In a candid conversation with Belgium's envoy to India spoke to WION about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and urged India to condemn Russian aggression.

Belgium's envoy to India speaks to WION: Belgium urges India to condemn Russian aggression

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been going on for 17th day now, NATO troops reviewed preparedness.

NATO troops review preparedness as the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters the 17th day

In a recent move to penalize Russia over its attack on Ukraine, Facebook and other US tech giants have blocked access to its network in Moscow. In light of Ukraine's invasion, Facebook said it has temporarily eased its rules about violent speech to allow statements like "death to Russian invaders" on its platform. However, Russia has opened criminal case against Meta.

Russia opens criminal case against Meta after Facebook eases rules on violent speech

It is day 17 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and scores of civilians have lost their lives in the conflict. Armies of both countries have been involved in intense fights since Russian troops entered Ukraine.

Satellite images show Russia firing artillery near Kyiv as the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters day 17

It is day 17 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and scores of civilians have lost their lives in the conflict. Armies of both countries have been involved in intense fights since Russian troops entered Ukraine. Hackers are also part of Ukraine's digital battle against Russia.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Russia widens attack with airstrikes on day 17th of the invasion

They poured the liquid out — blueberry-flavored, orange-flavored and the original, face-puckering unflavored version — tweeting #DumpRussianVodka and, at gay bars across the country, made do with Absolut and soda instead.

This was 2013, after President Vladimir Putin imposed harsh new measures aimed at LGBTQ Russians.

And now, as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine takes a horrific human toll, turning millions into refugees, the boycotts are back: U.S. consumers channeling outrage into ditching products they assume are produced by Russians in Russia, with ties, somehow, to Putin.

The problem with that logic is that Americans consume hardly any products that are truly Russian. That goes for vodka — and oil, too. Russian oil makes up 3% of what Americans consume on a daily basis.

This mistaken impression has led people to punish businesses that are really Russian in name only. Some states that recently placed a ban on Russian spirits discovered they were setting a policy that affected only two brands with a small footprint domestically — Russian Standard and Ustianochka. President Joe Biden announced a ban on all Russian liquor imports on Friday. But less than 1% of the vodka consumed here comes from Russia, a beverage industry trade group has noted.

The vodka most commonly but incorrectly associated with Russia, Stolichnaya, has again borne the brunt of the online calls for a boycott. It has been produced in Latvia since 2002, and the headquarters of its parent company, the Stoli Group, are in Luxembourg. Recently, the company formally rebranded its signature spirit as just Stoli after bar owners from Vermont to Michigan to Iowa declared they would no longer serve it and shared video of themselves dumping bottles of it down the drain.

In New York, the famous red banquettes in the Russian Tea Room aren’t as full of patrons these days. But the restaurant’s Russian heritage is a bit of a sleight of hand. It was opened in 1927 by a Polish immigrant who called it the Albertina Rasch Russian Tea Room — after a ballet dancer who was Viennese, even though many at the time assumed she was Russian.

In Chicago, a Russian-style bath house called Red Square has reported getting strange phone calls from people trying to pin down whether it has taken a side in the war. But Red Square is co-owned by a man who was born in Ukraine and said he still has family in the country.

In Washington, windows were broken and a door smashed at the Russia House restaurant near Dupont Circle. Its co-owner told local media that the business, which has been closed since the pandemic, has no connection with Russia. According to its website, which advertises caviar spreads as the kind of indulgence that many Americans associate with Russian decadence, one owner fought in the Gulf War and the other was born in Lithuania.

The misplaced anger of the backlash against Russia has been an instructive development for those who study consumer habits, highlighting the ways that boycotts are especially ineffective and often counterproductive as a tool of protest in the social media era. A staple of American political resistance since the Boston Tea Party, boycotts have played a vital role in shaping public opinion about demonstrations for social progress. The civil rights bus boycotts in the South and the grape boycotts in the 1960s and ’70s to protest conditions for agricultural workers helped spur meaningful change.

But that is not as true today, despite the exponential growth in the number of boycotts aimed at large corporations. One study conducted by a pair of scholars, Maurice Schweitzer of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Joseph Gaspar of Quinnipiac University, found that calls for boycotts against Fortune 500 companies had nearly tripled since 2010. The study, which has not yet been published, also found that the most common trigger was politics.

Calls to boycott can be effective by creating bad publicity that tarnishes, temporarily at least, a company’s brand image. Sometimes they spur companies to change, as a backlash against SeaWorld over its treatment of orcas did. The company announced in 2016 that it was ending its breeding program, meaning the generation of killer whales now at its theme parks will be the last.

But more often, consumer boycotts fail to have much of an impact on the targeted company’s bottom line because they are either too hard to stick to, as people discovered when they tried to shun BP gas after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, or because they inspire a spirited response from consumers who want to support a company precisely because it’s under attack.

After the CEO of Chick-fil-A professed his opposition to same-sex marriage in 2012, mayors in liberal cities like San Francisco and Boston said the Southern fried chicken eatery should look elsewhere to open new restaurants. Conservatives like Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist preacher and two-time presidential candidate, rallied their followers to support the chain. Its nationwide expansion continued at a fast pace, and there are now Chick-fil-A restaurants from Brooklyn to Seattle.

“It either turns out to be too delicious or too convenient,” Schweitzer of the Wharton School said of shunning certain products. Another factor, he added, is the sheer volume of news that people find politically motivating. “There’s something to be outraged about on a weekly or monthly basis,” he said. “And in the moment the emotion feels raw and powerful, but we fail to appreciate how fleeting that is.”

One reason calls for boycotts keep growing despite their ineffectiveness is that many people appear to believe they are sticking to their guns when they aren’t.

A draft of a new study by scholars from Northwestern University, the University of Toronto and Harvard Business School examined the impact of several recent politically motivated calls for action, including the campaign to boycott or, conversely, “buycott” Starbucks after its announcement in 2017 that it would hire 10,000 refugees. The move came in response to former President Donald Trump’s order halting migration from seven mostly Muslim countries.

Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 consumers, obtained their actual spending at Starbucks over several months and asked whether they had changed their buying behavior because of the refugee announcement. They found that those who reported they had changed their habits — either in support of Starbucks by buying more or against it by boycotting — didn’t actually do anything differently.

Katy DeCelles, a professor of organizational behavior at the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management and one of the authors of the study, said the results showed that people of all political persuasions believed what they wanted to be true about their own behavior.

Finding that there was no measurable impact on spending with such an emotionally charged and highly publicized issue surprised the researchers.

“We thought if we were going to find an effect on people’s behavior it would be now,” DeCelles added.

As that research — and the current anti-Stoli sentiment — shows, the anger channeled into consumer boycotts often lacks consistent logic. Although some states like Pennsylvania and Oregon have not included Stoli in their Russian spirits ban, New Hampshire has. A spokesperson for the state’s liquor commission confirmed that because Gov. Chris Sununu’s order applies not only to Russian-made products but also to ones that are “Russian-branded,” Stoli would remain off the shelves at state-operated stores.

Damian McKinney, CEO of the Stoli Group, said in an interview that mistaken impressions about the brand had nearly led to major losses of business. He recalled a recent conversation with the head of one major retailer in Britain, who had informed him that Stoli was about to be pulled from its shelves.

“I said, ‘Do you know we’re Latvian?’ And there was a pause,” McKinney said, declining to name the retailer. As he spoke, the background for his Zoom screen was framed in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag alongside the hashtag #StandWithUkraine. “I needed people to understand we’re on the good guys’ side. And this is about an evil man and a regime, not the Russian people,” he added, noting that Stoli employs Russians as well as Ukrainians.

Like many businesses, Stoli has no singular identity that is easy to delineate. Its recipe is Russian, as is its name. “Stolichnaya” translates roughly to “metropolitan.” The company founder, Yuri Shefler, fled Russia after a dispute with the government over control of the Stoli trademark. He lives in Switzerland. For years, Russia has fought Stoli in court over the rights to claim ownership of the name. The company makes its bottle caps and some of its bottles in Ukraine and recently evacuated five Ukrainian employees from the country to Cyprus and Luxembourg, McKinney said.

The Russian Tea Room, where during the pre-theater rush Friday only a handful of tables were occupied, has a similarly complicated lineage, despite the name. Its current owner is a New York real estate developer. But it started in 1927 as a popular hangout among Russians who emigrated to America and became citizens. A New York Times story from 1977 about the restaurant’s 50th anniversary noted that the restaurant was patronized early on by exiles who called themselves “White Russians,” to distinguish themselves from Lenin’s “red” Bolsheviks.

And nearly a century later, drawing those distinctions with the Moscow regime is as important as ever. On the restaurant’s website, a pop-up banner statement on the war in Ukraine greets visitors, noting its history as an institution “deeply rooted in speaking against communist dictatorship.” It adds, “We stand against Putin and with the people of Ukraine.”

They poured the liquid out — blueberry-flavored, orange-flavored and the original, face-puckering unflavored version — tweeting #DumpRussianVodka and, at gay bars across the country, made do with Absolut and soda instead.

They poured the liquid out — blueberry-flavored, orange-flavored and the original, face-puckering unflavored version — tweeting #DumpRussianVodka and, at gay bars across the country, made do with Absolut and soda instead. This was 2013, after President Vladimir Putin imposed harsh new measures aimed at LGBTQ Russians. And now, as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine takes a horrific human toll, turning millions into refugees, the boycotts are back: U.S. consumers channeling outrage into ditching products they assume are produced by Russians in Russia, with ties, somehow, to Putin. The problem with that logic is that Americans consume hardly any products that are truly Russian. That goes for vodka — and oil, too. Russian oil makes up 3% of what Americans consume on a daily basis. This mistaken impression has led people to punish businesses that are really Russian in name only. Some states that recently placed a ban on Russian spirits discovered they were setting a policy that affected only two brands with a small footprint domestically — Russian Standard and Ustianochka. President Joe Biden announced a ban on all Russian liquor imports on Friday. But less than 1% of the vodka consumed here comes from Russia, a beverage industry trade group has noted. The vodka most commonly but incorrectly associated with Russia, Stolichnaya, has again borne the brunt of the online calls for a boycott. It has been produced in Latvia since 2002, and the headquarters of its parent company, the Stoli Group, are in Luxembourg. Recently, the company formally rebranded its signature spirit as just Stoli after bar owners from Vermont to Michigan to Iowa declared they would no longer serve it and shared video of themselves dumping bottles of it down the drain. In New York, the famous red banquettes in the Russian Tea Room aren’t as full of patrons these days. But the restaurant’s Russian heritage is a bit of a sleight of hand. It was opened in 1927 by a Polish immigrant who called it the Albertina Rasch Russian Tea Room — after a ballet dancer who was Viennese, even though many at the time assumed she was Russian. In Chicago, a Russian-style bath house called Red Square has reported getting strange phone calls from people trying to pin down whether it has taken a side in the war. But Red Square is co-owned by a man who was born in Ukraine and said he still has family in the country. In Washington, windows were broken and a door smashed at the Russia House restaurant near Dupont Circle. Its co-owner told local media that the business, which has been closed since the pandemic, has no connection with Russia. According to its website, which advertises caviar spreads as the kind of indulgence that many Americans associate with Russian decadence, one owner fought in the Gulf War and the other was born in Lithuania. The misplaced anger of the backlash against Russia has been an instructive development for those who study consumer habits, highlighting the ways that boycotts are especially ineffective and often counterproductive as a tool of protest in the social media era. A staple of American political resistance since the Boston Tea Party, boycotts have played a vital role in shaping public opinion about demonstrations for social progress. The civil rights bus boycotts in the South and the grape boycotts in the 1960s and ’70s to protest conditions for agricultural workers helped spur meaningful change. But that is not as true today, despite the exponential growth in the number of boycotts aimed at large corporations. One study conducted by a pair of scholars, Maurice Schweitzer of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Joseph Gaspar of Quinnipiac University, found that calls for boycotts against Fortune 500 companies had nearly tripled since 2010. The study, which has not yet been published, also found that the most common trigger was politics. Calls to boycott can be effective by creating bad publicity that tarnishes, temporarily at least, a company’s brand image. Sometimes they spur companies to change, as a backlash against SeaWorld over its treatment of orcas did. The company announced in 2016 that it was ending its breeding program, meaning the generation of killer whales now at its theme parks will be the last. But more often, consumer boycotts fail to have much of an impact on the targeted company’s bottom line because they are either too hard to stick to, as people discovered when they tried to shun BP gas after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, or because they inspire a spirited response from consumers who want to support a company precisely because it’s under attack. After the CEO of Chick-fil-A professed his opposition to same-sex marriage in 2012, mayors in liberal cities like San Francisco and Boston said the Southern fried chicken eatery should look elsewhere to open new restaurants. Conservatives like Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist preacher and two-time presidential candidate, rallied their followers to support the chain. Its nationwide expansion continued at a fast pace, and there are now Chick-fil-A restaurants from Brooklyn to Seattle. “It either turns out to be too delicious or too convenient,” Schweitzer of the Wharton School said of shunning certain products. Another factor, he added, is the sheer volume of news that people find politically motivating. “There’s something to be outraged about on a weekly or monthly basis,” he said. “And in the moment the emotion feels raw and powerful, but we fail to appreciate how fleeting that is.” One reason calls for boycotts keep growing despite their ineffectiveness is that many people appear to believe they are sticking to their guns when they aren’t. A draft of a new study by scholars from Northwestern University, the University of Toronto and Harvard Business School examined the impact of several recent politically motivated calls for action, including the campaign to boycott or, conversely, “buycott” Starbucks after its announcement in 2017 that it would hire 10,000 refugees. The move came in response to former President Donald Trump’s order halting migration from seven mostly Muslim countries. Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 consumers, obtained their actual spending at Starbucks over several months and asked whether they had changed their buying behavior because of the refugee announcement. They found that those who reported they had changed their habits — either in support of Starbucks by buying more or against it by boycotting — didn’t actually do anything differently. Katy DeCelles, a professor of organizational behavior at the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management and one of the authors of the study, said the results showed that people of all political persuasions believed what they wanted to be true about their own behavior. Finding that there was no measurable impact on spending with such an emotionally charged and highly publicized issue surprised the researchers. “We thought if we were going to find an effect on people’s behavior it would be now,” DeCelles added. As that research — and the current anti-Stoli sentiment — shows, the anger channeled into consumer boycotts often lacks consistent logic. Although some states like Pennsylvania and Oregon have not included Stoli in their Russian spirits ban, New Hampshire has. A spokesperson for the state’s liquor commission confirmed that because Gov. Chris Sununu’s order applies not only to Russian-made products but also to ones that are “Russian-branded,” Stoli would remain off the shelves at state-operated stores. Damian McKinney, CEO of the Stoli Group, said in an interview that mistaken impressions about the brand had nearly led to major losses of business. He recalled a recent conversation with the head of one major retailer in Britain, who had informed him that Stoli was about to be pulled from its shelves. “I said, ‘Do you know we’re Latvian?’ And there was a pause,” McKinney said, declining to name the retailer. As he spoke, the background for his Zoom screen was framed in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag alongside the hashtag #StandWithUkraine. “I needed people to understand we’re on the good guys’ side. And this is about an evil man and a regime, not the Russian people,” he added, noting that Stoli employs Russians as well as Ukrainians. Like many businesses, Stoli has no singular identity that is easy to delineate. Its recipe is Russian, as is its name. “Stolichnaya” translates roughly to “metropolitan.” The company founder, Yuri Shefler, fled Russia after a dispute with the government over control of the Stoli trademark. He lives in Switzerland. For years, Russia has fought Stoli in court over the rights to claim ownership of the name. The company makes its bottle caps and some of its bottles in Ukraine and recently evacuated five Ukrainian employees from the country to Cyprus and Luxembourg, McKinney said. The Russian Tea Room, where during the pre-theater rush Friday only a handful of tables were occupied, has a similarly complicated lineage, despite the name. Its current owner is a New York real estate developer. But it started in 1927 as a popular hangout among Russians who emigrated to America and became citizens. A New York Times story from 1977 about the restaurant’s 50th anniversary noted that the restaurant was patronized early on by exiles who called themselves “White Russians,” to distinguish themselves from Lenin’s “red” Bolsheviks. And nearly a century later, drawing those distinctions with the Moscow regime is as important as ever. On the restaurant’s website, a pop-up banner statement on the war in Ukraine greets visitors, noting its history as an institution “deeply rooted in speaking against communist dictatorship.” It adds, “We stand against Putin and with the people of Ukraine.”

That Russian business you’re boycotting isn’t actually Russian

It is day 17 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and scores of civilians have lost their lives in the conflict. Armies of both countries have been involved in intense fights since Russian troops entered Ukraine. Now, Ukraine claims that it will free captive Russian soldiers.

Ukraine says that it will free captive Russian soldiers amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

With the conflict intensifying, the United States has accused Russia of violating nuclear safety principles in Ukraine on Friday. &nbsp;

It has also demanded that Moscow’s invading forces stop firing on nuclear power plants. &nbsp;&nbsp;

But the US has also added that there were no signs of any radiological release yet. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-biowarfare-labs-claim-russia-using-unsc-for-spreading-disinformation-says-us-461467">Russia using UNSC for 'spreading disinformation', says US</a>

In a Twitter post, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that radiation monitors in much of Ukraine were still functioning although the United States was concerned by lack of data from safeguards monitors at Chernobyl or Zaporizhzhia. &nbsp;

Although both the sites are under control of Russian forces, they are being operated by Ukrainian staff in conditions that endanger the safety of the facilities, as per the International Atomic Energy Agency. &nbsp;

"We remain concerned about Russia’s reckless actions and violations of nuclear safety principles. We are monitoring reports of damage to a research facility in Kharkiv. Near-term safety risk is low, but the continued Russian firing on nuclear facilities must cease," Granholm said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-briefs-tiktokers-on-ukraine-as-information-war-against-russia-heats-up-461466">White House briefs TikTokers on Ukraine as information war heats up</a>

The US could not confirm reports about power being restored at Chernobyl, Granholm said. &nbsp;

On Thursday, Russia’s energy ministry said that Belarusian specialists restored electricity supply at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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

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. With the conflict intensifying, the United States has accused Russia of violating nuclear safety principles in Ukraine on Friday. It has also demanded that Moscow’s invading forces stop firing on nuclear power plants. But the US has also added that there were no signs of any radiological release yet. Also Read: Russia using UNSC for 'spreading disinformation', says US In a Twitter post, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that radiation monitors in much of Ukraine were still functioning although the United States was concerned by lack of data from safeguards monitors at Chernobyl or Zaporizhzhia. Although both the sites are under control of Russian forces, they are being operated by Ukrainian staff in conditions that endanger the safety of the facilities, as per the International Atomic Energy Agency. "We remain concerned about Russia’s reckless actions and violations of nuclear safety principles. We are monitoring reports of damage to a research facility in Kharkiv. Near-term safety risk is low, but the continued Russian firing on nuclear facilities must cease," Granholm said. Also Read: White House briefs TikTokers on Ukraine as information war heats up The US could not confirm reports about power being restored at Chernobyl, Granholm said. On Thursday, Russia’s energy ministry said that Belarusian specialists restored electricity supply at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. (With inputs from agencies)

In conflict, Russia violates nuclear safety principles in Ukraine, says US   

British border guards turned away Ukrainian refugees in Calais citing 'incomplete paperwork'. In France, right-wing leaders want to expel Arab refugees and welcome Ukrainians. Palki Sharma tells you how racism is shaping Europe's refugee policy.

Gravitas: Britain turns away Ukrainian refugees

Turkey has decided to mediate in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. For Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, this crisis presents an opportunity. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Turkey taking advantage of war in Ukraine?

Ukraine's Presidential Adviser says only China benefits from the war. How? Beijing has struck a deal with Saudi Aramco. Chinese companies are mulling investments in Russian oil firms. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: How China is benefitting

European Union leaders dashed Ukraine's hopes for a fast-tracked membership despite support from the Baltic states. Why is Europe opposed to admitting Ukraine? Has Brussels abandoned Kyiv after promising full support? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: No fast-tracked EU membership for Ukraine

Is the Russian Air Force failing in Ukraine? The West claims Moscow has still been unable to dominate Kyiv's skies. Why? Is it because Russia is deliberately restraining itself? Palki Sharma explains.

Gravitas: Russia's Air Force 'missing in action'

Russian forces are relentlessly bombing Ukrainian cities. The convoy close to Kyiv has spilt up. Russian soldiers are now in "firing positions" near Ukraine's capital. Will Russia target Kyiv next? Palki Sharma has more.

Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Russian Soldiers in firing position near Kyiv

The Russian Olympic Committee made an urgent appeal Friday to overturn a ban on its athletes competing at a European winter sports festival in Finland.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it was setting a timetable for the case ahead of the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival being held from March 20-25.

The ROC appeal challenges a March 2 decision by the executive committee of the European Olympic Committees to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes because of the war in Ukraine.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-beat-wi-by-huge-155-runs-in-icc-womens-world-cup-461558">Women's World Cup 2022: Mandhana, Kaur hit tons as India register massive 155-run win over West Indies</a>

In a separate Russian case at CAS, the national soccer federation has appealed against bans on national and club teams by FIFA and UEFA.

Those suspensions were imposed on March 1 within hours of the International Olympic Committee urging sports bodies to act to isolate Russia after the military invasion.

The Russian Olympic Committee made an urgent appeal Friday to overturn a ban on its athletes competing at a European winter sports festival in Finland. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it was setting a timetable for the case ahead of the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival being held from March 20-25.

The Russian Olympic Committee made an urgent appeal Friday to overturn a ban on its athletes competing at a European winter sports festival in Finland. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it was setting a timetable for the case ahead of the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival being held from March 20-25. The ROC appeal challenges a March 2 decision by the executive committee of the European Olympic Committees to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes because of the war in Ukraine. ALSO READ: Women's World Cup 2022: Mandhana, Kaur hit tons as India register massive 155-run win over West Indies In a separate Russian case at CAS, the national soccer federation has appealed against bans on national and club teams by FIFA and UEFA. Those suspensions were imposed on March 1 within hours of the International Olympic Committee urging sports bodies to act to isolate Russia after the military invasion.

European winter sports festival: Russian Olympic Committee appeals to overturn ban on its athletes

The massive Russian military convoy that had been stationed just outside the Ukrainian capital kyiv since the last couple of weeks appeared to have dispersed. As per latest satellite images, the 40-mile-long convoy of Russian tanks and artillery and supply lines was broken and then redeployed and rearranged.

Ukraine-Russia War: Russia's army convoy near Kyiv disperses, redeploys 40-mile-long convoy

USSR allowed Jews to migrate to Israel. However, Russian Jews refused to take any sides as they have families in Russia as well as Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine War: Invasion sparks migrant crisis, USSR allows Jews to migrate to Israel

Russian forces inching closer to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, and civilian areas have been witnessing heavy shelling. Authorities have warned about the unimaginable tragedy that could unfold.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Satellite images show Russian forces inch closer to capital Kyiv

WION Ground Report from Brovary: Russian forces bombarded cities across Ukraine

Thousands of refugees are fleeing Ukraine amid the Russian invasion braving the harsh weather conditions. UN said that, "more than 2.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine".

Ukraine Under Attack: UN says number of refugees fleeing Ukraine cross 2.5 million mark

As conflict continues to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, US president Joe Biden has now said that any direct involvement will lead to World War III.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Biden says direct involvement will lead to World War III

As conflict continues between Russia and Ukraine, China is considering buying or increasing stakes in Russian energy and commodity firms.

China mulls buying stake in Russian firms, intensifies focus on energy and commodity companies

Today marks the 17th day of Russian invasion of Ukraine. While, heavy bombardments in central part of Kyiv is going on, the Russian forces seem to be regrouping for a possible assault on the Ukrainian capital.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Day 17th of Russian invasion of Ukraine

From a huge Russian military convoy snaking its way to Kyiv, to missile strikes and refugee crossings, commercial satellite imagery of the Ukraine conflict is helping lift the fog of war.

Commercial satellites are shaping Ukraine-Russia conflict: Here is how

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.

As the Russia and Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, a civilian area has apparently been targeted by the Russian shelling in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday (March 11).&nbsp;

The emergency services have said that this appeared to be the first direct attack on the city. Reports have emerged that at least one person has been killed. Identity has not been confirmed.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-crisis-satellite-images-show-russian-military-convoy-northwest-of-kyiv-has-dispersed-redeployed-461121">Satellite images show Russian military convoy northwest of Kyiv has 'dispersed, redeployed'</a>

In a statement, the emergency services noted: "There were three airstrikes on the city, namely hitting a kindergarten, an apartment building and a two-story shoe factory, starting a fire. One person died."

The strikes Ukraine had warned that Russia was mustering forces to encircle Dnipro, home to about one million people before the invasion started.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-tanks-or-40-ton-iron-freezers-freezing-temperatures-might-help-ukraine-to-resist-putins-army-460975">Russian tanks or '40-ton iron freezers'? Freezing temperatures might help Ukraine to resist Putin's army</a>

The strikes came amid preparations by the United States, together with the Group of Seven nations and the European Union, to revoke Russia's "most favoured nation" status over its invasion of Ukraine.

As per news agencies, shelling was also reported Friday in Lutsk, a city in north-western Ukraine.&nbsp;Lutsk mayor Ihor Polishchuk wrote on Facebook,&nbsp;"Explosions at the airport side."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Russian defence ministry said in a briefing on Friday that its troops targeted airports in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk, another western Ukrainian city some 250 kilometres south of Lutsk.&nbsp;

"Military airfields in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk have been put out of order," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Russia calls emergency UNSC meeting on biological weapons after claiming that the US is making it

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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. As the Russia and Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, a civilian area has apparently been targeted by the Russian shelling in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday (March 11). The emergency services have said that this appeared to be the first direct attack on the city. Reports have emerged that at least one person has been killed. Identity has not been confirmed. ALSO READ | Satellite images show Russian military convoy northwest of Kyiv has 'dispersed, redeployed' In a statement, the emergency services noted: "There were three airstrikes on the city, namely hitting a kindergarten, an apartment building and a two-story shoe factory, starting a fire. One person died." The strikes Ukraine had warned that Russia was mustering forces to encircle Dnipro, home to about one million people before the invasion started. ALSO READ | Russian tanks or '40-ton iron freezers'? Freezing temperatures might help Ukraine to resist Putin's army The strikes came amid preparations by the United States, together with the Group of Seven nations and the European Union, to revoke Russia's "most favoured nation" status over its invasion of Ukraine. As per news agencies, shelling was also reported Friday in Lutsk, a city in north-western Ukraine. Lutsk mayor Ihor Polishchuk wrote on Facebook, "Explosions at the airport side." The Russian defence ministry said in a briefing on Friday that its troops targeted airports in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk, another western Ukrainian city some 250 kilometres south of Lutsk. "Military airfields in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk have been put out of order," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said. WATCH | Russia calls emergency UNSC meeting on biological weapons after claiming that the US is making it ×

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Civilian targets hit in Ukraine's Dnipro, say officials

Russian forces have destroyed at least $100 billion worth infrastructure, buildings and other assets in the conflict till now, said Ukraine's top government economic adviser Oleg Ustenko on Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

At an online event, which was hosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Ustenko, chief economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the invasion has caused 50% Ukrainian businesses to shut down completely. The rest are operating at below capacity. &nbsp;

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The damage estimate is "very approximate" and just includes bridges, hospitals, roads, equipment and other assets, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

For financing the reconstruction effort in the country, Ustenko said some part of it can come from Russian assets frozen around the world. It can include Russian central bank assets held outside the country and immobilised by Western sanctions. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The assets of wealthy Russian oligarchs, which have been seized, could also be transferred to a reconstruction fund, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Ukraine's fiscal reserves are currently at about $27.5 billion, which is down from about $30 billion before the invasion, Ustenko said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

When asked about the resilience of Ukraine's financial system and bank payment operations, Ustenko said, "Look, we are doing, I would say, OK under the current circumstances. Even in those cities surrounded by now by the Russian army...(residents) are able use their cards.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Russian forces have destroyed at least $100 billion worth infrastructure, buildings and other assets in the conflict till now, said Ukraine's top government economic adviser Oleg Ustenko on Thursday.

Russian forces have destroyed at least $100 billion worth infrastructure, buildings and other assets in the conflict till now, said Ukraine's top government economic adviser Oleg Ustenko on Thursday. At an online event, which was hosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Ustenko, chief economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the invasion has caused 50% Ukrainian businesses to shut down completely. The rest are operating at below capacity. Also Read: UNSC to discuss Russian claim of US-backed biowarfare labs in Ukraine The damage estimate is "very approximate" and just includes bridges, hospitals, roads, equipment and other assets, he said. For financing the reconstruction effort in the country, Ustenko said some part of it can come from Russian assets frozen around the world. It can include Russian central bank assets held outside the country and immobilised by Western sanctions. The assets of wealthy Russian oligarchs, which have been seized, could also be transferred to a reconstruction fund, he added. Also Read | Ukraine needs surface-to-air missiles, not fighter jets: US Ukraine's fiscal reserves are currently at about $27.5 billion, which is down from about $30 billion before the invasion, Ustenko said. When asked about the resilience of Ukraine's financial system and bank payment operations, Ustenko said, "Look, we are doing, I would say, OK under the current circumstances. Even in those cities surrounded by now by the Russian army...(residents) are able use their cards.” (With inputs from agencies)

In conflict, Russian forces destroyed $100 billion worth infrastructure till now, says Ukraine's official

The massive Russian military convoy that had been stationed outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv for weeks now appears to have dispersed. The latest satellite images published by Maxwell Technologies showing that the 40-mile long line of Russian vehicles tanks and artillery has broken up now and has been re-deployed.

Satellite images show Russian convoy regrouping near Kyiv

Turkey is acting as a mediator in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The Russia-Ukraine talks were also held in Turkey. But what's at stake for Turkey?

What's at stake for Turkey? Russia-Ukraine talks held in Turkey

India emphasised on following the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine.&nbsp;

The meeting came after a request from Russia, who claimed that the US is involved in bioweapon manufacture in the war-torn country, something that Washington has strongly dismissed.&nbsp;

"Noting" the "recent statements by States and wider information regarding biological activities relating to Ukraine," Indian envoy to the UN, TS Tirumurti said, "We would like to underline the importance attached by India to the BTWC as a key global and non-discriminatory disarmament convention, prohibiting an entire category of weapons of mass destruction."

BTWC is a treaty that came into force in 1975 and prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological weapons.&nbsp;

A total of 183 countries are party to the treaty that outlaws bioweapons, including US, Russia and Ukraine.&nbsp;

The Indian envoy called for 'full and effective implementation of the BTWC in letter and spirit" and pointed out "any matters relating to obligations under the BTWC should be addressed as per the provisions of the convention, and through consultation and cooperation between the parties concerned".

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine is currently in its third week, leading to Europe's worst refugee crisis since the end of second world war. Expressing "serious concern over the ongoing situation in Ukraine," envoy Tirumurti hoped that the "ongoing direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would lead to cessation of hostilities".&nbsp;

Both countries have had several rounds of talks in Belarus, with the foreign minister of both countries recently meeting in Turkey.&nbsp;

Envoy highlighted, "There is no other alternative except the path of diplomacy and dialogue. The dire humanitarian situation needs immediate and urgent attention."

During the recent talks PM Modi had with Ukraine and Russian Presidents, the focus was on direct talks.&nbsp; 
Amid the invasion, India has been able to bring back over 18,000 of its nationals in 90 special flights from neighbouring countries under operation Ganga.&nbsp;

During the UNSC meeting, Tirumurti called on "member states to adhere to the principles of the UN Charter and international law and respect the sovereignty and integrity of states."&nbsp;

India has abstained at UNSC and UNGA meetings in Ukraine.&nbsp;

India emphasised on following the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine. The meeting came after a request from Russia, who claimed that the US is involved in bioweapon manufacture in the war-torn country, something that Washington has strongly dismissed.

India emphasised on following the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine. The meeting came after a request from Russia, who claimed that the US is involved in bioweapon manufacture in the war-torn country, something that Washington has strongly dismissed. "Noting" the "recent statements by States and wider information regarding biological activities relating to Ukraine," Indian envoy to the UN, TS Tirumurti said, "We would like to underline the importance attached by India to the BTWC as a key global and non-discriminatory disarmament convention, prohibiting an entire category of weapons of mass destruction." BTWC is a treaty that came into force in 1975 and prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological weapons. A total of 183 countries are party to the treaty that outlaws bioweapons, including US, Russia and Ukraine. The Indian envoy called for 'full and effective implementation of the BTWC in letter and spirit" and pointed out "any matters relating to obligations under the BTWC should be addressed as per the provisions of the convention, and through consultation and cooperation between the parties concerned". Also read | ‘No security reasons to leave Russia’: Indian Embassy issues advisory to students The Russian invasion of Ukraine is currently in its third week, leading to Europe's worst refugee crisis since the end of second world war. Expressing "serious concern over the ongoing situation in Ukraine," envoy Tirumurti hoped that the "ongoing direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would lead to cessation of hostilities". Both countries have had several rounds of talks in Belarus, with the foreign minister of both countries recently meeting in Turkey. Envoy highlighted, "There is no other alternative except the path of diplomacy and dialogue. The dire humanitarian situation needs immediate and urgent attention." During the recent talks PM Modi had with Ukraine and Russian Presidents, the focus was on direct talks. Amid the invasion, India has been able to bring back over 18,000 of its nationals in 90 special flights from neighbouring countries under operation Ganga. During the UNSC meeting, Tirumurti called on "member states to adhere to the principles of the UN Charter and international law and respect the sovereignty and integrity of states." India has abstained at UNSC and UNGA meetings in Ukraine.

India emphasises on biological weapons convention at UNSC Ukraine meet

The issue of bio weapons being used in the war in Ukraine has now reached the United Nations Security Council. An emergency meeting of the council has been called today at the request of Russia as Moscow alleges that the United States is funding research into creating bio weapons in Ukraine.

Russia: United States is funding bioweapons in Ukraine

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Many Western companies are moving out of Russia. In the latest, Disney has also decided to pause all business operations in Russia.

Disney to pause all business operations in Russia amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

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