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Russia said it would press forward with its invasion of Ukraine until its goals are met, as troops were seen moving in a large convoy toward the capital, Kyiv. In the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, the mayor said residential areas were being bombed in what he called “a war to destroy the Ukrainian people.”
As penalties against Russia continued, the European Union identified seven Russian banks it’s considering excluding from the SWIFT messaging system. Meanwhile, a United Nations agency reported more than 100 civilian deaths, and said the actual number of casualties could be much higher.
Russia banned residents from transferring hard currency abroad, as President Vladimir Putin sought to counter the fresh sanctions walloping the economy.
Russia warns it will strike military targets in Kyiv
Russia plans to strike some communication objects belonging to Ukraine security service inside Kyiv, Russian Defence Ministry says, according to Interfax.
Russian forces plan to strike the source of “information attacks,” the ministry said. While Russia says it is only targeting military facilities, Ukrainian officials and eyewitnesses have reported scores of civilian casualties from air and missile strikes and shared videos of munitions hitting civil and residential buildings.
Zelenskiy urges European Union to let Ukraine join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the EU to grant Ukraine entry, as eight presidents from the bloc’s eastern members called for the country to be immediately given a path to accession.
Zelenskiy’s request has been met with enthusiasm from some member states, but EU officials, who declined to be identified while speaking about a confidential issue, cautioned that the procedure is usually long and complex. “The EU will be definitely stronger with us,” Zelenskiy told the European Parliament via video link.
In an open letter to the EU, the presidents of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia called for a path toward membership to be opened for Ukraine. Hungary’s government also said it backs the membership bid.
Cargo aircraft grounded by Russian invasion
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sidelined a fleet of massive freight-hauling planes that oil companies and engineering firms rely on to carry oversize items such as helicopters, power turbines and even spacecraft.
UK looking at tighter Russian SWIFT curbs
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is examining how “we can tighten up yet further” restrictions on Russia’s use of SWIFT, on which it relies for its oil and gas exports. Speaking in Poland, Johnson told reporters.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender, could also face more sanctions after announcing Monday that it will no longer be able to clear payments in pounds sterling.
UN reports hundreds of civilians killed, wounded
Reports of civilian casualties and civilian infrastructure damage continue to increase across Ukraine, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement.
The government-controlled areas of the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions in eastern Ukraine are among the hardest hit, with several cities, towns and villages on the brink of humanitarian catastrophe, the OCHA said.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights confirmed at least 406 civilian casualties, including 102 deaths, with “the real figures feared to be much higher.”
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