Russia-Ukraine crisis Live: Multiple explosions heard in Kyiv; Ukraine says 137 civilians, soldiers killed so far
Russia Ukraine Crisis Multiple explosions were heard in Kyiv in the early hours of Friday, according to news agency AFP. These set off day two of shelling and fighting after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the ‘military operations’ in Ukraine. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 137 people, including 10 military officers, have been killed and 316 people injured so far.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said Washington will intervene if Putin moves into NATO countries, stressing that if his Russian counterpart is not stopped now, he will be emboldened. The countries on NATO’s eastern flank, especially the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all have received the first batches of US military troops and equipment.
In the wee hours of Friday, Ukraine said it lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear site, the site of the 1986 disaster, and the staff at the Chernobyl plant had been “taken hostage”. World leaders have decried the invasion and announced sanctions on Russia. China, meanwhile, continues its support of the Kremlin with its customs agency approving imports of wheat from all regions of Russia.
Why Ukraine matters to Russia
Russian aggression on its border with Ukraine has triggered one of the greatest security crises in Europe since the Cold War. In 2014, Russia had seized Crimea, an important port region in Ukraine. Conflicts between the two militaries continue to this day but the current Russian invasion has escalated tensions to unprecedented levels.
Moscow had presented NATO with a list of security demands including banning Ukraine and other former Soviet states from joining the organisation. Additionally, Russia asked NATO to abandon military activity in Eastern Europe, which would mean pulling out combat units from Poland and the Baltic states. To put it simply, Russia wants NATO to return to its pre-1997 borders.
With Thanks Refrence to: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/russia-ukraine-crisis-news-live-updates-putin-biden-united-states-seperatists-7788299/
