Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the biggest European conflict since World War Two
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators began face-to-face talks in Istanbul on Tuesday. The two sides were welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who urged them to "put an end to this tragedy"
The new round of talks comes after the Russian army said it would begin focusing on eastern Ukraine in a move some analysts saw as a scaling back of Moscow's ambitions.
Russia's month-old invasion of Ukraine, the biggest European conflict since World War Two, has seen over 3.8 million Ukrainians flee abroad, left thousands dead or injured and isolated Russia's economy.
Here are the Highlights on the Ukraine-Russia War:
Russia's Bombing Of Ukraine Created Fastest-Growing Humanitarian Crises: US At UN
The United States on Tuesday said that Russia's bombardment of Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises. "Russia's ceaseless bombardment of Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises in recent decades. Russian forces have laid siege to cities like Mariupol, where citizens have been left without food, water, heat, or electricity in the depths of winter," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said at UN Security Council (UNSC). (ANI)
Ukraine Live News: Biden Not Convinced On Russia Scaling Back Operations In Kyiv
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday appeared to be unconvinced on the Russian announcement that it is scaling back its operations in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. "We'll see. I don't read anything into it until I see what their actions are," Biden told reporters at the White House when asked about the Russian announcement on Tuesday that it will fundamentally scale back its military operations near Kyiv and another northern city in Ukraine. "We'll see if they follow through on what they're suggesting. There are negotiations that have begun and continued today. One in Turkey and others," he said, adding that he had a meeting with the heads of state of France, Germany and the Great Britain. (PTI)
Ukraine War Live: Russia Accused Of Causing "Global Food Crisis" At UN
Russia was accused before the UN Security Council on Tuesday of having caused a "global food crisis" and putting people at risk of "famine" by starting the war in Ukraine, which serves as a breadbasket for Europe. Russian President Vladimir Putin "started this war. Vladimir Putin created this global food crisis. And he is the one who can stop it," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said during a Security Council meeting devoted to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. (AFP)
Believe Friendly Countries Understand India's Balanced Approach On Ukraine Crisis: Piyush Goyal
Highlighting India's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said he believes the countries across the world recognize and understand and appreciate India's balanced approach. Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Mr Goyal said, "We believe there should be a cessation of hostilities that both should discuss and resolve their issues and we should have peace in the region." (ANI)
Ukraine Russia War Live Updates: US Says Liaising With Ukraine's Forces In Poland
The Pentagon on Tuesday clarified that US troops in Poland were "liaising" with Ukrainian forces as they hand over weapons to them, but were not training "in the classic sense" following remarks from President Joe Biden on the matter. On Monday, Biden told reporters that while in Poland last week, he had been talking to US troops who were helping "train" Ukrainian forces in Poland. (Reuters)
Ukraine Live: Ukraine Says No Talk Of Lifting Russia Sanctions Until War Ends
There can be no talk of lifting sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine until the war ends, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday. "The question of sanctions cannot even be raised until this war is over, until we get back what is ours," Zelensky said in a video address late Tuesday. (AFP)
Ukraine Live: Ukraine President Sees "Positive" Peace Signs But Presses DefencePresident Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday he sees "positive" signals from Ukraine-Russia peace talks held in Istanbul, but vowed that Kyiv will not "decrease our defence efforts." "We can say that the signals that we hear from the negotiations are positive, but those signals do not drown out the explosions or Russian shells," Zelensky said in a video address late Tuesday. (AFP)
White House Says Looking Into Allegations Of Harm Against Russian Billionaire
The Biden administration is looking into allegations Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was poisoned earlier this month during peace negotiations aimed at ending the Ukrainian conflict, White House spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said on Tuesday. A US official said on Monday that intelligence suggests the sickening of Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators was due to an environmental factor, not poisoning. (Reuters)
Ukraine War: Russian Hackers Scanning US Energy Systems, Pose "Current" Threat: FBI
Russian hackers have been scanning the systems of energy companies and other critical infrastructure in the US, and state-sponsored hacking by Russia presents a "current" threat to American national security, a top FBI official told lawmakers on Tuesday. "The threat from Russia in a criminal sense, in the nation state sense, is very, very real - and current," said Bryan Vorndran, an assistant director in the FBI's cyber division, during a hearing before a US House of Representatives panel. (Reuters)
Ukraine Live: Ukraine Says Explosions Heard Outside Russian City Close To Border A series of explosions were heard on Tuesday night outside the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the border with Ukraine, the local governor said, adding there were no casualties. Vyacheslav Gladkov said in an online post that the blasts occurred near the village of Krasny Oktyabr, about 30 km (19 miles) southwest of Belgorod. He did not give a reason for the blasts and promised an update later. Video posted online from two local news outlets appeared to show ammunition blowing up in the distance but Reuters was not immediately able to confirm this was the case. (Reuters)
Ukraine Live News: Ukraine President Discusses "Struggle" Against War With Pak PM
Amid the ongoing tension between Moscow and Kyiv, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday spoke with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed his country's "struggle against Russian aggression". "Had a phone conversation with Pak Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI. Spoke about our struggle against Russian aggression. The people of Ukraine seek peace. This is our unconditional priority," Zelenskyy tweeted. Meanwhile, Khan "expressed deep regret that the military conflict" between Moscow and Kyiv was continuing, according to Geo News. (ANI)
Ukraine Live: US Says Russia "Repositioning" Forces Near Kyiv, Not Withdrawing
Russia is "repositioning" its forces near Kyiv but is not withdrawing and the Ukrainian capital remains under threat, the Pentagon has said. "We're seeing a small number now that appears to be moving away from Kyiv, this on the same day that the Russians say they're withdrawing," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. "But we're not prepared to call this a retreat or even a withdrawal," he said. "We think that what they probably have in mind is a repositioning to prioritize elsewhere." (AFP)
Ukraine Live: US, Allies Agree To Keep Pushing For Russian Ceasefire, Says Germany
The leaders of Germany, the US, France, Britain and Italy agreed in a phone call on Tuesday afternoon to keep pushing Russia for a ceasefire and for the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine, a German government spokesman said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi also agreed to keep up the high sanctions presure on Russia, spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement. And they urged Russian President Vladimir Putin "to finally allow the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian help for people in Ukraine and to erect effective humanitarian corridors... especially in the city of Mariupol," Hebestreit said. (Reuters)
How Ukraine Has Kept Russia's Army At Bay In Villages Near Kyiv
The burnt wreckage of two Russian tanks with blown off turrets and several armoured personnel carriers attest the ferocity of last week's clashes in Lukyanivka village just outside Kyiv. The charred corpse of a Russian soldier lies in a field nearby.
"There were mortars so strong that it was scary even in the cellar," Valeriy Hudym told Reuters on Sunday, two days after Ukrainian soldiers seized back control of Lukyanivka in a five-hour battle with the Russians.
Russia says promised de-escalation falls short of ceasefire
Russia's promise to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine does not represent a ceasefire, Moscow's lead negotiator in talks with Ukraine said on Tuesday.
"This is not a ceasefire but this is our aspiration, gradually to reach a de-escalation of the conflict at least on these fronts," Vladimir Medinsky said in an interview with the TASS news agency, referring to the promise to scale down operations near the cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv.
Turkey hails Istanbul talks as 'most significant progress' of war
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said talks Tuesday between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul marked the "most significant progress" since war broke out between the two countries.
Speaking after three hours of talks between delegations from both Moscow and Kyiv, Cavusoglu said the discussions represented "the most significant progress since negotiations began" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Talks would not resume on Wednesday, he added.
J&J to suspend supply of personal care products to Russia
Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday it would suspend the supply of its personal care products in Russia, joining a host of other companies that have distanced themselves from Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
The drugmaker said it would continue to supply medicines and medical devices in the region.
J&J's consumer health segment sells a range of products for personal use including skin health, beauty and oral care products such as Neutrogena, Aveeno and Listerine.
Just In | Ukraine negotiator says Putin, Zelensky meeting possible after Istanbul talks
Just In | Will "Radically" Reduce Military Activity Near Ukraine's Capital: Russia
Russia 'postpones' military service for IT specialists
Russia on Tuesday temporarily exempted young IT workers from military service after an exodus of programmers following Moscow's military operation in Ukraine.
Military service is compulsory in Russia for men aged between 18 and 27. Many try to evade service through medical or educational exemptions while some simply ignore the summons.
Men aged 27 and under, who work in IT companies, can get a "postponement" of their military service, according to a decree published on a government portal.
UN nuclear watchdog head visits Ukraine to discuss safety
The head of the UN atomic watchdog, Rafael Grossi, is in Ukraine to discuss "the safety and security" of nuclear sites there, the agency said on Tuesday.
This is Grossi's first visit to Ukraine since Russia seized several nuclear facilities, including Chernobyl, as part of its war in Ukraine.
Grossi is holding talks with senior government officials and will travel to one of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement. It did not specify which plant.
"Just crossed the border into Ukraine to start IAEA's mission," Grossi tweeted. "We must act now to help prevent the danger of a nuclear accident."
Two dead after Russian strike on Mykolaiv govt buildingThe bodies of two people were pulled from rubble on Tuesday following a Russian strike on a government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, AFP journalists on the scene reported.
IAEA chief in Ukraine to offer nuclear safety assistanceInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi is in Ukraine for talks with senior government officials about ensuring the safety and security of its nuclear facilities, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.
"This conflict is already causing unimaginable human suffering and destruction," said Grossi in a statement. "The IAEA's expertise and capabilities are needed to prevent it from also leading to a nuclear accident."
Biden to broach Russia's war in Ukraine with Singapore PMUS President Joe Biden plans to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's role in the Indo-Pacific with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore at the White House on Tuesday, a senior administration official said.
Lee, who will later meet with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, will join Biden in an Oval Office meeting before the leaders make a joint statement, the White House said.
Russian strike hits regional govt building in MykolaivA Russian strike hit the regional government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, a key port city that has been under heavy assault for weeks, the regional governor said Tuesday.
"The regional administration building was hit," governor Vitaly Kim wrote on Facebook. He said that most people inside the building "escaped miraculously" but several civilians and soldiers were unaccounted for.
Ukraine, Russia resume peace talks in TurkeyTalks between Ukraine and Russia began in Turkey on Tuesday without a handshake, Ukrainian television reported.
"There was a cold welcome, no handshake," a Ukrainian reporter said, without making clear whether he had witnessed the delegations meeting or had been told this by officials.
Ukraine, Russia resume peace talks in TurkeyTalks between Ukraine and Russia began in Turkey on Tuesday without a handshake, Ukrainian television reported.
"There was a cold welcome, no handshake," a Ukrainian reporter said, without making clear whether he had witnessed the delegations meeting or had been told this by officials.
Russia says it destroyed large fuel depot in Ukraine's Rivne regionRussia's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday it had destroyed a large fuel depot in Ukraine's Rivne region with cruise missiles on Monday evening, the Interfax news agency reported.
Russia, Ukraine both have 'legitimate concerns': ErdoganTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian and Ukrainian delegations due to resume face-to-face talks on Tuesday that "both parties have legitimate concerns."
The talks were due to kick off shortly at the Dolmabahce palace in Istanbul to try and end a war has killed an estimated 20,000 people and forced more than 10 million from their homes.
Ukraine war: UN chief says he's in 'very close contact' with India on mediation effortsUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that he has been in "very close contact" with India and other countries including Turkey, China and Israel on mediation efforts towards bringing an end to the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military offensive against Ukraine on February 24.
UK military intelligence says Russia still poses significant threat to KyivRussia poses significant threat to Kyiv through their strike capability even though Ukrainian forces continue localised counter attacks to the north west of the city, British military intelligence said on Tuesday.
Russian forces have maintained their offensive on Mariupol with continuous heavy shelling of the city, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. "However the centre of the city remains under Ukrainian control."
"No Apologies": Joe Biden On Putin gaffeUS President Joe Biden refused Monday to back down on his weekend declaration in a major speech that Russian leader Vladimir Putin "cannot stay in power" -- arguing that he was voicing personal "outrage."
Read More Russian Billionaire, Ukraine Peace Negotiators Were Poisoned: ReportRussian oligarch Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian negotiators were targets of a suspected poison attack, potentially by Moscow hardliners seeking to sabotage peace talks, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Ukraine retakes Kyiv suburb, as talks resume under shadowUkrainian forces recaptured a key Kyiv suburb and desperately clung onto control of the besieged city of Mariupol, as negotiators prepared to meet Russian counterparts for face-to-face talks in Istanbul Tuesday.
Troops "liberated" the suburban town of Irpin, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky said, wresting a key gateway to the capital's northwest from Russian control.
Russia Says Will Use Nukes Only In Case Of "Threat To Existence Of State"Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told PBS in an interview on Monday that Russia would resort to nuclear weapons only in the case of a "threat to the existence" of his country - and not as a result of the current conflict with Ukraine.
Ukraine sets ceasefire goal for new Russia talksUkraine said its top objective at the first face-to-face talks with Russia in over two weeks, due to take place in Turkey on Tuesday, is to secure a ceasefire, although both it and the United States were skeptical of a major breakthrough.
The more than month-long invasion, the biggest attack on a European nation since World War Two, has seen over 3.8 million people flee abroad, left thousands dead or injured, and has brought isolation to Russia's economy and tumult to markets.