The latest developments on Ukraine-Russia tensions after Russia launched military operation against Ukraine on February 26, 2022
The latest developments on Ukraine-Russia tensions after Russia launched military operation against Ukraine on February 26, 2022
Russia’s attack on Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Zaporizhzhia, on March 5, 2022, triggered worldwide panic with the United Nations Security Council raising alarm at the prospect of a nuclear incident in Ukraine. U.S. embassy in Ukraine called the incident a ‘war crime’.
The UN Human Rights Council voted to to set up an international commission of enquiry into Russia’s actions in Ukraine. India was among 13 countries of the 47-member council elected from UN members that abstained from the resolution.
Russia’s global isolation intensified as BBC halted operations in the country, while Russia blocked access to Facebook and Twitter.
The conflict began escalating on February 21, 2022, after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and deployed troops in a peacekeeping role.
Here are the latest updates:
UNHRC
Delegates observe a minute of silence during the special session on the situation in Ukraine of the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on March 4, 2022.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
Singapore
Singapore sanctions Russia over ‘unprovoked attack’ on Ukraine
Singapore announced sanctions against Russia on Saturday that include four banks and an export ban on electronics, computers and military items, in a rare move by the Asian financial hub in response to what it said was Moscow’s “dangerous precedent” in Ukraine.
“We cannot accept the Russian government’s violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another sovereign state,” its foreign ministry said in a statement, which gave no timeframe for when the sanctions would take effect.
“For a small state like Singapore, this is not a theoretical principle, but a dangerous precedent. This is why Singapore has strongly condemned Russia’s unprovoked attack.”
The restrictions bar Singapore’s financial institutions including its central bank, from dealing with Russia’s central bank as well as VTB Bank Public Joint Stock Company, The Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs Vnesheconombank, Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company and Bank Rossiya. The measures also cover cryptocurrencies.- Reuters
New Delhi
Three IAF aircraft carrying 629 Indians lands in Delhi
Three IAF aircraft carrying 629 Indians from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries landed at the Hindon air base here on Saturday morning, the air force said.
India has been evacuating its citizens from war-torn Ukraine’s neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive.
“Till date, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2,056 passengers, while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries, as part of Operation Ganga,” the IAF statement said.- PTI
Mariupol, Ukraine
Strategic Ukrainian port Mariupol ‘blockaded’ by Russian forces: mayor
Ukraine’s strategic port city of Mariupol is under a “blockade” by Russian forces after days of “ruthless” attacks, its mayor said on Saturday, calling for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.
Located on the Sea of Azov, the city of 450,000 people has been bombarded by shellings and cut off without water or electricity in the depths of winter.
“For now, we are looking for solutions to humanitarian problems and all possible ways to get Mariupol out of the blockade,” said Vadim Boychenko in a message posted to the mayor’s Telegram account.
“Our priority is the establishment of a ceasefire so that we can restore vital infrastructure and set up a humanitarian corridor to bring food and medicine into the city,” he added.
Capturing Mariupol would give Moscow’s invasion a strategic advantage, connecting it to the Russian forces coming from annexed Crimea.- AFP
Russia
Samsung Electronics suspends shipments to Russia
Samsung Electronics has suspended shipments to Russia over “geopolitical developments”, the firm said Saturday, as major firms including Apple cut ties with the country over its invasion of Ukraine.
The South Korean tech giant is the world’s biggest memory chip maker and the leading smartphone seller in Russia.
“Due to current geopolitical developments, shipments to Russia have been suspended,” Samsung said in a statement.- AFP
Italy
People gather in front of Rome’s Piazza del Campidoglio city council square to protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 4, 2022.
| Photo Credit: AP
U.S.A.
US Embassy calls power plant attack war crime
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine is calling Russia’s attack on a nuclear plant a war crime.
“It is a war crime to attack a nuclear power plant,” the embassy statement said. “Putin’s shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear plant takes his reign of terror one step further.”
Russian troops seized the plant Friday in an attack that set it on fire and briefly raised fears of a nuclear disaster. The blaze was extinguished and no radiation was released.- AP
U.S.A.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to travel to Poland and Romania
Amid an escalating Ukrainian crisis, US Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Poland and Romania next week to unite her European allies against Russian aggression.
“Her visit will demonstrate the strength and unity of the NATO Alliance and U.S. support for NATO’s eastern flank allies in the face of Russian aggression. It will also highlight our collective efforts to support the people of Ukraine,” her deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said on Friday.
She is scheduled to travel to Warsaw, Poland and Bucharest, Romania March 9-11.- PTI
UNSC
UN Security Council to meet Monday on humanitarian crisis in Ukraine: diplomats
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Monday on the humanitarian crisis triggered in Ukraine by the Russian invasion, diplomats said Friday.
After this public session, the 15 members of the council will confer behind closed doors to discuss a possible draft resolution, a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP.
This latter meeting has been proposed by Mexico and France, who are pushing a draft that calls for an end to hostilities in Ukraine, unhindered flow of humanitarian aid and protection of civilians.- AFP
Ukraine
Ukraine’s Zelensky to address U.S. Senate
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, leading his country’s battle against the Russian invasion, will address the US Senate on Saturday, a US legislative aide said.
Zelensky will speak to senators via Zoom in the morning Washington time at the request of Ukraine.- AFP
Lviv, Ukraine
Refugees crossing the rail tracks as they try to reach trains to Poland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the main train station in Lviv, Ukraine on March 4, 2022.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
Pakistan
Pakistan responds to EU, U.S. envoys asking it to condemn Russian attack on Ukraine
Pakistan on Friday expressed concern over a joint statement by Islamabad based envoys asking Pakistan to condemn Russian attack on Ukraine.
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said at the weekly press briefing that Pakistan “took note” of the press release by the envoys this week, which was reported in media as a letter to Pakistan but the FO termed it as a press release.
UNSC
U.N. Security Council members raise alarm of nuclear risks following attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members expressed alarm at the prospect of a nuclear incident in Ukraine, at an emergency meeting on Friday, convened hours after a training building at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant caught fire, as Russians moved in on the facility and seized control of it. The International Atomic Energy (IAEA) chief told the Council that no reactors had been damaged.
Ukraine
Russian forces seize huge Ukrainian nuclear plant, fire extinguished
Russian forces seized the largest nuclear power plant in Europe after a building at the complex was set ablaze during intense fighting with Ukrainian defenders, Ukrainian authorities said on Friday.
Fears of a potential nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhzhia plant had spread alarm across world capitals, before authorities said the fire in a building identified as a training centre, had been extinguished.
Sumy, Ukraine
In Sumy, Indian students await Government intervention
The fate of several hundreds of students at Sumy in eastern Ukraine hangs in the balance as there was little progress on a “humanitarian corridor” for evacuation of civilians on Friday, while students who were able to reach Pesochin from Kharkiv after an advisory continued to leave for the western border on privately arranged buses.