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A high-voltage power line to Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear plant was damaged by Russian forces just one day after electricity supplies were restored to the facility, said grid operator Ukrenergo on Monday.
Meanwhile, more than 160 civilian cars were able to drive out of the besieged southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol through a humanitarian corridor after repeated failed attempts at evacuation, the city authorities said on Monday.
The number of deaths in Mariupol, facing acute deprivation amid a prolonged siege, has topped 2,100, officials there said, with some authorities saying it is as high as 2,500 casualties.
While western Ukraine has largely been spared so far, Russian air strikes overnight Saturday into Sunday carried the war deep into the west, killing 35 people and wounding 134 at a military base near the city of Lviv -- which is dangerously close to the frontier with EU and NATO member Poland.
Further, on Monday, the capital Kyiv also saw shelling that killed two while a TV tower strike in western Ukraine reportedly killed nine. Two were also reported dead in Kharkiv.
Russia, on the other hand, claimed that an attack by Kyiv's forces on the separatist region of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine had left 23 people dead, with the military accusing Kyiv of committing a "war crime".
Washington and its EU allies have sent funds and military aid to Ukraine and imposed unprecedented economic sanctions on Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also set to address the full US Congress on Wednesday regarding the war.
Here are the Highlights on Ukraine-Russia War:
Power restored at Ukraine's Chernobyl: IAEA
Power has been restored at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power station, the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986, the International Atomic Energy Agency said late Monday.
Separately, Ukraine's state nuclear operator Energoatom accused the Russian military of detonating ammunition at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in the country's south. (AFP)
Power has been restored at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power station, the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986, the International Atomic Energy Agency said late Monday.
Separately, Ukraine's state nuclear operator Energoatom accused the Russian military of detonating ammunition at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in the country's south. (AFP)
Ukraine War: UK says Russia could be planning chemical or biological attack on Ukraine
Britain's Defence Ministry said in a tweet on Monday that Russia could be planning to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine in response to a staged fake attack on Russian troops.
Britain's Defence Ministry said in a tweet on Monday that Russia could be planning to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine in response to a staged fake attack on Russian troops.
It cited no evidence to support the assertion in what it called an intelligence update. U.S. officials have made similar statements. (Reuters)
Ukraine War: Ukraine's Zelenskiy submits bill extending martial law until late April
- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy submitted a bill to parliament late on Monday that seeks to extend martial law for another 30 days from March 24, according to the president's website. (Reuters)
- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy submitted a bill to parliament late on Monday that seeks to extend martial law for another 30 days from March 24, according to the president's website. (Reuters)
Ukraine War: Ukraine says 4,000 people evacuated from front-line cities on Monday
n Monday via seven humanitarian corridors, deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in a video statement.
n Monday via seven humanitarian corridors, deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in a video statement.
She said three other humanitarian corridors did not operate successfully and she accused Russian forces of firing on civilians who were evacuating in the Kyiv region. (Reuters)
Ukraine War: Scotland to donate portion of Poland ticket sales to Ukrainian children
Scotland will donate £10 for each ticket sold for their friendly against Poland to help the children of war-torn Ukraine.
The donation will be made to UNICEF's humanitarian response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Hampden Park game between Scotland and Poland on March 24 has been arranged after both nations saw their World Cup play-off semi-finals called off in the wake of the war. (AFP)
Scotland will donate £10 for each ticket sold for their friendly against Poland to help the children of war-torn Ukraine.
The donation will be made to UNICEF's humanitarian response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Hampden Park game between Scotland and Poland on March 24 has been arranged after both nations saw their World Cup play-off semi-finals called off in the wake of the war. (AFP)
Ukraine War: US has 'deep concerns' on Russia-China 'alignment:' US official
The United States has "deep concerns" about "alignment" between Russia and China, a senior US official said Monday after high-ranking US and Chinese officials met for seven hours on the Ukraine war and other security issues.
"We do have deep concerns about China's alignment with Russia," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. (AFP)
The United States has "deep concerns" about "alignment" between Russia and China, a senior US official said Monday after high-ranking US and Chinese officials met for seven hours on the Ukraine war and other security issues.
"We do have deep concerns about China's alignment with Russia," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. (AFP)
Ukraine War: US, Chinese officials have 'substantial discussion' on Ukraine war: W.House
High-level US and Chinese officials engaged Monday in "substantial discussion" on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the White House said after talks held in Rome between the two superpowers.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist Party's chief diplomat, did not address reporters after their meeting in a hotel. (AFP)
High-level US and Chinese officials engaged Monday in "substantial discussion" on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the White House said after talks held in Rome between the two superpowers.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist Party's chief diplomat, did not address reporters after their meeting in a hotel. (AFP)
Russia-Ukraine War: India Urges "Immediate End To All Hostilities In Ukraine" At UNSC MeetIndia on Monday called for direct contacts and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to cease the hostilities between the two countries and said New Delhi has been and will continue to remain in touch with both Moscow and Kyiv.
US told NATO, Asia allies that China willing to supply arms to Russia
The United States on Monday told allies in NATO and several Asian countries that China had signalled its willingness to provide military and economic aid to Russia to support its war in Ukraine, a U.S. official said.
The message, sent in a diplomatic cable and delivered in person by intelligence officials, also noted China was expected to deny those plans, said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.
Lviv military base -- where 35 were killed -- was struck by missiles launched from Russia, says US official
The cruise missiles that devastated a western Ukrainian military base were launched from aircraft flying in Russian air space, a US defense official said Monday, indicating that a no-fly zone would not have prevented the attack.
A "couple dozen" cruise missiles were launched from bombers flying over Russia to the Yavoriv overnight Saturday, killing 35 people and wounding 134.
The base was located west of Lviv and just 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Ukraine's border with EU and NATO member Poland.
The strike made clear that western Ukraine, largely spared so far since Russian forces invaded on February 24, was vulnerable especially from long-range missiles.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strike was an example of how a no-fly zone over Ukraine "would have had no effect."
Putin discusses Ukraine with Israeli prime minister Bennett
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict in Ukraine by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday, the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that the call had been at Israel's request.
In a readout of the call, the Kremlin said Bennett had told Putin about his recent contacts with leaders of several countries on the subject and that both agreed to continue their dialogue.
Bennett has held numerous calls with Putin in an attempt to assist efforts to resolve the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
After phone call with Tehran, Ukraine foreign minister says Iran is "against the war"
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Monday said Iran did not support Russia's war in Ukraine, after a call with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian ahead of the latter's visit to Moscow on Tuesday.
"Iran is against the war in Ukraine, supports a peaceful solution. I asked to convey my message in Moscow: Russia must stop bombing civilians, commit to the ceasefire, and withdraw from Ukraine," Kuleba wrote on Twitter.
Mayor of Ukraine's Kharkiv says Russian forces firing at city non-stop
The mayor of Ukraine's front line city of Kharkiv on Monday said the city had been under constant attack by Russian forces, who had fired at central districts causing an unspecified number of casualties.
"They're firing at us constantly," Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on national television.
Russia says it will attack Ukrainian arms factories
Russia said on Monday it planned to attack Ukrainian arms factories in retaliation for what it said was a Ukrainian strike on the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, and urged workers and local residents to stay away.
The defence ministry noted in a statement that Russia believed Ukraine had used cluster charges on a densely populated area of Donetsk.
It said Russian forces would respond by acting to "disable enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine that manufacture, repair and restore weapons that nationalists use to commit war crimes".
It added: "We urge citizens of Ukraine working at these enterprises, as well as residents of nearby residential buildings, to leave areas of potential danger".
Nine killed in air strike on TV tower in northern Ukraine, says governor
At least nine people were killed and nine more wounded in an air strike on a television tower in Ukraine's northern Rivne region on Monday, Governor Vitaliy Koval said.
"There are still people under the rubble," he said in an online post.
UN chief says prospect of nuclear conflict back 'within realm of possibility' over Ukraine
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday sounded the alarm over Russia raising the alert level for its nuclear forces, describing it a 'bone-chilling development' and added that the prospect of nuclear conflict was back within realm of possibility.
In remarks at the U.N., Guterres also said the U.N. was going to allocate a further $40 million from its Central Emergency Response fund to ramp up humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.
Two killed in Kharkiv bombardment, says prosecutor
Two people died and one was injured Monday when Russian troops fired artillery at a residential street in Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv, prosecutors said.
The Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office said that it was carrying out a probe into a possible war crime over the incident in the city, which has been severely damaged by Russian airstrikes.
Prosecutors said that the latest casualties occurred during shelling that destroyed one residential building and damaged several others on a street whose name translates as Freedom Street.
Prosecutors said shortly afterwards that a 15-year-old boy had died from shrapnel wounds after shelling hit a kindergarten in the nearby town of Chuguiv, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Kharkiv.
Russians' demand for VPNs skyrockets after Meta block
As Russia blocked access to Meta Platforms Inc's flagship social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, demand from internet users for tools to skirt the restrictions skyrocketed, data from a monitoring firm showed.
Instagram access in Russia was cut from Monday in response to Meta's decision last week to allow social media users in Ukraine to post messages such as "Death to the Russian invaders". Facebook was already banned over what Moscow said were restrictions on access to Russian media there.
Biden may go to Europe to meet allies over Russia-Ukraine, says source
White House officials are discussing the possibility of U.S. President Joe Biden traveling to Europe in the coming weeks to discuss Russia and Ukraine with allies, a source familiar with the situation said on Monday.
It is not certain whether the trip will take place as the plans are not yet finalized, the source added.
The White House declined to comment.
Ukraine urges 'immediate' expulsion of Russia from Council of Europe
Ukraine on Monday demanded that Russia be immediately expelled from the Council of Europe, saying Moscow had no right to remain a member of the pan-European rights body after the invasion of its neighbour.
"We urge you to take a decision on the immediate expulsion of Russia from the Council of Europe," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg via video link, adding that Russia's attack meant it "cannot stay in the European family".
Ukraine economy could collapse if war drags on, says IMF
Ukraine's government continues to function, the banking system is stable and debt payments are viable in the short term, but the Russian invasion could plunge Ukraine into a devastating recession, the International Monetary Fund said Monday.
And it warned that the war could have broader repercussions, including threatening global food security due to rising prices and the inability to plant crops, especially wheat.
At a minimum the country would see "output falling 10 percent this year assuming a prompt resolution of the war," the IMF said in an analysis of the economy in the wake of the Russian invasion.
But the fund warned of "massive uncertainty" around the forecasts, and if the conflict is prolonged, the situation will worsen.
Ukraine says Russian shelling is still preventing aid delivery to Mariupol
Shelling by Russian forces was still preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Black Sea port city of Mariupol on Monday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
She said a convoy had been trying to reach the encircled city on Monday to deliver aid and help evacuate women and children, but, as with similar attempts over the past week, it had not been able to reach the city.
She confirmed that some civilians had managed to leave Mariupol in a convoy of cars on Monday.
EU sanctioning Abramovich, other Russians over Ukraine: diplomats
The EU is to sanction Roman Abramovich and other oligarchs in its latest round of punishment of Russians seen as supporting Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, two diplomats told AFP on Monday.
The billionaire owner of the Chelsea football club and the others are being added to a list of individuals whose assets in the EU -- including superyachts and mansions -- can be seized and entry into the bloc refused, the diplomats said.
They are part of a fourth round of EU sanctions against Russia, the details of which were expected to be published later Monday.
Ukraine leader Zelensky raises breakthrough hopes at 'difficult' talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that ongoing talks to halt two weeks of fighting with Russia were progressing with difficulty, but raised hopes a breakthrough could be announced later in the day.
The Ukrainian leader confirmed that "difficult negotiations" were underway with the Russian side, aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to Moscow's invasion of his pro-Western country.
"A video meeting between the delegations has already started today. It continues," Zelensky said in a video statement Monday.
"Everyone is waiting for news. We will definitely report in the evening."
A fourth round of talks between Moscow and Kyiv began earlier Monday, a senior Ukrainian negotiator said, amid mutual claims of shelling and civilian deaths.
Ukraine seeks to protect cultural sites from Russian guns
With Russian forces pushing deeper into their country, Ukrainians are scrambling to safeguard a rich cultural history that experts warn could be deliberately targeted in a bid to force Kyiv into submission.
Museums have rushed to remove collections to safer storage, and in many churches stained-glass windows have been boarded up or altars removed entirely.
In the southern port city of Odessa, sandbags have been piled up in front of the statue honouring the French Duke of Richelieu, a governor under the Russian emperor Alexander I.
But many sites have already been damaged or destroyed by Russia's bombardments of city centres, which have also hit schools, hospitals and other civilian structures.
The mayor of the northern city of Chernihiv posted a video Friday of a library reduced to rubble by shelling, heightening fears of indiscriminate targeting.
The UN cultural agency UNESCO is helping local officials mark sites with the distinctive blue-and-white shield, hoping that Russia will honour the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflicts, of which it is a signatory.
Ukraine's Zelensky to address full US Congress on Wednesday
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will deliver a virtual address to Congress on Wednesday as the western ally comes under intense shelling from Russia, Democratic leadership in the US Congress said Monday.
"We look forward to the privilege of welcoming President Zelensky's address to the House and Senate and to convey our support to the people of Ukraine as they bravely defend democracy," House leader Nancy Pelosi and her Senate counterpart Chuck Schumer said in a joint letter to lawmakers.
The announcement came with both sides launching a fresh round of talks, more than two weeks after Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, amid deadly air strikes in the capital Kyiv and an eastern pro-Moscow separatist region.
EU foreign policy chief slams Putin's "barbaric" invasion of Ukraine
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday condemned the "barbaric" invasion on Ukraine by Russian president Vladimir Putin and confirmed a fourth sanctions package against the Kremlin.
Borrell said Moscow was targeting not only the Ukrainian military but also civilians, noting that at the besieged southern port of Mariupol "more than 2,400 civilians have died" since the invasion started.
"Putin's war is not only about Ukraine, it's about security and stability of our European continent. It affects all of us", Borrell told a press conference in Skopje.
The fighting has spurred more than 2.6 million Ukrainian refugees to flee abroad, "the biggest movement since World War Two", he added.
Borrell confirmed the fourth package of sanctions against Russia's trade, market access, membership in international financial institutions and the export of luxury goods -- specifically targeting steel, coal and energy sectors.
Rebuild Ukraine with frozen Russian assets: Polish PM
Poland on Monday said frozen assets belonging to the Russian state and oligarchs should be confiscated and used to create a fund to rebuild Ukraine.
Russian military action has destroyed Ukrainian infrastructure and homes since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on February 24, forcing more than 2.8 million people to flee the country.
The West has since imposed harsh sanctions on Moscow and Kremlin-linked oligarchs, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the owner of Chelsea Football Club Roman Abramovich.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Monday called on the international community to give Ukrainians "a hope of reconstruction, the hope of a future" through a "large fund based on Russian assets".
"Freeze the Russian state's assets completely, confiscate them. Freeze the assets of Russian oligarchs, big and small, businessmen and politicians," he said following a meeting with his Lithuanian and Ukrainian counterparts.
"Let them (the assets) aid the reconstruction of the (Ukrainian) state that is heroically defending its independence and sovereignty."
UK will continue providing Ukraine with defensive weapons, says PM's spokesman
Russian missile strikes on a Ukrainian base near the Polish border are deeply concerning but will not deter Britain from continuing to provide Ukraine with defensive weapons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Monday.
The Russian defence ministry said the strike had destroyed "foreign mercenaries and a large amount of foreign weapons".
"These strikes are deeply concerning," Johnson's spokesman said.
Asked whether they would deter Britain from sending further weapons, he said: "No. We will absolutely carry on providing this defensive, lethal capability to the Ukrainian government. It is vital we do so, we know it has been helpful, we know it has been successfully deployed."
Pfizer to maintain drug supply to Russia
U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc said on Monday it would maintain humanitarian supply of medicines to Russia and would donate all profits from its Russian unit to causes that provide direct support to the people of Ukraine.
Ukraine calls for boycotts of global firms that stay open in Russia
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday sanctions pressure should be increased on Russia and called for a global boycott of international companies that have kept their operations open in Russia.
In a briefing, Kuleba also called for international ports to bar passage to Russian ships and cargo.
'Homes for Ukraine' website to help house refugees in UK
A website for Britons interested in housing and sponsoring Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion will go live on Monday as the government steps up its efforts to deflect anger over its response to the refugee crisis.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has sought to portray Britain as helping lead the global response to the Russian invasion - which Moscow calls a "special operation" - but his government has faced criticism over delays in accepting refugees.
The new scheme called "Homes for Ukraine" will let refugees from the war come to Britain even if they do not have family ties, the government said on Sunday.
Britain will pay people 350 pounds ($460) a month if they can offer refugees a spare room or property for a minimum period of six months.
"You occupy Ukraine, we occupy you": Squatters occupy Russian oligarch's London mansion
Squatters have occupied the London mansion suspected of belonging to Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who was placed on Britain's sanctions list last week, unfurling a Ukrainian flag and a banner saying 'This property has been liberated'.
Police said they were called in the early hours of Monday after it was reported that the squatters had entered the multi-million pound mansion in Belgrave Square, in an upmarket area of the British capital which is home to numerous foreign embassies.
"By occupying this mansion, we want to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine, but also the people of Russia who never agreed to this madness," said a statement from squatters, who described themselves as anarchists.
"You occupy Ukraine, we occupy you," the statement said.
Russia has not asked China for military help for use in Ukraine, says the Kremlin
Russia has not asked China for military assistance and has sufficient military clout to fulfil all of its aims in Ukraine in time and in full, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, had said that Russia had asked China for military equipment.
Attack near Polish border that killed 35 aimed at creating panic, says Poland's PM
A Russian attack on a large Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland was aimed at creating panic among the civilian population, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday, a day after the attack which killed 35 people.
"A missile attack just 20 km from our border shows how Russia operates. (Russia) wants to create panic among the civilian population," Morawiecki said at a joint media conference with his counterparts from Ukraine and Lithuania.
Over 2,400 civilians died in Mariupol since Russian invaded, EU says
More than 2,400 civilians have been killed in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol since Russia invaded the country last month, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday.
Borrell, speaking at a news conference in Skopje, said that more than 2.6 million people have fled Ukraine and the number of refugees could swell to 4-5 million.
Two dead as Kyiv comes under shelling, missile attacks
Two people were killed on Monday as various neighbourhoods of the Ukraine capital Kyiv came under shelling and missile attacks, city officials said.
"One person was killed and 10 wounded when a residential building was shelled in the Obolon district" in the north of the city, officials said, adding that later in the morning "missile fragments fell on the street in the Kurenivka district killing one person and wounding six."
Chernobyl nuclear plant power line damaged by Russian forces, says grid operator
A high-voltage power line to Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear plant was damaged by Russian forces not long after electricity supplies were restored to the facility, grid operator Ukrenergo said in a statement on Monday.
It did not say if all external power supply to the plant had been lost as a result of the damage, but demanded access to the area to carry out repairs.
Ukrenergo did not produce evidence of the damage or the actions of the Russian forces and Reuters was unable to independently verify the extent of the damage or the cause of it.
Russian forces occupied the plant soon after invading Ukraine on Feb. 24.
EU agrees to freeze Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich's assets, say diplomats
Top European Union diplomats have agreed to add Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich to the EU list of Russian billionaires sanctioned after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, two diplomatic sources said on Monday.
The informal greenlight to Abramovich's listing came in a meeting on Sunday, one source said, and the EU envoys will reconvene at 1100 GMT on Monday to adopt the measure and a further set of economic sanctions against Russia.
"Not Going As Fast As We Would Like," Says Top Putin Ally On Russia-Ukraine WarOne of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies said Russia's military operation in Ukraine had not all gone as quickly as the Kremlin had wanted, the strongest public acknowledgement yet from Moscow that things were not going to plan. Read more here.
Israel will not be route to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia, says Israeli foreign minister
Israel will not be a route to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other western countries, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said on Monday during a visit to Slovakia.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating the issue together with partners including the Bank of Israel, the Finance Ministry, the Economy Ministry, the Airports Authority, the Energy Ministry, and others," he said after meeting Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok.
Deutsche Bank, London Stock Exchange turn their backs on Russia
Deutsche Bank reversed course and said it would pull out of Russia completely while the London Stock Exchange suspended all its services in the country as Western governments impose sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
Deutsche, which had faced stinging criticism from some investors and politicians for its ongoing ties to Russia, said late on Friday that it would wind down its business there.
The surprise move puts the German lender alongside major U.S. banks Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, which exited Russia after the Feb. 24 invasion, and will add to pressure on rivals to follow in severing ties.
Deutsche had argued that it needed to support multinational firms doing business in Russia. But on Friday evening in Frankfurt, the bank suddenly reversed course.
"We are in the process of winding down our remaining business in Russia while we help our non-Russian multinational clients in reducing their operations," Deutsche said.
"There won't be any new business in Russia."
Russians stockpile electronics, pharmacy goods as crisis deepens
- Russians rushed to buy electronics and pharmaceuticals and spent more on clothes and food in the first week of March, Promsvyazbank (PSB) said, stockpiling goods as the rouble plunged in value and Western sanctions cut off trade.
- Prices for goods have increased across the board since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, prompting sanctions that have isolated Russia economically and sent the currency to historic lows. Many of the world's top companies have suspended operations in the country and it is largely excluded from the international financial system.
- An ordinary Russian spent 21% more in the first week of March compared to the average for February, driven both by inflation and a rush to stockpile, state bank PSB said in a note after analysing credit and debit card transactions.
Ukraine says 90 children have been killed in Russia-Ukraine war so far
Ninety children have been killed and more than 100 wounded in Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, the Ukrainian general prosecutor's office said on Monday.
"The highest number of victims are in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kherson, Mykolayiv and Zhytomyr regions," it said in a statement.
Reuters could not immediately verify the information. Russia denies targeting civilians in what it calls a "special operation" to demilitarise and "deNazify" Ukraine.
Separatists say 16 dead in Donetsk after Ukraine attack
Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine said Monday that a strike by Kyiv's forces on the rebel de facto capital Donetsk left at least 16 people dead, ahead of talks to resolve the war.
Rebel officials said fragments from a Ukrainian Tochka missile that was shot down had landed in the centre of the city leaving more than two dozen dead with many more injured.
"Sixteen deaths have been recorded" the self-proclaimed region's health ministry said, adding that another 23 people had been injured.
The updated toll rounds down from 20 -- an earlier count from separatist authorities.
Ukraine to demand 'immediate' ceasefire at Monday talks
- Ukraine said Monday it would demand an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops during a fourth round of negotiations to end more than two weeks of fighting after Moscow launched an invasion of Ukraine.
- "Peace, an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of all Russians troops -- and only after this can we talk about regional relations and about political differences," Kyiv's lead negotiator Mikhailo Podolyak said in a video statement posted to Twitter.
Russia asks China for military aid on Ukraine: Report
- Russia has asked China for military and economic aid for its war in Ukraine, US media reported Sunday, hours after the White House warned Beijing would face severe "consequences" if it helps Moscow evade sanctions.
- Beijing refused to directly address the reports, instead accusing Washington of maliciously spreading "disinformation" over China's role in the Ukraine war.
- US officials told media that Russia had requested military equipment and support from its key ally.
- Moscow also asked Beijing for economic assistance against the crippling sanctions imposed against it by most of the Western world, the New York Times said, again citing anonymous officials.
- The officials declined to explain exactly what Russia had requested, or whether China had responded, according to the reports.
Deadly air strike hits Kyiv ahead of new Russia-Ukraine talks
- An air strike on a residential building in Ukraine's capital killed at least one person Monday, the country's emergency service said, as Moscow maintained its devastating assault ahead of a fresh round of talks.
- The strike, which injured at least a dozen people, came as Russian troops edged closer to the city and kept up their siege of the southern port city of Mariupol, where officials said nearly 2,200 people have been killed.
- "As of 7:40 am (0540 GMT) the body of one person was found dead in a nine-storey apartment building" in the capital's Obolon district, the emergency service said in a statement, revising an earlier toll.
- Ukrainian and Russian representatives were set to meet via videoconference Monday, a Ukrainian presidential adviser and a Kremlin spokesman both said before the latest strike.
- According to Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia, the talks would begin at 0820 GMT.
Just In| Instagram no longer accessible in Russia: news Agency AFP
At least two dead in strike on residential building in Kyiv
At least two people died and 12 were wounded following an air strike on a residential building in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, the country's emergency service said Monday.
"As of 07:40, the bodies of two people were found in a nine-storey apartment building, three people were hospitalised and nine people were treated on the spot," the emergency service said on Facebook, adding that the building was in Kyiv's Obolon district.
Russia and Ukraine to hold talks as troops edge closer to Kyiv
- Russia and Ukraine were set for a third round of talks Monday as Moscow's invading forces maintain their devastating assaults across the former Soviet state.
- The discussions come as Russian troops edge closer to Kyiv and keep up their relentless bombardment of the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where nearly 2,200 people have been killed in the onslaught, according to local officials.
- Ukrainian and Russian representatives will meet via videoconference Monday, a Ukrainian presidential adviser and a Kremlin spokesman both said.
- According to Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia, the talks will begin at 0820 GMT.
- "And our goal is that in this struggle, in this difficult negotiating work, Ukraine will get the necessary result... for peace and for security," President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Monday, adding that both sides speak every day.
More Ukraine-Russia Talks Scheduled As Attack On Base Kills Dozens
- Diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine were stepping up on Monday, with Ukrainian and Russian negotiators set to talk again after both sides cited progress, even after Russia attacked a base near the Polish border and fighting raged elsewhere.
- A barrage of Russian missiles hit Ukraine's Yavoriv International Centre for Peacekeeping and Security, a base just 15 miles (25 km) from the Polish border that has previously hosted NATO military instructors, killing 35 people and wounding 134, a Ukrainian official said on Sunday.
- Russia's defence ministry said up to 180 "foreign mercenaries" and a large number of foreign weapons were destroyed. Reuters could not independently verify the casualties reported by either side.
- Thousands of people have died since Feb 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a special military operation to rid Ukraine of dangerous nationalists and Nazis.
Never Heard Of Russian Requests For Ukraine Help, Says Chinese Embassy
- The spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington responded to media reports on Sunday that Moscow had asked Beijing for military equipment since launching its invasion of Ukraine by saying, "I've never heard of that."
- The spokesperson, Liu Pengyu, said China's priority was to prevent the tense situation in Ukraine from getting out of control.
- "The current situation in Ukraine is indeed disconcerting," he said in an emailed response to a query from Reuters.
Ukraine Has Started Using Facial Recognition Technology During War
- Ukraine's defense ministry on Saturday began using Clearview AI's facial recognition technology, the company's chief executive told Reuters, after the U.S. startup offered to uncover Russian assailants, combat misinformation and identify the dead.
- Ukraine is receiving free access to Clearview AI's powerful search engine for faces, letting authorities potentially vet people of interest at checkpoints, among other uses, added Lee Wolosky, an adviser to Clearview and former diplomat under U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
- The plans started forming after Russia invaded Ukraine and Clearview Chief Executive Hoan Ton-That sent a letter to Kyiv offering assistance, according to a copy seen by Reuters.
Biden, Macron underscore need to hold Russia accountable over Ukraine: White House
US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron underscored in a call on Sunday their commitment to holding Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine, the White House said in a statement.
