In Pics: Kyiv metro offers Ukrainians shelter from Russian shells

Manish Dave, an Indian restaurant owner in Ukraine's embattled capital Kyiv, stepped in as Russia's attack on the country continued.

Residents of Kyiv were strongly urged to seek shelter due to the attack. In the midst of the deadly clashes, Dave's basement eatery has transformed into a makeshift shelter. Here, dozens of children, pregnant women, students, homeless people, and older locals have gathered to seek shelter.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-china-could-get-russia-to-lower-its-tone-on-nukes-says-international-relations-expert-458038" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'China could get Russia to lower its tone on nukes', says international relations expert</a>

During a telephonic interview with the Washington Post, Dave, 52, said “I will continue to offer shelter and food for as long as I can”.

The restaurant has housed and fed more than 130 people since Russia declared war on Thursday.

David moved from Vadodara in the Indian state of Gujarat to Kyiv in October 2021 with the intention of opening an Indian restaurant. Thousands of Indian students live in the region and he wanted to give them a taste of home.

In January, he opened Saathiya Restaurant in an underground space at Bogomelets National Medical University, but disaster struck before the business could become profitable.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-closes-its-airspace-to-russian-aircrafts-457961" hreflang="en">United States closes its airspace to Russian aircrafts</a>

Dave recalled that everything was going smoothly. And then everything fell apart.

“There was fire, blasts, bombs,” he added, describing the experience as scary.

While a barrage of explosions erupted, and civilians desperately sought shelter, Dave had an epiphany: "A basement is a safe place."

“The place is so big, and I should help.”

First, he invited his regular customers - who are primarily students - to stay in his restaurant in the basement. After that, he posted an invitation to anyone in need of shelter and food on Telegram.

“If you don’t have any proper safe place to stay during this time, please go here,” he wrote, including the address of his restaurant.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;India ramps up evacuation efforts: IAF's C-17 leaves for Romania to bring Indians back

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-ramps-up-evacuation-efforts-iafs-c-17-leaves-for-romania-to-bring-indians-back-458033/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Soon, strangers began arriving; Dave has been feeding shelter seekers for free. A traditional Indian dish like dal served with rice is prepared by him and his staff.&nbsp;

Additionally, they prepared simple pasta and other European dishes that are easy to prepare in large quantities and inexpensive to prepare. The influx of people has forced them to ration resources.

The restaurant is currently closed and will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

He refuses to accept funds from those who ate or stayed at his restaurant. As an alternative to financial assistance, Dave is asking people to purchase groceries so that he can continue taking care of those in need for as long as possible.

Manish Dave, an Indian restaurant owner in Ukraine's embattled capital Kyiv, stepped in as Russia's attack on the country continued. Residents of Kyiv were strongly urged to seek shelter due to the attack.

Manish Dave, an Indian restaurant owner in Ukraine's embattled capital Kyiv, stepped in as Russia's attack on the country continued. Residents of Kyiv were strongly urged to seek shelter due to the attack. In the midst of the deadly clashes, Dave's basement eatery has transformed into a makeshift shelter. Here, dozens of children, pregnant women, students, homeless people, and older locals have gathered to seek shelter. Also read | Exclusive: 'China could get Russia to lower its tone on nukes', says international relations expert During a telephonic interview with the Washington Post, Dave, 52, said “I will continue to offer shelter and food for as long as I can”. The restaurant has housed and fed more than 130 people since Russia declared war on Thursday. David moved from Vadodara in the Indian state of Gujarat to Kyiv in October 2021 with the intention of opening an Indian restaurant. Thousands of Indian students live in the region and he wanted to give them a taste of home. In January, he opened Saathiya Restaurant in an underground space at Bogomelets National Medical University, but disaster struck before the business could become profitable. Also read | United States closes its airspace to Russian aircrafts Dave recalled that everything was going smoothly. And then everything fell apart. “There was fire, blasts, bombs,” he added, describing the experience as scary. While a barrage of explosions erupted, and civilians desperately sought shelter, Dave had an epiphany: "A basement is a safe place." “The place is so big, and I should help.” First, he invited his regular customers - who are primarily students - to stay in his restaurant in the basement. After that, he posted an invitation to anyone in need of shelter and food on Telegram. “If you don’t have any proper safe place to stay during this time, please go here,” he wrote, including the address of his restaurant. Watch | India ramps up evacuation efforts: IAF's C-17 leaves for Romania to bring Indians back Soon, strangers began arriving; Dave has been feeding shelter seekers for free. A traditional Indian dish like dal served with rice is prepared by him and his staff. Additionally, they prepared simple pasta and other European dishes that are easy to prepare in large quantities and inexpensive to prepare. The influx of people has forced them to ration resources. The restaurant is currently closed and will remain closed for the foreseeable future. He refuses to accept funds from those who ate or stayed at his restaurant. As an alternative to financial assistance, Dave is asking people to purchase groceries so that he can continue taking care of those in need for as long as possible.

Indian hospitality at its best: Indian restaurateur turns saviour amid Ukraine crisis

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

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

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

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

Which assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin can be seized due to Ukraine invasion?

From football to Formula 1 racing, Russia is being isolated in the sports world for invading Ukraine. Russia has been expelled from World Cup and FIFA banned Russia from hosting international matches. Russian Grand Prix is canceled.

This is how world of sport is shunning Russia for Ukraine invasion

Artists in Germany and Lithuania have a message amid Russia-Ukraine crisis. Nearly 70, German artists took three tonnes of paint to write a message for Ukrainians. One of the giant graffiti letters read, “Let us build bridges”.

Watch: German artists have this message for Ukrainians, Russian President Vladimir Putin

A piece of good news for Indians fleeing war-torn Ukraine, leaving behind their studies or jobs. It is now at least possible for them to bring back their companion animals, cats and dogs.

"Considering the unique and extraordinary situations in war-hit Ukraine wherein pre-export requisite formalities for export of pets into India may not be fulfilled, the import of pet dogs and/or pet cats along with stranded Indians being rescued by the Government of India is being facilitated as a one-time relaxation measure as under," stated a memorandum issued by the Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-hospitality-at-its-best-indian-restaurateur-turns-saviour-amid-ukraine-crisis-458042">Indian hospitality at its best: Indian restaurateur turns saviour amid Ukraine crisis</a>

Following an appeal for help on social media by Rishabh Kaushik, an Indian student, who refused to leave Ukraine without his puppy, PETA India reached out to Parshottam Rupala, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy.

"Separating animal companions from their guardians would have been another tragedy for those desperately fleeing Ukraine, and it would have only resulted in more heartbreak and unnecessarily lost lives," said PETA India Chief Executive Officer and veterinarian, Manilal Valliyate.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amidst-thousands-of-indians-scrambling-for-home-this-17-year-old-decides-to-stay-in-ukraine-457433">Amidst thousands of Indians scrambling for home, this 17-year-old decides to stay in Ukraine</a>

As part of the measure, pre-import and post-import conditions will be relaxed, regional veterinarians of all animal quarantine and certification services are directed to coordinate with the respective state veterinary authorities to share information about each import with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying of the Central Government.

There have been reports from Ukraine of people refusing to leave without their companion animals. They have been travelling long distances carrying them, sometimes even in their arms, facing the bitter cold and risks of war trying to find a safe route out.

Watch |&nbsp;India ramps up evacuation efforts: IAF's C-17 leaves for Romania to bring Indians back

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-ramps-up-evacuation-efforts-iafs-c-17-leaves-for-romania-to-bring-indians-back-458033/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

At least four pet owners have contacted Rescue Every Distressed Indian Overseas (REDIO), an NGO, to ask that their pets be allowed to enter India.

By making this decision, India joins Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania, all of which have streamlined the entry of animals. This enables families, such as Rishabh and his family, to escape war zones with their beloved animal companions.

(With inputs from agencies)

A piece of good news for Indians fleeing war-torn Ukraine, leaving behind their studies or jobs. It is now at least possible for them to bring back their companion animals, cats and dogs.

A piece of good news for Indians fleeing war-torn Ukraine, leaving behind their studies or jobs. It is now at least possible for them to bring back their companion animals, cats and dogs. "Considering the unique and extraordinary situations in war-hit Ukraine wherein pre-export requisite formalities for export of pets into India may not be fulfilled, the import of pet dogs and/or pet cats along with stranded Indians being rescued by the Government of India is being facilitated as a one-time relaxation measure as under," stated a memorandum issued by the Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Also read | Indian hospitality at its best: Indian restaurateur turns saviour amid Ukraine crisis Following an appeal for help on social media by Rishabh Kaushik, an Indian student, who refused to leave Ukraine without his puppy, PETA India reached out to Parshottam Rupala, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy. "Separating animal companions from their guardians would have been another tragedy for those desperately fleeing Ukraine, and it would have only resulted in more heartbreak and unnecessarily lost lives," said PETA India Chief Executive Officer and veterinarian, Manilal Valliyate. Also read | Amidst thousands of Indians scrambling for home, this 17-year-old decides to stay in Ukraine As part of the measure, pre-import and post-import conditions will be relaxed, regional veterinarians of all animal quarantine and certification services are directed to coordinate with the respective state veterinary authorities to share information about each import with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying of the Central Government. There have been reports from Ukraine of people refusing to leave without their companion animals. They have been travelling long distances carrying them, sometimes even in their arms, facing the bitter cold and risks of war trying to find a safe route out. Watch | India ramps up evacuation efforts: IAF's C-17 leaves for Romania to bring Indians back At least four pet owners have contacted Rescue Every Distressed Indian Overseas (REDIO), an NGO, to ask that their pets be allowed to enter India. By making this decision, India joins Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania, all of which have streamlined the entry of animals. This enables families, such as Rishabh and his family, to escape war zones with their beloved animal companions. (With inputs from agencies)

As people refuse to leave furry companions behind, India relaxes norms for bringing back pets from Ukraine

The World Bank announced Tuesday that it is preparing a $3 billion aid package to help war-torn Ukraine, including at least $350 million in immediate funds.

World Bank President David Malpass said in a joint statement with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva that the first tranche will be submitted to the Board for approval this week, followed by $200 million in fast-disbursing support for health and education.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/long-lines-60-hours-wait-shelter-and-for-some-racism-awaits-them-as-they-flee-ukraine-for-poland-458080" hreflang="en">Long lines, 60 hours wait, shelter and for some racism awaits them as they flee Ukraine for Poland</a>

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, who have both pledged and are now delivering further support to Ukraine, moving swiftly to implement this plan.

The IMF, which has an ongoing $2.2 billion financing program with the country through June, will consider the country's latest request for emergency financing "as early as next week," the statement said.

The leaders of the global crisis lenders deplored Russia's invasion of its neighbour and the damage it is causing to the economy and people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-hospitality-at-its-best-indian-restaurateur-turns-saviour-amid-ukraine-crisis-458042" hreflang="en">Indian hospitality at its best: Indian restaurateur turns saviour amid Ukraine crisis</a>

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by the devastating human and economic toll brought by the war in Ukraine," they said, noting the "significant spillovers to other countries" including higher commodity prices that "risk further fueling inflation."

Furthermore, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia "will also have a significant economic impact."

Watch |&nbsp;Zelensky's message to Russia: Stop bombing cities before ceasefire talks

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/zelenskys-message-to-russia-stop-bombing-cities-before-ceasefire-talks-458057/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Early Tuesday, members of the Group of Seven met with central bankers and pledged to mobilize support for Kyiv while considering additional measures to further isolate Moscow.

As the fighting intensified and hundreds of thousands of people fled Ukraine, oil prices rose to over $106 a barrel on Tuesday.

The World Bank announced Tuesday that it is preparing a $3 billion aid package to help war-torn Ukraine, including at least $350 million in immediate funds. World Bank President David Malpass said in a joint statement with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva that the first tranche will be submitted to the Board for approval this week, followed by $200 million in fast-disbursing support for health and education.

The World Bank announced Tuesday that it is preparing a $3 billion aid package to help war-torn Ukraine, including at least $350 million in immediate funds. World Bank President David Malpass said in a joint statement with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva that the first tranche will be submitted to the Board for approval this week, followed by $200 million in fast-disbursing support for health and education. Also read | Long lines, 60 hours wait, shelter and for some racism awaits them as they flee Ukraine for Poland The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, who have both pledged and are now delivering further support to Ukraine, moving swiftly to implement this plan. The IMF, which has an ongoing $2.2 billion financing program with the country through June, will consider the country's latest request for emergency financing "as early as next week," the statement said. The leaders of the global crisis lenders deplored Russia's invasion of its neighbour and the damage it is causing to the economy and people. Also read | Indian hospitality at its best: Indian restaurateur turns saviour amid Ukraine crisis "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the devastating human and economic toll brought by the war in Ukraine," they said, noting the "significant spillovers to other countries" including higher commodity prices that "risk further fueling inflation." Furthermore, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia "will also have a significant economic impact." Watch | Zelensky's message to Russia: Stop bombing cities before ceasefire talks Early Tuesday, members of the Group of Seven met with central bankers and pledged to mobilize support for Kyiv while considering additional measures to further isolate Moscow. As the fighting intensified and hundreds of thousands of people fled Ukraine, oil prices rose to over $106 a barrel on Tuesday.

World Bank prepares $3 billion emergency aid package for war-torn Ukraine

Long lines, 60 hours wait, shelter and for some racism awaits them as they flee Ukraine for Poland

An Indian student told news agency ANI that the Indian flag not only saved Indians stranded in Ukraine, but it also helped Pakistani and Turkish students fleeing the war-torn country.

The Indian students who arrived in the city of Bucharest, Romania from Ukraine said that the Indian flag helped them, as well as some Pakistani and Turkish students, safely cross the various checkpoints.

"The Indian flag was also being used by Turkish and Pakistani students, a student said, adding that the Indian flag had been of tremendous help to them as well.

A medical student from Odesa, Ukraine, stated, "In Ukraine, we were advised that if we bring an Indian flag with us, we won't have any problems."

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | "We were easily given clearance due to the Indian flag; made the flag using a curtain &amp; colour spray...Both Indian flag &amp; Indians were of great help to the Pakistani, Turkish students," said Indians students after their arrival in Bucharest, Romania<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UkraineCrisis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UkraineCrisis</a> <a href="https://t.co/vag59CcPVf">pic.twitter.com/vag59CcPVf</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1498847286818131969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Union Minister, G. Kishan Reddy, had previously recommended Indian students stranded in Ukraine's crisis-stricken country to fly the national flag on their vehicles to ensure a safe departure.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-is-ukraine-such-a-popular-choice-for-indian-medical-students-456990">Also read | Why is Ukraine such a popular choice for Indian medical students?</a>

The students also described how they purchased spray paints from the marketplaces and used them to create an Indian flag on their own. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/stop-criticising-indian-students-stuck-in-ukraine-they-need-to-be-appreciated-457069">Also read | Stop criticising Indian students stuck in Ukraine; they need to be appreciated</a>

"I dashed inside the store and purchased some colour sprays and a curtain.After that, I cut the curtain and spray-painted the Indian tricolour on it "explained one of the students.&nbsp;

They didn't have much trouble at Molodova because the Indian embassy had already made the necessary arrangements. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-wipes-out-bloodthirsty-chechen-special-forces-sent-to-zelensky-457107">Also read | Ukraine wipes out 'bloodthirsty' Chechen special forces sent to assassinate Zelensky</a>

The students also thanked the Indian embassy authorities for providing them with food and lodging as they awaited their flights back to India.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

An Indian student told news agency ANI that the Indian flag not only saved Indians stranded in Ukraine, but it also helped Pakistani and Turkish students fleeing the war-torn country.

An Indian student told news agency ANI that the Indian flag not only saved Indians stranded in Ukraine, but it also helped Pakistani and Turkish students fleeing the war-torn country. The Indian students who arrived in the city of Bucharest, Romania from Ukraine said that the Indian flag helped them, as well as some Pakistani and Turkish students, safely cross the various checkpoints. "The Indian flag was also being used by Turkish and Pakistani students, a student said, adding that the Indian flag had been of tremendous help to them as well. A medical student from Odesa, Ukraine, stated, "In Ukraine, we were advised that if we bring an Indian flag with us, we won't have any problems." #WATCH | "We were easily given clearance due to the Indian flag; made the flag using a curtain & colour spray...Both Indian flag & Indians were of great help to the Pakistani, Turkish students," said Indians students after their arrival in Bucharest, Romania#UkraineCrisis pic.twitter.com/vag59CcPVf — ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2022 × The Union Minister, G. Kishan Reddy, had previously recommended Indian students stranded in Ukraine's crisis-stricken country to fly the national flag on their vehicles to ensure a safe departure. Also read | Why is Ukraine such a popular choice for Indian medical students? The students also described how they purchased spray paints from the marketplaces and used them to create an Indian flag on their own. Also read | Stop criticising Indian students stuck in Ukraine; they need to be appreciated "I dashed inside the store and purchased some colour sprays and a curtain.After that, I cut the curtain and spray-painted the Indian tricolour on it "explained one of the students. They didn't have much trouble at Molodova because the Indian embassy had already made the necessary arrangements. Also read | Ukraine wipes out 'bloodthirsty' Chechen special forces sent to assassinate Zelensky The students also thanked the Indian embassy authorities for providing them with food and lodging as they awaited their flights back to India. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | Indian flag helped Pakistani, Turkish students cross Ukraine border, says Indian student

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.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday (March 1) may have accidentally shared Russia's plans to invade Ukraine during a live televised meet.&nbsp;

During the Security Council meeting in Minsk, the Belarusian leader demonstrated a map that looked like a scheme of military actions in Ukraine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ukraine-crisis-footballs-first-reported-losses-as-two-ukrainian-players-killed-during-russian-invasion-458012">Football's first reported losses as two Ukrainian players killed during Russian invasion</a>

While talking, he repeated that the Russian Armed Forces conducted missile launches from Belarus into Ukraine on February 23 to prevent what he has claimed was Ukraine's intention to attack Belarus.&nbsp;

In a video shared by news agency Reuters, Lukashenko said, "Thankfully those guys, warned us. We had found it literally six hours before a launch, and the Russians - Iskanders were deployed here, right, in the Mazyr area - they attacked those missiles, those positions."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mom-i-am-scared-we-are-hitting-everyone-russian-soldiers-last-words-to-mother-are-heart-wrenching-457862">'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching</a>

"And after that, we haven't seen them anymore. During the Russians' advancement, entering Ukraine, we did not see those positions anymore. That is why I am saying, yes, there were launches from Belarusian territory. And I told you openly what point we targeted," he added.&nbsp;

The video was also shared by Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan on Twitter, in which Lukashenko appeared to point to a map of Ukraine. The map showed Ukraine segmented into four parts.&nbsp;

As per the journo, the demonstration "looks like an actual invasion map." Important to note that the Belarusian leader is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;

Watch the video here:&nbsp;

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At today's security council meeting, Lukashenko showed what looks like an actual invasion map. It shows Ukraine military facilities destroyed by missiles from Belarus, attacks directions (everything agrees except Odessa-Transnistria). Also, Ukraine is divided into 4 sectors. <a href="https://t.co/ueqBIFUbyM">pic.twitter.com/ueqBIFUbyM</a>
— Tadeusz Giczan 🇺🇦 (@TadeuszGiczan) <a href="https://twitter.com/TadeuszGiczan/status/1498673348183744518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On Tuesday, Lukashenko said that Belarus has no plans to join Russia's military operation in Ukraine.&nbsp;

The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday that Lukashenko has allowed Putin to "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by allowing Moscow's forces to launch their attack on Ukraine from its territory.

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. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday (March 1) may have accidentally shared Russia's plans to invade Ukraine during a live televised meet. During the Security Council meeting in Minsk, the Belarusian leader demonstrated a map that looked like a scheme of military actions in Ukraine. ALSO READ | Football's first reported losses as two Ukrainian players killed during Russian invasion While talking, he repeated that the Russian Armed Forces conducted missile launches from Belarus into Ukraine on February 23 to prevent what he has claimed was Ukraine's intention to attack Belarus. In a video shared by news agency Reuters, Lukashenko said, "Thankfully those guys, warned us. We had found it literally six hours before a launch, and the Russians - Iskanders were deployed here, right, in the Mazyr area - they attacked those missiles, those positions." ALSO READ | 'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching "And after that, we haven't seen them anymore. During the Russians' advancement, entering Ukraine, we did not see those positions anymore. That is why I am saying, yes, there were launches from Belarusian territory. And I told you openly what point we targeted," he added. The video was also shared by Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan on Twitter, in which Lukashenko appeared to point to a map of Ukraine. The map showed Ukraine segmented into four parts. As per the journo, the demonstration "looks like an actual invasion map." Important to note that the Belarusian leader is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Watch the video here: At today's security council meeting, Lukashenko showed what looks like an actual invasion map. It shows Ukraine military facilities destroyed by missiles from Belarus, attacks directions (everything agrees except Odessa-Transnistria). Also, Ukraine is divided into 4 sectors. pic.twitter.com/ueqBIFUbyM — Tadeusz Giczan 🇺🇦 (@TadeuszGiczan) March 1, 2022 × On Tuesday, Lukashenko said that Belarus has no plans to join Russia's military operation in Ukraine. The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday that Lukashenko has allowed Putin to "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by allowing Moscow's forces to launch their attack on Ukraine from its territory.

Watch: Did Belarusian President accidentally share Russia's plans to invade Ukraine?

Facts about Ukraine that have long been disputed by great empires

The US government has closed its airspace to Russian flights. This adds the US to a number nations including Canada and several others in Europe that have shut down their airspace to Russian aircraft following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-to-authorise-30-million-barrels-of-oil-to-be-released-from-petroleum-reserve-white-house-457942" hreflang="en">Biden to authorise 30 million barrels of oil to be released from petroleum reserve: White House</a>

In his first State of the Union address,&nbsp;President Joe Biden said the United States would ban Russian planes from its airspace, and vowed Putin would pay a heavy price for his decision to invade Ukraine.

"He has no idea what's coming," he said at the House of Representatives.

"Let each of us...stand and send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world."

In the wake of reports that Biden would announce a ban on Russian aircraft using US airspace, American aviation giant Boeing said it will cease supporting Russian airlines and their operations in Moscow.

"We have suspended major operations in Moscow and temporarily closed our office in Kyiv," the Ukrainian capital, a Boeing spokesperson said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-should-be-stripped-of-un-rights-council-membership-says-blinken-457904" hreflang="en">Russia should be stripped of UN rights council membership, says Blinken</a>

"We are also suspending parts, maintenance and technical support services for Russian airlines. As the conflict continues, our teams are focused on ensuring the safety of our teammates in the region."

On Tuesday, United Airlines announced that it would temporarily suspend flights over Russian airspace, joining other major US carriers who have taken similar steps following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The White House declined to comment, but in recent days, it has had extensive talks with US airlines.

In recent days, United has continued to fly over Russian airspace to operate flights to and from India. United Parcel Service, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines all confirmed this week that their flights over Russia have been cancelled.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Western companies profiting from Russia's war

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As per Reuters, FedEx did not respond to emails asking if it was ceasing flights over Russia.

The United airline is cancelling two flights to India on Tuesday and Wednesday as it evaluates alternate routes that don't use Russian airspace.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US government has closed its airspace to Russian flights. This adds the US to a number nations including Canada and several others in Europe that have shut down their airspace to Russian aircraft following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The US government has closed its airspace to Russian flights. This adds the US to a number nations including Canada and several others in Europe that have shut down their airspace to Russian aircraft following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Also read | Biden to authorise 30 million barrels of oil to be released from petroleum reserve: White House In his first State of the Union address, President Joe Biden said the United States would ban Russian planes from its airspace, and vowed Putin would pay a heavy price for his decision to invade Ukraine. "He has no idea what's coming," he said at the House of Representatives. "Let each of us...stand and send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world." In the wake of reports that Biden would announce a ban on Russian aircraft using US airspace, American aviation giant Boeing said it will cease supporting Russian airlines and their operations in Moscow. "We have suspended major operations in Moscow and temporarily closed our office in Kyiv," the Ukrainian capital, a Boeing spokesperson said. Also read | Russia should be stripped of UN rights council membership, says Blinken "We are also suspending parts, maintenance and technical support services for Russian airlines. As the conflict continues, our teams are focused on ensuring the safety of our teammates in the region." On Tuesday, United Airlines announced that it would temporarily suspend flights over Russian airspace, joining other major US carriers who have taken similar steps following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House declined to comment, but in recent days, it has had extensive talks with US airlines. In recent days, United has continued to fly over Russian airspace to operate flights to and from India. United Parcel Service, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines all confirmed this week that their flights over Russia have been cancelled. Watch | Gravitas: Western companies profiting from Russia's war As per Reuters, FedEx did not respond to emails asking if it was ceasing flights over Russia. The United airline is cancelling two flights to India on Tuesday and Wednesday as it evaluates alternate routes that don't use Russian airspace. (With inputs from agencies)

United States closes its airspace to Russian aircraft

Known to always speak his mind, comedian and TV host John Oliver made some scathing remarks on Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday's episode of 'Last Week Tonight'.&nbsp; 
 
During the episode, Oliver said, "Putin is a lot of things: he's an autocrat, a tyrant, a warmonger. But also, he's kinda a huge b***h." 
 
His comments were in response to a conversation that took place during a security meeting at the Kremlin last Monday, between Putin and Sergey Naryshkin, Russia's director of foreign intelligence. 
 
Putin badgered Naryshkin, to take a formal stand regarding the independence of the Ukraine cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. But Naryshkin was voicing his support of diplomacy with Ukraine one last time before going to war. 
 
Oliver commented on the obvious fear Naryshkin must have been feeling while being asked by Putin to take a stand on a subject they seemed to disagree on. 
 
"Unfortunately for that guy, he clearly forgot the best strategy for public speaking in Russia which is: just imagine the entire audience in their underwear, and Vladimir Putin pointing a pistol at your head. It really focuses the mind," Oliver added.&nbsp; 
Putin commenced Russia's military operation on the sovereign nation, on February 24. A day later, Russia seized control of Chernobyl.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Known to always speak his mind, comedian and TV host John Oliver made some scathing remarks on Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday's episode of 'Last Week Tonight'.

Known to always speak his mind, comedian and TV host John Oliver made some scathing remarks on Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday's episode of 'Last Week Tonight'. During the episode, Oliver said, "Putin is a lot of things: he's an autocrat, a tyrant, a warmonger. But also, he's kinda a huge b***h." His comments were in response to a conversation that took place during a security meeting at the Kremlin last Monday, between Putin and Sergey Naryshkin, Russia's director of foreign intelligence. Putin badgered Naryshkin, to take a formal stand regarding the independence of the Ukraine cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. But Naryshkin was voicing his support of diplomacy with Ukraine one last time before going to war. Oliver commented on the obvious fear Naryshkin must have been feeling while being asked by Putin to take a stand on a subject they seemed to disagree on. "Unfortunately for that guy, he clearly forgot the best strategy for public speaking in Russia which is: just imagine the entire audience in their underwear, and Vladimir Putin pointing a pistol at your head. It really focuses the mind," Oliver added. Putin commenced Russia's military operation on the sovereign nation, on February 24. A day later, Russia seized control of Chernobyl.

John Oliver calls out Russian President Vladimir Putin on 'Last Week Tonight'

"Russian forces brutally fired on Kharkiv from jet artillery. It was clearly a war crime”, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his address to the nation on Monday.

Ukrainian President Zelensky accuses Russia of war crimes in bombardment of Kharkiv

Banks around the world were winding down relationships with a host of Russian banks as they put Western sanctions against Russia into practice, while funds and exchanges also pulled back and Citigroup disclosed billions of dollars of exposure.

International banks, funds and exchanges put Russia's financial sanctions into action

Global oil and gas giant Shell announced that it will exit all its Russian operations, becoming the latest major Western energy company to quit the oil-rich country following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision comes a day after rival British Petroleum (BP) abandoned its stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft in a move that could cost the British company over $25 billion. Norway's Equinor also plans to exit Russia.

Shell joins Equinor and BP to exit Russia over Ukraine invasion

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (February 27) had ordered his military command to put Russia's deterrence forces - a reference to units that include nuclear arms - on high alert.&nbsp;

Putin cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and multiple economic sanctions against Moscow and the order created a panic amid escalating crisis and loss of lives.&nbsp;

The recent announcements and decisions by Putin have forced the intelligence agencies to debate urgently the possibility that the Russian leader has lost touch with reality, The New York Times reported on Sunday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mom-i-am-scared-we-are-hitting-everyone-russian-soldiers-last-words-to-mother-are-heart-wrenching-457862">'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching</a>

Apart from the mention of Russian deterrence forces, Putin's behaviour was noticed when he berated his foreign intelligence chief, Sergey Naryshkin in a televised meet.&nbsp;

There are several other incidents as media reports in this context also mentioned the giant table, that eventually became meme material, when French President Emmanuel Macron visited Russia to meet Putin. But what's behind this?&nbsp;

As per the media report, some experts have said that his isolation during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic might have affected his sense of reality. During the isolation, he was said to be kept under strict measures with limited interactions with the world.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ukraines-foreign-ministry-posts-dramatic-video-of-administration-building-being-blown-up-in-kharkiv-457724">Ukraine's foreign ministry posts dramatic video of administration building being blown up in Kharkiv</a>

In a Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet The Press", former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said: "He's out at his compound, doesn't come into town very much, and, under COVID, he's been more isolated."&nbsp;

In a CNN interview, James Clapper, who is the former director of national intelligence, said: "I personally think he's unhinged. I worry about his acuity and balance."&nbsp;

As per The Times report, US intelligence officials might think that Putin's behaviour is an elaborate bluff, which means he is acting the part of the "madman" in order to confuse and disconcert the West.&nbsp;

Such media reports remind&nbsp;'madman theory' that is a political theory commonly associated with US President Richard Nixon's foreign policy.&nbsp;

Nixon and his administration tried to make the leaders of hostile Communist Bloc nations think he was irrational and volatile.&nbsp;

Michael Horowitz, who is an analyst at the security consultancy Le Beck International, tweeted: "There is a 'Madman theory' in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational. If this is what Putin is doing then he is frighteningly good at it."&nbsp;

Several reports cited Western analysts who assumed that Putin had been bluffing. But the previous speculations proved to be wrong when he announced a "military operation" in Ukraine on February 24.&nbsp;

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BTW there is a "Madman theory" in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational - not to say, cray cray - so as to force your adversary to be cautious. 
 
If this is what Putin is doing, then he is frighteningly good at it.
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelh992/status/1495838494966665221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Tuesday that Russia will strike at the information warfare and psychological operations centre of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and technological facilities of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv. He called on citizens living nearby to leave their homes.&nbsp;

Konashenkov said, "In order to suppress information attacks against Russia, the technological facilities of the SBU and the 72nd main PSYOPS center in Kiev will be hit with high-precision weapons. We call on Ukrainian citizens attracted by Ukrainian nationalists to carry out provocations against Russia, as well as residents of Kiev living near relay centers, to leave their homes."&nbsp;

He noted that with the start of the special military operation, the number of cyberattacks on various state institutions of Russia had increased many-fold.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;US and Europe sanctions Putin but where are his assets?

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&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. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (February 27) had ordered his military command to put Russia's deterrence forces - a reference to units that include nuclear arms - on high alert. Putin cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and multiple economic sanctions against Moscow and the order created a panic amid escalating crisis and loss of lives. The recent announcements and decisions by Putin have forced the intelligence agencies to debate urgently the possibility that the Russian leader has lost touch with reality, The New York Times reported on Sunday. ALSO READ | 'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching Apart from the mention of Russian deterrence forces, Putin's behaviour was noticed when he berated his foreign intelligence chief, Sergey Naryshkin in a televised meet. There are several other incidents as media reports in this context also mentioned the giant table, that eventually became meme material, when French President Emmanuel Macron visited Russia to meet Putin. But what's behind this? As per the media report, some experts have said that his isolation during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic might have affected his sense of reality. During the isolation, he was said to be kept under strict measures with limited interactions with the world. WATCH | Ukraine's foreign ministry posts dramatic video of administration building being blown up in Kharkiv In a Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet The Press", former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said: "He's out at his compound, doesn't come into town very much, and, under COVID, he's been more isolated." In a CNN interview, James Clapper, who is the former director of national intelligence, said: "I personally think he's unhinged. I worry about his acuity and balance." As per The Times report, US intelligence officials might think that Putin's behaviour is an elaborate bluff, which means he is acting the part of the "madman" in order to confuse and disconcert the West. Such media reports remind 'madman theory' that is a political theory commonly associated with US President Richard Nixon's foreign policy. Nixon and his administration tried to make the leaders of hostile Communist Bloc nations think he was irrational and volatile. Michael Horowitz, who is an analyst at the security consultancy Le Beck International, tweeted: "There is a 'Madman theory' in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational. If this is what Putin is doing then he is frighteningly good at it." Several reports cited Western analysts who assumed that Putin had been bluffing. But the previous speculations proved to be wrong when he announced a "military operation" in Ukraine on February 24. BTW there is a "Madman theory" in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational - not to say, cray cray - so as to force your adversary to be cautious. If this is what Putin is doing, then he is frighteningly good at it. — Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) February 21, 2022 × Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Tuesday that Russia will strike at the information warfare and psychological operations centre of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and technological facilities of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv. He called on citizens living nearby to leave their homes. Konashenkov said, "In order to suppress information attacks against Russia, the technological facilities of the SBU and the 72nd main PSYOPS center in Kiev will be hit with high-precision weapons. We call on Ukrainian citizens attracted by Ukrainian nationalists to carry out provocations against Russia, as well as residents of Kiev living near relay centers, to leave their homes." He noted that with the start of the special military operation, the number of cyberattacks on various state institutions of Russia had increased many-fold. WATCH | US and Europe sanctions Putin but where are his assets? ×

Is Vladimir Putin using 'madman theory'? US intel agencies 'debating' over Russian leader's mental faculties

Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv on Monday suffered a major onslaught by Russian missile strikes. At least 11 people were killed. The city located in Ukraine's Northeast has become the major battleground in the past few days.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Kharkiv in Ukraine’s northeast has become a major battleground

FIFA has booted Russia out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in response to last week's Russian invasion of Ukraine. FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement that Russia would have no involvement in any upcoming World Cup playoffs and all Russian clubs were suspended from European football until further notice.

FIFA suspends Russia from 2022 Qatar World Cup until further notice over Ukraine invasion

Russia bans airlines from 36 countries including all 27 members of the European Union after EU ministers agreed to refuse entry to Russian airplanes.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Russia bans flight from 36 airlines

The United Nations General Assembly held a rare emergency meeting as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. In his opening speech, General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid of Maldives renewed his call for immediate ceasefire.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: UN General Assembly calls for ceasefire at rare emergency session

Talks between Russia and Ukraine were held on the border with strong Russian ally Belarus. Ukraine had said it wanted to secure an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces but the Kremlin declined to comment on its goals.

Talks to resolve conflict between Russia and Ukraine fails to make breakthrough

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken questioned Tuesday whether Russia deserved to remain a member of the UN Human Rights Council following its invasion of Ukraine.

"One can reasonably ask whether a UN member state that tries to take over another UN member state, while committing horrific human rights abuses and causing massive humanitarian suffering, should be allowed to remain on this council," he asked in a video address to the UN's top human rights body in Geneva.

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He warned, "if President Putin succeeds in his stated goal of toppling Ukraine's democratically-elected government, the human rights and humanitarian crises will only get worse".

"We must send a resolute and unified message that President (Vladimir) Putin should unconditionally stop this," he said.

Russian shelling pounded civilian targets in Ukraine’s second-largest city again Tuesday and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital — tactics Ukraine’s embattled president said were designed to force him into concessions in Europe’s largest ground war in generations.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-war-russias-hunt-for-drone-killer-uav-concept-revealed-457886" hreflang="en">Ukraine war: Russia's hunt for 'drone-killer UAV concept' revealed</a>

"As a result of an air strike... eight people were killed and six injured in Kharkiv," Ukraine's emergency service said, adding that two people had been recovered alive from debris by rescue workers.

With the Kremlin increasingly isolated by tough economic sanctions that have tanked the ruble currency, Russian troops attempted to advance on Ukraine’s two biggest cities.&nbsp;

In strategic Kharkiv, an eastern city with a population of about 1.5 million, videos posted online showed explosions hitting the region’s Soviet-era administrative building and residential areas.

With Western powers sending weapons to Ukraine and driving a global squeeze of Russia’s economy, President Vladimir Putin’s options diminished as he seeks to redraw the global map — and pull Ukraine’s western-leaning democracy back into Moscow’s orbit. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken questioned Tuesday whether Russia deserved to remain a member of the UN Human Rights Council following its invasion of Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken questioned Tuesday whether Russia deserved to remain a member of the UN Human Rights Council following its invasion of Ukraine. "One can reasonably ask whether a UN member state that tries to take over another UN member state, while committing horrific human rights abuses and causing massive humanitarian suffering, should be allowed to remain on this council," he asked in a video address to the UN's top human rights body in Geneva. He warned, "if President Putin succeeds in his stated goal of toppling Ukraine's democratically-elected government, the human rights and humanitarian crises will only get worse". "We must send a resolute and unified message that President (Vladimir) Putin should unconditionally stop this," he said. Russian shelling pounded civilian targets in Ukraine’s second-largest city again Tuesday and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital — tactics Ukraine’s embattled president said were designed to force him into concessions in Europe’s largest ground war in generations. Also see | Ukraine war: Russia's hunt for 'drone-killer UAV concept' revealed "As a result of an air strike... eight people were killed and six injured in Kharkiv," Ukraine's emergency service said, adding that two people had been recovered alive from debris by rescue workers. With the Kremlin increasingly isolated by tough economic sanctions that have tanked the ruble currency, Russian troops attempted to advance on Ukraine’s two biggest cities. In strategic Kharkiv, an eastern city with a population of about 1.5 million, videos posted online showed explosions hitting the region’s Soviet-era administrative building and residential areas. With Western powers sending weapons to Ukraine and driving a global squeeze of Russia’s economy, President Vladimir Putin’s options diminished as he seeks to redraw the global map — and pull Ukraine’s western-leaning democracy back into Moscow’s orbit. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia should be stripped of UN rights council membership, says Blinken

Ukrainian authorities have claimed that the world's largest aircraft, the Antonov AN-225, has been destroyed by Russian strikes outside Kyiv on the fourth day of Moscow's invasion.

World's largest aircraft feared destroyed by Russian strikes in Ukraine

Airlines are bracing for potentially lengthy blockages of key east-west flight corridors after the European Union and Moscow issued tit-for-tat airspace bans, the White House said while barring Russian flights was not off the table, it had yet to make a decision.

Russia sanctions snarl flights, compound airline industry woes

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has triggered political-strategic as well as the economic response from the West. In the strongest economic sanctions yet, the United States and Europe have banished big Russian banks from the main global payments system SWIFT. The move appears to be dealing a severe economic blow. Worried Muscovites fear that new western sanctions will trigger shortage of cash and disrupt payment systems.

Russia braces for economic hardship over Ukraine, banks try to assuage clients

Russia and Belarus have been suspended from all international rugby until further notice on Tuesday, the world governing body said, as it announced full and immediate sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia, Belarus suspended by World Rugby until further notice

Ukrainians have said that they will never surrender to the Russian onslaught. So, civilians who have never had a day of military training in their life are now signing up to fight against the Russian troops. WION tells you more in this report.

Ukrainians sign up to fight till finish

As Vladimir Putin’s war machine destroys lives in Ukraine and sanctions plunge the Russian economy into a tailspin. Over 116 billionaires have lost more than $126 billion since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Oligarchs feel the pinch of sanctions, lose over $126 billion

The Russians forces have made headway in the south, with Kyiv admitting the Black Sea city of Berdyansk had fallen, with Kherson on the other side of Crimea also besieged.

Moscow makes gains in the South, battle for Kyiv rages on

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