The newest developments on the Russia-Ukraine war:
LONDON — Britain’s Ministry of Protection says {that a} Russian army column heading for Kyiv has made “little discernible progress” over the previous three days and stays over 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the middle of the town.
The column has been delayed by Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdowns and congestion, the ministry stated in its day by day intelligence briefing Thursday.
Regardless of heavy Russian shelling, the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol stay in Ukrainian palms, the division stated. Some Russian forces have entered the town of Kherson, however the army scenario stays unclear, it added.
The ministry additionally famous that Russia has been compelled to confess that 498 of its troopers have been killed in Ukraine and one other 1,597 have been wounded. The precise variety of these killed and wounded will nearly actually be significantly greater and can proceed to rise, it stated.
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STOCKHOLM — Low-cost style model Hennes & Mauritz AB has turn into the most recent firm to droop its actions in Russia, saying it had determined to quickly pause all gross sales in its Russian shops and quickly shut its outlets in Ukraine “because of the security of consumers and colleagues.”
The Stockholm-based group stated Wednesday that it was “deeply involved concerning the tragic developments in Ukraine and stand with all of the people who find themselves struggling.” It added that it was “in dialogue with all related stakeholders.”
H&M stated garments “and different requirements” had been donated and the H&M Basis, which is privately funded by the founders and predominant house owners of the group, had made donations to Save the Kids and to UNHCR, the U.N. refugee company.
BRUSSELS — With near 1,000,000 refugees already fleeing Ukraine for the japanese nations of the European Union, the bloc is bracing for the arrival of many extra because the Russian invasion continues.
EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson stated Thursday forward of a particular assembly of justice and residential affairs ministers that “now we have to be ready for thousands and thousands of refugees to return to the European Union.”
The bloc is already shifting towards granting non permanent safety to these fleeing warfare, searching for to present non permanent residence permits to refugees and permit them rights to training and work within the 27-nation bloc.
The EU Fee has already promised a minimum of 500 million euros ($560 million) in humanitarian assist for the refugees. Johansson stated the bloc will want funding and tools.
LONDON — Fitch Rankings has downgraded Russia’s credit standing, citing a “extreme shock” to elementary situations on account of its invasion of Ukraine.
Fitch stated the warfare has raised dangers to monetary stability and will undermine Russia’s skill to service its authorities debt. It stated that, in flip, will weaken the nation’s funds and sluggish its financial system, additional elevating geopolitical dangers and uncertainty.
Amongst different elements, the rankings company famous sanctions imposed by Western international locations which might be limiting entry to international foreign money wanted to repay debt and buy imports and elevated uncertainty over Russia’s willingness to pay such money owed.
BEIJING — Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from the Winter Paralympic Video games for his or her international locations’ roles within the warfare in Ukraine, the Worldwide Paralympic Committee stated Thursday in Beijing.
The about-face comes lower than 24 hours after the IPC on Wednesday stated it might permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete when the Video games open on Friday, however solely as impartial athletes with colours, flags and different nationwide symbols eliminated.
The IPC obtained quick criticism for its preliminary determination. It was termed a betrayal that despatched the mistaken message to Russia’s management. The IPC additionally stated it was evident that many athletes would refuse to compete towards Russians or Belarusians, creating chaos for the Paralympics.
The IPC now joins sports activities like soccer, monitor, basketball, hockey and others which have imposed blanket bans on Russians and Belarusians.
SEOUL, South Korea – A South Korean pharmaceutical firm manufacturing Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine says it is bracing for enterprise issues because the U.S.-led West escalates sanctions towards Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.
Lately expanded U.S. sanctions embody focused measures towards the Russian Direct Funding Fund, a sovereign wealth fund run by an in depth ally of President Vladimir Putin that globally markets the Sputnik vaccines.
Kim Gi-young, an official from Seoul-based GL Rapha, stated the sanctions received’t instantly impede its manufacturing of the photographs because the measures aren’t aimed toward important medical provides.
Nevertheless, the corporate is worried about potential issues rising from the monetary facet as South Korea joins the US and plenty of European international locations in a transfer to chop off key Russian banks from world cost techniques.
“Proper now, we’re watching how the scenario develops,” Kim stated.
GL Rapha has to this point produced 5 million photographs of the single-dose Sputnik Gentle vaccine, however none of them have been used as far as Russia continues to delay rollout plans, Kim stated.
GL Rapha additionally has an settlement with RDIF to provide 150 million photographs of the two-dose Sputnik V and is collaborating in a consortium of South Korean corporations that has been contracted to provide one other 500 million doses of Sputnik V, however these photographs haven’t been produced but.
RDIF has reportedly criticized the U.S. sanctions and stated the measures would sluggish its promotion of Sputnik V.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates says Ukrainian passport holders proceed to be eligible for visas on arrival to the Gulf state.
The UAE’s International Ministry assertion on Thursday got here in response to media protection quoting Ukraine’s Embassy within the UAE saying that the Gulf nation is reimposing visa necessities on Ukrainians and suspending an settlement for visa-free journey between the 2 international locations.
The energy-rich UAE, which depends on Russian and Ukrainian wheat exports, is house to some 15,000 Ukrainian residents amongst its roughly 8 million international residents and 1 million Emirati residents. Earlier than the coronavirus pandemic, round a quarter-million Ukrainian vacationers visited the UAE.
The UAE, like different Gulf Arab states, doesn’t acknowledge people fleeing warfare and has not permitted refugees from Syria, Iraq and different wars to hunt asylum or search resettlement.
The UAE, which is house to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, abstained in a U.N. Safety Council vote late final week condemning Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s also chair of the Safety Council.
MAZYR, Belarus — A string of seven bus-size Russian army ambulances — their home windows blocked with grey shades — pulled as much as the again entrance of the primary hospital about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the border with Ukraine on Tuesday night, ferrying casualties from the entrance.
The convoy was a part of what residents and medical doctors stated has in latest days turn into a gradual move of Russian troopers wounded in fierce combating round Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, the place a Russian advance has stalled within the face of sturdy resistance.
A physician on the hospital — which is in southern Belarus’s Gomel area, a predominant staging floor for Russia’s offensive — stated injured Russian troops started arriving on Monday. “I hope they don’t jail me for sharing this,” she stated.
WARSAW, Poland — The Group for Safety and Co-operation in Europe says certainly one of its members died throughout shelling within the Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv.
Maryna Fenina was killed whereas getting provides for her household, the group stated in a information launch Wednesday. Fenina labored with the group’s monitoring mission in Ukraine.
“In Kharkiv and different cities and cities in Ukraine, missiles, shells and rockets are hitting residential buildings and city facilities, killing and injuring harmless civilians — ladies, males and kids alike,” it stated.
The group’s chairperson, Polish International Minister Zbigniew Rau, and Secretary Normal Helga Maria Schmid prolonged their condolences.
“Our deepest condolences and sympathies go to Maryna’s household. Maryna was a valued member of the SMM staff, and our colleagues in Ukraine stay in shut contact along with her household to supply our assist,” it stated.
The group launched its Ukraine monitoring mission in 2014 in response to a request from Ukraine’s authorities and the consent of the group’s 57 collaborating states. The mission observes and experiences on the scenario in Ukraine and goals to facilitate dialogue.
GENEVA — The U.N. refugee company says 1 million folks have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion lower than every week in the past, an exodus with out precedent on this century for its velocity.
The tally from UNHCR quantities to greater than 2 p.c of Ukraine’s inhabitants on the transfer in below every week. The World Financial institution counted the inhabitants at 44 million on the finish of 2020.
The U.N. company has predicted that as much as 4 million folks might ultimately go away Ukraine however cautioned that even that projection could possibly be revised upward.
In an electronic mail, UNHCR spokesperson Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams wrote: “Our information signifies we handed the 1M mark” as of midnight in central Europe, primarily based on counts collected by nationwide authorities.
On Twitter, the U.N. Excessive Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, wrote: “In simply seven days now we have witnessed the exodus of 1 million refugees from Ukraine to neighboring international locations.”
Syria, whose civil warfare erupted in 2011, at present stays the nation with the most important refugee outflows – at greater than 5.6 million folks, in accordance with UNHCR figures. However even on the swiftest price of flight by refugees out of Syria, in early 2013, it took a minimum of three months for 1 million refugees to go away that nation.
UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo stated Wednesday that “at this price” the outflows from Ukraine might make it the supply of “the most important refugee disaster this century.”
KYIV, Ukraine — In a video tackle to the nation early Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave an upbeat evaluation of the warfare and referred to as on Ukrainians to maintain up the resistance.
“We’re a individuals who in every week have destroyed the plans of the enemy,” he stated. “They are going to haven’t any peace right here. They are going to haven’t any meals. They are going to have right here not one quiet second.”
Zelenskyy didn’t touch upon whether or not the Russians have seized a number of cities, together with Kherson.
“In the event that they went someplace, then solely quickly. We’ll drive them out,” he stated.
He stated the combating is taking a toll on the morale of Russian troopers, who “go into grocery shops and attempt to discover one thing to eat.”
“These will not be warriors of a superpower,” he stated. “These are confused kids who’ve been used.”
He stated the Russian loss of life toll has reached about 9,000.
“Ukraine doesn’t need to be coated in our bodies of troopers,” he stated. “Go house.”
Comply with AP’s protection of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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