made administration officials wonder whether there is any way to pull them apart on Ukraine. On Thursday, CIA Director William Burns told US senators he believed that Xi was “unsettled” by the war. Some China analysts say that if Beijing wants to salvage its reputation with Western nations, particularly in Europe, it might agree to take steps to help Ukraine without directly breaking from Russia. Ryan Hass, a China director on the National Security Council in the Obama White House, proposed testing Beijing with specific requests, such as asking them to provide more humanitarian aid and refrain from recognizing Russian-installed governments in Ukraine or shielding Russia from war crimes investigations. “If China’s leaders take concrete actions to relieve suffering,” he said, “then lives would be saved and there would be less centrifugal pressure toward cleaving the world into rival blocs.”

Ukraine war ushers in ‘new era’ for US abroad

Napoleon's Waterloo & Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons Putin can learn from failed war campaigns

As the war in Ukraine entered the seventeenth day on Saturday, Russia said it could target Western weapon supplies into Ukraine.

"We warned the United States that the orchestrated pumping of weapons from a number of countries is not just a dangerous move, it is a move that turns these convoys into legitimate targets," the Russian foreign ministry spokesman Sergei Ryabkov said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/napoleons-waterloo-hitlers-barbarossa-5-lessons-putin-can-learn-from-failed-war-campaigns-461556">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Napoleón's Waterloo &amp; Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons Putin can learn</a>

The spokesman added that Russia had warned "about the consequences of the thoughtless transfer to Ukraine of weapons like man-portable air defence systems, anti-tank missile systems and so on."

Meanwhile, US officials claim Russian Air force has been carrying out 200 more missions than Ukraine however they have not been entering Ukraine's airspace to avoid their air defence system.

Watch:&nbsp;Situation in Mariupol critical

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-situation-in-mariupol-critical-amid-the-ongoing-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-461623/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Russians are reportedly firing long-range missiles from Ukraine's border while being cautious even as reports claim Ukraine has held back its own Air Force jets.

Reports claimed on Saturday that Russian rocket attack had destroyed a Ukrainian airbase near Vasylkiv in Kyiv region even as fighting rages near the capital.

Ukraine's Air Force consists mainly of Soviet-era MiG-29 and Sukhoi-27 jets including Sukhoi-25 jets, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). President Volodymyr &nbsp;Zelensky has been pleading for more fighter aircraft from NATO.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-ukraine-then-and-now-images-from-1970s-and-after-russian-invasion-461073">In Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine then and now, images from 1970s and after Russian invasion</a>

Earlier this week, the United States had rejected Poland's offer to send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. The US said "the decision about whether to transfer Polish-owned planes to Ukraine is ultimately one for the Polish government."

US State Department spokesman Ned Price had said Ukraine had "several squadrons" with &nbsp;"fully mission capable" aircraft while adding that sending planes to Kyiv would be viewed by Russia as an "escalatory" move.

(With inputs from Agencies)

As the war in Ukraine entered the seventeenth day on Saturday, Russia said it could target Western weapon supplies into Ukraine. "We warned the United States that the orchestrated pumping of weapons from a number of countries is not just a dangerous move, it is a move that turns these convoys into legitimate targets," the Russian foreign ministry spokesman Sergei Ryabkov said.

As the war in Ukraine entered the seventeenth day on Saturday, Russia said it could target Western weapon supplies into Ukraine. "We warned the United States that the orchestrated pumping of weapons from a number of countries is not just a dangerous move, it is a move that turns these convoys into legitimate targets," the Russian foreign ministry spokesman Sergei Ryabkov said. Also Read in Pics: Napoleón's Waterloo & Hitler's Barbarossa: 5 lessons Putin can learn The spokesman added that Russia had warned "about the consequences of the thoughtless transfer to Ukraine of weapons like man-portable air defence systems, anti-tank missile systems and so on." Meanwhile, US officials claim Russian Air force has been carrying out 200 more missions than Ukraine however they have not been entering Ukraine's airspace to avoid their air defence system. Watch: Situation in Mariupol critical The Russians are reportedly firing long-range missiles from Ukraine's border while being cautious even as reports claim Ukraine has held back its own Air Force jets. Reports claimed on Saturday that Russian rocket attack had destroyed a Ukrainian airbase near Vasylkiv in Kyiv region even as fighting rages near the capital. Ukraine's Air Force consists mainly of Soviet-era MiG-29 and Sukhoi-27 jets including Sukhoi-25 jets, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pleading for more fighter aircraft from NATO. In Pics: Ukraine then and now, images from 1970s and after Russian invasion Earlier this week, the United States had rejected Poland's offer to send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. The US said "the decision about whether to transfer Polish-owned planes to Ukraine is ultimately one for the Polish government." US State Department spokesman Ned Price had said Ukraine had "several squadrons" with "fully mission capable" aircraft while adding that sending planes to Kyiv would be viewed by Russia as an "escalatory" move. (With inputs from Agencies)

'Legitimate': Russia may target Western arms supplies to Ukraine

As Russia widened its attack on Ukraine targeting new cities, French President Macron said the war could "deeply destabilise" food prices.

"Europe and also Africa will be very deeply destabilised as regards food because of what can't be planted right now in Ukraine," the French president said, adding, "We will have to prepare for that and re-evaluate our production strategies to defend our food sovereignty... but also to be able to define a strategy concerning Africa."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-claims-to-capture-russias-pantsir-s1-missile-system-is-it-a-rich-catch-461275">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch?</a>

The French president warned that African countries could be staring at "famines within 12 to 18 months precisely because of the war."

President Putin on Friday had warned that sanctions on Russia could lead to rise in food prices.

"Russia and Belarus are some of the biggest suppliers of mineral fertilisers. If they continue to create problems for the financing and logistics of the delivery of our goods, then prices will rise and this will affect the final product, food products," the Russian president had said.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Satellite images show Russian army convoy near Kyiv dispersing

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/satellite-images-show-russian-army-convoy-near-kyiv-disperses-latest-breaking-news-wion-461358/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Amid the fighting, the United Nations food agency warned that international food prices could rise by 20 per cent due to the war as Ukraine won't be able to harvest crops as the war drags on.

Ukraine is the fifth largest exporter of wheat, the UN agency informed and both Russia and Ukraine provide 19 per cent of the world's barley supply, 14 per cent of wheat and 4 per cent of maize combining one-third of global cereal export and it also leads in fertilizer exports.

As the West hit Russia with waves of sanctions with several companies pulling out, President Macron said further sanctions could be imposed on the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-ukraine-then-and-now-images-from-1970s-and-after-russian-invasion-461073">In Pics | Ukraine then and now, images from 1970s and after Russian invasion</a>

"If things continue in the military way... we will take further sanctions, including massive sanctions," Macron said after a summit of EU leaders even as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada is imposing new sanctions on Russian oligarchs including Roman Abramovich.

(With inputs from Agencies)

As Russia widened its attack on Ukraine targeting new cities, French President Macron said the war could "deeply destabilise" food prices. "Europe and also Africa will be very deeply destabilised as regards food because of what can't be planted right now in Ukraine," the French president said, adding, "We will have to prepare for that and re-evaluate our production strategies to defend our food sovereignty.

As Russia widened its attack on Ukraine targeting new cities, French President Macron said the war could "deeply destabilise" food prices. "Europe and also Africa will be very deeply destabilised as regards food because of what can't be planted right now in Ukraine," the French president said, adding, "We will have to prepare for that and re-evaluate our production strategies to defend our food sovereignty... but also to be able to define a strategy concerning Africa." Also Read in Pics: Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch? The French president warned that African countries could be staring at "famines within 12 to 18 months precisely because of the war." President Putin on Friday had warned that sanctions on Russia could lead to rise in food prices. "Russia and Belarus are some of the biggest suppliers of mineral fertilisers. If they continue to create problems for the financing and logistics of the delivery of our goods, then prices will rise and this will affect the final product, food products," the Russian president had said. Watch: Satellite images show Russian army convoy near Kyiv dispersing Amid the fighting, the United Nations food agency warned that international food prices could rise by 20 per cent due to the war as Ukraine won't be able to harvest crops as the war drags on. Ukraine is the fifth largest exporter of wheat, the UN agency informed and both Russia and Ukraine provide 19 per cent of the world's barley supply, 14 per cent of wheat and 4 per cent of maize combining one-third of global cereal export and it also leads in fertilizer exports. As the West hit Russia with waves of sanctions with several companies pulling out, President Macron said further sanctions could be imposed on the country. In Pics | Ukraine then and now, images from 1970s and after Russian invasion "If things continue in the military way... we will take further sanctions, including massive sanctions," Macron said after a summit of EU leaders even as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada is imposing new sanctions on Russian oligarchs including Roman Abramovich. (With inputs from Agencies)

Will have to re-evaluate strategy to defend food sovereignty: Macron on Ukraine war