Related video: Biden calls Putin a ‘war criminal'
Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a 15-point peace plan that would mean Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits to its armed forces, reports say today.
Ukraine would have to say that it does not want to join Nato, and promise not to host military bases from allies such as the US and UK, according to the Financial Times. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said peace talks between the two sides were continuing on Thursday.
It comes as Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov told the EU via video link they should recognise Vladimir Putin as a war criminal, citing a Russian airstrike on a theatre in Mariupol that had the word “children” written on the pavement outside the building.
The Russian bombardment tore through a theatre sheltering thousands of civilians in Mariupol, leaving many buried under burning rubble. The official death toll and injuries from the bombing have not been released yet.
Attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns continued on Thursday morning. One person was killed in a shelling attack in Kyiv.
And in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, 53 people killed by Russian forces on Wednesday alone, the regional governor claimed on Thursday.
Ukraine defence minister calls Vladimir Putin the ‘Hitler of our time'
Ukraine's defence minister said Vladimir Putin was the “Hitler of the 21st century” and accused Russian troops of committing genocide in Mariupol.
Addressing a Nato meeting in Brussels, Oleksii Reznikov said it was not a “metaphor or an exaggeration” to compare the Kremlin and its leader with the Nazi dictator.
He cited the high number of civilians killed in the besieged city of Mariupol since the Russian invasion as evidence that Moscow was carrying out a genocide of Ukrainians.
Liam James reports.
Ukraine defence minister calls Vladimir Putin the ‘Hitler of our time'
Nazi comparison is no ‘exaggeration', says Reznikov
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 10:51
Ukraine and Russia ‘make significant progress on 15 point peace plan'
Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a 15-point peace plan that would mean Kyiv declares neutrality, reports say today.
Ukraine would also have to accept some limits to its armed forces and declare that it does not want to join Nato, according to the Financial Times.
The proposed deal, that was hashed out by Ukrainian and Russian negotiators on Monday, also states that Ukraine must promise not to host military bases from allies such as the US and UK.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said peace talks between the two sides were continuing on Thursday.
“Our delegation is putting in colossal effort and demonstrates more readiness towards them than the other side,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“Agreeing such a document, the observance of all its parameters and their implementation could very quickly stop what is happening.”
Asked about a Financial Times report that Ukraine and Russia had made significant progress on a tentative peace plan, Peskov said: “It is not right – there are elements there that are right but on the whole it is incorrect.”
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 10:35
This map shows the extent of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
This map shows the extent of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
(Press Association Images)
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 10:24
Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers defeated larger Russian force in strategically important town, report claims
The combined might of professional Ukrainian soldiers and local volunteers in a strategic town located in the south of Ukraine defeated a far greater Russian force looking to seize control.
The town of Voznesensk would have given Russia a gateway to the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant and a path to attack Odesa from the back, reported The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.
Instead, a two-day battle that began on 2 March between the Russians and Ukrainians in the town turned the tide against the former.
Sravasti Dasgupta reports.
Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers defeat Russians in strategic town, report claims
Two-day battle in Voznesensk, which has mostly Russian speakers, turned the tide against Russia
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 10:13
Ukraine theatre hit by airstrike where hundreds were sheltering had ‘children' written on pavement in Russian
Satellite imagery shows a destroyed theatre in Ukraine where civilians were sheltering had the word “children” written in Russian on the pavement outside the building.
Russian forces dropped a bomb on the theatre where more than 1,000 civilians – including women and children – were sheltering in the besieged city of Mariupol, local officials said on Wednesday.
The number of people killed in the latest alleged civilian attack by Vladimir Putin's forces was unclear on Wednesday evening, but Mariupol's deputy mayor Sergei Orlov said earlier that between 1,000 and 1,200 people originally sought refuge inside the building and so could have been inside.
Sam Hancock reports.
Image shows Russian word for ‘children' outside blown-up Mariupol theatre
Number of casualties still unknown but between 1,000 and 1,2000 civilians thought to have been inside
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 10:00
Ukraine asks Japan for satellite imagery to help it fend off Russian troops
Ukraine is asking Japan for high-quality satellite imagery to help it fend off Russian troops, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday.
Japanese governments and private companies operate satellites that have the ability to capture detailed images day and night, and through clouds and other obstructions in the atmosphere.
The Japanese government will carefully consider whether providing such data to Ukraine is politically acceptable or allowed under the current legal framework, the report said without citing sources.
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 09:44
How Britain became the dirty-money servant of the world
‘Britain is a machine for receiving wealth, hiding wealth, protecting wealth, managing wealth and massaging wealth,' Oliver Bullough tells Rory Sullivan … but it shouldn't take a war for British ministers to act against the problem.
How Britain became the dirty-money servant of the world
‘Britain is a machine for receiving wealth, hiding wealth, protecting wealth, managing wealth and massaging wealth,' Oliver Bullough tells Rory Sullivan … but it shouldn't take a war for British ministers to act against the problem
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 09:36
Equating Saudi Arabia to Putin is ‘ridiculously distasteful', says James Cleverly
Equating Saudi Arabia to Putin is ‘ridiculously distasteful', says James Cleverly
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 09:27
EU should recognise Vladimir Putin as a war criminal, says Ukrainian defence minister
Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov told the EU lawmakers they should recognise Vladimir Putin as a war criminal after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“I am appealing to all European parliamentary members to recognise that Putin is a war criminal, ” Reznikov said via video link to EU lawmakers.
He cited examples such as what he said was a Russian airstrike on a theatre on Wednesday in Mariupol where he said 1,200 women and children were sheltering.
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called the Russian president a war criminal in comments the Kremlin said were “unforgivable”.
Russia has denied targeting civilians and the defence ministry in Moscow said on Wednesday it had not attacked the theatre.
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 09:12
Melitopol mayor released days after Ukraine said he was abducted by invading Russian forces
The mayor of Ukraine's Melitopol city, who was allegedly abducted by Russian forces last week, has been freed and has spoken to president Volodymyr Zelensky, according to Ukrainian officials.
Mr Zelensky had earlier accused Russia of kidnapping mayor Ivan Fedorov. A video of the kidnapping had been posted on Telegram by Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office.
Ukrainian diplomat Olexander Scherba confirmed the news of the mayor's release in a tweet on Wednesday, saying: “Ukraine conducted a special operation and rescued [Melitopol] mayor Ivan Fedorov from captivity in the occupied [Luhansk]!”
Maroosha Muzaffar reports.
Melitopol mayor released days after Ukraine said he was abducted by Russian forces
Ukraine's foreign affairs ministry had earlier said the abduction of Ivan Fedorov was a ‘war crime'
Joe Middleton17 March 2022 09:01
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