{"id":1476,"date":"2022-03-23T22:43:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-23T22:43:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linksus.net\/russia-ukraine-live-news-russia-committed-war-crimes-us-says-al-jazeera-english\/"},"modified":"2022-03-23T22:43:50","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T22:43:50","slug":"russia-ukraine-live-news-russia-committed-war-crimes-us-says-al-jazeera-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/2022\/03\/23\/russia-ukraine-live-news-russia-committed-war-crimes-us-says-al-jazeera-english\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia-Ukraine live news: Russia committed \u2018war crimes\u2019, US says &#8211; Al Jazeera English"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Ukraine-Russia news from March 23: US gov\u2019t assesses Russian forces committed \u2018war crimes\u2019 in its invasion of Ukraine, says troops targeted civilians.<\/em><br \/>This live blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. For the latest news on March 24, go <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/23\/us-president-biden-arrives-in-brussels-ahead-of-nato-summit-liveblog\">here<\/a>.<br \/>Here were the updates for March 23:<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 20:39:55\">2 hours ago (20:39 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The first shipment from a new $800m arms package for Ukraine that United States President Joe Biden authorised last week will start flying out of the US in the next day or so, and will not take long to reach Ukraine, a senior US defence official has said.<br \/>The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, did not specify which systems would be included in the first shipments to Ukraine but said priority would be given to the kinds of defensive weapons already being used by Ukrainian troops.<br \/>\u201cWe are already aggregating stocks in the United States and we\u2019re getting ready to ship them over there,\u201d the official said.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 20:03:16\">3 hours ago (20:03 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>A total of 4,554 people were evacuated from Ukrainian cities through humanitarian corridors on Wednesday, a senior official has said, considerably fewer than the number of people that managed to escape the previous day.<br \/>Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the president\u2019s office, said in an online post that 2,912 people had left the besieged city of Mariupol in private vehicles. On Tuesday, he said 8,057 people had managed to escape from cities across the country.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 19:35:35\">3 hours ago (19:35 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>French President Emmanuel Macron has said that he was prepared to hold up the dialogue with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, over the war in Ukraine.<br \/>\u201cThere is uncertainty\u201d, Macron told broadcaster M6, citing the possibility of Russia\u2019s using \u201cunacceptable\u201d arms or attacking neighbour countries.<br \/>Speaking about the upcoming top-level meetings of Western allies in Brussels, Macron said: \u201cWe, the French and Europeans, will do everything to stop this war without entering it.\u201d<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 19:16:25\">3 hours ago (19:16 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russia\u2019s communications regulator has blocked Alphabet\u2019s Google News, accusing it of allowing access to what it calls fake material about the country\u2019s military operation in Ukraine, the Interfax news agency has said.<br \/>The agency did not give details.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 19:08:57\">3 hours ago (19:08 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Nestle is to halt the sale of a wide range of brands in Russia, including KitKat chocolate bars and Nesquik, amid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy\u2019s criticism of the world\u2019s biggest food company for its continued presence in the country.<br \/>The products affected include pet food and coffee, and make up the \u201cvast majority of volume and sales\u201d in Russia \u2014 which totalled 1.7bn Swiss francs ($1.82bn) in 2021, a Nestle spokesperson said.<br \/>The Swiss company had already halted non-essential imports and exports to Russia and had also stopped all advertising and capital investment in the country and said it would donate profits from Russia to Ukrainian relief efforts.<br \/>Zelenskyy said Nestle had not done enough to live up to its \u201cGood Food, Good Life\u201d slogan by continuing to operate in Russia.<br \/>Nestle also said that it stands with the people of Ukraine and its 5,800 employees in the country.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 18:54:29\">4 hours ago (18:54 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>United States national security adviser Jake Sullivan has laid out some broad guidelines about the types of Chinese support for Russia that would warrant a response from the United States, after warning Beijing last week of potential dire consequences.<br \/>Sullivan said US sanctions enforcement will look closely at whether China facilitates settlement of Russian payments or attempts to counter export controls passed since Russia invaded Ukraine.<br \/>The US is looking out for companies that are \u201cattempting to backfill in response to the export controls that we have imposed,\u201d Sullivan said. If Chinese companies or others \u201cchoose to backfill\u201d, the US has tools to ensure that can\u2019t happen, he added.<br \/>In terms of payments, Sullivan said, the US and its G7 allies are looking for and will respond to \u201csystematic efforts, industrial-scale efforts to try to reorient the settlement of financial payments and so forth\u201d.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 18:14:13\">4 hours ago (18:14 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russia has told Washington it would throw out a number of American diplomats in response to a move by the United States to expel Russian staff from the permanent Untied Nations mission, the Interfax news agency has said.<br \/>The agency also cited the foreign ministry as telling the US that any hostile actions against Russia would provoke a decisive response.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 18:00:50\">5 hours ago (18:00 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The United States will announce a package of Russia-related sanctions on political figures and oligarchs on Thursday while US President Joe Biden meets with NATO leaders on Ukraine, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said.<br \/>Sullivan, speaking to reporters as Biden headed to Brussels for the NATO summit, said G7 leaders will also agree on Thursday to coordinate on sanctions enforcement and plan to issue a statement.<br \/>He also said officials will have more to say on Friday about European energy issues.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:56:12\">5 hours ago (17:56 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The United States government assesses that members of Russia\u2019s forces have committed war crimes in its invasion of Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.<br \/>\u201cSince launching his unprovoked and unjust war of choice, Russian President Vladimir Putin has unleashed unrelenting violence that has caused death and destruction across Ukraine \u2026 Russia\u2019s forces have destroyed apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, critical infrastructure, civilian vehicles, shopping centers, and ambulances,\u201d Blinken said in a statement.<br \/>\u201cOur assessment is based on a careful review of available information from public and intelligence sources.\u201d<br \/>\u201cAs with any alleged crime, a court of law with jurisdiction over the crime is ultimately responsible for determining criminal guilt in specific cases,\u201d he said.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:53:24\">5 hours ago (17:53 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Britain\u2019s Boris Johnson intends to use a meeting of G7 and NATO leaders on Thursday to work with partners to \u201csubstantively increase defensive lethal aid to Ukraine\u201d, the prime minister\u2019s office has said following a call with the Ukrainian president.<br \/>\u201cLeaders would look to address Ukraine\u2019s requests and ensure President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy is in the strongest possible position in ongoing peace talks,\u201d the spokesperson for Johnson\u2019s office added.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:46:51\">5 hours ago (17:46 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The mayor of Kyiv has said one person was killed and two seriously wounded after shells hit a shopping centre\u2019s parking lot in a northern district of the Ukrainian capital.<br \/>\u201cThe enemy continues to fire at the capital,\u201d mayor Vitali Klitschko said in an online post.<br \/>Russia denies targeting civilians.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:44:16\">5 hours ago (17:44 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The resignation of Kremlin special envoy Anatoly Chubais over the invasion of Ukraine is encouraging but is unlikely to shake Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s firm grip on power, a Western official has said.<br \/>The official said that the resignation of Chubais was a \u201csignificant statement\u201d but added he was \u201crelatively high up on the list\u201d of people who might make such a step.<br \/>\u201cI think it\u2019s encouraging that there are senior members of the Russian political class that are doing such things, but it doesn\u2019t lead me to a conclusion that this is in any way undermining the security of Putin and his regime, given the iron grip that he holds together with those at the centre of his power,\u201d the official said, on condition of anonymity.<br \/>\u201cBut nonetheless, I think it is an encouraging statement that such a figure would make this move.\u201d<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:35:15\">5 hours ago (17:35 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Close Russian ally Belarus has told Ukraine to cut its diplomatic presence in the country citing unfriendly actions and meddling in its internal affairs, drawing Kyiv\u2019s condemnation and promise of a \u201cproper\u201d response.<br \/>The Belarusian foreign ministry said in a statement that an unspecified number of Ukrainian diplomats would have to leave within 72 hours and the Ukrainian consulate in the city of Brest would be closed due to a lack of staff.<br \/>\u201cWe consider such actions of Belarus as another unprovoked unfriendly step,\u201d said Ukraine\u2019s foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko.<br \/>He said 12 diplomats had been ordered to leave, but the ambassador would stay with sufficient staff in Minsk to continue consular services.<br \/>\u201cUkraine will not leave the actions of Belarus without a proper response, which we will announce later,\u201d he said in a statement.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:27:03\">5 hours ago (17:27 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Sweden will provide Ukraine with an additional 5,000 anti-tank weapons, the TT news agency has quoted the Swedish defence minister as saying.<br \/>Sweden has already sent 5,000 anti-tank weapons, along with other military materiel to Ukraine.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:24:52\">5 hours ago (17:24 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict in Ukraine by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, the Kremlin has said.<br \/>Bennett\u00a0 \u201cshared his assessment of the situation around Ukraine, taking into account his contacts with leaders of a number of foreign countries, and expressed several ideas in relation to the ongoing negotiations\u201d, the statement said.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:22:51\">5 hours ago (17:22 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>European Union leaders may discuss Russia\u2019s demand that \u201cunfriendly\u201d countries pay in roubles for Russian gas sales at a two-day summit in Brussels starting on Thursday, a senior EU official has said.<br \/>\u201cThis can be discussed,\u201d the official said, adding that leaders may assess whether Moscow\u2019s request would threaten the effectiveness of EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 17:20:17\">5 hours ago (17:20 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he had spoken with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had assured his support for Ukraine ahead of upcoming NATO, G7 and EU summits.<br \/>\u201cReceived assurances of his [Johnson\u2019s] support on the eve of tomorrow\u2019s important meetings. Discussed the course of hostilities and defense assistance to Ukraine,\u201d Zelenskyy said on Twitter.<br \/>Thursday\u2019s NATO summit in Brussels is expected to unlock additional aid for Kyiv, including equipment to help Ukraine protect against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.<br \/>Had a phone conversation with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BorisJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BorisJohnson<\/a>. Received assurances of his support on the eve of tomorrow\u2019s important meetings. Discussed the course of hostilities and defense assistance to Ukraine. We will win together.<br \/>\u2014 \u0412\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440 \u0417\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0439 (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ZelenskyyUa\/status\/1506653207476506635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2022<\/a><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 15:52:06\">7 hours ago (15:52 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>NATO estimates that between 7,000 and 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in a month of fighting in Ukraine, a senior official within the alliance has told The Associated Press news agency on condition of anonymity.<br \/>The official said the estimate was based on information from Ukrainian officials, releases from Russia \u2013 intentional or not \u2013 and intelligence gathered from open sources.<br \/>Ukraine says more than 15,000 Russian troops have been killed since Russia launched its invasion. Moscow\u2019s only official toll so far \u2013 released on March 2 \u2013 put the number of its forces killed at 498.<br \/>Russian mass-market Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper on Tuesday accused hackers of planting fake news on its website after a report briefly appeared there saying nearly 10,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in Ukraine. The article was deleted within a few minutes of being published.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 15:36:09\">7 hours ago (15:36 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>French companies including carmaker Renault and retailer Auchan must leave the Russian market, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told French lawmakers.<br \/>\u201cRenault, Auchan, Leroy Merlin must stop being sponsors of the Russian war machine, stop financing the murder of children and women, of rape,\u201d he said in an address to France\u2019s parliament delivered via video link. \u201cFrench companies must leave the Russian market.\u201d<br \/>At Zelenskyy\u2019s request, the MPs also observed a minute of silence in tribute to the victims of the war in Ukraine.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 15:11:15\">7 hours ago (15:11 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The UN\u2019s International Labour Organization has said it will halt all technical cooperation with Russia until it stops its war in Ukraine, further isolating Moscow on the world stage.<br \/>Click <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/23\/uns-labour-agency-suspends-cooperation-with-russia\">here<\/a> to read more.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 14:54:57\">8 hours ago (14:54 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Analysts say the Kremlin may have been inspired to recruit foreign fighters in response to a similar step taken by Ukraine itself \u2013 and they warn of ominous consequences.<br \/>Read more <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/23\/russias-foreign-fighters\">here<\/a>.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 14:45:02\">8 hours ago (14:45 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The Kremlin has confirmed to Russia\u2019s RIA Novosti news agency that a top Russian official has resigned, saying he did so of his own accord.<br \/>Earlier, the Reuters news agency, citing two unnamed sources, reported that special envoy Anatoly Chubais, an architect of Russia\u2019s post-Soviet economic reforms, has stepped down over the war in Ukraine and left Russia.<br \/>If that is the case, his decision would signal the highest-profile protest by a Russian figure against the invasion yet.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 14:30:54\">8 hours ago (14:30 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has addressed reporters ahead of the US-led alliance\u2019s emergency meeting on Thursday. Here are some of his remarks.<br \/>\ud83d\udd34  LIVE SOON (14:00 CET)<br \/>Press conference ahead of tomorrow&#8217;s extraordinary Summit of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NATO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NATO<\/a> Heads of State and Government <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NATOSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NATOSummit<\/a> <br \/>\ud83d\udccd <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NATO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NATO<\/a> HQ, Brussels <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/stSKceZyrl\">https:\/\/t.co\/stSKceZyrl<\/a><br \/>\u2014 Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jensstoltenberg\/status\/1506614785806323723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 14:17:21\">8 hours ago (14:17 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said that after delays in deliveries, further supplies of Strela missiles were on the way to Ukraine.<br \/>\u201cI can clearly say that further Strela deliveries are on the way,\u201d Baerbock told the Bundestag lower house of parliament, citing the missiles that had historically been in the inventories of the former Communist East German army.<br \/>\u201cWe are one of the biggest weapons suppliers in this situation,\u201d she said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t make us proud but it\u2019s what we must do to help Ukraine.\u201d<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 14:09:05\">8 hours ago (14:09 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russia plans to switch its gas sales to \u201cunfriendly\u201d countries to roubles, President Vladimir Putin has said.<br \/>\u201cRussia will continue, of course, to supply natural gas in accordance with volumes and prices \u2026 fixed in previously concluded contracts,\u201d Putin said at a televised meeting with top government ministers.<br \/>\u201cThe changes will only affect the currency of payment, which will be changed to Russian roubles,\u201d he added.<br \/>Putin said the government and central bank had one week to come up with a solution on how to move these operations to the Russian currency and that gas giant Gazprom would be ordered to make the corresponding changes to gas contracts.<br \/>Russia\u2019s list of \u201cunfriendly\u201d countries, which corresponds to those that imposed sanctions, includes the US, European Union member states, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and Ukraine, among others.<br \/><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-1674512\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/INTERACTIVE-Which-countries-directly-import-the-most-Russian-gas_.png?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C770\" alt=\"INTERACTIVE - Which countries directly import the most Russian gas_\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 14:05:06\">9 hours ago (14:05 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The United Kingdom\u2019s defence ministry has called on YouTube to remove footage from its online platform of a hoax call to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace that London claims was doctored by the Russian state.<br \/>\u201cI am confident you would not wish to be a conduit for Russian propaganda or be in any way associated with the potential consequences of this type of media manipulation,\u201d a letter posted on Twitter by the ministry said.<br \/>The move came after footage of Wallace speaking to a hoaxer posing as Ukraine\u2019s prime minister was posted on the YouTube channel of Russian prankster duo Vovan and Lexus.<br \/>We are calling on YouTube to help us support Ukraine by taking down videos doctored by the Russian state and disseminated to try and sap the morale of a people fighting for their freedom \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6<br \/>\ud83d\udc47 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/586ydI4VAp\">pic.twitter.com\/586ydI4VAp<\/a><br \/>\u2014 Ministry of Defence \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@DefenceHQ) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DefenceHQ\/status\/1506618687629021194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 13:42:01\">9 hours ago (13:42 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned that any use of chemical weapons by Russia in Ukraine would invoke \u201cfar-reaching consequences\u201d.<br \/>\u201cAny use of chemical weapons would totally change the nature of the conflict,\u201d he told reporters at a news conference at the alliance\u2019s headquarters in Brussels, adding such a move \u201cwould be a blatant violation of international law\u201d.<br \/>Stoltenberg also said that leaders of the 30-member state alliance were set to agree on delivering extra support for Ukraine to deal with any chemical and nuclear threats at Thursday\u2019s summit.<br \/>\u201cTomorrow, I expect allies will agree to provide additional support, including cybersecurity assistance as well as equipment to help Ukraine protect against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats,\u201d he said.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 13:20:25\">9 hours ago (13:20 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The United States president has reiterated his concern that Russia may use chemical weapons in Ukraine as it seeks to make breakthroughs in the weeks-long conflict.<br \/>\u201cI think it\u2019s a real threat,\u201d President Joe Biden told reporters as he departed the US for Europe.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 13:06:22\">10 hours ago (13:06 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russian forces have bombed and destroyed a key bridge in the encircled city of Chernihiv, regional governor Viacheslav Chaus has said.<br \/>The destroyed bridge had been used for evacuating civilians and delivering humanitarian aid. It crossed the Desna River and connected the city to Kyiv.<br \/>But Chaus pledged its destruction would not prevent aid from reaching Chernihiv. \u201cWe will provide the city with food and everything needed,\u201d he said\u00a0in a message posted on the Telegram messaging app.<br \/>Local authorities in the city warned on Tuesday that it has no water or electricity, and called the situation there a humanitarian disaster.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 12:54:24\">10 hours ago (12:54 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Belarus has told some Ukrainian diplomats to leave the country and is closing its neighbour\u2019s consulate in the city of Brest, according to a report by the country\u2019s state news agency, Belta.<br \/>On Tuesday the Belarusian security service, the KGB, accused eight Ukrainian diplomats of espionage.<br \/>Russia has used Belarusian territory as a staging post for its invasion of Ukraine.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 12:20:44\">10 hours ago (12:20 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Poland\u2019s interior minister says Warsaw has expelled 45 Russian diplomats suspected of spying on the country.<br \/>\u201cPoland has expelled 45 Russian spies pretending to be diplomats,\u201d Mariusz Kaminski tweeted. \u201cWe are dismantling the Russian special services network in our country.\u201d<br \/>Russian Ambassador to Poland Sergey Andreyev confirmed the expulsions, telling reporters that the individuals concerned had been given five days to leave Poland.<br \/>\u201cThere are no grounds for these kinds of accusations,\u201d he added, noting that Russia reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 12:03:40\">11 hours ago (12:03 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Greenpeace activists have swum in front of a vast Russian oil tanker in the Baltic Sea to protest against imports of Russian oil into the European Union.<br \/>The bloc and its allies have imposed hefty sanctions against Moscow, including freezing its central bank\u2019s assets, but measures directly targeting oil and natural gas were not included.<br \/>\u201cIn week four of Putin\u2019s war, there are still ships arriving into Europe from Russia, carrying oil that is financing Putin\u2019s war in Ukraine,\u201d Greenpeace said in a statement.<br \/>The organisation urged EU politicians to unite on a ban during upcoming summits on Thursday involving the bloc, NATO and the Group of Seven (G7).<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 11:50:43\">11 hours ago (11:50 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Kyiv has said that talks with Russia aimed at ending the war are encountering \u201csignificant difficulties\u201d after several rounds of discussions have so far produced no ceasefire or permanent peace deal.<br \/>\u201cThe negotiations are continuing online. They are proceeding with significant difficulties because the Ukrainian side has clear and principled positions,\u201d the AFP news agency quoted Ukraine\u2019s lead negotiator, Mykhailo Podolyak, as saying.<br \/>Reports have suggested that Moscow\u2019s requests may include Kyiv committing to not seeking NATO membership, undertaking a disarmament process, ceding territory in eastern Ukraine and recognising the Crimean Peninsula \u2013 annexed by Russia in 2014 \u2013 as formally part of its neighbour.<br \/>To read more on the negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, click <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/22\/explainer-what-are-the-main-issues-in-the-russia-ukraine-talks\">here<\/a>.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 11:41:21\">11 hours ago (11:41 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Japan to ramp up pressure on Russia with a trade embargo in an unprecedented direct appeal to the country\u2019s parliament.<br \/>\u201cYou were the first in Asia who really began to put pressure on Russia to restore peace, who supported sanctions against Russia, and I urge you to keep doing this,\u201d Zelenskyy told MPs by video link in a gesture never previously accorded to a foreign leader.<br \/>Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida later said he planned to unveil more support measures for Ukraine and strengthen Tokyo\u2019s sanctions against Russia.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 11:24:47\">11 hours ago (11:24 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych has said he expects the active phase of the Russian invasion to be over by the end of April, claiming the Russian advance has already stalled in many areas.<br \/>Speaking on Ukrainian television, Arestovych said Russia had already lost 40 percent of its attacking forces, and also played down the prospect of Russia waging nuclear war.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 11:00:01\">12 hours ago (11:00 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a massive humanitarian crisis and sent millions of refugees fleeing to neighbouring and other states in search of safety.<br \/>The images of lives uprooted, and those staying behind in a bid to save their country from Moscow\u2019s forces, have shocked the world.<br \/>Click <a href=\"\/gallery\/2022\/3\/23\/photos-3\">here<\/a> to view a selection of them.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 10:37:56\">12 hours ago (10:37 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in direct talks not to use biological or chemical weapons in Ukraine, according to a report by German newspaper Die Zeit.<br \/>Russian assertions that Ukraine was developing such weapons or that the United States wanted to use them seemed \u201clike an implicit threat that Putin himself is considering using such weapons\u201d, Die Zeit quoted Scholz as saying.<br \/>\u201cThat\u2019s why it was important to me to tell him very clearly and directly: That would be unacceptable and unforgivable,\u201d Scholz told the newspaper.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 10:18:12\">12 hours ago (10:18 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Al Jazeera\u2019s Imran Khan, reporting from Kyiv, says several neighbourhoods within the Ukrainian capital have come under attack in the past 24 hours.<br \/>Moscow is increasingly relying on attacks with \u201cmissiles, rockets and artillery\u201d because of its \u201cground offensive being stalled,\u201d he said.<br \/>\u201cThey want to put pressure not just on the front lines but on the city [of Kyiv] itself,\u201d Khan added.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 10:12:56\">12 hours ago (10:12 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The Kremlin\u2019s spokesman has said it is vital to apply a new law that could see journalists jailed for up to 15 years if they are deemed to be deliberately spreading false information after investigators opened a criminal case against a prominent reporter.<br \/>Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the specific case of journalist Alexander Nevzorov, who investigators have accused of deliberately spreading knowingly false information about the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine.<br \/>But when asked about Nevzorov\u2019s case, Peskov said the new law had to be applied because of what he described as an acute information war being waged against Russia.<br \/>To read more on the legislation, click <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/15\/russian-court-releases-tv-protester-with-280-fine\">here<\/a>.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 10:09:20\">12 hours ago (10:09 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>EU companies affected by sanctions imposed on Russia will be eligible for up to 400,000 euros ($442,000) of state support under loosened state aid rules, the bloc\u2019s executive arm has announced.<br \/>Companies in the agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture sectors can access up to 35,000 euros ($38,750) while businesses facing a liquidity crunch can get state guarantees on loans and subsidised loans, the European Commission said.<br \/>Meanwhile, firms facing soaring energy costs will be eligible for state aid covering up to 30 percent of their costs, capped at two million euros ($2.2m).<br \/>The European Commission, which also acts as the bloc\u2019s competition enforcer, had two years ago relaxed its state aid rules, allowing governments to pump trillions of euros into companies hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 10:04:53\">13 hours ago (10:04 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The Kremlin\u2019s spokesman has cautioned that any possible contact between the Russian military and NATO forces could have grave consequences after Poland last week said the alliance should send peacekeepers to Ukraine.<br \/>Dmitry Peskov said Warsaw\u2019s idea was \u201creckless and extremely dangerous\u201d.<br \/>\u201cAny possible confrontation between our troops and NATO forces could have clear consequences that would be hard to repair,\u201d he told reporters.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:58:26\">13 hours ago (09:58 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s president will address the Swedish Parliament via video link on Thursday, the body has said.<br \/>The speech will start at 09:55 GMT, the Swedish parliament added in a statement.<br \/>President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has addressed politicians in an array of countries in recent weeks as he attempts to rally international support for Ukraine in the face of Russia\u2019s onslaught.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:57:35\">13 hours ago (09:57 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russia\u2019s foreign minister has warned NATO against sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, saying it could lead to a direct confrontation between Russia and the transatlantic military alliance.<br \/>Poland said last week that it would formally submit a proposal for a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine at a NATO summit set to take place on Thursday.<br \/>\u201cI hope they understand what they are talking about,\u201d Sergey Lavrov told staff and students at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.<br \/>\u201cThis will be the direct clash between the Russian and NATO armed forces that everyone has not only tried to avoid but said should not take place in principle.\u201d<br \/><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-1679607\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/INTERACTIVE-NATO-in-Europe-map.png?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C770\" alt=\"INTERACTIVE- NATO in Europe map\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:52:20\">13 hours ago (09:52 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s central bank has asked the SWIFT global payments network to switch the Russian central bank off from its financial messaging system.<br \/>\u201cWe hope for your support and assistance in order to save the lives of thousands of Ukrainians and protect the sovereignty of our country,\u201d Kyrylo Shevchenko, the bank\u2019s governor, said in a statement.<br \/>For more information on SWIFT, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, click <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/2\/25\/what-is-swift-could-be-used-punish-putin\">here<\/a>.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:48:48\">13 hours ago (09:48 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Poland\u2019s special services have asked the country\u2019s foreign ministry to expel 45 Russian diplomats, according to a spokesman.<br \/>Polish security spokesman Stanislaw Zaryn said the individuals were alleged to be working for Russia\u2019s secret services under the cover of diplomatic work.<br \/>Reuters quoted an unnamed government spokesman as saying the Russian ambassador to Poland had been summoned to the foreign ministry over the case and decisions on further steps would be announced after the meeting.<br \/>Russia\u2019s foreign ministry was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying it would retaliate if its diplomats were expelled.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:38:12\">13 hours ago (09:38 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged foreign ministers from Muslim-majority nations to help end Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine, appealing also to China\u2019s top diplomat to join the effort.<br \/>Read more <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/23\/pakistan-imran-khan-islamic-nations-oic-ukraine-war\">here<\/a>.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:34:18\">13 hours ago (09:34 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has urged China not to support Russia after its invasion of Ukraine and to join efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.<br \/>Speaking to the Italian parliament, Draghi also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not appear to be interested in agreeing to a ceasefire that could allow negotiations to end the conflict to succeed.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:31:47\">13 hours ago (09:31 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russia\u2019s defence ministry says its forces have hit a Ukrainian arms depot outside the country\u2019s northwestern city of Rivne, destroying an arsenal of weapons and equipment.<br \/>The ministry said it had struck the depot on Tuesday using high-precision, long-range weapons fired from the sea.<br \/>There was no immediate reaction to the claim from Kyiv.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:25:51\">13 hours ago (09:25 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>A leading ally of Putin has accused the US of aiming to humiliate, divide and ultimately destroy Russia, and vowed the country would never allow that to happen.<br \/>Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president from 2008 to 2012 and is now deputy chairman of Russia\u2019s Security Council, said such a plan \u2013 if ever achieved \u2013 could have catastrophic results for the world.<br \/>\u201cRussia will never allow such a development,\u201d he said on Telegram.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:17:54\">13 hours ago (09:17 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The head of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) will raise \u201cpressing humanitarian issues\u201d in Ukraine during a visit to Moscow, the aid agency has said.<br \/>Peter Maurer is in Moscow for two days of talks with senior Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who he is set to meet on Thursday.<br \/>\u201cMr Maurer plans to speak about the pressing humanitarian issues to be addressed to alleviate the suffering of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine,\u201d the ICRC said.<br \/>The agency added that it was seeking to increase respect for international humanitarian law and within its mandate as a neutral intermediary to \u201caddress humanitarian issues and facilitate dialogue between all sides\u201d.<br \/>I\u2019ve arrived in Moscow to continue <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ICRC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ICRC<\/a>\u2019s discussions with the Russian authorities.<br \/>I\u2019ll be raising pressing humanitarian issues and the alleviation of the suffering of people affected by conflicts in Ukraine and other contexts. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/P8jiA8X7nw\">https:\/\/t.co\/P8jiA8X7nw<\/a><br \/>\u2014 Peter Maurer (@PMaurerICRC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PMaurerICRC\/status\/1506557379806216196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 09:03:11\">14 hours ago (09:03 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Kyiv has agreed to a deal with Russia to set up nine humanitarian corridors through which civilians can be evacuated, Ukraine\u2019s deputy prime minister has said.<br \/>Iryna Vereshchuk said in a Facebook post that the routes would be opened in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv and Luhansk regions.<br \/>She did not announce any safe corridor out of the heart of Mariupol, saying instead that people wishing to leave the city would find transport in nearby Berdyansk.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 08:50:47\">14 hours ago (08:50 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The governor of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine says an agreement has been reached on a local ceasefire in order to allow for the evacuation of civilians trapped by fighting.<br \/>Serhiy Haidai said on Telegram that the ceasefire would come into force at 9am local time (07:00 GMT).<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 08:09:02\">14 hours ago (08:09 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s prosecutor\u2019s office says 121 children have been killed and 167 others wounded since Russia launched its invasion.<br \/>A nine-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were among the most recent victims, according to the office\u2019s statement, which was posted on Telegram.<br \/>Both were reportedly killed in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the eastern Donetsk region.<br \/>The statement added that on March 17, a Russian soldier killed a man in front of his 14-year-old son in the occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha. The boy is wounded and is currently undergoing treatment, it said.<br \/>It also said that more than 220 schools and 155 kindergartens have been damaged by shelling.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 07:47:25\">15 hours ago (07:47 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The mayor of the besieged northern city of Chernihiv has told local media that Russian servicemen are deliberately targeting civilians, hospitals and schools, adding that foreign forces almost encircled the city and their shelling had destroyed power and water supplies.<br \/>As a result, \u201cabout 40 people are buried daily,\u201d Vladislav Atroshenko told the Censor.net publication. \u201cBefore the war, we usually buried eight.\u201d<br \/>He also reportedly said that only a handful of volunteers have managed to get to the city via little-known roads in swampy areas with medicines for hundreds of wounded Ukrainian servicemen in city hospitals.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 07:30:06\">15 hours ago (07:30 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Zhang Hanhui, China\u2019s ambassador to Moscow, has told about a dozen business heads to waste no time and \u201cfill the void\u201d in the local Russian market, according to Bloomberg, quoting the Russia Confucius Culture Promotion Association\u2019s official WeChat account.<br \/>While the summary made no mention of sanctions or sanctions compliance, Zhang described the situation as an opportunity, Bloomberg said.<br \/>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2022-03-22\/beijing-tells-chinese-firms-in-russia-to-help-fill-economic-void\">here<\/a>.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 07:17:19\">15 hours ago (07:17 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Oleg Ustenko, an economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said Russia\u2019s frozen assets and central bank reserves, according to Ukraine\u2019s foreign allies, have reached an estimated value of $300bn.<br \/>Ustenko told Al Jazeera that the assets could be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine, adding: \u201cHowever, this is not enough, as every new day of war increases the price we need for reconstruction.\u201d<br \/>\u201cOur priority right now is to allocate the frozen Russian assets \u2013 meant for war \u2013 for reconstruction instead,\u201d the adviser said.<br \/>He also said: \u201cWe strongly believe that our allies in Europe and the US should impose many harsh sanctions on Russia. This is not just related to the economic gains and benefits and it does not just mean that we no longer have trade exchanges like before, but it also should mean that the current status must change. And this is a civil side of things that they must adhere to.\u201d<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 06:59:09\">16 hours ago (06:59 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russian shelling hit an apartment building in the town of Rubizhne in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Luhansk, according to the region\u2019s governor.<br \/>Two children and one adult were killed as a result, Serhiy Haidai wrote on Facebook.<br \/>\u201cThe shell exploded on the fifth floor. Rescuers found three people killed, including two children,\u201d he wrote, adding that shelling also caused multiple fires at a textile factory, a college and several apartments.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 06:32:13\">16 hours ago (06:32 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Putin intends to attend a Group of 20 (G20) summit being hosted by Indonesia later this year, Russia\u2019s ambassador in Jakarta has said, following calls by some bloc members for the country to be barred from the group.<br \/>\u201cNot only G20, many organisations are trying to expel Russia \u2026 the reaction of the West is absolutely disproportional,\u201d Ambassador Lyudmila Vorobieva told a news conference.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 05:37:38\">17 hours ago (05:37 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Russian forces have released a Ukrainian official and a journalist who had been held captive for days, according to local media reports<br \/>Serhiy Kirichko, a local official in the Sumy region, was released on Tuesday after being detained in a basement for a week, the news outlet <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukrinform.net\/rubric-society\/3437254-chairman-of-okhtyrka-district-council-released-from-russian-captivity.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ukrinform<\/a> reported, citing a local politician.<br \/>Viktoria Roshchina, a journalist with Ukraine\u2019s Hromadske channel, was released on Monday after nine days in captivity, the television station <a href=\"https:\/\/hromadske.ua\/posts\/zhurnalistka-hromadske-viktoriya-roshina-yaka-bula-v-poloni-okupantiv-na-svobodi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced<\/a>.<br \/>\ud83d\udce3 Journalist Victoria Roshchina, missing in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Ukraine<\/a> since 12 March, is on her way to be reunited with her relatives! Held captive by Russian forces, she was forced to record a video stating that she had been treated well and they had saved her life. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SJ8SAWl7hG\">pic.twitter.com\/SJ8SAWl7hG<\/a><br \/>\u2014 RSF (@RSF_inter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RSF_inter\/status\/1506327088953012233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 04:46:47\">18 hours ago (04:46 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Concern is growing over the whereabouts of Ukrainian photojournalist Maksym Levin, who was last heard from days ago while taking pictures at a combat zone in Kyiv.<br \/>Markiyan Lyseiko, a friend of Levin\u2019s, <a href=\"https:\/\/imi.org.ua\/en\/news\/photojournalist-max-levin-went-missing-near-kyiv-i44554\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> the Institute of Mass Information that he had last heard from the photojournalist on March 13.<br \/>Lyseiko said that \u201cintense fighting\u201d had broken out in the area that Levin had gone to work at, and said he feared the photojournalist could have been \u201cwounded or taken prisoner by the Russian military\u201d.<br \/>\ud83d\udea8ALERT: RSF is concerned by the disappearance of Ukrainian photojournalist Max Levin near Kyiv, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Ukraine<\/a>. His friend Lyseyko received his last message on 13\/03 from a combat zone in Vychhorod where he was reporting. He worked for <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Reuters?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Reuters<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCWorld?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BBCWorld<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AP_Images?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AP_Images<\/a> &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HromadskeUA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@HromadskeUA<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EC35u1WCdJ\">pic.twitter.com\/EC35u1WCdJ<\/a><br \/>\u2014 RSF (@RSF_inter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RSF_inter\/status\/1506275120431747083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 04:25:35\">18 hours ago (04:25 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Vietnam Airlines will temporarily suspend regular flights from Hanoi to Moscow starting from March 25 until further notice, according to the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA).<br \/>The suspension was to review procedures, requirements and regulations related to flight operations in Russia, VNA reported.<br \/>The two countries have close ties dating back to the Soviet era and Vietnam has not so far condemned Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 04:13:27\">18 hours ago (04:13 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe against a prominent journalist for spreading what it called \u201cfake\u201d information about the country\u2019s armed forces, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/interfax.com\/newsroom\/top-stories\/77220\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Interfax<\/a> news agency.<br \/>The committee said Alexander Nevzorov \u201cknowingly published false information\u201d about a Russian attack on a maternity hospital in Mariupol on his Instagram page as well as on a YouTube channel.<br \/>The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Russian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Russian<\/a> Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against journalist  Alexander Nevzorov<br \/>He said this in his telegram channel <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cJLtdSJRz0\">pic.twitter.com\/cJLtdSJRz0<\/a><br \/>\u2014 NEXTA (@nexta_tv) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nexta_tv\/status\/1506316030586544132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/>Nevzorov, a former politician, has previously <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/17\/un-says-more-than-700-civilians-killed-ukraine-liveblog\">described<\/a> Russia\u2019s actions in the besieged city as \u201cterrorism\u201d.<br \/>Russia\u2019s parliament earlier this month <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/4\/russia-prison-media-law-fake-reports-ukraine-war\">passed<\/a> a law making public actions aimed at \u201cdiscrediting\u201d Russia\u2019s army illegal and banning the spread of \u201cfake news\u201d.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 03:44:16\">19 hours ago (03:44 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence says the possibility exists that Belarus\u2019s army may join the Russian invasion, but its intelligence indicates that \u201ca large number of personnel and some commanders are refusing to participate\u201d in the war.<br \/>In a Telegram <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/ministry_of_defense_ua\/631\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">post<\/a>, the ministry said Russian forces \u2013 due to a lack of success in their ground offensive \u2013 are now aiming for the \u201ctotal destruction of critical infrastructure\u201d in Ukraine.<br \/>It added that 100 Russian personnel were killed on Tuesday.<br \/>Al Jazeera could not verify the claims.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 03:32:03\">19 hours ago (03:32 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 03:20:27\">19 hours ago (03:20 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Nikos Dendias, the Greek foreign minister, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/en\/current-affairs\/top-story\/minister-of-foreign-affairs-nikos-dendias-statement-following-his-meeting-with-the-consul-general-in-mariupol-manolis-androulakis-22032022.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced<\/a> that he intends to make a trip to besieged Mariupol to deliver humanitarian aid.<br \/>The minister said he sent a note to the \u201cUkrainian side asking for the facilitation of the delivery of humanitarian aid in Mariupol and another note verbale to the Russian side asking not to obstruct it\u201d.<br \/>\u201cI intend to accompany this aid in person, in coordination with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr [Peter] Maurer, with whom we are already in contact.\u201d<br \/>Dendias did not say when he plans to go to Mariupol<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 02:55:16\">20 hours ago (02:55 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Authorities in Ukraine have accused Russian forces of \u201clooting and destroying\u201d a new laboratory at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant that among other things works to improve the management of radioactive waste.<br \/>The state agency responsible for the Chernobyl exclusion zone said the laboratory contained \u201chighly active samples and samples of radionuclides that are now in the hands of the enemy, which we hope will harm itself and not the civilised world\u201d.<br \/>Radionuclides are unstable atoms of chemical elements that release radiation.<br \/>Al Jazeera could not verify the allegation.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 02:46:23\">20 hours ago (02:46 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>A Russian air raid on the Ukrainian capital\u2019s Obolonskyi district has killed one person and wounded three, according to city authorities in Kyiv.<br \/>The raid on Tuesday set fire to two buildings and one truck, the Kyiv City Military Administration <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukrinform.net\/rubric-ato\/3437143-1-killed-3-injured-in-airstrike-on-kyiv.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> on Telegram.<br \/>There was no immediate response from Moscow. It denies targeting civilians, however.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 01:58:32\">21 hours ago (01:58 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Reuters has reported that the US and its Western allies are assessing whether Russia should remain within the G20 following its invasion of Ukraine.<br \/>The agency cited sources involved in the discussions.<br \/>\u201cThere have been discussions about whether it\u2019s appropriate for Russia to be part of the G20,\u201d Reuters quoted a senior G7 source as saying. \u201cIf Russia remains a member, it will become a less useful organisation.\u201d<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 01:35:11\">21 hours ago (01:35 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The British Ministry of Defence says civilian populations in Russian-occupied cities in Ukraine are continuing to protest against Russian control, suggesting that Moscow\u2019s efforts to subdue residents through propaganda \u201chave so far failed\u201d.<br \/>\u201cRussia will probably respond to these failures by employing increasingly violent and coercive measures in an attempt to suppress the Ukrainian population,\u201d it warned.<br \/>Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine \u2013 22 March 2022<br \/>Find out more about the UK government&#8217;s response: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/t4kzbdIMpc\">https:\/\/t.co\/t4kzbdIMpc<\/a><br \/>\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/StandWithUkraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#StandWithUkraine<\/a> \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IQQRj6X7IA\">pic.twitter.com\/IQQRj6X7IA<\/a><br \/>\u2014 Ministry of Defence \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@DefenceHQ) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DefenceHQ\/status\/1506389362417754120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 01:24:36\">21 hours ago (01:24 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk says Russian forces have taken captive 11 bus drivers and four rescue workers who were heading to Mariupol to evacuate civilians.<br \/>The convoy was following an \u201cagreed route\u201d near the town of Mangush, close to Mariupol, she said.<br \/>\u201cThis is an agreed corridor, we have agreed it with the Red Cross, and now people are being held hostage. It is reported that the vehicles will be taken away, and people may or may not be let free,\u201d she added.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 01:11:56\">21 hours ago (01:11 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>A US defence official has told reporters that Russia\u2019s combat power has declined below 90 percent of its pre-invasion levels for the first time since its assault on Ukraine began.<br \/>The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not provide evidence.<br \/>His assessment suggests heavy losses of weaponry and growing casualties on the Russian side.<br \/>The US had estimated that Russia assembled more than 150,000 troops around Ukraine before the February 24 invasion, along with enough aircraft, artillery, tanks and other firepower for its attack.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 00:55:41\">22 hours ago (00:55 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Germany\u2019s parliament has paid tribute to Boris Romanchenko, a Ukrainian man who survived several Nazi concentration camps during World War II but was killed last week during an attack in the city of Kharkiv.<br \/>Legislators held a moment of silence in memory of 96-year-old Romanchenko and other victims of the war.<br \/>Romanchenko \u201csurvived four concentration camps and was now killed in the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine,\u201d finance minister Christian Lindner said.<br \/>\u201cHis fate shows both the criminal character of Russian policy and why Germany is showing solidarity with Ukraine, why we must show solidarity.\u201d<br \/>&#8220;His death reminds us that Germany has a special historical responsibility towards Ukraine.&#8221;<br \/>The German Parliament falls silent in memory of Boris Romanchenko, who survived several Nazi concentration camps, but was killed last week during an attack in Kharkiv. He was 96. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SEqx7amSxr\">pic.twitter.com\/SEqx7amSxr<\/a><br \/>\u2014 Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Channel4News\/status\/1506271224250482698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 00:26:48\">22 hours ago (00:26 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Reuters says the US only admitted seven Ukrainian refugees from March 1-16 and is drawing up plans to allow in more people.<br \/>A new initiative set to launch this week will speed up visa processing for relatives of US citizens and permanent residents. it said, citing a person familiar with the matter.<br \/>The effort will also detail more staff to handle applications for a temporary status known as \u201chumanitarian parole\u201d, it added.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-23 00:09:07\">22 hours ago (00:09 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations who spoke to reporters in New York earlier, had a \u201cstark message\u201d for Russia, according to a UN <a href=\"https:\/\/news.un.org\/en\/story\/2022\/03\/1114392\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement.<\/a><br \/>\u201cThis war is unwinnable,\u201d he told Moscow. \u201cSooner or later, it will have to move from the battlefield to the peace table. This is inevitable. The only question is: How many more lives must be lost?\u201d<br \/>He added: \u201cThe war is going nowhere fast. For more than two weeks, Mariupol has been encircled by the Russian army and relentlessly bombed, shelled and attacked. For what? Even if Mariupol falls. Ukraine cannot be conquered city by city, street by street, house by house.\u201d<br \/>The UN chief also called for urgent talks, saying there was \u201cenough on the table\u201d for an immediate ceasefire.<br \/>Watch a recording of his remarks below.<br \/>LIVE NOW<br \/>UN Secretary-General <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/antonioguterres?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@antonioguterres<\/a> speaks to journalists on the situation in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Ukraine<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Q2yN8vbIh0\">https:\/\/t.co\/Q2yN8vbIh0<\/a><br \/>\u2014 UN News (@UN_News_Centre) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UN_News_Centre\/status\/1506265895940898821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 23:58:46\">23 hours ago (23:58 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The US Department of State says four Ukrainian children have been flown to a hospital in Tennessee after their cancer treatment was disrupted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<br \/>It pledged to help with \u201cspecial cases\u201d, noting that paediatric oncology departments in Europe \u2013 where most Ukrainian refugees are fleeing to \u2013 were beginning to reach their limits.<br \/>Children are among the most vulnerable in a crisis. We are humbled to help airlift 4 Ukrainian pediatric oncology patients in need of urgent, highly specialized treatment to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/StJudeResearch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@StJudeResearch<\/a>. These kids will safely resume critical cancer therapy disrupted by Russia\u2019s aggression. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2d3OTAg7IZ\">pic.twitter.com\/2d3OTAg7IZ<\/a><br \/>\u2014 Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecBlinken\/status\/1506298439298134020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 23:02:58\">24 hours ago (23:02 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>The US and EU have slammed a new sentence handed down to jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, calling it a \u201csham\u201d and another example of Russia\u2019s widening crackdown on dissenting voices amid its invasion of Ukraine.<br \/>A Russian court on Tuesday sentenced Navalny to nine additional years in a maximum-security prison on fraud and contempt of court charges, as well as a fine of 1.2 million roubles ($11,500).<br \/><a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/22\/us-eu-slam-russia-new-sentencing-of-opposition-leader-navalny\">Read more here<\/a>.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 22:51:03\">24 hours ago (22:51 GMT)<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s president has accused Russian forces attacking Mariupol of thwarting attempts to evacuate civilians from the port city.<br \/>\u201cAs of today, there are about 100,000 people in the city in inhuman conditions, completely blockaded, without food, without water, without medicines, subject to constant shelling, constant bombardment,\u201d he said.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 22:20:42\">22 Mar 2022 &#8211; 22:20 GMT<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s president says peace talks with Russia to end the war were tough and sometimes confrontational but added \u201cstep by step we are moving forward\u201d.<br \/>\u201cWe are continuing to work at different levels to encourage Russia to move towards peace \u2026 Ukrainian representatives are participating in talks that are taking place virtually every day. It\u2019s very difficult, sometimes confrontational,\u201d said Zelenskyy. \u201cBut step by step we are moving forward.\u201d<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 22:06:20\">22 Mar 2022 &#8211; 22:06 GMT<\/time><\/span><br \/>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has discussed \u201cefforts to fortify NATO\u2019s Eastern Flank\u201d in a call with the alliance\u2019s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the State Department has said.<br \/>\u201cThe Secretary reaffirmed the need for a strong and united Transatlantic response to the Russian government\u2019s war against Ukraine and welcomed ongoing work to strengthen NATO\u2019s deterrence and defense,\u201d spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.<br \/>Important discussion with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jensstoltenberg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JensStoltenberg<\/a> today on reinforcing NATO\u2019s deterrence and defense. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NATO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NATO<\/a> Leaders will meet this week to underscore our support for Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commitment to NATO\u2019s collective defense.<br \/>\u2014 Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecBlinken\/status\/1506362570357284871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 22, 2022<\/a><br \/><script src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 21:35:07\">22 Mar 2022 &#8211; 21:35 GMT<\/time><\/span><br \/>French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated France\u2019s support for Ukraine in a call with his Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday, Macron\u2019s office has said.<br \/>Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to virtually address French legislators on Wednesday to demand more support amid Russia\u2019s invasion.<br \/>In recent weeks, the Ukrainian leader has addressed legislators in the US, Canada, UK, Italy, Germany and Israel.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 21:26:46\">22 Mar 2022 &#8211; 21:26 GMT<\/time><\/span><br \/>Brazilian-Ukrainian striker Junior Moraes, who returned to Brazil to join Corinthians, has said his mind is far from sport.<br \/>The 34-year-old Moraes, who obtained Ukrainian citizenship three years ago, said he fears for his friends and colleagues amid Russia\u2019s invasion.<br \/>Moraes played in Ukraine for most of the last decade, scoring dozens of goals for Metalurg Donetsk, Dynamo Kyiv, and most recently Shakhtar Donetsk. He has played 11 matches for the Ukrainian national team.<br \/>\u201cI can\u2019t smile in a way I would like to. I think I will only do that once this war is over,\u201d a tearful Moraes said during a press conference in Sao Paulo.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 21:01:42\">22 Mar 2022 &#8211; 21:01 GMT<\/time><\/span><br \/>Macron has discussed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and called for a ceasefire in a phone call with Putin, according to the French presidency.<br \/>The call, which was the eighth between the two leaders since the invasion began, lasted for an hour, Macron\u2019s office said.<br \/>It added that the French president, who last spoke with Putin on March 18, also raised concerns about the situation in Mariupol, calling for the siege on the strategic port city to be lifted.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 21:01:24\">22 Mar 2022 &#8211; 21:01 GMT<\/time><\/span><br \/>The Kremlin has pushed back against Western assertions that Russia\u2019s invasion is facing setbacks, with its spokesman reiterating that the offensive is going as planned.<br \/>\u201cWe\u2019re speaking about a special military operation that is going on, and it is going on strictly in accordance with the plans,\u201d Peskov told CNN.<br \/><span class=\"article-time\"><time datetime=\"2022-03-22 20:56:30\">22 Mar 2022 &#8211; 20:56 GMT<\/time><\/span><br \/>Ukraine\u2019s Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova has said evidence shows that Russia is committing \u201cgenocide\u201d in its siege on the strategic port city of Mariupol.<br \/>Ukrainian officials have said 100,000 civilians are currently trapped in Mariupol, encircled and under relentless shelling.<br \/>\u201cWhat now I see in Mariupol, it\u2019s not about war, it\u2019s about genocide,\u201d Venediktova told the AFP news agency. \u201cTheatres of war have some rules, some principles. What we see in Mariupol, [is] no rules at all,\u201d she added.<br \/>Russia\u2019s security policy dictates that the country would only use nuclear weapons if its very existence were threatened, Peskov has told US broadcaster <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2022\/03\/22\/europe\/amanpour-peskov-interview-ukraine-intl\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a>.<br \/>The Kremlin spokesman made the comment in an English-language interview when asked whether he was confident that the Russian president would not use nuclear weapons.<br \/>\u201cWe have a concept of domestic security and it\u2019s public, you can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used. So if it is an existential threat for our country, then it [the nuclear arsenal] can be used in accordance with our concept,\u201d he said.<br \/>\u201cThere are no other reasons that were mentioned in that text.\u201d<br \/>Russia has failed to achieve its goals in Ukraine, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said, warning that despite the <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/22\/has-russias-offensive-really-stalled-on-all-fronts\">apparent Russian setbacks<\/a>, the war will not end \u201ceasily or rapidly\u201d.<br \/>Sullivan said Russia had set three objectives for itself when it started <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/21\/us-russia-tensions-rise-as-ukraine-invasion-continues-liveblog\">its invasion<\/a>: subjugating Ukraine, enhancing Moscow\u2019s power and prestige, and dividing the West.<br \/>\u201cRussia has thus far manifestly failed to accomplish all three objectives. In fact, it has thus far achieved the opposite,\u201d said Sullivan.<br \/><a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/22\/russia-has-failed-to-achieve-objectives-in-ukraine-us-says\">Read more here<\/a>.<br \/>Welcome to Al Jazeera\u2019s continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.<br \/>Read all the updates from Tuesday, March 22 <a href=\"\/news\/2022\/3\/21\/us-russia-tensions-rise-as-ukraine-invasion-continues-liveblog\">here<\/a>.<br \/>As the Rus\u00adsia-Ukraine war en\u00adters its 28th day, we take a look at the main de\u00advel\u00adop\u00adments.<br \/>ILO sus\u00adpends co\u00adop\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtion with Rus\u00adsia, ex\u00adcept when re\u00adlat\u00aded to hu\u00adman\u00adi\u00adtar\u00adi\u00adan as\u00adsis\u00adtance, un\u00adtil it halts its war on Ukraine.<br \/>Ze\u00adlen\u00adskyy praised Japan for its stance against Rus\u00adsia, as he seeks UN re\u00adforms to face glob\u00adal se\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty chal\u00adlenges.<br \/>Follow Al Jazeera English:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2022\/3\/22\/russia-says-war-in-ukraine-going-according-to-plan-liveblog\">source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ukraine-Russia news from March 23: US gov\u2019t assesses Russian forces committed \u2018war crimes\u2019 in its invasion of Ukraine, says troops targeted civilians.This live blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. For the latest news on March 24, go here.Here were the updates for March 23:2 hours ago (20:39 GMT)The first shipment from a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":869,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1476"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1476\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}