Latest Developments: Russia FM calls on US to pull nuclear arms out of Europe

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that “It is unacceptable for Russia that US nuclear weapons are in Europe; it’s time to bring them home.”

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale military operation against Ukraine in response to the NATO provocations and the Kyiv bid to join the western military alliance despite Russia’s earlier warning.

The Russian and Ukrainian delegations met on Monday for ceasefire talks in Belarus but the only result was announcing further talks in an uncertain future. The conflict did not stop while the ceasefire talks were underway yesterday.

Here is the latest news on Russia’s operation in Ukraine on Tuesday:

UK can’t create no-fly zone over Ukraine, would lead to direct confrontation with Russia – PM Johnson

PM Boris Johnson has said that his country cannot create a no-fly zone over Ukraine for fear of risking a direct confrontation with Russia.

UK prime minister says UK willing to take 200,000 Ukrainian refugees. He made the remarks after meeting with Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw.

At least 6 people were injured in the air strike on the central square of Kharkiv

As a result of an air strike carried out today allegedly by Russian troops on Freedom Square in Kharkiv, at least six people were injured.

No plans for conversation between Putin and Zelensky yet: Kremlin

Kremlin spox Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Vladimir Putin has been informed about the results of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, but it is too early to give an assessment.

Binance targets sanctioned Russians

The crypto exchange is blocking accounts used by Russian clients who have been targeted by sanctions over the Kremlin’s operation in Ukraine, Reuters has reported, according to RT.

Russia can only react to danger of Ukraine acquiring nuclear weapons: Lavrov 

Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said at Tuesday’s Conference of Disarmament that Russia “cannot but react to the real danger of Ukraine acquiring nuclear weapons and is taking all measures to prevent this”.

“EU countries are trying to avoid an honest face-to-face dialogue by choosing the path of sanctions,” the Russian FM added according to RT.

“It is unacceptable for Russia that US nuclear weapons are in Europe; it’s time to bring them home,” he added

“The tragedy of Ukraine is the result of the connivance of Western patrons of the criminal regime formed there, which has started plans to acquire its own nuclear weapons and threaten international security,” the Russian top diplomat added.

US expels diplomats from Russia’s UN mission

US-Russia diplomatic relations have deteriorated further after Washington ordered, on Monday, the expulsion of 12 staffers from Moscow’s mission to the United Nations in New York, RT has reported.

Moscow’s envoy to the UN got notice of 12 more staffers being expelled while holding a press conference.

Japan sanctions Russian leaders

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu are all included in the list of anti-Russia sanctions released by the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Sputnik said.

Export sanctions are being imposed by Japan on 49 Russian companies and organizations, including  the Federal Security Service (FSB), the GRU intelligence agency, and the Rostec state corporation.

Shipping giant Maersk will stop deliveries to Russian ports, a statement by the company said, according to AFP.

Meanwhile, French oil & gas company TotalEnergies SE announces it will not invest in new Russian projects.

Half a million Ukrainian refugees have escaped: UN

The UN says 520,000 refugees have already fled Ukraine since Russia began its operation in Ukraine 6 days ago and they warn that number could rise to four million in the coming days.

Belarus has no plans to take part in Russian operations in Ukraine: Lukashenko

The Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that his country has no plans to join the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Russian Ria Novosti reported.

US coordinating with allies to seize Putin’s assets: Senator Murphy

The West is preparing further restrictive measures against Moscow, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, US Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said after a classified briefing from US President Joe Biden’s top national security officials, according to Sputnik.

Ukrainian politicians & military targeted in hacking campaign: Facebook

Meta Platforms have announced a group of threat actors targeted public figures in Ukraine, including military officials, journalists and politicians Monday. (Reuters)

Over the past 48 hours, Meta removed around 40 fake accounts, groups and pages from Facebook operating from Ukraine and Russia targeting people in UA.

Meta has accused a group named Ghostwriter of being behind the hacking efforts.

Chine hopes Ukrain-Russia ceasefire talks continue:

The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin has expressed hope that Russia and Ukraine will keep on talking. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kiev will decide on moving to the second round of talks with Russia after analyzing the results of the first round.

Over 70 Ukrainian troops killed in military base shelling: governor

More than 70 Ukrainian servicemen were killed when Russian troops shelled a military base in the town of Okhtyrka in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region on Monday, regional governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyy said on Facebook, according to Reuters.

40-mile-long Russian military convoy heading toward Kyiv

New satellite images show a large military convoy north of Kyiv, Ukraine extends for almost 40 miles.

It is considerably longer than 17 miles as initially reported this morning by Maxar Technologies.

Based on additional imagery collected, the Russian military convoy stretches from near Antonov airport in the south to the northern end of the convoy near Prybirsk.

UN General Assembly holds session over Ukraine invasion Monday

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly began meeting on the crisis in Ukraine on Monday ahead of a vote this week to isolate Russia by deploring its attack on Ukraine and demanding Russian troops stop fighting and withdraw.

The General Assembly will vote this week on a draft resolution similar to a text vetoed by Russia in the 15-member Security Council on Friday. No country has a veto in the General Assembly and Western diplomats expect the resolution, which needs two-thirds support, to be adopted.

The latest Ukraine developments on Monday are available by clicking here.