Russia-Ukraine crisis news from March 1: Washington says Russian ‘crimes’ in Ukraine are ‘mounting by the hour’.
- A huge Russian military convoy is edging closer to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, where an alleged Russian attack has struck a television tower.
- Russian forces have entered the southern city of Kherson, Ukrainian interior ministry says.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine and appealed for the European Union to admit his country as a member.
- At least 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed on Monday in a Russian artillery attack on a military base in Okhtyrka, a local official says.
- Mayor of Mariupol says the key southeastern port city is being “pounded” by Russian shelling.
- Russian missiles have struck residential areas in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, according to a regional official.
- Negotiations between delegations from Kyiv and Moscow held at the Ukraine-Belarus border on Monday ended with no agreements except to keep talking.
The live blog is now closed; thank you for joining us. Here are the updates for March 1:
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2 hours ago (22:27 GMT)
United Airlines suspends flying over Russian airspace
United Airlines confirmed it has temporarily suspended flying over Russian airspace, joining other major US carriers.
United had been continuing to fly over Russian airspace to operate some flights to and from India in recent days. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Parcel Service all confirmed this week they had halted flights over Russia as the White House considers following Canada and the European Union in banning overflights of US airspace by Russian carriers.
2 hours ago (22:21 GMT)
World Bank, IMF say they are racing to get aid to Ukraine
The heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank said they were racing to provide billions of dollars of additional funding to Ukraine in the coming weeks and months, and warned that the war threatened to create “significant spillovers” to other countries.
IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass warned that commodity prices were rising, which risked further fuelling inflation, and disruptions in financial markets would continue to worsen should the conflict persist.
3 hours ago (21:50 GMT)
Strong US majority backs sanctions against Russia: Poll
Americans’ approval of Biden’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine rose over the past week, with 43 percent saying they approve in a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Tuesday, up from 34 percent last week.
A strong majority – 71 percent – of respondents said they believed the United States should provide Ukraine with weapons. Some 77 percent said the United States should impose additional sanctions on Russia as a result of its attacks in Ukraine.
3 hours ago (21:36 GMT)
‘Now is not the time for the world to look away,’ says US envoy
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US envoy to the United Nations, said Russian attacks have caused a “devastating loss of life” across Ukraine. “Now is not the time for the world to look away. Now is the time to act,” she wrote on Twitter.
4 hours ago (21:20 GMT)
Apple halts sales in Russia
Apple Inc said it has paused all product sales in Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
“We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all of the people who are suffering as a result of the violence,” Apple said in a statement. “We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing aid for the unfolding refugee crisis, and doing all we can to support our teams in the region.”
4 hours ago (21:08 GMT)
Russian, Belarusian drivers allowed to race as neutrals, says FIA
Motorsport’s governing body FIA condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but said Russian and Belarusian drivers could still take part in its competitions in a neutral capacity.
The decision was announced following an extraordinary meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC). The meeting also confirmed the cancellation of this year’s Russian Grand Prix. The decision would allow Nikita Mazepin, the only Russian on the grid, to continue to race in Formula One.
4 hours ago (20:52 GMT)
Canada shuts ports to Russian ships
Canada has shut its ports to Russian-owned ships, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said.
Canada has taken a series of measures, including imposing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin, closing Canadian airspace to Russian planes, and forbidding Canadian financial institutions from dealing with the Russian central bank as part of Western nations’ moves to isolate Russia.
“Russia must be held accountable for its invasion of Ukraine,” Alghabra said.
4 hours ago (20:47 GMT)
EU bans Russian media outlets, banks from SWIFT: EU presidency
The European Union has banned Russian state media outlets RT and Sputnik from broadcasting in the bloc while banning “certain” Russian banks from the SWIFT bank messaging system, the EU’s rotating presidency said.
The moves, due to come into force Wednesday after publication in the official journal of the EU, come as Brussels intensifies its sanctions regime on Moscow in response for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
4 hours ago (20:44 GMT)
Slovenia’s consulate in Ukraine destroyed in attack on Kharkiv: ministry
The Slovenian foreign ministry has said its consulate in Ukraine was destroyed in a military attack on the city of Kharkiv.
The ministry said on its Twitter account that it condemned the act and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
No employees were injured in the attack, Slovenia’s STA news agency cited the ministry as saying.
4 hours ago (20:31 GMT)
Indian student killed in Ukraine shelling
An Indian student has been killed in shelling in Ukraine, New Delhi said, as it urged Moscow and Kyiv to secure safe passage for around 12,000 of its stranded nationals.
“With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning,” Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Twitter.
People fleeing the war in Ukraine include citizens of countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Some said they experienced mistreatment at the border as Ukrainian and Polish officers prevented them from crossing into the European Union.
5 hours ago (19:51 GMT)
Russia’s sporting freeze grows over Ukraine invasion
Russia has been frozen out by a snowballing list of sports following an appeal by the International Olympic Committee.
Russian teams were barred from competing in international ice skating, skiing, basketball, track, and some tennis events, a day after being kicked out of soccer competitions and hockey.
Russian and Belarusian tennis players were allowed to play on the ATP and WTA tours and at the Grand Slams, but without national flags.
The decisions followed the IOC’s request to international sports federations to keep Russian athletes out of events they organise.
5 hours ago (19:40 GMT)
Russian steelmaker suspends Europe sales on sanctions
Russian steelmaker Severstal PJSC has suspended sales to Europe, its biggest export market, after billionaire owner Alexei Mordashov was sanctioned, along with other tycoons in the country.
The company, which sells about 3 million tons of steel per year to Europe, was looking at new avenues for sales after being forced to suspend deliveries, a person familiar with situation told Bloomberg on condition of anonymity.
The European Union imposed sanctions on Mordashov and other wealthy Russians following the invasion of Ukraine.
6 hours ago (19:18 GMT)
Russian forces enter Kherson: Ukrainian official
Russian forces have entered the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, but Ukraine still controls the city administration building, Ukrainian interior ministry advisor Vadym Denysenko said on television.