Ukraine has agreed to hold talks with Russia on the Belarus border on Sunday, shortly after Russian President Valdimir Putin ordered his defence chiefs to put the country's nuclear "deterrence forces" on high alert and accused the West of taking "unfriendly" steps against his country.
Moscow has the world's second-largest arsenal of nuclear weapons and a huge cache of ballistic missiles which form the backbone of the country's deterrence forces, making his order cause for further international alarm.
The EU on Sunday announced harsh new sanctions against Russia, closing its airspace to Russian aircrafts and banning the broadcast of Russian state media outlets in the bloc.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, announcing the measures, also said the European Union was taking the unprecedented step of financing arms to Ukraine, and was hitting Russian ally Belarus with sanctions for facilitating the invasion.
Russian troops also entered Ukraine's second city Kharkiv and fighting was under way on the fourth day of Russia's invasion of the pro-Western country. Later in the day, the governor of Kharkiv has said that Ukrainian troops have taken the city back, and managed to expel Russian forces.
PM Modi also held a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Sunday evening. Sources said the agenda of the meeting -- which started at 8 pm -- was the safe return of Indian students from Ukraine.
Here are the updates on the Russia-Ukraine crisis:
Feb 28, 2022 00:02 (IST)
White House calls on China to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine
The White House called on China to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Sunday as Moscow's onslaught against its neighbor continued and Russian President Vladimir Putin put nuclear forces on high alert.
"This is not a time to stand on the sidelines. This is a time to be vocal and condemn the actions of President Putin and Russia invading a sovereign country," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in an interview with MSNBC.
Feb 27, 2022 23:43 (IST)
Biden administration to push congress for $6.4 billion in aid to Ukraine, says Democratic leader
The Biden Administration will ask Congress for $6.4 billion dollars in economic and military aid to help Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Sunday.
Schumer said the request would be added to a spending bill expected to reach the Senate floor next week.
Feb 27, 2022 23:18 (IST)
Russia war on Ukraine has displaced 'over 7 million people'
Russia's war on Ukraine has displaced "over seven million people", the EU commissioner for crisis management said Sunday.
"We are witnessing what could become the largest humanitarian crisis on our European continent in many, many years," Janez Lenarcic told a media conference after a meeting of EU interior ministers focused on the refugee flow out of Ukraine.
Feb 27, 2022 22:43 (IST)
Three more flights bring back 688 Indians from Ukraine
India on Sunday evacuated 688 more nationals from war-hit Ukraine on three Air India flights and said it was in touch with the other countries in that region to ensure the return of all its stranded citizens as concerns mounted over their safety.
Approximately 13,000 Indians are in Ukraine as of now, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who received the evacuees at the Delhi airport this morning, said.
Around a thousand Indians have already been flown out of Romania and Hungary and another 1,000 have been evacuated from Ukraine through the land routes, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told a media briefing.
He said that locations of the Indian citizens are being shared with Ukraine and Russia for ensuring their protection and Indians who are near the borders with Hungary, Romania and Slovakia are being guided towards the respective border points in phases. The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) has also been urged to escort the Indians safely out of the country.
Feb 27, 2022 22:35 (IST)
Russia admits to 'killed and injured' troops in Ukraine
The Russian army on Sunday admitted that there were "killed and injured" soldiers among its troops in Ukraine on the fourth day of its invasion of the country, without specifying how many Russians had died there.
"Russian servicemen are showing courage and heroism while fulfilling combat tasks in the special military operation. Unfortunately, there are killed and injured among our comrades," Moscow's army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on state television.
Feb 27, 2022 22:34 (IST)
EU escalates sanctions, closing airspace to Russia's planes, banning Russian state media
The EU on Sunday announced harsh new sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, closing its airspace to Russian aircraft and banning Russian state media outlets broadcasting in the bloc.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, announcing the measures, also said the European Union was taking the unprecedented step of financing arms to Ukraine, and was hitting Russian ally Belarus with sanctions for facilitating the invasion.
Feb 27, 2022 22:06 (IST)
Tamil Nadu woman says her son is in Ukraine without water, food, begs Trichy district collector to bring him home
A woman from Tamil Nadu, whose son is stranded in Ukraine amid Russian military operations there, fell at the feet of the Trichy District Collector on Sunday and begged for the safe and immediate return of her son.
Jayalakshmi, who hails from Manapparai, fell at the feet of District Collector Sivarasu, who had come to attend a polio vaccination program at a primary health centre in the Big Peppermill area of Trichy.
The woman requested that her son be rescued at the earliest from Ukraine amid the tense situation.
She claimed that her son Rajesh, who is a sixth-year student at a medical college in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, is without water and food.
Speaking to media persons, Jayalakshmi said that Rajesh is staying in the cellar with about 500 students as the military operations are intensifying in the area.
Following the incident, the District Collector sympathized with the woman and said that immediate action would be taken to bring her son back.
The first flight from Romania carrying 219 Indian students reached Mumbai on Saturday evening.
So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine.
Feb 27, 2022 21:41 (IST)
Medical oxygen running out in Ukraine as war rages, WHO warns
Ukraine is running out of oxygen supplies that critically ill people need, the World Health Organization said on Sunday, calling for safe passage for emergency imports as combat rages.
"The oxygen supply situation is nearing a very dangerous point in Ukraine. Trucks are unable to transport oxygen supplies from plants to hospitals across the country, including the capital Kyiv," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement.
"The majority of hospitals could exhaust their oxygen reserves within the next 24 hours. Some have already run out. This puts thousands of lives at risk."
Oxygen is essential for patients with a range of conditions, including the 1,700 in hospital with COVID-19 and those with other critical illnesses stemming from complications of pregnancy, childbirth, sepsis, injuries and trauma.
Feb 27, 2022 20:53 (IST)
Western allies must 'stand together' against Russia: NATO chief
The United States and Europe must "really stand together" in response to Russia's military aggression and "threatening rhetoric", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday, adding the alliance "does not want war".
"NATO does not want war with Russia, we don't seek confrontation," he told BBC World.
"We are (a) defensive alliance, but we need to make sure that there's no room for misunderstanding, miscalculation about our ability to defend and protect allies."
NATO is to deploy its rapid response force for the first time to bolster its eastern flank in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Feb 27, 2022 20:52 (IST)
Canada closes airspace to all Russian carriers
Canada has closed its airspace to "all Russian aircraft operators" in protest of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ottawa announced Sunday.
"We will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks against Ukraine," Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said on Twitter.
The closure, effective immediately, aligns Canada with the vast majority of European countries.
Feb 27, 2022 20:25 (IST)
Germany and Austria offer free train rides to Ukrainian refugees
Germany's rail operator said it will offer free train rides from Sunday to Ukrainian refugees travelling into the country from Poland.
Up to six trains are running daily from Poland to Germany at the moment, Deutsche Bahn said, but it was preparing to increase that capacity "at short notice".
Also on Sunday neighbouring Austria announced that its state railway company OeBB would offer free travel to those escaping the conflict.
Austrian Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler said in a tweet that she had agreed with OeBB that "Ukrainians who are fleeing will be able to use OeBB trains without tickets".
"In these times it is important to help quickly and simply. That it exactly what we are doing," she said.
Feb 27, 2022 20:24 (IST)
Spain says closing airspace to Russian carriers
Spain said Sunday it was closing its airspace to Russian carriers, following similar moves by several European nations over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"Spain will proceed to close its airspace to Russian airlines," the transport ministry said on Twitter, adding that it was following the "cooperation guidelines set by the European Union".
Feb 27, 2022 19:29 (IST)
S Jaishankar speaks with Hungarian, Moldovian counterparts on evacuation of Indian from Ukraine
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar spoke with his Hungarian and Moldovian counterparts on Sunday and discussed cooperation for the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
The EAM thanked the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for aiding the evacuation of Indian Nationals from Ukraine and requested further cooperation.
Dr Jaishankar also spoke with Moldova Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu and sought support for the entry of Indian Nationals on the Ukraine-Moldova border.
The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday.
Feb 27, 2022 19:27 (IST)
Ukraine agrees to hold talks with Russia at Belarus border
Ukraine has agreed for talks with Russia on the Belarus border, the country's presidency said, after earlier turning down Moscow's offer of a meeting in Belarus, which has allowed Russian troops passage to attack Ukraine. Ukraine had proposed Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul and Baku as possible alternative locations for any talks.
Feb 27, 2022 19:19 (IST)
US announces $54 million in aid for Ukraine
The United States said Sunday it is sending nearly $54 million in new humanitarian aid to Ukraine as it grapples with the Russian invasion.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US is focused on Ukraine's "urgent humanitarian needs as an important part of our response to Russia's premeditated, unprovoked and unjustified attack."
This new assistance to be channelled through NGOs includes "provision of food, safe drinking water, shelter, emergency health care, winterization and protection," Blinken said in a statement.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR says that since Russia first attacked Thursday, about 370,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, while over 160,000 are estimated to be displaced within Ukraine.
