New Delhi: The civilian death count in Ukraine due to the month-long Russian invasion has crossed 1,000, according to the United Nations human rights office.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden was in Brussels on Thursday for crunch summits with European, G7 and NATO allies.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg today accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of making a "big mistake" by invading Ukraine, as leaders gathered to discuss overhauling the alliance's eastern defences.
European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell said as the Russian government has no interest in negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine for now as its army has not reached its military goals.
Here are the Highlights on the Ukraine-Russia War:
Mar 25, 2022 04:31 (IST)
Ukraine War: Canada will boost oil exports to replace Russian energy
Canada announced Thursday it will boost oil exports by about five percent to help address supply shortages faced by allies shunning Russian energy after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"Our European friends and allies need Canada and others to step up. They're telling us they need our help in getting off Russian oil and gas in the short term," Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said in a statement.
Mar 25, 2022 03:32 (IST)
Ukraine War: Russia, Ukraine exchange prisoners
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners, Kyiv and Moscow confirmed Thursday, in what Ukraine said was the first swap of soldiers since Moscow ordered troops into Ukraine one month ago.
"Following an order from President Volodymyr Zelensky, the first fully-fledged exchange of prisoners of war has taken place," Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk wrote on Facebook.
"In exchange for 10 captured occupiers we rescued 10 of our servicemen," she said, referring to Russian and Ukrainian troops.
Mar 25, 2022 02:50 (IST)
Four Russians indicted in US for energy sector hacks: Report
Four Russian agents have been indicted in the United States for hacking attacks targeting the energy sector around the world, the Justice Department said Thursday.
The Russian hackers targeted thousands of computers at hundreds of companies in 135 countries during the 2012 to 2018 attacks, the department said.
Mar 25, 2022 01:43 (IST)
Ukraine War: Zelensky asks NATO for weapons, West adds pressure on Russia
President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed a NATO summit Thursday to flood weapons into Ukraine and Western allies responded with new sanctions against Russia, promises of military aid, and discussion of expelling Moscow from the international G20 body.
As battles raged across Ukraine, with television footage showing a large Russian warship ablaze at dockside near the southern city of Mariupol, Zelensky addressed the emergency NATO summit and a G7 leaders' meeting by video link.
Mar 25, 2022 01:18 (IST)
Ukraine War: Russian space chief says cooperation with Europe now impossible
Russia's space director said on Thursday that Europe had wrecked cooperation by imposing sanctions against his agency, and rockets that were meant to launch European satellites would now be used for Russian companies or countries friendly to Moscow.
Mar 24, 2022 23:21 (IST)
Ukraine Live: Biden Says US Would Respond If Russia Uses Chemical Weapons
US President Joe Biden said today that if Russia were to use chemical weapons in its invasion of Ukraine, the United States would respond. "We would respond, we would respond if he uses it. The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use," Biden said at a news conference in Brussels. (Reuters)
Mar 24, 2022 23:13 (IST)
Boris Johnson Says There's Evidence Russia Trying To Get Round Sanctions Using Gold
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today there was evidence that Russia was trying to get round sanctions using its gold reserves. "There is evidence that the Russians may be trying to get round - the Russians are obviously going to try to get round - the sanctions on their gold, and we're taking steps to try to make sure that there's no leakage, no sale of bullion into markets around the world," Johnson told reporters in Brussels. (Reuters)
Mar 24, 2022 23:05 (IST)
Ukraine War Live: Ukraine Tells Belarus To Cut Diplomatic Staff In Reciprocal Move
Ukraine's foreign ministry said today it had told Russia-allied Belarus to cut its diplomatic staff in Kyiv to five, responding to the expulsion of a dozen Ukrainian diplomats from Belarus a day earlier. "We caution the Belarusian authorities that any further unfriendly steps towards Ukraine will receive a decisive response," the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement. Relations between the two countries have soured in the wake of the February 24 invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which used Belarusian territory as a staging post for its attack. (Reuters)
Mar 24, 2022 22:38 (IST)
US Says It Wants More Direct Channel To Russian Defence Ministry About Ukraine
Washington would like to have a more direct communication channel with Russia's defence ministry in order to deal with unforeseen events in the conflict in Ukraine, the US ambassador to Moscow has said. John Sullivan told the independent news outlet Novaya Gazeta that an emergency hotline between Washington and Moscow, set up in the Cold War to pre-empt an accidental nuclear conflict, was still in existence. (Reuters)
Mar 24, 2022 22:36 (IST)
Ukraine Russia War Live: Italy Tells Its Citizens Not To Go Fight In Ukraine
Italian nationals should not go and fight in Ukraine, the foreign ministry said today, following media reports that some Italians have signed up to battle the Russian invasion. A foreign ministry statement said such conduct "may be considered criminally relevant under current legislation," and reiterated its advice that Italians should not enter Ukraine. (Reuters)
Mar 24, 2022 22:33 (IST)
Ukraine Russia War: Ukraine Passes Bill To Jail Collaborators With Russia
Ukrainian lawmakers voted today to punish anyone aiding and abetting Russian enemy forces with up to 12 years in jail, one month into Moscow's invasion. Members of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada voted overwhelmingly to impose punishment of 10 to 12 years for "intentional activities aimed at aiding the aggressor state", a statement on the parliament's website said. (AFP)
Mar 24, 2022 22:32 (IST)
Ukraine Live: G20 Host Indonesia "Impartial" Amid Russia Ban Calls
Indonesia will remain impartial as the rotating chair of the G20, the country's top diplomatic negotiator said Thursday, following mounting calls that Russia be barred from the forum's meetings. Dian Triansyah Djani made the statement after Russia's ambassador to Indonesia confirmed on Wednesday President Vladimir Putin planned to attend the November heads-of-state summit in Bali. (AFP)
Mar 24, 2022 22:26 (IST)
Ukraine War Live: G7 Has "No Grievances" Against People Of Russia
The Group of Seven most industrialised nations said today they have no quarrel with the Russian people, stressing that it was President Vladimir Putin and his backers who are to blame for invading Ukraine. "The people of Russia must know that we hold no grievances against them," they said in a statement after an emergency summit in Brussels. (AFP)
Mar 24, 2022 22:19 (IST)
Ukraine Live: G7 Says Will "Spare No Efforts" To Hold Putin, "Supporters" Accountable
The Group of Seven most industralised nations today said it would do everything in its power to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin and his supporters personally responsible for the Ukraine invasion. "We will spare no efforts to hold President Putin and the architects and supporters of this aggression, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, accountable for their actions," the G7 said in a statement after a summit in Brussels. "To this end, we will continue to work together, along with our allies and partners around the world." (AFP)
Mar 24, 2022 22:18 (IST)
Ukraine Live Updates: NATO Wants China To Meet "Responsibilities" Over Ukraine War
NATO leaders meeting in Brussels want China to oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine and work for a peaceful end to the conflict, a senior US official said Thursday. Briefing reporters at NATO headquarters during the talks, the official said several leaders had said "China needs to live up to its responsibilities within the international community as a UN Security Council member". "We need to continue to call on China not to support Russia in its aggression against Ukraine," the official said. (AFP)
Mar 24, 2022 22:05 (IST)
Ukriane Live: Ukraine Says Many Russian Troops Lack Resources To Be On Offensive
Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said today that in many areas Russian troops did not have enough resources to push ahead with their offensive in Ukraine, leading to a slowdown in hostilities. "The front line is practically frozen," he said in a televised address. "The enemy in very many areas does not have the resources to continue the offensive." (Reuters)
Mar 24, 2022 21:52 (IST)
Ukraine Live: G7 Leaders Tell Russia Not To Use Biological, Chemical, Nuclear Weapons
Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations warned Russia not to use biological, chemical or nuclear weapons in its war with Ukraine, they said in statement released after talks in Brussels on Thursday. "We warn against any threat of the use of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons or related material," said the leaders in a joint statement released by Germany. All countries were ready to welcome refugees from Ukraine, they said. (Reuters)
Mar 24, 2022 21:31 (IST)
Ukraine President Says There's "Real" Threat Russia Will Use Chemical Weapons
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today there is a "real" threat that Moscow will use chemical weapons in Ukraine, accusing Russia of having already used phosphorus bombs against civilians in the country. "The threat of full-scale use by Russia of chemical weapons on the territory of Ukraine is real," Zelensky told a G7 summit in Brussels via videolink, adding that Kyiv had information that Russian troops "used phosphorus bombs against peaceful people in Ukraine". (AFP)
Mar 24, 2022 21:14 (IST)
Ukraine Live: India Abstains In UN General Assembly On Humanitarian Crisis Resolution
India today abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution by Ukraine and its allies on the humanitarian crisis in war-torn eastern European country. The 193-member General Assembly resumed its 11th Emergency Special Session on Ukraine and voted on Thursday on a draft resolution 'Humanitarian consequences of the aggression against Ukraine' by Ukraine and its western allies. The resolution was adopted with 140 votes in favour, 38 abstentions and five against. (PTI)
Mar 24, 2022 21:11 (IST)
Ukraine War Live: US Making Plans In Case Russia Uses Chemical, Nuclear Weapons
The White House has set up a team of experts to plan how the US could respond should Russia use weapons of mass destruction - chemical, biological or nuclear - during its invasion of Ukraine, senior administration officials said on Thursday. Russia has repeatedly raised the prospect of using nuclear weapons as it struggles to overcome Ukraine's military during the month-old war that the Russian government calls a "special operation." This week, the Kremlin said such weapons would only be used in the case of an "existential threat." (Reuters)
