Russia-Ukraine War Updates: Explosions in Kyiv, Kharkiv ahead of talks with Russian delegation in Belarus
Russia-Ukraine War: Hundreds of people protested Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in Belarus on Sunday. The protests came despite the fact that the authoritarian Belarusian government has sided with Moscow. The anti-war rallies spanned at least 12 Belarusian cities, and human rights advocates reported that more than 170 people have been arrested. In the capital of Minsk, demonstrators marched in different parts of the city carrying Ukrainian flags.
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry says 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed during Russia’s invasion, including 14 children. It says an additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded. The ministry’s statement Sunday does not give any information on casualties among Ukraine’s armed forces. Meanwhile, Russia has claimed that its troops are targeting only Ukrainian military facilities and says that Ukraine’s civilian population is not in danger. Russia has not released any information on casualties among its troops. The Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged on Sunday only that Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded, without giving any numbers. As the Ukraine-Russia war continues, the UN Security Council has voted for the 193-member General Assembly to hold an emergency session on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday.
Brazil will remain neutral over invasion
Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday declined to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, saying that Brazil would remain “neutral”. “We will not take sides, we will continue being neutral, and help with whatever is possible,” Bolsonaro was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters at a press conference on Sunday. “A big part of Ukraine’s population speaks Russian,” he added. On Friday, Brazil had voted to ‘denounce’ the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the UN Security Council, despite reluctance by Bolsonaro. Russia vetoed the resolution.
EU bans operations related to management of Central Bank of Russia’s assets
European Union has banned operations related to management of reserves and assets of the Central Bank of Russia.
Russian ruble down 41%
Russian ruble down 41% against US dollar in early trade
Russian airline Aeroflot to cancel all flights to Europe from today
After being banned from flying to the United Kingdom, Russian airline Aeroflot has decided to cancel all flights to Europe from Monday (February 28). The airline has decided to stop all flights until further notice after the decision by many countries to close their airspace in protest at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine radioactive waste site struck: UN
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog says missiles have hit a radioactive waste disposal site in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, but there are no reports of damage to the buildings or indications of a release of radioactive material. In a statement late Sunday, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi says Ukrainian authorities informed his office about the overnight strike. He says his agency expects to soon receive the results of on-site radioactive monitoring. The report came a day after an electrical transformer at a similar disposal facility in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was damaged. Such facilities typically hold low-level radioactive materials such as waste from hospitals and industry, but Grossi says the two incidents highlight a ‘very real risk.” He says if the sites are damaged there could be ‘potentially severe consequences for human health and the environment.” (AP)
Belarus approves proposal to renounce non-nuclear status
A referendum in Belarus on Sunday approved a new constitution ditching the country’s non-nuclear status at a time when the former Soviet republic has become a launch pad for Russian troops invading Ukraine.
US blasts Vladimir Putin nuclear order as unacceptable
The United States and NATO have condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to put his nuclear forces on high alert as dangerous and unacceptable, while the White House said it has not ruled out imposing new sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. In issuing the order to prepare Russia’s nuclear weapons for increased readiness for launch, Putin cited “aggressive statements” from NATO allies and widespread sanctions imposed by Western nations.
Ukraine announces plans for meeting with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, meanwhile, announced plans for a meeting with a Russian delegation at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border.
Russia-Ukraine War: Russian forces destroy world’s biggest cargo plane Mriya in Ukraine
Russian forces have destroyed Ukraine’s flagman aircraft An-225 Mriya, the world’s biggest cargo plane, Ukraine’s state defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom said on Telegram. The aircraft was destroyed in an attack by Russian troops on the Hostomel airport outside Kiev, Ukroboronprom added on Sunday.
The restoration of the plane will cost more than $3 billion and will take a long time, it said.
The An-225 Mriya, designed in the 1980s, is the longest and the heaviest airplane ever built. It was capable of carrying up to 640 tons of cargo, Xinhua news agency reported.
