Russia Ukraine War Updates: 5,000 dead in Mariupol as Ukraine collects evidence of Russian atrocities

The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol has put the number of civilians killed there at more than 5,000, as Ukraine collected evidence of Russian atrocities on the ruined outskirts of Kyiv and braced for what could become a climactic battle for control of the country’s industrial east. Ukrainian authorities continued gathering up the dead in shattered towns outside the capital amid telltale signs Moscow’s troops killed civilians indiscriminately before retreating over the past several days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of trying to hide the evidence of war crimes to interfere with the international investigation. He also said thousands of people are now missing, either dead or deported to Russia. Zelenskyy also urged Russian citizens not to be afraid to protest the war.

UN to vote on suspending Russia from rights council

The UN General Assembly will vote Thursday on whether to suspend Russia from the UN’s premier human rights body. The move was initiated by the United States in response to the discovery of hundreds of bodies after Russian troops withdrew from towns near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, sparking calls for its forces to be tried for war crimes.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield made the call for Russia to be stripped of its seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council in the wake of videos and photos of streets in the town of Bucha strewn with corpses of what appeared to be civilians.

The videos and reporting from the town have sparked global revulsion and calls for tougher sanctions on Russia, which has vehemently denied responsibility.

“We believe that the members of the Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine, and we believe that Russia needs to be held accountable,” Thomas-Greenfield said Monday.

British national suspected of spying for Russia charged with espionage

A security guard for the British embassy in Berlin suspected of working for the Russian intelligence services has been charged with nine offences under the UK Official Secrets Act.

The Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday said 57-year-old David Smith was extradited from Germany to the United Kingdom.

“David Ballantyne Smith, 57 (24.07.64), a British national who was living in Potsdam, Germany, is charged with nine offences under the Official Secrets Act 1911,” the police said in a statement.

UK Foreign Secretary says working with G7 on new Russia sanctions

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that she was working with G7 partners on new restrictions against more Russian banks over the Russian military operation in Ukraine.

“I am working with our G7 partners to crack down on more Russian banks and agree a clear timetable to eliminate our imports of Russian oil, gas and coal,” Truss said, as quoted by The Telegraph.

The secretary also called on the G7 partners to close ports for Russian vessels and make Russian gold unavailable for the Russian government.

“We need to rebuild our international security architecture. We can no longer labour under outdated agreements with Russia that they blatantly disregard and undermine. The days of the NATO-Russia Founding Act are over,” she said.

Ukrainian Prez orders formal halt of trade with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the government to formalise the cessation of Ukraine’s trade with Russia, the presidential press service said in a statement.

The import and export operations between Ukraine and Russia have been completely terminated since the start of the conflict, the statement said on Wednesday.

Zelensky says talks with Russia to continue despite ‘atrocities’ of Russian military

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks between Ukraine and Russia will continue despite the evidence of “atrocities carried out by the Russian military”, the Ukrinform news agency reported.

“In any case, we must find even small opportunities for the negotiation process. Without this, I think it is difficult to end the war,” Zelensky was quoted as saying in an interview with Turkey’s Haberturk television channel on Wednesday.

He emphasised the importance of the mediation mission of other countries, including Turkey, in the talks, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mariupol mayor puts the number of dead at over 5,000

The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol put the number of civilians killed there at more than 5,000 Wednesday, as Ukraine collected evidence of Russian atrocities on the outskirts of Kyiv and braced for what could become a climactic battle for control of the country’s industrial east.

Ukrainian authorities continued gathering up the dead in ruined towns outside the capital amid telltale signs Moscow’s troops killed civilians indiscriminately before retreating over the past several days.

In other developments, the U.S. and its Western allies moved to impose new sanctions against the Kremlin over what they branded war crimes.

US charges Russian oligarch, dismantles cybercrime operation

The Biden administration has charged a Russian oligarch linked to the Kremlin with violating U.S. government sanctions, and disrupted a cybercrime operation that was launched by a Russian military intelligence agency, officials said Wednesday.

The actions came as the Justice Department said it was accelerating efforts to track down illicit Russian assets and as U.S. prosecutors helped European counterparts gather evidence on potential war crimes committed by Russia during its war on Ukraine.

FBI and Justice Department officials announced the moves on the same day that the U.S. separately revealed sanctions against the two adult daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin and sanctions that blocked two key Russian banks.

Yellen: Russia’s invasion will have ‘enormous repercussions’

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned a House panel Wednesday that Russia’s aggression in Eastern Europe will have “enormous economic repercussions in Ukraine and beyond.”

She added that the rising price of energy, metal, wheat and corn that Russia and Ukraine produce “is going to escalate inflationary pressures as well.”

Russia’s invasion “including the atrocities committed against innocent Ukrainians in Bucha, are reprehensible, represent an unacceptable affront to the rules-based global order, and will have enormous economic repercussions for the world,” she told the House Financial Services Committee.

Her remarks were part of her annual testimony on the state of the international financial system.

US Senator welcomes India’s condemnation of Bucha killings

A powerful Republican Senator on Wednesday welcomed India’s condemnation of the killings of Ukrainian people in Bucha by the Russian army, terming it as the country’s “hardening of stance”. Amid India’s intensifying its outreach to the US Capitol, the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, Senator John Cornyn, who has so far been critical of India abstaining itself from the UN Security Council votes on the issue of Russia, welcomed India’s remarks on the issue.

“Welcome response by our friends: India condemns killings in Ukraine’s Bucha in apparent hardening of stance,” Cornyn said in a tweet as he tagged a story of India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations T S Trimurti in which he condemned the Russian killings in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.

Indo-US ties entering uncharted territory post-Ukrainian war: ex-Trump admin official

Due to the “problematic” position taken by India on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the India-US bilateral relationship is “entering uncharted territory”, a top former official of the Trump Administration said Wednesday. Lisa Curtis, who was the Trump Administration’s point person for India during his four years of presidency, made the remark cautioning that in the absence of a course correction by New Delhi, it would become increasingly difficult for the two countries to expand their defence and security ties beyond a certain level.

“I think the US India relationship is entering uncharted territory. The issue of India’s close ties with Russia has always been an irritant in the US-India partnership. But with Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion of a sovereign country, there are expectations that India would adjust its relationship with Russia,” Curtis told PTI in an interview.

US sanctions Putin’s daughters

The White House has announced a wide new slate of sanctions on Russia that includes first-time individual sanctions on the two adult daughters of President Vladimir Putin in response to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Asked why the US was targeting Putin’s daughters, a senior Biden administration official said the US thought they could be in control of some of their father’s assets.

“We believe that many of Putin’s assets are hidden with family members, and that’s why we’re targeting them,” said the official who spoke on background to preview the new measures.

PM Modi lauds Ukraine situation debate in Lok Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the “rich level of debate” in Lok Sabha on the Ukraine situation and evacuation of Indian citizens through Operation Ganga and said there is bipartisanship on matters of foreign policy which augurs well for India at the world stage. The Prime Minister, who made a series of tweets, said the government will leave no stone unturned to ensure people do not face any troubles in adverse situations.

“Over the last few days, Parliament has witnessed a healthy discussion on the situation in Ukraine and India’s efforts to bring back our citizens through Operation Ganga. I am grateful to all MP colleagues who enriched this discussion with their views,” PM Modi said.

News Credit: India TV News