US Congress to ‘Explore’ Russian Oil Ban, Enact $10 Billion in Aid for Ukraine This Week: Pelosi
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Sunday said the chamber is “exploring” legislation to ban imports of Russian oil and that Congress intends to enact this week $10 billion in aid for Ukraine in response to Russia’s military invasion of its neighbor.“The House is currently exploring strong legislation that will further isolate Russia from the global economy,” Pelosi said in a letter.
“Our bill would ban the import of Russian oil and energy products into the United States, repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, and take the first step to deny Russia access to the World Trade Organization.”
Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation.”
Russian Forces Increase Shelling, Ukraine Says
Russian forces stepped up their shelling of Ukrainian cities in the center, north and south of the country late Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said.“The latest wave of missile strikes came as darkness fell,” he said on Ukrainian television.
He said the areas that came under heavy shelling include the outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city.
Kharkiv officials said the shelling damaged a television tower and heavy artillery was hitting residential areas.
In Chernihiv, officials said all regions of the city were coming under missile attack.
Arestovich described a “catastrophic” situation in the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel, and Irpin, where efforts to evacuate residents on Sunday failed. He said the government was doing all it could to resume evacuations.
Evacuations also failed in Mariupol in the south and Volnovakha in the east because of the shelling.
Zelensky Says Russia Sanctions Not Sufficient
As Russian forces increased their shelling of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the West to strengthen sanctions.In a video statement Sunday evening, Zelensky heaped criticism on Western leaders for not responding to the Russian Defense Ministry’s announcement that it would strike Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, while telling employees of these defense plants not to go to work.
“I didn’t hear even a single world leader react to this,” Zelensky said. “The audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal to the West that the sanctions imposed on Russia are not sufficient.”
Zelensky called for organizing a “tribunal” to bring to justice those who order and carry out such crimes.
“Think about the sense of impunity of the occupiers that they can announce such planned atrocities,” he said.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced Sunday that its forces intend to strike Ukraine’s military-industrial complex with what it said were precision weapons.
“We urge all personnel of Ukrainian defense industry plants … to leave the territory of their enterprises,” ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement carried by the state news agency Tass.
US, Poland in Discussion to Provide Ukraine With Fighter Jets, Biden Admin Says
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Sunday that Washington is discussing with Warsaw a proposal that would allow Ukraine to obtain warplanes from Poland to defend its skies from Russian assault.Under the proposed three-way deal, Poland would provide Ukraine with its aging Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets and in return, have its hangars refilled by the United States with American-made F-16s.
“We are looking actively now at the question of airplanes that Poland may provide to Ukraine and looking at how we might be able to backfill should Poland decided to use those—to supply those planes,” said Blinken during a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. “I can’t speak to a timeline, but I can just tell you we’re looking at it very, very actively.”
US, Europeans Discussing Banning Russian Oil Imports, Blinken Says
The United States and European allies are exploring banning imports of Russian oil, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday, and the White House coordinated with key Congressional committees moving forward with their own ban.“We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries, while of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil,” Blinken said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” show.
Blinken, who is on a trip across Europe to coordinate with allies the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, also said he discussed oil imports with President Joe Biden and his cabinet on Saturday.
Oil prices have soared over the past week after the United States and its allies sanctioned Russia over the invasion.
More Than 4,300 Detained at Anti-War Protests in Russia
Police detained more than 4,300 people on Sunday at Russia-wide protests against President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent protest monitoring group.Thousands of protesters chanted “No to war!” and “Shame on you!” according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers.
Dozens of protesters in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg were shown being detained. One protester there was shown being beaten on the ground by police in riot gear. A mural in the city showing President Vladimir Putin was defaced.
The footage and photographs on social media could not be independently verified. Russia’s interior ministry said earlier that police had detained around 3,500 people, including 1,700 in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg, and 1,061 in other cities.
The interior ministry said 5,200 people had taken part in the protests. The OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it had documented the detention of at least 4,366 people in 56 different cities.
Ukraine Says Over 11,000 Russian Troops Killed in War
More than 11,000 Russian troops have been killed since Moscow launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, the Ukrainian armed forces’ general staff said on Sunday.A day earlier, it put Russian casualties at over 10,000. It did not report Ukrainian casualties.
UNHCR: More Than 1.5 Million Refugees Have Fled Ukraine
The head of the United Nations’ refugee agency said Sunday that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded.Filippo Grandi spoke to reporters at the Ukraine–Poland border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland.
Grandi stressed that wide international assistance is needed for Poland and other countries receiving refugees from Ukraine.
“Predictions are difficult to make, we know that hundreds of thousands are on the move inside Ukraine, including just across the border here. It is very likely that we will see a large influx continue in the next few days,” he said.
Ukraine Health Centers Have Been Attacked, WHO Chief Says
The World Health Organization has confirmed “several” attacks on health care centers in Ukraine and is investigating others, the agency’s chief said on Sunday.The attacks caused multiple deaths and injuries, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added in a Twitter message.
“Attacks on healthcare facilities or workers breach medical neutrality and are violations of international humanitarian law,” he said.
In his brief post, Tedros did not mention Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Russia Interfering at Nuclear Plant, IAEA Says
The International Atomic Energy Agency has said Russian forces are tightening their grip on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, Ukraine’s largest, that they seized last week.The director general of the agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said Sunday Ukrainian staff members are now required to seek approval for any operation, even maintenance, from the Russians, and that they have impeded normal communications by switching off some mobile networks and internet at the site.
Ukraine’s regulatory authority said that phone lines, as well as e-mails and fax, are no longer working. Grossi said he is “extremely concerned about these developments,” adding that for the plant to operate safely, “staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions, without undue external interference or pressure.”
Russia: Countries Allowing Ukraine to Use Their Airfields ‘May Be Regarded’ as Entering Conflict
Russia’s Defense Ministry on Sunday warned that any country that offers the use of its airfields to Ukraine’s military for attacks on Russian assets could be considered as having entered the conflict.“The use of the airfield networks of these countries to base Ukrainian military aircraft and their subsequent use against the Russian armed forces may be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told the Interfax news agency on Sunday evening local time.
Konashenkov said Russian officials are aware of “Ukrainian combat plans which earlier flew to Romania and other neighboring countries,” without elaborating.
Zelensky: Russia Attacked Airport With 8 Cruise Missiles
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba alleged Sunday that Russian forces attacked the Vinnytsia airport with eight cruise missiles.“Against our city, against our peaceful Vinnytsia which never posed a threat to Russia in any way,” Zelensky said in a video on Twitter. “A brutal, cynical missile strike has completely destroyed the airport.”
“Eight Russian cruise missiles hit Vinnytsia, a large city far from the frontline,” said Kuleba on Twitter. Russian President Vladimir Putin “continues his cowardly & barbaric missile strikes, air bombardment of civilians. Help us close the sky and save lives! Provide air and missile defense, combat aircraft! Stop Russian terrorism!” he added.
Ukraine Official Says Assault Halts Evacuations for 2nd Time
Plans to evacuate civilians from a besieged port city in Ukraine collapsed Sunday for the second time along with an expected Russian cease-fire, Ukrainian officials said as they tried to persuade Russia to agree on terms for safely getting residents out of areas under fire near Ukraine’s capital.Residents expected to leave the port city of Mariupol during a 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local ceasefire, Ukrainian military authorities said earlier in the day. Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault by Russian troops.
“There can be no ‘green corridors’ because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom,“ Gerashchenko said on Telegram.
UN: 364 Civilian Deaths Confirmed so far
The U.N. human rights office says it has confirmed the deaths of 364 civilians in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24.The Geneva-based office said that another 759 civilians had been injured as of midnight Saturday.
The rights office uses strict methodology and only reports casualties it has confirmed.
It says it believes the real figures are considerably higher, “especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days.” That’s because the flow of information has been delayed amid the fighting and many reports still need to be corroborated.
Ukrainian officials have presented far higher numbers.
Blinken Tells China ‘World Is Watching’ Its Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken put pressure on China over the Ukraine crisis on March 5, telling his Chinese counterpart that the “world is watching” amid Beijing’s continued refusal to condemn Russia over its military aggression against its neighbor.Blinken made the remark during a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. According to a statement, the two discussed what the State Department called “Moscow’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine.”
“The Secretary noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty,” said Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson.
Denis Kireev, a Member of Ukraine’s Negotiation Team, Has Been Killed: Reports
A member of the Ukrainian negotiation team in talks with Russia, Denis Kireev, has been killed, according to reports.Ukraine’s military intelligence confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Saturday. It said that Kireev was an intelligence operative who was killed on Saturday in the line of duty while defending Ukraine.
“They died, defending Ukraine, and their act brought us closer to victory! On behalf of the Chief Management of Intelligence, we express our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased,” the statement said. “Heroes don’t die! They live until we remember them! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!”
Israel’s Prime Minister Has Returned From a Surprise Trip to Russia
Israel’s prime minister has returned from a surprise trip to Russia where he met President Vladimir Putin and discussed the war in Ukraine.Naftali Bennett flew to Moscow on Saturday, where he met the Russian leader for three hours. The trip was made “in coordination and with the blessing” of the Biden administration, according to Bennett’s office.
Bennett spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his meeting with Putin. He then flew to Germany to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Blinken Pledging Support to Moldova
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Moldova pledging America’s support to the small Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russia’s intensifying war with its neighbor.Blinken was meeting on Sunday with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees from Ukraine that it is now hosting while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression. More than 230,000 people have fled into Moldova from Ukraine since the war began 11 days ago.
Blinken said Moldova’s welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.
US WNBA All-Star Detained in Russia
U.S. basketball officials said on Saturday they were closely monitoring the situation regarding seven-time WNBA All-Star player Brittney Griner after Russia said it had detained a U.S. player last month for possession of vape cartridges containing hash oil.Without identifying Griner, a center for the female league’s Phoenix Mercury, the Russian Customs Service said a player was detained in February after arriving at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on a flight from New York.
Russian news agency TASS identified the player as Griner, citing a source. The Phoenix Mercury team, without elaborating, said: “We are aware of and are closely monitoring the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia.”
