Ukraine, Russia to hold 2nd round of peace talks Thursday

Russia on Day 7 seized three Ukrainian cities including the strategic port city of Kherson in the south on Wednesday. The Russian attack was also overwhelmingly condemned in a session of the UN General Assembly with many countries including China and India abstained.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has entered the 8th day on Thursday. Here is the latest news: 

International Paralympic Committee Suspends Russian in Beijing Games

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has suspended the participation of Russian athletes in the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing.

China denies Western media claims about Ukraine

China’s foreign ministry called Western media reports of Beijing’s request on Russia to postpone the invasion of Ukraine until after the Beijing Winter Olympics as completely wrong.

Zelensky’s new video message on the Ukraine crisis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lambasted Russia in a new video message on Thursday saying “The enemy had been planning to attack our country for years.”

He further said that Ukraine has defeated Russia despite being 10 times the size of the Ukrainian army.

We have achieved all our goals in Ukraine: Russia deputy FM

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that the country has already achieved all its goals in the special military operation in Ukraine.

“In recent days, we have witnessed an unprecedented economic, political and intelligence attack on Russia,” Ryabkov warned of tensions in US-Western relations with Russia over developments in Ukraine.

The Russian deputy FM also condemned the US and allied actions in providing arms to Ukraine and stressed Moscow’s readiness to hold talks with the United States. 

Ukraine reported about the fire of fuel tanks in Chernihiv

In Chernihiv, a shell hit an oil depot, rescuers are putting out the fire, the State Emergency Service reports on Thursday, March 3.

According to the report, the shelling took place at about 8:10 am on the street. Chudinov on the territory of SE Combine Astra.

As noted, as a result of the hit, a tank group with a total capacity of 3,000 cubic meters of diesel fuel ignited.

Moscow says military convoy continues way towards Kiyv

While some Western media reported that the Russian military convoy stalled, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the advance towards Kyiv was continuing and that Russian troops reached within 30 kilometers of the city.

Ukraine, Russian to hold 2nd round of peace talks Thursday

It is expected that Russian and Ukrainian delegations will hold a second round of peace negotiations in Belarus on Thursday. According to Sputnik, the Russian delegation arrived at the talks on Wednesday, while the Ukrainian delegation is set to arrive on Thursday morning.

The first round of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations were held in the Gomel region of Belarus on Monday. The Russian delegation was headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Ukrainian President Zelensky’s office had said that “the key issue of the negotiations is an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops from the territory of Ukraine”.

Sputnik has updated its news sayiong that second round of Russia-Ukraine talks to begin in Brest region at 15:00 Local Time.

War crimes court prosecutor opens Ukraine investigation

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor on Wednesday said he would immediately open an investigation into possible war crimes committed in Ukraine, following requests to do so by an unprecedented number of the court’s member states.Large explosions rock Ukrainian capital

A large explosion was heard in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on Wednesday evening, shortly after warning sirens rang out, Turkish Anadolu Agnecy said.

A major heating pipeline in the capital was damaged in a missile strike near Kyiv’s central railway station, according to Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister.

He said the Russian cruise missile was “intended for a major control center” but was intercepted by Ukraine’s air defense.

Pentagon postpones missile test launch to deescalate Russia tensions

the Press Secretary for the United States Department of Defense said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the Pentagon to postpone a planned test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile to quell tensions with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Hill reported.

Romania loses two aircraft near Ukraine’s border

A Romanian MiG-21 LanceR fighter jet disappeared from the radar in the southeastern region of Dobrogea late on Wednesday, the country’s Defense Ministry has said. The incident was followed by the crash of an IAR 330 Puma helicopter, dispatched to locate the jet.

The fighter aircraft, which is an Israeli-upgraded version of the iconic 1960s Soviet jet, disappeared some 15 minutes after taking off and heading to patrol the coastal region bordering Ukraine. A search and rescue mission was scrambled, with the helicopter dispatched to find the jet.

The helicopter, however, disappeared some 20 minutes into its mission as well, the military has said. Before the comms were lost, its pilot reported extremely bad weather conditions in the area.

1 million people have fled Ukraine

 The UN refugee agency said Thursday that 1 million people have now fled Ukraine since Russia began its operation in Ukraine less than a week ago, an exodus without precedent in this century for its speed.

Pentagon chief weighs in on Ukraine no-fly zone

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has rejected any plan to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine following pleas from officials in Kiev, saying it would inevitably kick off a hot conflict between nuclear powers, according to RT.

Speaking to NBC’s Lester Holt for an interview aired on Wednesday, the Pentagon head agreed that a no-fly zone (NFZ) is a “non-starter” – a statement in line with the president’s pledge that American troops would not directly intervene in the conflict.