Latest news about Russia and the war in Ukraine

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said fighting was continuing in several regions, with several cities – including Kyiv – “reining in the advance of the Russian enemy”.

“The gathering of Ukrainian forces and means of defense of the city of Kyiv deters the Russian enemy, which is trying to penetrate the Ukrainian defense from the northwest and east in order to control the main roads and settlements,” the ministry said. in the update.

Officials said Russian forces are also advancing into the settlements of Holyipol, Zaporizhzhya and Verknotoretsk, as well as cities in southern Ukraine.

– Chloe Taylor

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that delegations from Russia and Ukraine will travel to Turkey today, and face-to-face negotiations are likely to start tomorrow.

“[Negotiations] It is unlikely to continue today. Today, delegations are already heading to Turkey. So we know that this [talks] “It could theoretically happen tomorrow,” he said during a press conference.

“We cannot and will not talk about progress yet. But the fact that it was decided to continue the talks in person is certainly important. But for now, we are still sticking to the line of not disclosing any details regarding the negotiations.”

David Arachhamiya, a Ukrainian official involved in negotiations with Russia, said on Sunday that delegates had decided to hold this round of talks in person between Monday and Wednesday this week.

– Chloe Taylor

The Kyiv city administration said, on Monday, that the Ukrainian capital was calm throughout the night, and that there were no attacks on the city.

Officials said in a post on Telegram that the infrastructure in Kyiv is working, and citizens are provided with all facilities.

They also urged residents of the capital not to leave their homes unnecessarily.

– Chloe Taylor

Vadim Denisenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, said he did not expect any major breakthroughs during this week’s talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials.

Delegations from both countries are scheduled to meet in Turkey on Monday for face-to-face talks that are expected to last until Wednesday.

Denisenko was speaking during a charity “TV Marathon” that was shown around the world in support of Ukraine.

– Chloe Taylor

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Verychuk said authorities will not open humanitarian corridors today, as officials fear a looming Russian attack.

“Our information indicated possible provocations by the occupiers on the roads of the humanitarian corridors,” she said. Telegram messaging app. “Therefore, for reasons of public safety, we are not opening humanitarian corridors today,” he added.

Ukrainian officials have operated safe exit routes at various locations across the country on an almost daily basis in recent weeks, with corridors allowing the evacuation of civilians and the import of vital supplies.

Early attempts to evacuate civilians from the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakia had to be halted, as Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces were. Violation of cease-fire agreements along evacuation routes.

– Chloe Taylor

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said on Monday that 143 children have been killed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24.

Officials added that another 216 children were wounded in the war.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said that children in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk “suffered the most,” but noted that children were severely affected in 14 regions of Ukraine.

– Chloe Taylor

Delegations from Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to meet in Turkey today for further talks.

David Arachhamia, a Ukrainian official who was involved in negotiations with Russia, said in a Facebook share On Sunday, delegates decided to conduct this round of talks in person.

He said, according to a translation by NBC News: “Today, in the next round of talks on video calling, it was decided to hold the next round directly by two delegations in Turkey from March 28-30.”

– Chloe Taylor

Mayor Slavutych – home to Chernobyl nuclear power plant employees – said on Monday that Russian troops had left the town, Reuters reported.

“They have completed the work they set out to do,” Mayor Yuri Fumichev was quoted as saying by the news agency. “They surveyed the city, and today they finished doing it and left the city. There is no one in the city now.”

On Saturday, Ukrainian media reported mentioned That Slavutych had been captured by Russian forces.

On the other hand, the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in the early hours of Monday morning that some Russian forces were withdrawing from the Kyiv region to Belarus.

“The reassembly of individual units of composition [Russian] The armed forces said in an update on Facebook that the eastern military region is continuing.

The update added that “units that incurred heavy losses in an offensive operation are usually transferred to the territory of Belarus in order to restore the militias,” noting that the withdrawal from the territory of the Kyiv region “was celebrated.”

But officials noted that the fighting continues throughout the country, and that the Russian forces “continue missile and air strikes on important military infrastructure and advanced positions with the aim of causing losses and exhausting personnel.”

CNBC was unable to independently verify these reports.

– Chloe Taylor

Rob Lee, co-founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Dragos, said Russian cyberattacks on oil and gas infrastructure are highly likely given the country’s history of taking “one-by-one” actions against sanctions.

“In 2014, when Russia invaded Ukraine and seized Crimea, there were a number of … sanctions imposed by Western financial institutions,” Lee told CNBC’s “Street Sign Asia.”

As a result, Russia ended up using cyber attacks against those financial institutions.

“Now that we are witnessing sanctions against oil and gas infrastructure, Nord Stream 2 etc… We fully expect to start seeing cyber attacks against oil and gas infrastructure. Germany suspended certification of Nord Stream 2 in late February – the gas pipeline is designed to bring natural gas from Russia directly to Europe.

The British Ministry of Defense stated that in the past 24 hours there had been no “significant change in the actions of Russian forces in occupied Ukraine”.

The UK said in an intelligence update that the continuing lack of momentum and morale among the Russian military, as well as persistent logistical shortages and aggressive resistance from Ukrainians, are all causing problems for Russia.

“Russia has captured most of the land in the south near Mariupol, where fierce fighting continues while Russia is trying to control the port,” she added.

– Chloe Taylor

Industry watchers say shipments of Russian crude oil to India were somewhat scarce last year, but there has been a “significant uptick” since the start of the Russia-Ukrainian war.

The International Energy Agency says Russian crude is being sold at “record cuts”.

Eileen Wald, president of Transversal Consulting, said two commodity-trading companies are also offering discounts of up to $30 a barrel two weeks ago for Ural Blend – the main oil blend exported by Russia.

Sameer Kapadia, head of trade at government relations consultancy Vogel Group, said that while India’s motives are economic, it is also likely to weigh its friendship with Russia in buying its oil – given that both countries have long histories.

Analysts say China, the world’s largest oil importer, could also go for discounted oil from Russia. “China really prefers much cheaper oil… Prices are very high even in the $90 range which is too high for China,” said Eileen Wald, president of Transversal Consulting.

– Weezin Tan

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is ready to discuss adopting a neutral status as part of a peace agreement with Russia, although the agreement needs to be guaranteed by third parties and put to a referendum.

“Security guarantees and neutrality, our state’s non-nuclear status. We are ready for this. This is the most important point,” Zelensky said in a 90-minute video address with Russian journalists.

Zelensky said that while his government is discussing the use of the Russian language in Ukraine in its talks with Russia, other Russian demands such as disarmament are not currently on the table. He said that Russian-speaking cities in Ukraine were destroyed during the invasion.

— Ian Thomas, with a report from Reuters