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Summary
Hello it’s Samantha Lock with you as we continue to monitor the unfolding crisis in Ukraine.
Russia’s war on its neighbor continues for its tenth day and well into its second week. It is 7am in Ukraine and here is where the situation currently stands:
- U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiyto discuss ongoing efforts to impose sanctions on Russia and speed up US military, humanitarian and economic assistance. The White House said during the call the pair also discussed talks between Russia and Ukrainebut offered no additional details.
- Britain’s prime minister Boris Johnson issued a six-point plan in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and is urging other leaders to endorse it in efforts to ensure Russia fails in its apparent attempt to take over its democratic neighbour.
- Zelenskiy also said he spoke to SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk, announcing the country will receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals this coming week.
- US-based credit card giants Visa and master card announced they will suspend their Russian business operations.
- the military said Russian forces continue to focus on Kyiv while moving ahead with assaults on Kharkiv, Mykolayiv and the creation of a land corridor with Crimea, in its latest operational report. The report said aircraft from airports in Belarusian territory were involved in air strikes on military and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and Zhytomyr.
- US-based think tank and policy research organisation, the Institute for the Study of Warreleased a report saying russian forces in Ukraine may have entered a possibly brief operational pause as they prepare to resume operations against Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolayiv, and possibly Odessa in the next 24-48 hours.
- The relief effort to distribute humanitarian aid to Ukraine has stepped up as volunteers across the country work tirelessly to gather basic necessities to give to refugees and prepare food supplies for the army to be sent to the frontline.
- The humanitarian situation in the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol is “catastrophic” and it is vital that civilians be evacuated, a senior official from the NGO Doctors Without Borders warned.
- the International Monetary Fund announced it could approve $1.4 billion emergency funding as early as next week as the body warns of war’s “severe impact” on the global economy.
- Western sanctions on Russia are a stumbling block to revived Iran nuclear dealRussian foreign ministry Sergey Lavrov said.
- foreign ministry Dmytro Kuleba met with US secretary of state Anthony Blinkensaying Ukraine “will win this war” but needs more help from Nato.
- Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dymtro Kulebaappealed for more military assistance while Reuters reports Zelenskiy made to “desperate plea” for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine. In a call with US senators, he is also understood to have called for a no-fly zone, lethal aid, a ban on Russian oil and a suspension of Visa and Mastercard in Russia.
- the US is reportedly in discussions with Poland on the possibility of Poland providing more fighter jets to Ukraine with the US potentially agreeing to backfill Poland’s fleet of fighter plans if Warsaw decides to transfer its used MiG-29s to Ukraine, four US officials told POLITICO.
- Russia and Ukraine plan another round of talks on Mondayeven though previous talks produced an agreement to a limited ceasefire in order to protect corridors for civilians have not been honored by Russia.
- the United Nations recorded 351 civilians killed and 707 injured in Ukraineaccording to the UN high commissioner for human rights.
- Tens of thousands joined rallies around the world in support of Ukraine over the weekend, gathering in cities across Europe, the US and South America to demand an end to Russia’s invasion.
For any tips and feedback please contact me through Twitter or at samantha.lock@theguardian.com
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